Page 1 An Electronic Publication of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council An Electronic Publication of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Empowering ReachOut e-Diversity News Empowering ReachOut e-Diversity News August 2022 Edition | Volume 1, Issue 6 Read, Pass on to Friends, Family Members, Colleagues & Constituents MissDon’tanIssue! Reach Out e-Diversity News is designed to EMPOWER you to… • Recognize the needs of un/underserved Ohioans • Measure and monitor to get results that support un/underserved Ohioans living more productive and independent lives This month’s focus: Moving Forward: Strategy & Execution Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) STRATEGY Tool Kit Download NOW and gain access to tools you can use to help you to move forward with purpose RESOURCES BEST PRACTICES DISCUSSIONS
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Page 2 This Month’s -HighlightsStrategy Fuels Growth and Greater Impact Steve Votaw Using Data to Chart Future Directon Communicating with Intentionality Yvonne Cherell Liz Blume Makenzie Lee SAVE THE DATE “Pitch Your Strategy” Difference Maker Challenge September 13, 2022 4:00 – 5:00 pm Look out for your Challenge Invite
The purpose of Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is to promote interagency collaboration and coordination that result in agencies providing culturally competent services to the unserved/underserved populations in Ohio. It is the policy of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council to use person-first language in items written by staff. Items reprinted or quoted exactly as they originally appear may not reflect this policy. Reach Out e-Diversity News is produced by The Outcomes Management Group, Ltd.
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This project was supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Council, grant number from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their ndings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Steve Votaw loves the non-profit field and has been CEO for different non-profit organizations over the course of his professional career, retiring last year from the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio after having led the organization for 7 years and serving the greater Columbus community for 32 years. He has been committed to growing the organizations that he has led for the purpose of providing better services to the individuals served.
Steve FormerVotawCEO, Furniture Bank of Central Ohio
Being challenged to do more with less, Steve discovered an innovative solution that helped him to pivot and fuel both financial and service growth of the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio.
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In 2021, Steve Votaw received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Most Admired Executives from Business First.
Tell us about the challenge that you faced at the Furniture Bank that led you to discover a strategy that turned your organization’s loss into a significant gain. The Furniture Bank had been relying primarily on one revenue source, providing a million dollars annually. to fund its operations. When that source decided to reduce its funding significantly, the organization was forced to find a new way to generate finances so that it could continue to live its mission and serve the same number of families at the same level.
Strategy Fuels Growth and Greater Impact
The Board liked the concept and appointed a committee to determine the feasibility, and if proven feasible, propose a strategy. Subsequently, committee members and I visited a Thrift Store in Cleveland whose model appeared to be one that could be replicated. After the onsite visit, the committee and I began to develop our strategy- goals, actions, costs, timelines, persons responsible, metrics.
Yes, both goals were realized and others that were not forecasted. Because of the “Furniture with a Heart” logo, people were more eager to buy from us because they knew their funds were going to be a blessing to others.
Furniture that previously couldn’t be collected because it was not appropriate for the families served could now be stored and sold.
Did you realize your goals? What factors contributed to the realization?
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Additionally, we found that some of our customers did not have disposable income to invest in “joining fitness centers” but could now purchase exercise equipment and exercise at home. There
Most of the organization’s revenue had come from government and philanthropy, placing the organization’s future in others’ decision-making. After doing some research, I discovered a third potential revenue source, social enterprise. It appeared that this source would give the organization flexibility with an opportunity to grow and expand.
At our annual planning retreat, I introduced the idea to the Board and presented one concept that piqued my interest because it was related to the organization’s core mission… opening of a Furniture Thrift Store. This concept would provide the organization with an opportunity to expand the type of furniture it collected.
While the primary focus was to establish financial goals that would generate enough revenue to replace the loss revenue, it was important to maintain the organization’s brand identity. Subsequently, the proposed strategy addressed both. The Thrift Store would be named “Furniture with a Heart.” Within the first 8 months of opening, the store generates a $40,000 surplus and began replacing the revenue loss.
How did you move your social enterprise concept into a reality?
How has strategic planning enhanced your social enterprise concept?
Our serving clients extended into our store. By the end of the third year, the store generated a surplus of $400,000 which allowed the organization to serve 1,000 families with a houseful of furniture. That was exactly the impact the organization had planned to achieve.
The following are the primary factors that I think contributed to the Store’s success.
Data was examined of the poverty rates in contingent counties. Two counties with significant poverty rates around Central Ohio were identified. Site visits were conducted, pros and cons identified for each location. One site’s data indicated it was the best location for a Thrift Store and Furniture Bank.
Creating and using a dashboard that facilitated tracking performance against goals
The Furniture Bank Board set aside annually a time separate from Board meetings to intentionally plan- look at existing goals and future opportunities. At one of our planning meetings the Board examined the concept of expansion to other locations.
This was a result of data used to track furniture requests which indicated the number of calls from other communities for families in need of furniture. A committee was identified to examine the feasibility of creating a model that could be replicated in other communities.
Hiring the right people for positions Managing logistics e at staff meetings, s
were items like entertainment centers that people no longer used but could be converted into “doll houses.”
Having a committed Board that was willing to support something different.
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Location of the store provided the opportunity to attract the traffic needed to meet the financial goals.
Consistent reporting and review of performance at sta Board committee meetings, and Board meetings
More About Steve Votaw…
He also has 5 years of experience in administering community mental health and substance abuse programs for the City of Cleveland and the Mills Center in Marysville.
He has served as Chair of the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County, a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Juvenile Justice, the Ohio Attorney General’s Victim of Gang Violence Task Force, and the Ohio Department of Mental Health Cultural Competency Assessment Team.
The Furniture Bank Board committed to a second Thrift Store, which is now open. Once again, the organization has expanded the number of people served and is generating additional revenue to support operations. When an organization plans intentionally, executes it plan, measures consistently, and pivots when necessary, more people can be served well, their needs met, and adequate funds generated to sustain the organization.
Steve Votaw received a BA from Kent State University and Master of Science degree from Youngstown State University.
He has worked extensively with substance abuse in teens and severely mentally challenged Heclients.was formerly the Executive Director for Learn4Life and CEO of Directions for Youth and Families where he worked to improve the lives of predominantly inner-city kids and their families through various intervention programs.
The purpose of Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is to promote interagency collaboration and coordination that result in agencies providing culturally competent services to the unserved/underserved populations in Ohio. It is the policy of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council to use person-first language in items written by staff. Items reprinted or quoted exactly as they originally appear may not reflect this policy.
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Currently, he serves on the Jonathan Alder School Board and Form 5 Prosthetics Board. This project was supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, under grant number 17OU01FA22 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Return To Page One Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is produced by The Outcomes Management Group, Ltd.
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Liz Blume, Community Building Institute
The Ohio Urban Resource Systems (OURS) is a network of 11 Community Action Agencies that represent the largest cities in Ohio and represent communities where over 50 percent of all Ohioans live. It was established 37 years ago to better serve those in poverty in urban parts of the state where poverty rates have been consistently higher than other parts of the state, except for southeastern Appalachian counties.
Engaging a diverse group of voices in data gathering provides insight about the differences that exist within communities who share similar problems.
Using Data to Chart Future Direction
Yvonne Cherell, OURS CEO and Liz Blume, CBI Consultant provide insight about their collaboration.
Yvonne Cherell, CEO, Ohio Urban Resource Systems
Today, there are over 1.6 million poor people in Ohio, and one million of them live in OURS communities. The poverty rate overall in Ohio is 15 percent and in OURS communities it is 16 Communitiespercent. that are represented in OURS include Akron, Stark County, Cincinnati-Hamilton County, Trumbull County, Greater Cleveland, Columbus, Lorain County, Erie, Huron & Richland Counties, Mahoning Youngstown, Toledo, Miami Valley.
The Ohio Urban Resource Systems (OURS) partnered with the Community Building Institute (CBI) to gather data that would increase their understanding about the poverty that exists in Ohio, impact of strategies on addressing poverty, and provide guidance about future direction.
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As the former Development Director and member of National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Columbus, Yvonne provided key testimony and support resulting in the passage of SB 105, legislation that will remove hurdles of minority, women, and veteran Yvonneentrepreneurs.isaproud
She has led research efforts on important issues facing many metropolitan areas today including affordable housing, urban education, land use, community and economic development, equity and community engagement.
Liz has also been the Co-Director of a Master’s program in Urban Sustainability and Resilience at Xavier University. This interdisciplinary program incorporated principles from public policy, planning, and business to help students prepare for careers in environmental sustainability and resilience.
Liz Blume
Yvonne Cherell, CEO of OURS. Yvonne is OURS first CEO and a respected advocate who fights for social justice, equity, and inclusion for all Ohioans. As OURS CEO, she is a leading voice of urban low-income communities by advocating for policies that alleviate poverty and promote self-sufficiency.
Liz has built her career blending community organizing principles with community planning processes. She is a planning professional with more than 30 years of experience in the field. Liz has led multiple city, county, and neighborhood planning processes, always with the voice of the community at the heart, and with an asset-based lens.
Liz’s work in this program was a natural outgrowth of her years of experience in urban settings in southwest Ohio. She has also served as the Planning Director in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, and worked as a planning consultant throughout the Midwest.
Alumna of Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, OH. Liz Blume is the Director of the Community Building Institute (CBI) at Xavier University.
With more than 25 years of experience in the human services sector, Yvonne has led many innovative and unprecedented programs. From securing $5m in funding for youth workforce development programs to managing large conferences and events for more than 5,000 participants.
Yvonne Cherell
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The following themes emerged: Community Connections and Local Knowledge, Agencies as Innovator, Long-Term Investment, Communicating Impact, Agency Staff Support, Declining Social Mobility, Location Matters.
The data and research used were census based to ensure the data collection aligned with the requirements of the federal Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Health and Human Services (HHS), and consistent with data familiar to legislators and funders.
Why did the Ohio Urban Resource Systems (OURS) decide to engage in a Needs Assessment?
Opportunity Atlas data was used. This is a comprehensive Census tract-level dataset of children’s outcomes in adulthood using data covering nearly the entire U.S. population. For each tract, estimates are made of children’s outcomes in adulthood such as earnings distributions and incarceration rates by parental income, race, and gender. These estimates facilitate tracking the roots of outcomes such as poverty and incarceration to the neighborhoods in which children grew up. Themes were identified, data snapshots created, and profiles developed of each member agency. (Liz Blume)
What were your overall findings?
Additionally, the Community Building Institute (CBI) conducted one on one interviews with each Executive Director of the member agencies. Data was examined that would facilitate identification of the member agencies’ similarities and differences based upon geography and other demographic markers (e.g., race, age, gender identity, disability, Also,etc.).
How did you go about the Needs Assessment?
Additionally, the member agencies wanted to affirm that the issues germane to urban communities were being addressed. They wanted to develop a case that could be shared with legislators, funders, and community leaders which collectively identified who was being served, what strategies were being utilized, how community needs were being met, and what outcomes achieved. (Yvonne Cherell)
While each of OURS member agencies are required to perform a community needs assessment every three years; the network did not have a collective repository of the data.Subsequently, OURS had been unable to provide data about its collective impact.
Increasingly, the network was being asked about its impact and the member agencies wanted to show up with data that would allow them to boldly state what differentiated the OURS network from other community action networks.
Access to opportunity is dependent on many factors including geography. A family’s location in the city or in the region influences their access to housing, health care, quality schools and jobs. It can also have an impact on mental health, drug abuse, and Dataisolation.Snapshots
were developed that identified total population size, total poverty rate, poverty rate by race, poverty rate by age, poverty rate by race and age. (Liz Blume)
Local, state, and national government action is needed to address the following policies and systems that impact wealth, health, and racial inequalities: minimum wage, and benefits (sick and vacation leave, etc.), access to health care, access to affordable, safe housing, access to benefits (addressing the benefits cliff as a deterrent from taking higher paying jobs), crime and incarceration, transportation.
OURS member agencies are local, regional, state, and national experts on Poverty. They use their local knowledge to advocate for policies, programs, and spending that help families living in poverty become more successful. Training programs that provide certification for occupations with good wages and case management to support families as they transition to financial self-sufficiency can benefit all of Ohio by increasing economic growth and prosperity.
• OURS has been intentional in its use of the data and findings. As part of its strategic planning process, this data was used to help inform understanding the network’s current condition and provide insight about the future direction. We are excited about where we are headed and the data has helped inform our new path. The Board is set to vote on our proposed direction; so, I cannot reveal it here. But OURS is hosting a virtual big reveal on September 8th, 10:00 am at our annual Anti Poverty Forum. (Yvonne Cherell)
The purpose of Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is to promote interagency collaboration and coordination that result in agencies providing culturally competent services to the unserved/underserved populations in Ohio. It is the policy of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council to use person-first language in items written by staff. Items reprinted or quoted exactly as they originally appear may not reflect this policy.
Example of Poverty Rate Data Snapshot taken from the Ohio Urban Resources System, (OURS) Community Impact Report (p.43)
Mark your calendar. Hope to see you there!
Examples of Themes taken from the Ohio Urban Resources System, (OURS) Community Impact Report (pp.8-11).
This project was supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, under grant number 17OU01FA22 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Return To Page One Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is produced by The Outcomes Management Group, Ltd.
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How is OURS planning to use the data to set its future direction?
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Makenzie Lee Director of Marketing & Communications Cramer & Associates
Communicating with Intentionality
Purposeful communication allows leaders to think through the reason for the communication, the best method of communication, and the resolution of problems or issues. Cramer & Associates is a team of seven professionals, led by Michelle Cramer, CFRE, who are passionate about their work with non-profit organizations.
At the core of Cramer’s “why” is the belief that nonprofits make the world a better place through their mission and outreach. Makenzie Lee, Director of Marketing & Communications, most recently led the team’s redesign of their online home.
Cramer & Associates’ mission is to elevate our philanthropic partners with enthusiastic leadership and customized strategies that will sustain their missions and strengthen their Whilecommunities.Cramer & Associates brings a combined experience of 118 years in the philanthropic sector, we still have so much passion on our team and that is because all of us care about the work that we do. Our services range from studies, assessments, and planning - whether that is a feasibility study, master plan, corporate philanthropic assessment; to campaign management, which sets the stage for our nonprofit partners need to get where they are going; to leadership and team building services.
The redesign process was inclusive, thoughtful, fun, and outcomes focused. It culminated with a launch on August 10th. Tell Us about Cramer & Associates
I love the term “online home” because it make me think differently about a website. What outcomes did your organization want to achieve from its new “online home” (website)? We chose to think of our website as our “online home” because it is a reflection of who we are. Our goal was for people to visit the site and quickly get a true sense of our personality and culture whether or not they knew us or had heard of us. We wanted to showcase and make it evident that Cramer & Associates prides itself in not being transactional; but instead focuses on building long-term relationships through living our values of being authentic, empathetic, joyous, grateful and passionate. I think that shines through in our new “online home.”
Another big goal of the new site was to invite more people to reach out to us because we customize our services based upon their need. Uncovering their need starts with a conversation where we can get to know each other. There are lots of call outs for that on the Thewebsite.easier we can make it for organizations to find and connect with us, the more Cramer & Associates can help contribute to that thriving philanthropic ecosystem that is part of our vision. What it all comes back to is if we can help more organizations, more nonprofits, they will be able to make an even bigger impact and we can be a small part of that.
From the time we kicked off the redesign process to our official public launch, the process took a little under four months. The first step involved identifying partners.
Cramer & Associates has a strong network of other professionals that we can direct our nonprofit partners to that makes it cohesive and as easy as possible for them.
For example, we partnered with Buckeye Innovation, who brought the website application, design and development expertise and experience. While I love design, I am not a coder. It was important to have them on board first. Our entire team was committed to the process and played different roles. Michelle Cramer, President & CEO provided insight about the organization’s future direction; senior partners brought historical perspectives; our client services manager provided insights about our
A final, essential technical goal then was to make sure the site is functional, simple, and easy to navigate. What steps did your organization take to create your new “online home?” Who was involved? How long did it take?
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When I reflect on the process, it demonstrates how much we value including everyone in the process, using their knowledge and gifts in the right places, and having fun along the way. I realized that our process is a good example of involving a lot of different people while at the same time not having too many cooks in the kitchen. Let’s examine your new “online home.” Identify features that you think provide those who view your website with an understanding of Cramer & Associates.
One of the main elements is just how easy it is to navigate. You can get to every single page via a menu at the top of each page, and there are constant calls to action and call outs of other sections on each page. Throughout the site you will see what we call accordions. This is a design element that expands in place to expose some hidden information so as to not present overwhelming, large blocks of text.
The process included looking back at our former marketing pieces, decks, strategic plans, etc. We identified what had been consistent over the years and what was missing. This step revealed that there was an opportunity to revamp the way we talked about ourselves, and the language we used.
With our senior writer, I created a content board for each website page. This facilitated getting feedback and agreement about our core language, how we wanted to talk about ourselves. It started with our mission, vision, values and the bold statement on our new homepage: Q Your cause is our cause. We’re in it with you, from concept to completion. Because we care just as much about your mission and goals as you do. We updated our bios, case studies, service descriptions, and more. They were shortened and made more digestible to provide more clarity throughout the site.
There are a lot of different things on the website that we think will help everyone who visits it get a better understanding of who we are and what we do.
nonprofit partners; and our senior writer made sure the words we chose were consistent with Cramer’s voice and style.
A portion of this process was a fun day filled with a team Cramer photoshoot where we got great new individual and group photos. We also did a video that showcases our office and team working together. This experience really helped us showcase our personality.
Additionally, she enjoys opportunities to provide marketing and communications services for the firm’s nonprofit partners to help uplift and supplement their fundraising efforts.
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In her role as Director of Marketing & Communications at Cramer & Associates, Makenzie is responsible for elevating the Cramer brand and helping the firm to ensure their communication is consistent with what they do. She also does this by showcasing the organization through its website, social media, newsletter, blog; all the various ways that we get to communicate with the world.
And there is so much more that we are proud to showcase. I invite you to visit our new “online home,” contact us and let us know what you think!
Different types of communication elements that can connect with diverse communication styles and preferences. Providing alternate text, using plain language, giving consideration to font type and size to facilitate accessibility to people with disabilities is important. This is an area that we are continuing to build out.
The purpose of Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is to promote interagency collaboration and coordination that result in agencies providing culturally competent services to the unserved/underserved populations in Ohio. It is the policy of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council to use person-first language in items written by staff. Items reprinted or quoted exactly as they originally appear may not reflect this policy. To One Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is produced by The Outcomes Management Group, Ltd.
Video showcasing of our space on the homepage gives a feel of where we work and a better sense of who we are. It speaks to how friendly and open we are.
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More About Makenzie Lee Makenzie Lee grew up in Northeast Ohio and attended Miami University of Ohio where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in strategic communications and sociology. Prior to joining Cramer & Associates, Makenzie provided marketing services for an Ohiobased financial planning firm.
This project was supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, under grant number 17OU01FA22 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
Case studies and blogs that provide insight into our non-profit partners and strategic network of professionals who are experts in their respective fields.
Page 15 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) STRATEGY Tool Kit This month’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion STRATEGY Tool Kit contains a “must have” set of tools that will equip you to develop and use strategies to move your organization forward. Click on each description and check out the examples of resources, discussions, best practices, and trainings. RESOURCES Social Enterprise Business Plan - Propel Nonprofits Outline for developing a business plan for a social enterprise, including 2-page guide Growing & Scaling Your Social Enterprise Steps for defining and growing a social enterprise, including product creation and team building Strategy Map Examples Visualizing strategy with a variety of strategy map examples
Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is produced by The Outcomes Management Group, Ltd.
The purpose of Empowering Reach Out e-Diversity News is to promote interagency collaboration and coordination that result in agencies providing culturally competent services to the unserved/underserved populations in Ohio. It is the policy of the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council to use person-first language in items written by staff. Items reprinted or quoted exactly as they originally appear may not reflect this policy.
DISCUSSIONS Improving Strategy via Constituent Experience Discussion of strategies to understand and improve your constituents’ experiences Culture is the Driving Force Behind Strategy Importance of culture and strategy alignment, including how to measure and transform culture BEST PRACTICES Getting the Most From Your Data Best practices for embracing data, including keys to data decision-making TRAININGS Strategic Planning for a Social Venture Training material with key business definitions and models for value creation Creating a Roadmap for the Future of Your Organization Training for Executive Directors and Boards on strategic planning and visioning
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This project was supported, in part by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, under grant number 17OU01FA22 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.
