News

The University of Cincinnati’s Work Study office and its Service Learning Co-op program are working together to provide nonprofits with free college student assistance. The partnership enables nonprofits to hire a Work Study-eligible student to work for up to 24 hours per week (40 in the summer) at no charge. The program will run year-round, but to get the most out of the program, recruiting should take place prior to the start of each semester. Want more information? Contact Paula Harper, Manager of Partnership Development, UC’s Division of Experience-Based Learning and Career Education at harperpr@ucmail.uc.edu or 513-556-9811.

Agency clients and community members interested in supplementing their summer food supply are getting support from The Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati and the Cincinnati ToolBank. The “Victory Garden” initiative, a throw-back gardening program historically designed to help ease the pressure of food scarcity, helps local residents increase the availability of fresh produce and get the joy of “working in the dirt.” Through the program, the ToolBank is providing free tool rental and the Civic Garden Center is offering “How To” programming to help get projects moving. A free Zoom session “Create a Community Victory Garden” is being held on April 22, 7 – 8 p.m. to discuss the ins and outs of starting a garden. Speakers will also include GroundWorks Ohio River Valley, who will present gardening success stories.  A free resource from GroundWorks titled “Chris’s Urban Garden Adventure” shares a story of learning creative ways to safely start growing a garden in an urban setting.

The OneSource Center Common Good Voucher Program is an answer to community need, providing free retail products to individuals in our region impacted by the pandemic or challenging times. The program is a continuation of an initiative begun in 2020 which allows nonprofit agencies to recommend low-income clients to the OneSource Center program.  Individuals utilizing the voucher program come from a variety of backgrounds, but can be from recovery centers or homeless shelters or dealing with pandemic times. Voucher recipients are working with agency representatives to establish self-sufficiency, and this program supports this vision. 

All donations to the Common Good Voucher Program are used to provide vouchers to clients of nonprofit agencies.Items available through the program can include personal care, household and kitchen items and even furniture – items donated to OneSource Center’s warehouse distribution center by philanthropic corporate donors.  Free vouchers for extremely reasonably priced furniture and products are distributed in $25 increments to OneSource Center member agencies for use by their clients. Multiple vouchers can be combined for larger purchases. An agency representative accompanies their client(s) when shopping. (more…)

Training leaders to be creative and knowledgeable has never been more important as nonprofits adapt to current times and anticipate unexpected changes ahead. The Nonprofit Leadership Institute of Cincinnati (NLIGC) has highly respected leadership development programs tailored to the skill level of employees: entrylevel, middle management and CEO level. OneSource Center consultants provide the leadership and teaching for two of the NLIGC programs (ADVANCE and EXCEL.) The programs are lauded as “transformational” with attendees reporting they utilize skills learned every day in the operation of their organizations and in team management.

Program details:

• LEARN “Everybody Leads” is a foundational leadership and skills development program for entry-level managers or for employees interested in improving general leadership skills. New sessions occur quarterly. The Spring Session of LEARN is accepting applications now! Classes are held on Thursdays, April 8 – June 17, 2021.
• ADVANCE focuses on strengthening and developing the management and leadership skills of middle managers or nonprofit supervisors. New sessions occur quarterly. The Spring Session of ADVANCE is currently accepting applications. Sessions are on Tuesdays March 30 – June 8, 2021. Fall sessions will be held on Thursdays, September 16 – December 2, 2021.
• EXCEL is a flagship, nine-month leadership development and skills training program for nonprofit executive directors and C-suite executives. EXCEL was designed to enrich the management capabilities of those individuals inspired to lead nonprofit organizations in the Greater Cincinnati region. The program integrates the use of a coaches to personally mentor each class attendee in implementing best practices in their organizational leadership. The program begins every fall, with applications accepted the previous summer.

Questions? Please visit the NLIGC website or contact John Hauck.

Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio recently published an excellent legal brief relating to the pandemic titled “The Covid 19 Vaccine — What Nonprofit Employers Need to Know.” The article highlights that as the COVID-19 vaccine continues to roll out, there are subjects nonprofit leaders need to be knowledgeable about including vaccine accommodations, mandates and best practices.  Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio wants to help nonprofits succeed.  Nonprofit leaders — contact PBPO to see how they can be of assistance to your organization today!