The Ohio CDC Association, or OCDCA, is a statewide membership organization dedicated to fostering vibrant neighborhoods and improving the quality of life in all Ohio communities through advocacy and capacity building of its member agencies.
Community Development Corporations are non-profit organizations created to support and revitalize communities, especially those that have high concentrations of poverty, disinvestment, or are struggling with other challenges. In this context, ‘community’ is often geographically specific, however since the establishment of the first CDCs decades ago, the concept of ‘community’ has grown. Community could be any group with common identifying factors, or a physical location, also dedicated to improving the quality of life and growing healthy, vibrant places. CDCs are self-identified. There is no specific certification or tax category that distinguishes a CDC from any other non-profit organization. Your organization could be a CDC in practice, and may benefit from membership in the Ohio CDC Association.
The Ohio CDC Association continually strives to grow its membership in order to best leverage resources, grow skills, and learn from the experiences of others, across the spectrum of community development work. Community work is hard, and OCDCA is dedicated to creatively finding ways to help each other in this difficult work. Based on feedback from our membership, Ohio CDC Association currently focuses its efforts in five initiative areas, including: Community Engagement, Food Access, Financial Empowerment, Affordable Housing and Community Economic Engagement.
As a non-profit 501(c)3, the Ohio CDC Association is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees represents a vibrant cross section of community development organizations and advocates, reflecting diversity in several ways. Per its by-laws, all OCDCA Trustees must be active Members of or employed by a Member of the Ohio CDC Association. The Board of Trustees shall consist of no fewer than ten (10) and no more than twenty-one (21) Trustees. Trustees are elected by the Membership at its Annual Membership Meeting
Are you interested in serving as a trustee with Ohio CDC Association?
Are you interested in serving as a Trustee with Ohio CDC Association? All interested individuals are encouraged to complete and submit the Trustee Interest Form, available on the OCDCA website. Interest forms are accepted year-round, and will allow OCDCA to develop a pool of candidates for consideration when a Trustee position becomes available.
Representatives of any member organizations are welcome to apply. Currently, Ohio CDC Association has specific need for candidates with the following characteristics:
Office location / service area in or near Dayton or Akron or in a rural community
Representatives of member organizations that fall into the Voting Member category. Voting Members must meet three criteria:
The organization must be a Community Development Corporation: incorporated, organized, and operated as a nonprofit organization.
The organization must include low and moderate-income residents of the organization’s target neighborhood or community on its Board of Directors.
The principal aim of the organization must be the economic, physical, or social revitalization and stabilization of a community.
