Regional Meetings

This year's retreats are for members only. Nonmembers can join us at a retreat's coinciding happy hour after the main agenda or as a "plus one" with a member organization.

Community development corporations are doing essential work in LMI communities every day, often utilizing creative funding sources and place-based strategies. As the community development landscape continues to change, it's becoming clear that having a variety of steady funding sources and sharing information with one another is key to sustaining and growing our work.

As we look ahead to the 2027 state budget process, we've invited legislators to join a roundtable portion of our retreats to listen and learn. They'll be there to hear from you to better understand what community development work actually looks like on the ground, how it's funded, and what kind of difference these investments make over time. It's a chance to build real relationships and a deeper mutual understanding in a relaxed, low-pressure setting.

During this part of the retreat, legislators will take a few minutes to introduce themselves, sharing which committees they sit on, what perspectives they bring to their work, and which communities they represent. This conversation is meant to help everyone get to know each other and build connections. It's not a time for lobbying or making specific policy asks - just an open, genuine exchange.

OCDCA will open our time together by grounding us in:

The importance of expanding and stabilizing funding for CDCs

Current and past association engagement, including efforts to preserve the Ohio Housing Trust Fund (OHTF) and support programs like Welcome Home Ohio (WHO)

The broader funding ecosystem impacting community development work

This retreat is about strategically facilitating working relationships and information sharing between legislators and experts in the community development field by articulating:

What community development funding makes possible

How organizations are leveraging resources like OHTF

Where funding processes create challenges or delays

What long-term impact actually looks like on the ground

This is a structured storytelling space — not an advocacy day. You can view our storytelling templates here.

Southwest - Cincinnati:
Community Development Legislative Brunch

Hosted by HomeBase Cincinnati, the Ohio CDC Association, and Northsiders Engaged in Sustainable Transformation (NEST)

Date: Thursday, July 23rd
Agenda:

9:30am- Doors open, coffee, & brunch available. Please arrive no later than 10:00am.
10:15am- Welcome remarks from OCDCA and HomeBase.
10:25am- 11:25am OCDCA staff facilitate MadLibs process and storytelling.
11:25am- Wrap up conversations and next steps.
11:30am- Event concludes.

Location: The Factory Events, 1546 Knowlton Street, Cincinnati, OH 45223

RSVP

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2026 Regional Retreats Recap

Thank you to all who attended and participated in the first half of our 2026 Regional Retreats! View recaps and photos for completed retreats below.

Northwest - Port Clinton

Southeast - Athens

Central - Columbus

Northeast - Elyria

Northeast - Warren

Legislators and Members Represented

Legislator Attendance:

Northwest, Port Clinton: Lori Brodie (District Representative for Sen Husted), Tim Schneider (District Representative for Sen Moreno), David Zavac (Regional Outreach Director and Community Development Coordinator for Rep Marcy Kaptur), Rep Ericka White (District 41), Rep Gary Click (District 88), Rep D.J. Swearingen (District 89), Sen Paula Hicks-Hudson (District 11), and Lu Cooke (District Advisor to Senate President McColley)

Southeast, Athens: Bryn Stepp (SE Regional Director for Sen Husted), Juli Stephens (SE Regional Director for Sen Husted), Rep Ty Moore (District 95), Sen Brian Chavez (District 30)

Central, Columbus: Rep Munira Abdullahi (District 9) and Sen William DeMora (District 25)

Northeast, Elyria: Rep Joe Miller (District 53), Rep Gayle Manning (District 52), Rep Kellie Deeter (District 54), Mary Kate Hastings (Sen. Husted NE District Director)

Northeast, Warren: Rep Nick Santucci (District 64), Mary Kate Hastings (Sen. Husted NE District Director)

Total legislators in attendance: 20

State Senator Districts

State Representative Districts

Retreat Stats

Average Attendance Rate: 72%

Total Attendance: 114

Average Ratio of Participant to Legislator: 11:2

Milestones:

This year was the highest attended Central regional, with 26 organizations and 32 participants.

Northwest had the highest attendance rate out of all regionals since 2024 at 94%.