OUCAN'S Board meets with ODJFS director Damschroder

Forty years ago, OUCAN was chartered by leaders of Ohio’s large urban community action agencies to strengthen the pact and leverage the network’s collective impact. Today, Ohio's urban Community Action Agencies serve more than 56% of the state's low-income population across 16 counties. Through nearly $19 million in federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding, and $1.8 million in additional funding and fiscal awards in 2024. Along with support for statewide association and training and technical assistance efforts, we serve as a leading resource and driving force in breaking the cycle of poverty in urban Ohio.

Since July 1, 2025, Ohio Department of Job & Family Services (ODJFS) Director Matt Damschroder and his team have been navigating transition at the agency along with the task of aligning priorities for future needs - much of which impacts day-to-day operations for OUCAN member agencies. While we are excited about the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead, we also seek to deepen ODJFS understanding of OUCAN agencies while continuing to explore new opportunities for collaboration, coordination, and impact.

During OUCAN’s Board of Directors retreat two weeks ago, we hosted a discussion with Director Damschroder and the ODJFS executive team to highlight several important themes and opportunities for ongoing collaboration.

Strengthening the State–Community Action Partnership

OUCAN will continue gathering feedback from our member agencies on strategies and best practices to strengthen our partnership with ODJFS, including:

• Enhancing communication around payment and reimbursement processes and timelines.

• Collaborating operational improvements related to Salesforce, customer service, data collection, and other system efficiencies.

• Providing firsthand feedback on program implementation, funding challenges, service delivery, and emerging community needs to help inform ODJFS leadership.

• Establishing an ongoing executive-level Urban Community Action Roundtable focused on high-volume service delivery, customer experience, cross-program coordination, and economic mobility.

Increasing Understanding of Urban Community Action Agencies at ODJFS

We also discussed opportunities to strengthen awareness and understanding of Ohio's urban Community Action Agencies among state partners by:

• Elevating the unique opportunities, challenges, and community needs experienced by Ohio's urban agencies. Cuyahoga County remains a notable urban exception within the Executive Directors Association.

• Developing a coordinated communications strategy surrounding the transition of HEAP services from the Ohio Department of Development to ODJFS to ensure Ohio families receive clear, timely, and consistent information.

Strengthening Local JFS and Community Action Collaboration

OUCAN is committed to strengthening communication and coordination between Community Action Agencies and local JFS offices throughout the 16 counties we serve by:

• Building upon longstanding local relationships and increasing alignment around programs such as Prevention, Retention, and Contingency (PRC).

• Sharing key information and aggregated data from OUCAN's 10 metropolitan agencies to better inform understanding of the experiences and needs of Ohioans living in urban communities.

• Expanding OUCAN's bi-monthly CSBG Learning Circles to include ODJFS leadership and staff, creating additional opportunities for real-time dialogue, best-practice sharing, and collaborative learning.

Through advocacy, partnerships, leadership development, and capacity building, OUCAN champions policies and initiatives that create equitable opportunities and improve quality of life for Ohio's working families and their communities.