New Beginnings Project
Empowering Ohio-based credit unions to give people a way forward and an opportunity to feel financially empowered with a New Beginnings grant.
Removing barriers through credit unions
The Ohio Credit Union Foundation believes in building stronger communities and removing barriers through credit union partnerships. This specialized grant program is focused on four demographics and is designed to give people a way forward and an opportunity to feel financially empowered. The grant will provide one-time support, up to $10,000, for programs, projects, or initiatives that prioritize individuals reentering local communities. Funding is open to both new/pilot or existing programs, projects, or initiatives.
Project Focus
There are four funding priorities for this year's signature grant program.
Foster Care Youth When children age out of foster care, at the age of 18, they become ineligible to receive state assistance with housing, food, and medical care under the foster care system. For some of these young adults, they are forced to enter their communities with almost no financial education, job skills, or guidance, causing newly emancipated young adults to suffer higher substance abuse rates, teen pregnancy, homelessness, and run-ins with law enforcement.
Domestic Abuse Survivors Victims of domestic abuse suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dissociation. However, these individuals are also faced with many additional obstacles when reentering a new or existing community. Barriers include the difficulties of single parenting, reduced financial circumstances, or lack of access to cash, bank accounts, or assets. 
Ex-offenders Individuals released from correctional facilities often receive very little reentry guidance and support. A lack of financial education resources not only creates a substantial barrier for reentry, but a criminal conviction limits employment prospects, public housing assistance, and social services.
Addiction Recovery Individuals working to remove substance dependency from their lives often must rebuild relationships, jobs, health, and finances. Recovering individuals encounter many barriers, including finding a job and housing, rebuilding credit, and paying down debt.
Customized Have a community reentry project not previously mentioned? Not a problem. The Ohio Credit Union Foundation knows the needs of each community are unique and is here to help. Project Timeline
Grant Applications
New Beginnings Grant applications will be accepted through Dec. 15, 2022. 2023 grant application process will open January 2, 2023.Application Requirements
Thoroughly answer the application questions to show how your project will assist the grant focus areas outlined above.A Grant Results Report and final project budget will be due once the project is complete.
Project Events
Learn more about the New Beginnings Grant at these virtual and in-person events.
Possible Project Partners
ALVIS House
Alvis is a nonprofit human services agency with 50 years of experience providing highly effective treatment programs. Their lines of service include research-based, comprehensive reentry and family support programs; behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services; recovery housing for women and their children; and services to individuals with developmental disabilities who are trying to live more independently in the community.
Artemis, Dayton, OH
Founded by a small group of women, often working without pay, Artemis was to provide services beyond the traditional housing and safety offered by shelters. Artemis has become a community resource for creating a coordinated response to domestic violence. This Collaborative has brought together law enforcement, criminal justice, child protection and health care professionals to develop protocols of response.
Dress for Success
The mission of Dress for Success is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools and resources to help women of all backgrounds and experience the opportunity to thrive in work and in life.
Honest Jobs
Honest Jobs provides a fair chance to individuals impacted by the Criminal Justice System. Since launching in 2019, the nonprofit has attracted over 400 companies by providing technology that makes it easy to offer fair-chance employment while helping to mitigate the risk of negligent hiring.
NECCO
Founded in 1996 as a provider of in-home therapeutic foster care, Necco has grown into a multi-state child welfare organization offering a broad array of services, including Adoption, Foster Care, Mental Health Counseling, Independent Living and Residential Living. Each of these service lines employs the most innovative programs and treatment approaches designed to equip children with the tools they need to live fulfilling, purpose-driven lives.
StarHouse
Star House Columbus provides local youth experiencing homelessness with a safe respite & the crucial connections to stabilizing resources—all in one.
St. Stephen's Community House
St. Stephen's is a nonprofit based in the eastside neighborhood of Linden, focused on strengthening Franklin County families and community. Through their Neighborhood Service program, St. Stephens provides relief for those in emergency or short-term crises, and helps individuals and families, many of which are impacted by domestic abuse and addiction, to stay intact and stable through the provision of services and/or resources in the community. The St. Stephen's Family to Family program, contracted with Franklin County Children’s Services, helps strengthen and support families that currently have open cases with FCCS. The program focuses on keeping at-risk children in their own homes when possible, all while providing services to help the family achieve self-sufficiency and resolve the problems that brought them to the attention of Children’s Services.
