One of the highlights of my week was working alongside our Director of Operations and Member Experience on the Human Service Chamber’s 2026 State of the Sector Survey. We send this survey to our 250+ nonprofit members, and I had the opportunity to dig into the data using Airtable and the raw survey responses. What I found most interesting was not simply identifying trends, but thinking critically about what questions the data raises. As we reviewed the results, we continually asked ourselves: If you were a community member, funder, policymaker, or elected official, what would make you stop and say, “I want to know more about that?” I loved looking for those deeper stories within the data.

Policy research was another major focus this week. I had the opportunity to attend a webinar hosted by the National Alliance to End Homelessness on the FY2026 Continuum of Care Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). While the outlook for federal homelessness funding remains challenging, the webinar helped me better understand the realities organizations face as they navigate uncertainty while continuing to provide critical services. I also conducted research on Ohio House Bill 795 and its potential implications for Medicaid. My goal was to help our team better understand how proposed legislation could impact both the nonprofit organizations we serve and the communities they support.

On the communications side, I was pumped to see our Impact Solar social media post go from concept to publication. There is something rewarding about contributing to a project throughout the entire process and then seeing the finished product shared publicly. I am also currently developing graphics to promote our Board Interest Application, which helps connect community members with openings to serve on local nonprofit boards. 

I’m also excited to share that one of my responsibilities will be managing our shared community calendar by reviewing event submissions from members and entering them into our website’s backend system. Through this process, I’ve discovered just how many free workshops, trainings, networking events, and community programs are happening across Central Ohio. It’s been encouraging to see the level of collaboration, learning, and engagement taking place throughout our nonprofit community.

To wrap up the week, I spent Friday afternoon volunteering at a Habitat for Humanity Playhouse Build. It was an incredible experience working alongside other volunteers to create play structures for local kiddos. Throughout the afternoon, I got to paint, drill, and even help with roofing. Our team’s playhouse was Mickey Mouse themed, which made the project even more fun. Beyond learning a few new construction skills, it was a meaningful reminder of how important it is to step out away from the desk and experience our members’ impact firsthand.