Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

Hi All,

I would say the highlight of my second week at Huckleberry House was the meetings I had with about half of the organization’s directors. Through these meetings, I learned a bit about their journey to Huck House, what they do in their current role, the skills they find essential to the work they do, and their hopes for Huck House’s future.

What stood out to me most from these meetings is how many of Huck House’s directors (and administrative staff) have been with the nonprofit for 10+ years, often starting out as a volunteer or intern and then moving up. Also, since many of them have served in various roles within the organization, they take a lot of pride in being able to not only do their executive duties but also direct service work. The decade or more of organizational knowledge they bring to their roles is evident in how they talk about what they do now as a director and in their hopes and plans for the future of the nonprofit. I really hope to one day intimately know and support an organization I work for so well.

Lastly, in between these meetings, I started acquainting myself with the project I’ll be working on for the rest of the summer (i.e., updating and expanding Huck House’s Safe Place program). Through Project Safe Place, Huck House partners with over 130 organizations in the Columbus area to provide youth ages 12-17 with safe places they can go, from which Huck House will arrange for them to get to the Crisis Shelter safely.

I would say my meetings, especially with the Director of Residential Programs and Director of Professional Development, helped me get an idea of how Safe Place works in relation to Huck House’s other programs. Moreover, I was even able to brainstorm with them some potential partners I might reach out to in order to expand the program.

All in all, I feel I now have a more in-depth understanding of some of the organization’s executive team and how what I will be doing in the next few weeks will help Huck House. Now, I am even excited about my meetings next week with the other directors to learn more about the housing and youth outreach programs.

Best,
Emoni

Hello everyone!

I am finishing up my third week at the McConnell Arts Center (MAC)!

On Monday, I had a day off since I had worked Saturday and Sunday at the Worthington Arts Festival. The arts festival was a great success this year as we had around 30,000 visitors between Saturday and Sunday and very positive feedback from visitors and vendors alike. We also had beautiful weather for the festival despite previous threats of rain and storms. I would have to say my favorite part about being a part of the entire festival process was getting to interact with staff, volunteers, and artists, and also being able to really enjoy and experience something that I was able to have a hand in creating.

On Tuesday, I started off the day by uploading a bunch of Worthington Arts Festival pictures to our OneDrive. Staff and volunteers, including myself, had taken the time this past weekend to capture wonderful moments at the festival for marketing purposes. Pictures of staff, volunteers, visitors, vendors, artwork. What you learn in marketing is that pictures and captured moments are crucial to drawing people to your organization. When someone opens your website, for example, they do not just want to see words describing or listing something. They want to see moments that illustrate what is written, a visual demonstration that tells a potential participant or reminds a former participant that they will get their time and money’s worth: experiencing the joy and wonder of the arts. On Tuesday, I also got the chance to continue with my scanning project.

On Wednesday, I started out my day by visiting three Worthington Library locations, as well as the Worthington Community Center, to drop off some marketing materials to these places to be displayed and distributed. It was nice to get a feel for the community and audience we serve and reach as a nonprofit. I then spent some time browsing some non-profit related websites to gather some pertinent information. I also got to explore some information on GuideStar and look at some 990s. I ended the day by helping our Development Coordinator with a donor acknowledgement task. She taught me how she goes about the process of mailing out donor acknowledgements from accessing the data, to doing a mail merge, to physically assembling envelopes. Acknowledging the people who donate anything to you as a nonprofit is extremely important work, so I enjoyed this task.

As an organization, we had Thursday off because of Juneteenth.

Today, Friday the 20th, I started off my day early with an event that was being hosted at the MAC. The Columbus chapter of the nonprofit Creative Mornings was responsible for the event. Participants were offered breakfast, coffee, and community to start off their morning. They then entered our theatre to hear a talk given by Joyce Chen on a topic connected to the monthly theme Punk. Participants then had an opportunity to have small group discussion based on offered questions, talk content, and personal experience. A little later in the afternoon, I walked some marketing materials to a nearby senior community center. I also finished prepping the donor acknowledgement letters for the mail.

Overall, I have had another great week at the MAC and in the nonprofit world!

Talk to you soon,

Graci Jackson

My third week at Netcare included some incredible experiences as I have started to get more familiar with the company and the staff.

This week I had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting with our CEO and a City Councilmember. Getting to watch what more senior meetings look like was such a wonderful experience.

My mentors and I also met with our co-hosts of our Pickleball Event to debrief all of our thoughts and key takeaways. It was extremely interesting to hear how their perspectives on the event were similar to and differed from ours. It was an engaging conversation as we discussed how we would want to improve this event in future years. I was even able to give some of my own input on the event to hopefully gain more attendance!

My favorite part of this whole week was getting to have a meeting with my two mentors, evaluating the work that I have done while also talking about goals and my big projects. I learned so much from this meeting including why we market our services through our website in the way that we do, and the key parts of a campaign. In this meeting, we came up with the idea to start a campaign that focuses on the “why.” In my first session with The Columbus Foundation, Dr. Lomax talked to us about the importance of our “why.” Having the opportunity to connect that with my work at Netcare has been so rewarding and I am excited to see how this campaign pans out.

I spent the rest of the week drafting ideas for the campaign including focusing on client, donor, and staff testimonials, as well as, posting video content as frequently as other content on our social media to boost engagement. I also worked on various social media posts and organized different lists for fundraising and outreach.

Overall, I had another incredible week at Netcare with my mentors and am looking forward to all my future projects!

Best,

Anaika

Hi everyone! This week at the Center for Disability Empowerment, we have continued to plug away at planning the 35th Anniversary Celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We are now just three weeks out from the event, and are trying to pull all of the pieces together. This week, the CDE Executive Director Sue Hetrick was on vacation, so there were many things we had to table for now until she is able to approve or provide insight on them. We have tried to prepare everything so it is not too overwhelming for Sue when she returns and we can quickly start putting things into motion. 

One thing that we have been struggling with in the planning of this event is getting email responses from people. Whether that is sponsors or other planning committee members, we are often not getting the responses and information we need to properly prepare for the event. This has been frustrating for me, and I feel like we would be much further along in the planning process if we had all this information. I have been trying to remind myself that it is okay that there are things out of my control, and I am only responsible for doing my best with what is given to me. I have also been trying to give our sponsors and planning committee members some grace, since I know they are probably very busy and also doing the best that they can. I do hope to get some more responses from sponsors in the next week to properly prepare for registration, name badges, and reserved seating at the event. 

Jackie Martin, who I have been working with closely throughout this process, is also currently working on a grant application for the CDE. She explained the grant to me briefly, and I thought that it and grant writing in general seemed interesting and like a good skill to learn. I am focusing on event planning right now, but I hope that after the event on July 11, I will be able to learn a little bit more about grant writing and grant applications in the nonprofit sector.

Until next week, 

Rachael  

My second week at LifeCare Alliance was all about building my understanding of the Meals-on-Wheels (MOW) program, the incredible people behind it, and the systems that keep it running. I began the week by joining our Advancement team huddle, where each member shared updates and something they were looking forward to. It’s a small but meaningful tradition that creates the culture of positivity and connection here.

Throughout the week, I continued my onboarding meetings with members of the Advancement and Nutrition Operations teams, learning from Brea, Stephanie, Wesley, Claire, Leah, Beth, and Anne about their responsibilities and how their work intersects with the volunteer and client experience. These conversations were filled with information, from donor engagement strategies to managing in-kind donations, and from program grants to building corporate volunteer partnerships.

As I prepare to begin interviews for the Customer Journey project, I’ve been reviewing volunteer communication materials including training videos, the ServeTracker system, outreach emails, FAQs, and even the “Failure to Deliver” online form. All of these have helped me to better understand what volunteers currently experience. I also analyzed survey data from a Volunteer Engagement Survey to identify recurring concerns and ideas for improvement.

From a marketing perspective, I’ve started to see how branding, storytelling, and relationship-building play into every aspect of LifeCare Alliance’s work. Conversations with Brea and Beth helped me understand event marketing and the collaboration behind the agency’s annual report, while Stephanie shared insights on building long-term connections with volunteer groups and corporate partners.

My own ideas are beginning to take shape. I’ve been brainstorming ways to improve communication with volunteers and build community such as moving from paper-based systems to a more interactive app or website for route updates and real-time delivery notes. A volunteer portal could track individual service milestones, triggering automatic thank-you messages and recognizing “bronze,” “silver,” “gold,” or even “diamond” level volunteers based on their frequency of service. Even small gestures like branded handouts or business cards for volunteers to share could make a big impact.

Each day I spend here reinforces just how powerful thoughtful, mission-driven communication can be.

See you next week!

Kat Jolley

This week at Zora’s House, I continued to engage in a variety of projects that highlight the crucial role nonprofit organizations play in supporting and empowering women of color. My work provided me with hands-on experience in both community engagement and organizational operations, enabling me to understand how nonprofits operate as both service providers and catalysts for social change.

One of the main events I supported was the WoCo Summer Market. This vibrant gathering offers women of color entrepreneurs a platform to showcase and sell their products, build community, and expand their professional networks. During the event, I helped with setup, vendor coordination, and on-site logistics to ensure a positive experience for both vendors and guests. A key aspect of my role was distributing vendor experience surveys, which enabled us to collect valuable feedback directly from participants. This feedback is crucial for Zora’s House to assess the market’s impact, enhance future events, and ensure that the needs and experiences of vendors remain at the heart of the organization’s programming. Collecting data in this way reflects how nonprofits prioritize continuous improvement while remaining accountable to the communities they serve.

In addition to supporting the market, I continued to organize Zora’s House’s growing library collection, which currently includes over 350 books, primarily authored by women of color. The collection encompasses a diverse range of topics, including leadership, entrepreneurship, wellness, cultural identity, and social justice. Through this project, I’ve seen how nonprofits intentionally curate resources that amplify the voices of historically marginalized individuals and provide members with access to literature that affirms their identities and supports their personal and professional growth, often resources missing from mainstream institutions.

I also attended Zora’s House Leadership Fellowship orientation, where I observed the newest cohort of fellows begin their leadership development journey. The fellowship emphasizes mentorship, community-building, and skill development, showcasing how nonprofits foster long-term individual and collective empowerment. By attending this event, I am gaining a deeper understanding of the program that will help me evaluate its impact. 

Overall, this week deepened my understanding of the vital role nonprofits like Zora’s House play in building inclusive, responsive, and transformative community spaces.

See you next week,

Asia

Hi again! I’m now two weeks into my fellowship, and I already feel more grounded and creatively energized.

This week, I moved from orientation and onboarding into building the core materials that will shape OYO’s public presence for the 2025–2026 season. I started by creating a comprehensive season goal sheet. This included the timeline, themes, content strategy, and digital needs for each major event in the upcoming year. Seeing everything mapped out gave me a clear runway for what the next few weeks of marketing will look like.

To complement the strategy side, I also drafted a social media calendar that visually lays out potential posts, campaigns, and promo periods across the season. It’s a work in progress, but it’s already helping me align our digital messaging with the pacing of our events.

Another big focus this week was OYO’s website. After reviewing the current layout, I made a list of suggestions for updates to improve navigation, formatting, and branding consistency. I then met with Mike, who oversees the web design, to walk through my recommendations. It was a great opportunity to communicate design ideas in a collaborative setting and see how strategy and execution come together behind the scenes.

In Canva, I started mocking up new visual assets for both digital and print. I’ve been playing with ideas for a foldable pamphlet for our CommUNITY Workshop Series, experimenting with layout cohesion, and drafting seasonal cover art for the 25–26 announcement. I even started sketching out some potential invite designs for our whimsical fall gala, Down the Rabbit Hole.

Week 2 was all about building foundations: tools, timelines, and templates that can support consistent and creative outreach. As I continue to find my rhythm at OYO, I’m excited by how much room there is to learn, create, and grow. I’m grateful for the trust they’ve given me to shape the visual storytelling of the season! I can’t wait to keep going!

Good evening, Fellows!

Courtney M. Here! Another week has come and gone, but my time at Big Brothers Big Sisters continues to be an adventurous phenomenon. This week, I have adjusted well into my role. While I did continue my one-on-one team meeting, scheduling shadowing opportunities with the folks in Delaware County, I have now entered into my new tasks within my role, such as reviewing “Quality Assurance” within Match Support Contacts, also known as “QA MSC Reports”. I am tasked to look over recent match support contacts or conversations that Match Support Specialists (MSS) have between the Parent/Guardian, Little, and Big. From there, I provide feedback on these reports/cases to check if the MSS met the following criteria within the five quality assurance elements or target goals used within Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Ohio. 

My supervisor gives me great feedback to consider when reviewing how quality assurance is measured effectively and efficiently. However, early on, he told me to keep in mind the gray areas, when some situations within a case can be tricky to determine whether or not the criteria were met, such as asking various child safety questions. Overall, the process is very productive, and my team is always searching for new ways to improve the process and their programming. 

Additionally, this week came with many great opportunities to connect with others and learn new pathways within the nonprofit sector outside the walls of my office at BBBSCO. For example, the Columbus Foundation held our first fellows’ learning session this past Wednesday. Ms. Toshia Safford, President and CEO of The Center for Healthy Families, and Nick Jones, Vice President for Community Wellness at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, graced us with their wisdom on leadership, servanthood, and service. Another would be attending a seminar today on development relationships within our agencies (direct or indirect service to children and our staff) with Partnership4Success, a seminar that came highly recommended by my supervisor for me to attend to get a deeper understanding of the concept to assist me in my role and what role BBBSCO plays within match relationship and their organizational culture. 

Overall, this week unlocked new waves of information for me to obtain. Truly, this experience is teaching me that you never stop learning. The moment you refuse to keep learning or keep the heart of a servant, you shouldn’t continue being the world of non-profits. Like Mr. Jones said, “Non-profits are not charities, but businesses”, so never underestimate the game-changers that are behind these organizations, because they all have the goal: Changing someone’s tomorrow… today. 

Until Next Time! Cheers (2) Week 2! Thank You, Jesus!

Best,

Courtney Moore

Hello again! I simply cannot believe that my second week with GSOH is coming to a close.

Being that this was the first week of STEM camp there were many ups and downs, but overall, it was an amazing week filled with fun. The week started with some behavioral issues from campers as they were adjusting to the new environment, but also with an opportunity to choose STEM-related activities that they were interested in. We were able to incorporate those activities into the weekly schedule, so the girls had more control over what they were participating in at camp.

As this week was an Icky Sticky theme there were many opportunities for the girls to experiment with slime which was a big hit. One of the biggest challenges I faced this week was activities not going according to schedule. I had to get comfortable with the possibility that girls may be excited about an activity and may want to spend more time than allotted working on it, which is okay. This week I learned how to be adaptive which will be even more important for next week, as the staff-to-camper ratio decreases.

I was lucky enough to meet Tammy Wharton, President of GSOH as she brought in Meredith Garofalo from WBNS TV. Meredith spoke with the girls about meteorology and how Girl Scouts influenced her passions and career.

I enjoyed getting to know each girl and their passions this week as well as celebrating their successes and accommodating for their low points. It was a joy to see the friendships created between girls throughout the week especially in the Egg Drop activity, as many girls were in groups.

Next week I am hoping to be more confident in my leadership skills as I will have more responsibility in leading activities. Camp has been going very well and I am looking forward to learning with a new group of girls next week!

Best,
Madeleine Auch

Hi everyone! I am closing out my second week at the McConnell Arts Center with two more busy days to go!

I started out my week, on Monday, helping our Executive Director sort through old files, something that will later turn into a scanning project. Files might sound boring, but I found it interesting to get to look into all the paperwork that goes into running a nonprofit. Not only this, but I also found it interesting to get a glimpse into the hiring process of a nonprofit as I got to see old resumes, cover letters, interview notes, etc.

On Tuesday, I spent a good amount of time helping prepare materials for the Worthington Arts Festival, hosted by the MAC. I laminated signs, created name tags, assembled vendor packets, and cut out a variety of parking passes, to name a few. I also spent some time on Pinterest looking for centerpiece ideas for a VIP Breakfast that will be happing Saturday morning, the first day of the festival. Earlier on in my workday, I got to meet with the MAC’s Visual Arts and Education Manager and talk through her background and her current role and responsibilities. This was my last one-on-one meeting with the MAC staff since starting the Fellowship, and I am very happy I was able to have these meetings because they not only helped me become familiar with this nonprofit’s specific employee roles, but they also helped me to better connect with the people I will be working besides this summer.

On Wednesday, we had our first professional development session at the Columbus Foundation centered around a discussion on power and two guest speakers, Toshia Safford (President and CEO of The Center for Healthy Families) and Nick Jones (Vice President of Community Wellness at Nationwide Children’s). It was inspiring to get to hear from people who are actively engaged in the nonprofit sector and thriving in what they do. They provided us with some invaluable advice that I see myself needing as I become more involved in the sector.

On Thursday, I continued working on tasks related to the arts festival. This same day, we also had a staff lunch to celebrate a birthday and a work-anniversary and a staff meeting where much of the conversation revolved around the arts festival. I also spent some time on a website called boardsource.org learning some important information about nonprofit boards.

Today, June 13^th, was dedicated to setting up for the Worthington Arts Festival! My day started early at 7:30am and ended around 4pm. I got to help vendors (mostly artists) unload their vehicles and set up their tents, I helped set out signs around the festival grounds, I helped make sure volunteers were taken care of food and refreshment wise, and ended my shift with helping check in artists at our main building as they drove in from all around the state and country. It was honestly such an amazing process to be a part of as it took so many people (staff, volunteers, and vendors alike) to make something like this happen for the community. I am excited for what the rest of the weekend has in store as the festival runs it course.

Talk to you soon,

Graci Jackson