The JobsOhio Inclusion Grant Supports Distressed Communities and Underserved Populations

J.P. Nauseef
JobsOhio

CARING FOR ALL OHIOANS

JobsOhio is prioritizing efforts to empower Ohio businesses with the resources they need to reach their potential. Since the start of 2020, we have worked on an inclusion strategy focused on investing in and driving job creation in distressed areas across Ohio – defined as those that have not recovered from the 2008 recession. JobsOhio also provides the capital needed to grow businesses in these communities and those owned by underserved populations.

A component of this strategy is the JobsOhio Inclusion Grant (JOIG), which was created in July 2020 as part of JobsOhio’s COVID relief programming. The program puts funding of up to $50,000 for small and medium-sized Ohio businesses located in distressed areas of the state and owned by underrepresented population groups, including minorities, women, and veterans.

SUPPORT FOR DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS

Some homegrown businesses that have received a JOIG include The Chef’s Garden, an agriculture company in Huron, OH that pivoted its business model due to the pandemic, and MAKO Finished Products, a rural Lucasville, Ohio-based business that helps power a leading fitness brand.

The JobsOhio Board of Directors recently approved an increase of up to $8 million in 2021 for small and medium-sized business support due to the program’s effectiveness and growing demand.

This support is available to businesses in your community. For more information, please visit the JOIG landing page and contact us.

Very respectfully,
J.P. Nauseef