Creating a legacy that empowers the next generation

COLUMBUS, OH – Columbus Works, Inc. announced this week that current Founder, President  and CEO Beth Gifford will be stepping down from her position at the end of the year. Beth has been the leader of Columbus Works for more than six years, and will be transitioning into a role as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors.
 
Gifford said “Truly, it is my desire to make room for a new generation to lead Columbus Works into its next phase. With the goal to continue revolutionizing the way we help vulnerable people engage fully in work, experience economic mobility, and disrupt poverty in central Ohio.”
 
After embarking on a national executive search for their next leader, Columbus Works is proud to announce that Kaiya Harris Thompson has been named Chief Executive Officer and joined the organization effective September 19, 2022. Before coming to lead Columbus Works, Kaiya was the National Director of Development Coaching for the All Stars Project, Inc. where she led the design and implementation of a virtual one-on-one leadership coaching program that connected more than 500 young adults and corporate coaches in San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, New York City, Jersey City (NJ) and Newark (NJ). Kaiya holds a B.S. in Public Health from The Richard Stockton College of NJ.
 
Gifford notes “This has always been about our neighbors. This natural progression from Founder to next generation will absolutely strengthen our mission and position us for a strong future. I am excited about my coming strategic role as Co-Chair of the Board, the working relationship with our new CEO, and the stories of life change that future Columbus Works Members will share as we continue to grow.”
 
During her role as Founder and CEO of Columbus Works Gifford innovated an award winning operating system that has resulted in over 600 individuals being served. In 2020 Gifford was named a Global Knowledge Leader by EMPath, in 2021 she was awarded the Smart50 designation, and she has been involved with the Urban Institute as an expert in workforce issues specifically involving moving individuals from low to middle-wage jobs. It is the Columbus Works unique system and wonderful team of professionals that enable  the outstanding outcomes of our Members, year over year.

This year alone Columbus Works employed Members will produce over $10M in payroll, and a significant return on investment as they experience economic mobility and come off SNAP and Medicaid benefits. Columbus Works Members rise out of poverty through sustained employment and as a result experience economic mobility. Truly Columbus Works is transforming the way in which vulnerable people work​ their way out of poverty.
 
Please join us in welcoming Kaiya as the next generation leader of Columbus Works.

​​To say that 2020 was an interesting year would be an understatement. Literally everyone reading this report had the same experience and understands the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on how we work, learn, and interact one with another. None of us would have ever thought we would be called to serve our neighbors through a global pandemic. But, courageous leaders continue serving even during difficult situations. After all, poverty does not wait on a pandemic.

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 27, 2021Media Contact:
Brittany Halpin
614-752-8103
[email protected]
Treasurer Sprague Releases First Round of ResultsOHIO
Feasibility Reports
Five projects deemed “Pay-for-Success Appropriate and Ready”
COLUMBUS – Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague today announced the first five project proposals deemed “Pay-for-Success Appropriate and Ready” through the ResultsOHIO program. The five projects have received ResultsOHIO Feasibility Reports based on the initial round of screening.

“With issues like addiction, infant mortality, and poverty gripping our communities, we must find new ways to combat the most persistent challenges facing our state,” said Treasurer Sprague. “ResultsOHIO gives Ohio an avenue to do things differently – to be bold – and put innovative ideas to the test. Today’s announcement highlights five organizations that have the tools and vision to work under a pay-for-success model, and we wish them the best in their efforts to make their projects a reality.”

The five projects deemed “Pay-for-Success Appropriate and Ready” are:

• Cincinnati Works (Hamilton County): Seeks to expand long-term supports that not only focus on job skills and employment, but also address physical, psychological, spiritual, legal, and practical needs. Through this proposal, the organization aims to better address unemployment and underemployment with the goal of ultimately moving its members out of poverty.

 

• Columbus Works (Franklin County): The project seeks to expand career, life, and financial coaching, job placement services and wraparound supports to individuals as a means to address barriers to self-sufficiency, including legal services, medical and behavioral health care, and housing.

 

• Every Child Succeeds (Hamilton County): With a focus on reducing preterm births and its adverse impacts on mothers, infants, and families, Every Child Succeeds provides a year of home visiting services to high-risk pregnant women.

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• Ohio Department of Higher Education (Statewide): The proposal encourages on-time graduation and the maximizing of military benefits among Ohio National Guard Scholarship students. This will be pursued through the utilization of a service provider to deliver coaching services prior to enrollment and during the first year of post-secondary education.

 

• OneFifteen Recovery (Montgomery County): With a mission to heal people experiencing substance use disorders, OneFifteen seeks to expand its integrated and accessible continuum of care for individuals in southwest Ohio’s criminal justice system.

Being deemed “Pay-for-Success Appropriate and Ready” through ResultsOHIO serves as a “seal of approval” for a project, validating its ability to be launched under a pay-for-success framework should the project earn the support of policymakers. These five projects have been issued a Feasibility Report from ResultsOHIO that they will be able to use to advocate for results-based funding from the Ohio General Assembly.

Upon passage of House Bill 166, the Ohio Treasurer’s office developed a streamlined, uniform review process to score ResultsOHIO applications. Following scoring, projects are deemed as being “Pay-for-Success Appropriate and Ready;” “Pay-for-Success Appropriate, but Not Ready;” “Not Pay-for-Success Appropriate;” or “Ineligible.”

ResultsOHIO is a program within the Treasurer’s office that enables policymakers and innovators to pursue pay-for-success projects aimed at tackling the most pressing social and public health challenges facing Ohio. The program’s infrastructure assesses prospective pay-for-success projects and shepherds their eventual launch and implementation. ResultsOHIO protects taxpayer dollars by focusing on bold, new results-based ideas. Public dollars will be used to reimburse project costs if it is proven to deliver real results at its conclusion. 

More information on ResultsOHIO and the first round of feasibility reports can be found at www.results.ohio.gov.

Additional Information
​

• ResultsOHIO Feasibility Reports

 Robert Sprague became Ohio’s 49th Treasurer of State on January 14, 2019, bringing to the office his extensive experience working on financial matters in both the public and private sectors. Under Treasurer Sprague’s direction, the office manages the state’s $29 billion investment and $11 billion debt portfolios, collects and deposits all state revenues, and oversees custodial assets.

​October 23, 2020
 
Bank of America Names Columbus Works and City Year Columbus as 2020 Neighborhood Builders®
Program Provides $400,000 in Flexible Funding and Leadership Skills Development Training to Advance Economic Mobility in Columbus
 
COLUMBUS – City Year Columbus and Columbus Works have been named as the 2020 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders® awardees for Columbus. The nonprofits were selected for their work in the Columbus community to address issues fundamental to economic mobility.
 
As an awardee, each organization receives a $200,000 grant, a year of leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader, a network of peer organizations across the U.S., and the opportunity to access capital to expand their impact. Since 2004, Bank of America has invested over $260 million in 50 communities through Neighborhood Builders, partnering with more than 1,300 nonprofits and helping more than 2,600 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills.  

With grateful hearts we announce that the Columbus Foundation has chosen Columbus Works for the 2020 class of Top 5 Non Profits To Watch. Read more and learn about the fantastic work of these 5 organizations, all contributing to our community in remarkable ways. 

Columbus Works is thrilled to be the featured non-profit organization in the March 2020 issue of Columbus CEO Magazine. Click here to read more about CW Member Rebecca's success story, and that of so many more of our neighbors.

At Columbus Works we regularly ask, what did we do? Who is better off as a result? Our annual report answers these questions. Give it a read and learn more about the success of Columbus Works Members, the people and organizations funding our work, and the outcomes that lift up our neighbors and their families in tremendous ways!

Our Founder, President and CEO was featured in this week's Columbus Leadership Podcast. Take a listen and learn what drives Columbus Works to serve its neighbors and fight to eliminate poverty in our city.

So much has happened this year, and we are very proud of our Members and their accomplishments. Find out how they're doing, and what we've learned, so far this year, in our 2nd Quarter 2018 Newsletter. Oh, and for our Employer Partners look for information on an upcoming an event planned just for you!  tinyurl.com/yc5eqmlv