April Newsletter
Economic Mobility Alliance Ohio
April 2025 | News and Updates
Welcome to Economic Mobility Alliance Ohio’s newsletter! Thank you for signing up for news and updates for our work.
We are an alliance of state and local advocacy, research, workforce development, and health and human service organizations and funders committed to ending the system of disincentives to work known as benefits cliffs that trap Ohioans in poverty. As a collaborative, we raise awareness and advocate for positive solutions to mitigate and eliminate benefits cliffs, to reduce disincentives to work, and create a more seamless pathway to economic stability for all Ohioans.
Are you an advocate interested in joining Economic Mobility Alliance Ohio’s monthly calls? Visit our website to let us know!
Thank You, Advocates!
Thank you to the incredible advocates who joined us for the first ever Economic Mobility Advocacy Day at the Ohio Statehouse on March 19th! Because of you, 32 legislators in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate heard about the importance of investments in refundable tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, increasing eligibility for Publicly Funded Child Care, and the Benefit Bridge pilot program.
Thank you also to everyone who helped with logistics and planning, and who helped spread the word about the day.
State Budget Update
On Wednesday, April 9th, the Ohio House passed their version of the state budget. Here’s where our priorities stand:
Refundable Tax Credits: The Governor’s proposal and the House budget did not include a refundable Earned Income Tax Credit. The House also removed the Governor’s proposed refundable Child Tax Credit of $1,000 per child age 0-6 in families earning less than $94,000 per year. Read about the potential effects of the Child Tax Credit on poverty, well-being, and the economy by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio here, and Scioto Analysis here.
Child Care: The House budget removed the Governor’s proposed increase to Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) initial eligibility, but did continue the Child Care Choice Voucher program up to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. PFCC saw a cut to current (FY25) funding levels, and the Voucher saw cuts to the Governor’s proposed funding levels.
Benefit Bridge pilot: The Benefit Bridge pilot program was unchanged in the Governor’s proposed budget and the House-passed budget.
The Ohio legislature is now back in Columbus after a 2-week legislative break. Budget hearings will take place in six Senate budget committees over the next three weeks, with opportunities for public testimony beginning in May. The Senate version of the budget is expected to be released in early June.
We’ll keep you updated with opportunities to engage with the budget in these final months of the budget process!
Opportunity to Take Action from
The Ohio Urban Community Action Network
Critical Early Head Start/Head Start Services Are at Risk
Ohioans need access to affordable childcare, allowing them to accept jobs that can help alleviate poverty. Head Start and Early Head Start are long-standing programs serving low-income families nationwide. Early Head Start and Head Start promote the school readiness of young children birth to five in local communities by providing a comprehensive approach that focuses on four major components: education, health, parent involvement and social services.
The Ohio Urban Community Action Network is comprised of ten Community Action Agencies representing the largest urban counties. Member agencies serve 56 percent of the state's total population and 62 percent of those households are living at or below the Federal Poverty Level. OUCAN supports programs and policies focused on improving access to childcare and early childhood education, as well as securing quality and equitable funding for both. Annually, Ohio’s large urban CAA’s serve over 6,000 families.
Recent federal decisions may affect the funding for vital programs such as Head Start, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and the Community Services Block Grant. These programs provide early education, energy assistance, job training, and other services. Without prompt action, essential services in our community might be disrupted.
We urge you to contact your U.S. legislators by calling (202) 224-3121 and ask them to take action! Your voice matters in protecting effective programs that assist families and address issues of poverty and self-sufficiency.
“Advocating means speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves,” said CEO Yvonne Cherell. “We have our finger on the pulse and work to monitor poor legislation that does not serve low-income households.”
The catalyst for creating the Ohio Urban Community Action Network in 1985 was to provide a voice for those who didn’t have a seat at the table. Our founders saw a need to support the agencies in the state who serve communities facing deep, generational, and systemic issues.
Using a holistic, whole family approach, we serve everyone with dignity and respect. We serve the whole community from Head Start children to seniors on fixed incomes. And we’re not just serving the community, we are a part of it and have been for decades. Our unique connections provide the secret sauce that drives us to create successful opportunities for all Ohioans.
Ohio Urban Community Action Network’s mission is to empower Ohio’s urban Community Action Agencies through education, networking, and advocating for policies that alleviate poverty and promote self-sufficiency.
Untapped Potential in Ohio: How Childcare Impacts Ohio’s Workforce Productivity and the State’s Economy
A new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, in partnership with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Groundwork Ohio, details how Ohio’s childcare gaps “drive parents out of the workforce, reduce tax revenue for the state, and put undue strain on households - particularly among the most economically vulnerable.”
The report estimates that Ohio’s childcare crisis results in a $5.4 billion loss for Ohio’s economy each year.
A new research report from The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio explores what Central Ohio women need to thrive and build wealth. The report also includes 10 things that policymakers can do now to help women build wealth and move from surviving to thriving:
1. Expand the Columbus Salary History Ban to all of Franklin County
The Columbus Salary History ban has been in place since March of 2024. It prohibits employers from asking prospective employees about their previous salaries, benefits packages or other compensation.
2. Raise the minimum wage to $21 an hour, which would positively impact over 400,000 Central Ohio women
Many women work in low-wage jobs, so raising the minimum wage to a livable income would make a significant difference for Central Ohio families.
3. Expand the Child Tax Credit
Governor DeWine’s budget proposal included a refundable tax credit of up to $1,000 for young children, which would lift millions of children out of poverty by giving families much needed support.
4. Create a more affordable and accessible vocational career pathway for childcare workers
Making credentialing for Childcare Development Associates more streamlined and affordable would make it easier for childcare workers to obtain certification, addressing the childcare worker shortage.
5. Incentivize employers to provide childcare for their workers
Providing a state or federal tax credit to employers that provide childcare for their workers would reduce the costs of opening and running a center, while improving employee retention.
6. Expand access to childcare vouchers for families
Making sure families have access to quality, affordable childcare helps parents stay in the workforce and support their families.
7. Create a public-private partnership where the cost of childcare is shared by the state government, the employer, and the employee
Michigan implemented this type of partnership in 2021. Read more about it here!
8. Implement Universal Pre-Kindergarten
Funding publicly available Universal Pre-K would mean any pre-k aged child can attend. Universal Pre-K provides children with essential brain development and gives parents more working options.
9. Create a state-wide paid family and medical leave policy
Providing Ohio employees with paid family and medical leave would allow them to care for loved ones or themselves without losing their jobs and falling into an economically precarious situation.
10. Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to provide paid leave for all workers
Current FMLA requirements exclude almost half of all U.S. employees, including two-thirds of low-wage workers. FMLA is also typically unpaid leave, meaning that while workers’ jobs are protected, they aren’t earning any income if they take leave.
Who Gets to Move Up? Rethinking Economic Mobility in Central Ohio
Wednesday, May 7th, 12:00-1:00pm
In-person and livestream
Can Central Ohio’s prosperity truly become inclusive, giving more Franklin County families an economic stake in our region’s growth? A study completed last year by McKinsey & Company found that outcomes for the 330,000-plus Black residents of the Columbus region were substantially worse than those of their white neighbors. Median Black household income was $54,000, compared to $81,000 for white households. White residents live three years longer on average and were more than twice as likely to own their homes and to hold a four-year college degree.
To catch up with their white counterparts, Black residents in Franklin County would need 700 years to catch up – an economic chasm that’s expected to only widen in 2025. With directives to wind down DEI initiatives and funding cutbacks from Washington rippling through the country, what new initiatives can Central Ohio employ to include more families in our region’s prosperity, especially at a time when employers can’t hire fast enough?
From people-based strategies to place-based strategies, from programs to make housing more affordable and ensure quality early childhood education, we look at inclusive growth strategies that work, that don’t work, and that still need to be tried in Central Ohio.
Imagine an extra $1,000 for you and your children every year. What would you do with that money and how would it change your life?
Join United Way of Greater Cleveland for a powerful and informative Community Conversation about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC), proven strategies for helping families improve their financial stability and move out of poverty. You could be eligible for thousands of dollars in refunds each year, even if you don’t normally file taxes.
This free virtual panel will cover:
How tax credits work and who qualifies
New proposals in Ohio, including a $1,000 refundable child tax credit
Ways to get help filing and claiming these benefits
Why tax credits are key to lifting families out of poverty
Our expert panelists include:
Aidan Davis, state policy director, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
Marci Blue, senior program officer, Enterprise Community Partners, which oversees the Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition
Danielle Sydnor, CEO, Rise Together Innovation Institute
Whether you're a parent, advocate, policymaker, or simply curious, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Tuesday, May 20 | 12:00 PM | Zoom | Free (Registration Required)
Let's explore how smart tax policy can build stronger, more financially stable communities.
Register today for RISE Together's 4th Annual PIVOT Summit, formerly known as the Poverty Innovation Summit.
The PIVOT Summit is a powerful gathering of community activists, business leaders, faith organizations, and government officials united around a shared mission: addressing systemic racism and poverty through collaboration, innovation, and action.
This year’s theme, "Innovating for an Inclusive Future,” challenges us to rethink the systems, policies, and investments needed to create a more just and prosperous society. We recognize that no single solution can eliminate systemic racism or poverty, but through policy, storytelling, and data-driven innovation, we can amplify strategies that build pathways to economic security and prosperity.
This convening creates a unique space where cross-sector stakeholders come together to share insights, spark innovative strategies, and build lasting partnerships that strengthen our communities.
Economic Mobility Alliance Ohio, 175 S. Third Street, Suite 350, Columbus, OH 43215, USA