The events of 2020 have changed our lives in ways we did not imagine when the year began. Throughout it all, the central Ohio nonprofit community has risen to the challenge by serving as the frontline defense for tens of thousands of residents. So it was our great honor to help United Way of Central Ohio and the community of health and human service nonprofits throughout central Ohio with its recent Nonprofit Diversity Study. (Click here to download.)

One of the most interesting findings from this research effort was just how different board composition is compared to staff composition. In 2020, only 23% of health and human service nonprofits have boards with a racial or ethnic composition as diverse as (or more so than) Franklin County’s population.Yet staff composition tends to be more racially or ethnically diverse; 44% of 20% nonprofits have staffs with a racial or ethnic composition as diverse as (or more so than) the general population.

Key findings from and implications of this survey were discussed during a recent Columbus Metropolitan Club panel discussion on this topic, which is available for viewing on Youtube.

Clearly there’s more work to be done on this front. We’re glad to play a small role in advancing this forward.

As researchers who are always searching for the “stories in the data,” we are proud to see the insights we uncover here in Columbus receive significant attention both across the nation (this FSR magazine article and Modern Restaurant Magazine article are two examples) and across Ohio (Columbus Business First).

We hope business leaders in the restaurant and grocery sectors, along with the communities who rely on them, are able to use these insights to more effectively plan for tomorrow. Our restaurateurs and grocers face an unprecedented challenge and will require continued and substantial support.

How will #COVID19 change the way we grocery shop and eat at restaurants? Illuminology partnered with Inspire to survey over 1,800 Americans to find out if their shopping and dining habits have changed. We hope clients and friends can use the Eating 2020 report findings to position their businesses for success.

See the findings and download the report here!

It’s great to see media picking up different pieces of the story that United Way of Central Ohio, the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County, and our firm is sharing with the public.

WBNS 10TV’s coverage focused on the revenue hit due to cancelled fundraisers, while Columbus Business First’s coverage focused on how many nonprofits are making greater use of online or telephone platforms to deliver their services.

We are preparing for the next wave of this effort to better understand and aid this critical segment of the nonprofit sector. More to come soon!