Our History

Vibrant Ohio began in 2014 by uniting immigrant and refugee inclusive economic development initiatives in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Bowling Green, Dayton, Toledo-Lucas County, and more. In 2018, Vibrant Ohio helped launch the Ohio Office of Opportunities for New Americans (OONA), propelling Ohio forward as one of only thirteen states with an office dedicated to the economic integration and inclusion of immigrants.

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Now, we are a national leader in the growing field of immigrant economic development and inclusion. We believe that immigrants, refugees, and the broader international community make Ohio a more vibrant place to call home. We connect Ohio’s immigrant and refugee communities in Ohio’s major cities and a growing movement of smaller communities. We work with Ohio’s public and private institutions to promote economic inclusion of Ohio’s growing immigrant, refugee, and international communities.

We address barriers to economic & workforce integration by advocating for and supporting the following initiatives:

• Licensing and credentialing

• Career pathway navigation

• Employer engagement

• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs

• Language access and cultural competency within statewide workforce development programs

• Contextualized and vocational English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs

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We support inclusive pathways for immigrants and refugees already in Ohio to utilize their skills as healthcare workers, teachers, engineers, accountants, and other in-demand fields. We promote international student retention and increased utilization of visa options. With support, immigrant small business owners can fully engage with existing statewide and local programs and increase their access to credit and lending programs. We support access to citizenship because when Ohio’s eligible immigrants naturalize, Ohio’s economy and communities’ benefit.