Through strategic community building efforts and a targeted YP grants program, the Create Columbus strives to make Columbus the nation’s number one place for YPs to live, work, and play.

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2014 Q1 Report

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From the Chair
The Blue Jackets are in the playoffs.
Columbus could host the 2016 Democratic
National Convention. And the Create
Columbus Commission has “80-large” to
support awesome initiatives around the city.
Columbus has experienced incredible progress
in the past few months—and so has Create
Columbus. Our inaugural grant cycle was a
huge success and the incredible programs
and initiatives we supported continue to have
impact around the city.
The 2014 grant cycle is set to begin and the
applications are pouring in. Thanks to Mayor
Coleman and Columbus City Council, we have
more money to support Columbus’ brightest
ideas. We are excited to see what the second
class of grantees will be doing to change the
way you live, work, and play in Columbus.
We aren’t just about money though. We
are being invited to not only represent
young professionals in critical community
conversations, but to also elevate the influence
of our demographic in and around the city.
Create Columbus Commissioner Kacey
Brankamp has been appointed to the JET
(Jobs, Expansion & Transportation) Task
Force which will examine how Port Columbus
can become a more comprehensive
transportation center and economic
development driver.
Create Columbus Commissioner Elissa
Schneider has been appointed to the Mid-
Ohio Regional Planning Commission—an
association of central Ohio governments
and regional organizations that envision
innovative directions in transportation,
energy, housing, land use, and environment
and economic prosperity.
Our involvement is just getting started and
we know our contributions will have a lasting
impact on our city.
2014 is shaping up to be a great year for
Columbus and Create Columbus. We are
ready to initiate greatness.
-Kevin Tyler, Chair
The Create Columbus Commission is a board of young professionals
appointed and funded by the Mayor and City Council President to serve as
the community’s foremost thought leader on young professional interests,
experiences, and priorities. Through strategic community building efforts
and a targeted young professional grants program, Create Columbus strives
to make Columbus the nation’s number one place for young professionals to
live, work, and play.
Kevin Tyler, Chair
info@createcolumb.us

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support initiatives by and for young
professionals that help make Columbus
the best place to live, work, and raise a
family.
Create columbus
grant program
• Encourage and support residents to launch innovative,
community-based initiatives with a specific young professional
component
• Provide strategic financial support for one-time costs for events,
initiatives, or programs that impact young professionals
• Improve the young professional experience in the areas of live,
work, and play

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2014 Create columbus
grant cycle in full swing
The 2014 Create Columbus Grant Program
kicked off during the 1st quarter. This year,
Create Columbus added two grant workshops to
provide information on the program, application
process, and best practices for completing the
application. More than 50 local organizations
attended.
Grant applications will be accepted from non-
profit organizations with 501(c)3 standing or any
organization that is partnering with a 501(c)3
non-profit organization as their fiscal agent.
Collaboration between and among young
professional groups, community orgnizations,
and non-profits is strongly encouraged.
Application Deadline: April 28
Grant Funds Distributed: July 31
Progress Report Due: January 16, 2015
Final Report Due: May 29, 2015

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2013 Grant winners
lighting up local media
The 2013 Create Columbus Grant Program
winners were in full-execution mode in the early
part of the year. Projects kicked off, events were
held, and local media took notice.
The 8 grant winners were featured in nearly 40
different articles, across 20 publications, as well
as featured on CD102.5 and Power 107.5.
“The local media took note of the Create
Columbus grant program because young
professionals took notice. Hundreds of young
professionals attended the grant winner’s events,
and shared their progress on social media.” said
Create Columbus Communications Chair Tyler
Durbin.

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create a competitive young
professional quality of life
live COMMITTEE
• Make Columbus an attractive place for young
professionals to want to relocate and live
• Strengthen well-established and grow up-and-
coming Columbus neighborhoods
• Maintain an affordable cost of living
• Increase the vibrancy of Downtown
• Diversify and improve public transportation

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competitive audit of U.S.
cities attracting young
professionals
Columbus is quickly becomming recognized as a
great place for young professionals to live, work,
and play.
To gauge our city’s progress, the Create
Columbus Live Committee has kicked off an
effort to study national trends to assess our
community’s efforts to attract and retain young
professionals.
Over the coming months, Create Columbus
will compile a high-level report outlining
the preferences of young professionals,
the opportunities for cities to build young
professional friendly communities, and offer
ideas to local organizations for attracting and
retaining young professionals in Columbus.

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Young professionals
represented in cota
Transit System review
Young professionals were well-represented
throughout the community input phase of
COTA’s Transit System Review (TSR).
More than a dozen Create Columbus
Commissioners attended and recruited dozens
more of area young professionals to attend the
TSR public meetings.

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Assessment of Public Wi-Fi in Columbus
Cities across America are assessing and
implementing plans to provide wireless internet
access in public areas.
The Create Columbus Live Committee will
explore how other cities are using wi-fi in
public areas, assess the need and opportunity
in Columbus, and will recommend a course of
action to city stakeholders.
Bike to Work Day
The Create Columbus Commission will be
sponsoring the North Route for the Bike to Work
Day festivities on May 16.
Young professionals from across the city will
meet at Whetstone Park of Roses and will bike to
downtown via the Olentangy Trail.
To sign up, visit Bit.ly/biketoworkcbus.
A LOOK ahead to the 2nd
quarter

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create an enriched Young
professional career experience
WORK COMMITTEE
• Retain and attract top young professional talent that will
grow our economy
• Cultivate young professional entrepreneurship and small
business ownership
• Encourage technology and innovation
• Increase internship and job opportunities
• Foster greater quality and access for career development
experiences

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A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2ND
quarter
Young Entrepreneur Mentoring Program
The Create Columbus Work Committee will
be kicking off development of a program for
students to interact with successful small
business owners in the Central Ohio area that
strongly demonstrates the value and importance
(personal & professional) of starting your
business in Columbus.
Small Business Resource Guide
Columbus is currently one of the cities in the U.S.
with the least number of new small businesses.
The Create Columbus Work Committee is
working to bridge the gap between the dreams
of small business entrepreneurs and the reality of
opening up a business.
One of the ways we hope to provide help is by
creating a young professional focused ‘road
map’ to starting a business in Columbus. This
road map is a simple, step-by-step process that
identifies resources that can help with every
detail a small business owner would need in
order to start up.

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create a more vibrant young
professional lifestyle
PLAY COMMITTEE
• Improve the accessibility and affordability of entertainment
for young professionals
• Improve the accessibility and impact-model of community
service opportunities
• Cultivate a more healthy and fit lifestyle
• Close cultural divides within the young professional
demographic
• Strengthen the young professional arts community
• Expose the authentic and cool parts of Columbus to build
community pride among young professionals

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COLUMBUS YOUNG
PROFESSIONALS CLUB & A
Date 2 Remember
A Date 2 Remember is one of the premier social
fundraising experience of the year for young
professionals, the Columbus community, and
local businesses.
Create Columbus Commissioners Ben Buckner,
Julie Wilkes, and Derek Grosso (CYP CLUB
founder) served on planning committees for the
event. Several other Commissioners provided
support for the event through their employers.
The event combines an exciting live auction
experience with a high-energy fashion show – all
for charity – featuring fully-loaded “experience
packages” that give attendees an all-out taste
of Columbus. The CYP CLUB donates event
proceeds from A Date 2 Remember to charity
every year.

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A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2Nd
quarter
Building Relationships With Local Organizations
The Create Columbus Play Committee will focus
on meeting and building relationships with local
art, sports, and entertainment organizations with
the goal of identifying opportunities to partner
to foster a more vibrant young professional
lifestyle in Columbus.
Entertainment District Legislation
Ohio Senate Bill 116 proposes loosening Ohio
open container laws in municipal entertainment
districts. The bill could have an effect on areas
like the Short North Arts District and Park St.
District.
The Create Columbus Play Committee will
be reviewing the legislation and making a
recommendation on whether the legislation
will have an impact on the young professional
experience in Columbus.

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Create Columbus COMMISSIONERS
The Create Columbus Commission is a board of young professionals
appointed and funded by the Mayor and City Council President to serve as
the community’s foremost thought leader on young professional interests,
experiences, and priorities. Through strategic community building efforts
and a targeted young professional grants program, Create Columbus strives
to make Columbus the nation’s number one place for young professional to
live, work, and play.
Lindsay Arnett, 614 Media Group
Beth Berkemer, Berkemer PR
Robert Bickis, Jr. (Grants Chair), MoveDowntownColumbus.com
Kacey Brankamp, Capital Crossroads SID
Shawn Broadus, Suite78 Marketing & Advertising
Benjamin Buckner, Nexus Academy Schools
Christina Christian, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Jordan Davis (Membership Chair), The Columbus Partnership
Tyler Durbin (Communications Chair), GSW
Yaves Ellis, Radio One Columbus/Sling Shot Media Group LLC
Tim Fulton, Small Business Beanstalk
Derek Grosso, Columbus Young Professionals Club (CYP CLUB)
Andy Hutter, Building Five
Habiba Kamagate, The Ohio State University
Noel Klay, Cardinal Health
Ashley Lester, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation
Steve Michalovich, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
Jesus Ovalle, Columbus Public Health
Diana Pagan, CAPA
Alison Pegg, Blue Jackets Foundation
Robert Perryman, Isaac Wiles Burkholder & Teetor LLC
Chris Rutter, Uptivity
Amy Schmittauer, Vlog Boss Studios
Elissa Schneider, Mid-Ohio Foodbank
Timothy Wolf Starr, Small Business Beanstalk/Gateway Film
Center
Steve Swift, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Jacob Taylor, CivitasNow
Yohannan Terrell, Interactive One
Kevin Tyler (Chair), Ologie
Josue Vicente, Ohio Hispanic Coalition
Julie Wilkes, Seven Studios/Accenture
Stakeholder and non-voting members of the Create Columbus
Commission:
Priyam Chokshi, Columbus City Council
Ty Harden, Mayor’s Office