Groundwork Ohio

What Groundwork Ohio does

Groundwork Ohio is a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization focused on early childhood policy in Ohio, covering the prenatal through age five window. Its work is organized around four policy priorities: early learning and child care, health care access, early childhood trauma prevention, and economic stability. The organization is headquartered near the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus and operates with a small staff (1-10 employees), running programs such as the Family Action Network coalition, the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship, an annual Advocacy Day at the Statehouse, a statewide Roadshow, and the "Vote Baby Vote" civic engagement initiative.

Its core products and assets include an Ohio-specific Early Childhood Data Dashboard, original public opinion polling, and research reports such as the "Untapped Potential" report co-published with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which quantified a $5.48B annual cost of Ohio's child care gap. It also operates place-based initiatives such as the Hancock County Childcare Collaborative, a partnership with the Findlay-Hancock Community Foundation, United Way of Hancock County, and the Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce. Leadership consists of President and CEO Lynanne Gutierrez and Vice President Brittany Boulton, who joined in January 2024.

The business model is that of a nonprofit advocacy organization. Revenue is generated through two disclosed streams: donations/contributions and government grants, supplemented by philanthropic partnerships (e.g., the bi3 Fund). Go-to-market is community-driven, combining direct legislative advocacy, research dissemination, polling, coalition convening, and event-driven mobilization (Advocacy Day, Roadshow). Primary stakeholders and "customers" include Ohio families with young children, early childhood professionals, the employer/business community (via the Chambers), and state and local policymakers.

Name

Groundwork Ohio

Legal name

Groundwork Ohio

Website

https://groundworkohio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Groundwork Ohio is a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization advancing early childhood (prenatal to age five) policy in Ohio through data, polling, coalition building, and direct legislative advocacy for children, families, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Groundwork Ohio accepts donations from individuals and organizations through its website to support advocacy activities and organizational operations.
2. Government Grants and Funding: As a policy advocacy organization, Groundwork Ohio likely receives government grants and funding to support research, advocacy activities, and coalition building for early childhood policy initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Groundwork Ohio is a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization that advances early learning and healthy development policies for Ohio children from the prenatal period through age five. It delivers policy research, statewide polling, an interactive Early Childhood Data Dashboard, coalition building, and grassroots mobilization through programs such as the Family Action Network, Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship, Advocacy Day, and the Roadshow. The organization engages policymakers, employers, early childhood professionals, and families to influence legislation, budget allocations, and systems-level improvements in child care, health care access, trauma prevention, and economic stability.

Product overview

Groundwork Ohio is a nonpartisan public-policy research and advocacy organization (not a technology product company) that champions high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies from the prenatal period to age five. The organization operates through a combination of direct advocacy services, research tools (including the Early Childhood Data Dashboard and Poll Data), and programs (Family Action Network, Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship, Advocacy Day, and Roadshow events) to advance policies in four priority areas: Early Learning & Child Care, Health Care Access & Quality, Early Childhood Trauma Prevention, and Economic Stability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy Advocacy Services Nonpartisan advocacy and lobbying services focused on advancing high-quality early learning and healthy development policies from prenatal period to age five. Engages with Ohio legislators, state agency officials, business leaders, and community partners through testimony, legislative breakfasts, and one-on-one meetings.
• Early Childhood Data Dashboard Interactive online data platform providing statistics and insights on early childhood indicators including child care access, kindergarten readiness, infant mortality, and economic stability metrics across Ohio counties.
• Poll Data and Survey Research Commissioned public opinion polling on early childhood issues including child care affordability, workforce impacts, and voter attitudes toward child-focused tax credits, conducted with firms such as Public Opinion Strategies.
• Research and Policy Reports Published research, policy briefs, and analysis on early childhood issues affecting Ohio families including child care, health care, infant mortality, and economic stability.
• Family Action Network Grassroots mobilization program connecting Ohio families with young children to advocate for early childhood policies, share personal stories with lawmakers, and participate in advocacy campaigns.
• Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship Fellowship program that develops emerging leaders to advance outcomes for Ohio's young children through training, leadership development, and advocacy engagement.
• Advocacy Day at the Ohio Statehouse Annual statewide event bringing hundreds of family advocates, early childhood professionals, and business leaders to the Ohio Statehouse to meet with legislators and champion early childhood investments.
• Roadshow Initiative Mobile engagement initiative traveling across Ohio to host events that bring families, employers, and community leaders together to discuss early childhood issues and advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 300 Ohio families mobilized to Statehouse for advocacy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Findlay Family YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Findlay Family YMCA received grant to manage Hancock County Tri-Share Program, where employees pay 40% of child care costs while employers and grant split remaining 60%.
• Findlay-Hancock County Community FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Convened the Hancock County Childcare Collaborative with United Way of Hancock County and Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce. Created two dedicated funds ($100,000 for child care support and $50,000 for long-term solutions) and awarded $224,566 Early Care & Education Business Partnerships grant for Tri-Share Program.
• Hancock County Childcare CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Groundwork Ohio and Ohio Chamber partnered to release 'Business Innovation in Child Care: Case Studies Across Ohio' spotlighting the Hancock County Childcare Collaborative as a model for business-community partnerships addressing child care.
• Ohio Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio partners with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce on child care advocacy and the 'Untapped Potential' report, highlighting business innovation in child care solutions. The partnership addresses Ohio's $5.48 billion economic loss from child care issues and promotes employer-sponsored child care initiatives.
• U.S. Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio collaborated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Ohio Chamber on the 'Untapped Potential' report documenting Ohio's economic losses from child care challenges.
• County Commissioners Association of OhiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio and the Ohio Chamber's child care resource was featured in the County Commissioners Association of Ohio's Spring 2026 magazine, highlighting business innovation in child care.
• bi3 FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio participated in a policy and advocacy panel hosted by bi3 Fund in Cincinnati alongside Ohio Representative Andrea White and Ohio Department of Children and Youth Director Kara B. Wente, focused on improving maternal and infant health outcomes.
• Learning GroveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio visited Learning Grove, a nonprofit early learning center in Cincinnati, to tour classrooms and learn about family access challenges to affordable, high-quality child care. Learning Grove Executive Director Patti Gleason is a member of Groundwork Ohio's Early Learning Advisory Council.
• Preschool PromiseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio met with Preschool Promise Executive Director Chara Fisher Jackson to discuss expanding access to high-quality preschools, improving kindergarten readiness, and ensuring families can access early learning opportunities.
• United Way of Greater CincinnatiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio met with United Way of Greater Cincinnati Vice President for Education Candace Wang to discuss funding strategies and long-term investment in community partnerships supporting early childhood.
• Ohio Department of Children and YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio collaborates with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth on policy advocacy, testifying on legislation, and coordinating on early childhood system improvements.
• Urban League of Greater Southwestern OhiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio participated in a panel moderated by Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio President and CEO Christie Kuhns focused on improving maternal and infant health outcomes.
• Children's Hunger AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio features Children's Hunger Alliance in Partner Spotlight, highlighting their work addressing childhood hunger through meals, education, and advocacy in Ohio.
• Ohio American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio partners with Ohio AAP on health care policy, providing guidance on childhood vaccine schedule changes and advocating for pediatric care standards.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroundwork Ohio references AAP guidance on childhood vaccines and health care, aligning advocacy positions with evidence-based pediatric recommendations.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children): National membership organization for early childhood professionals. Comparable as a larger, established organization operating in the same early childhood policy and advocacy space at the national level.
• Children's Defense Fund: National child advocacy organization working on policies affecting children. Comparable as a child policy advocacy nonprofit with similar mission focus on child welfare, health, and economic stability.
• Zero to Three: National nonprofit focused on early childhood development from prenatal to age three. Comparable as a policy advocacy organization working on infant and toddler wellbeing, including health care access.
• First Five Years Fund (FFYF): National bipartisan advocacy organization for federal investment in early childhood education. Comparable as a larger, well-funded advocacy organization with similar mission around prenatal-to-five policy.

Direct peers

• Ohio Children's Alliance: Ohio membership organization for child welfare and behavioral health providers that engages in policy advocacy. Comparable as a statewide nonprofit advocating for children's services and systems.
• Voices for Ohio's Children: Statewide nonpartisan child advocacy organization focused on Ohio policy for children. Directly comparable as a state-level child policy advocacy nonprofit with similar mission and operating model.
• Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children (OAEYC): Ohio state affiliate of NAEYC supporting early childhood professionals. Comparable as an organization advocating for early childhood education quality, workforce, and policy in Ohio.

Regional players

• Ohio Education Association: Ohio's largest teachers' union engaging in education policy advocacy. Thematically adjacent as an Ohio-based education policy advocacy organization, though focused on K-12 rather than early childhood specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GroundworkOhio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvfbMxCaciVw11muAYLXSSg/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/groundworkohio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groundwork-ohio
• Instagraminstagram.com/groundworkohio
• TikToktiktok.com/@groundwork_ohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Groundwork Ohio