Human Service Chamber of Franklin County

What Human Service Chamber of Franklin County does

The Human Service Chamber of Franklin County (HSC) is an independent 501c3 nonprofit membership organization founded in 2010 and headquartered at 966 S. High Street, Columbus, Ohio. It serves as the collective voice for 240+ health and human services nonprofits operating in Franklin County, with stated membership of nearly 200 paying organizations (membership quadrupled since 2017). HSC operates on a chamber-of-commerce model, generating revenue primarily through tiered annual membership dues ranging from $500 (organizations under $500K in revenue) to $10,000 (organizations with $50M+ in revenue). Members include some of Central Ohio's most recognized service organizations across health, housing, workforce, legal, refugee, education, and youth services verticals, collectively reaching 450,000+ Franklin County residents annually.

HSC delivers value through five core service areas: government relations and advocacy at local, state, and federal levels; shared professional services spanning legal, HR, communications, finance, development, cybersecurity/IT, and sustainability; business discounts and free resources; convening and collaboration (at least six membership meetings per year plus emergency response convenings); and insights and analysis via multiple newsletters including Chamber Chatter, the Executive Newsletter, and the 2025-launched State of Affairs policy newsletter. The organization also operates a Jobs Board, Resume Submission Service, Board Interest Application, Community Calendar, One Voice storytelling series, and HSC Store, and produces research publications including the annual State of the Sector Report, Regionomics 2050, and the Cohear Strategic Assessment proposing a $135-162M sector investment framework.

The organization does not operate a proprietary technology platform, does not offer an API, and has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Its competitive moat is built on ecosystem lock-in, collective advocacy leverage, and the cost advantage of pooled access to professional services. Leadership comprises Executive Director Michael Corey (since 2017), Deputy Director Bhumika Patel, Director of Operations & Member Experience Lindsay Barber, Wellness & Member Services Manager Lauren Sands, and Executive Assistant Cardella Wood, with a board chaired by Kate McGarvey of Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio. Strategic partners include The Columbus Foundation, the City of Columbus, the National Council of Nonprofits, and the Impact Solar coalition.

Name

Human Service Chamber of Franklin County

Legal name

Human Service Chamber of Franklin County

Website

https://humanservicechamber.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Human Service Chamber of Franklin County is a 501c3 nonprofit membership organization that serves as the collective voice for nearly 200 health and human services nonprofits in the Columbus/Franklin County region, delivering tiered-membership advocacy, shared professional services, convening, and sector research to a network that collectively reaches 450,000+ residents annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Trade Association / Chamber Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)

Keywords

• Nonprofit advocacy coalition
• Membership chamber services
• Professional services access
• Government relations advocacy
• Nonprofit capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Tiered annual membership dues based on organizational revenue, ranging from $500 to $10,000 annually. Membership is the primary revenue stream supporting the organization's advocacy, convening, and professional services operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Human Service Chamber of Franklin County (HSC) is a 501c3 nonprofit membership organization that operates as a chamber of commerce for health and human services nonprofits in the Columbus region. It sells tiered annual memberships that bundle government relations and advocacy, shared professional services (legal, HR, communications, accounting, cybersecurity, sustainability), business discounts, convening opportunities, and industry insights. Membership is open to 501c3 nonprofits with a demonstrated connection to Franklin County.

Product overview

The Human Service Chamber of Franklin County (HSC) operates as a unified membership organization, not a technology product company. Its core offering is a comprehensive suite of services for health and human services nonprofits including Government Relations & Advocacy, Professional Services & Capacity Building (human resources, PR/communications, development, finance/accounting, cybersecurity/IT, sustainability), Business Discounts & Free Resources, Convening & Collaborating, and Insights & Analysis. Supporting services include a Jobs Board, Resume Submission Service, Board Interest Application, Community Calendar, One Voice storytelling series, newsletter publications (Chamber Chatter and State of Affairs), and an HSC Store. HSC also produces research publications including the annual State of the Sector Report, the Regionomics 2050 projections, and the Cohear Strategic Assessment. The organization does not offer a software platform, SaaS product, API, or technical integrations with third-party tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Government Relations & Advocacy Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Membership quadrupled since 2017 under Executive Director Michael Corey
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• The Columbus FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided transformative gift enabling HSC to offer professional services including finance and accounting, fundraising, and cybersecurity/IT to member nonprofits.
• City of ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to provide human resources services and funding for two full-time staff positions supporting communications and environmental/sustainability services for members.
• Clean Energy VenturesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads the Impact Solar initiative in partnership with Columbus Partnership and Community Renewable Energy, deploying solar across Central Ohio nonprofits.
• Community Renewable EnergyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHandles financing, installation, and maintenance of solar arrays for nonprofits, enabling access to solar power with no upfront cost.
• Praxia PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on Impact Solar initiative for nonprofit solar deployments, implementing solar projects for member organizations.
• Columbus PartnershipflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on Impact Solar initiative bringing solar access to Central Ohio nonprofits and government agencies.
• Columbus Region Green FundminorOthersOffers no-cost energy audits to area nonprofits as part of the Impact Solar initiative.
• Time to Care Ohio CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition championing paid family leave legislation (SB 396). HSC is a proud member advocating for Ohio workers' access to paid leave.
• National Council of NonprofitscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy partner; HSC participates in national campaigns including Nonprofits Get It Done media campaign and shares resources.
• Stonewall ColumbusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSC marches with members in annual Pride March, demonstrating support for LGBTQIA+ community.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: One of the most established state nonprofit associations, providing advocacy, publications, and member services. Comparable to HSC in mission and business model, with a more mature and significantly larger scale.
• MAP for Nonprofits: Twin Cities-based nonprofit that provides capacity-building, consulting, and back-office services to other nonprofits. Closely comparable to HSC's shared professional services platform, though operating in a different geography.
• National Human Services Assembly: National coalition of the largest human services organizations, focused on policy advocacy and member support. Closely comparable to HSC's mission of convening human services providers for collective advocacy and capacity building.
• Nonprofit Association of Oregon: Statewide membership association serving Oregon nonprofits through advocacy, training, and resources. Comparable to HSC in coalition-based service model and policy advocacy focus.
• Ohio Council of Nonprofits: Statewide membership association that supports Ohio nonprofits through advocacy, training, and resources. Closest geographic and structural peer to HSC, serving Ohio's broader nonprofit ecosystem rather than just health/human services.
• National Council of Nonprofits: National membership network of nonprofit organizations that provides advocacy, communications, and resources to state and regional nonprofit associations. Directly comparable to HSC as a coalition body serving the nonprofit sector, but at the national scale.
• Center for Nonprofits (New Jersey): Statewide nonprofit membership association offering advocacy, training, and capacity-building services. Highly comparable to HSC in member-driven advocacy model and service portfolio, but for a different state.

Emerging players

• National Health Council: National membership organization for patient advocacy and health-focused nonprofits. Comparable to HSC in its coalition/advocacy model for health-related nonprofits, but operating at a national scale and focused specifically on patient organizations.

Regional players

• The Columbus Foundation: Central Ohio's largest community foundation and a key strategic partner of HSC. Adjacent to HSC rather than a direct competitor, but functions as the major local funder and convener that shapes the same nonprofit ecosystem.
• United Way of Central Ohio: Regional nonprofit convener and funder based in Columbus, focused on collective impact across health and human services. Comparable to HSC as a local infrastructure player, but operates primarily as a grantmaker rather than a membership-based advocacy chamber.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HumanServiceCH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeZbKcXb8kR5g5PqLvCLP1g
• Facebookfacebook.com/HumanServiceChamber
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/humanservicechamber
• Instagraminstagram.com/humanservicechamber

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Human Service Chamber of Franklin County