Ohio City
Ohio City Inc. is a Cleveland-based 501(c)(3) community development corporation that stewarding the Ohio City and Market District neighborhoods, serving 10,000+ residents, 250+ businesses, and 100+ nonprofits through revitalization, housing, recreation, and small-business programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Ohio City does
Ohio City Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development corporation chartered in 1968 and based in Cleveland, Ohio, that serves as the steward of the Ohio City and Market District neighborhoods. The organization supports a defined geographic ecosystem of roughly 10,000 residents, 250+ businesses, and 100+ nonprofits, and it operates, programs, or coordinates a portfolio of place-based assets including the West Side Market (1M+ annual visitors), Near West Recreation, Fairview Gardens senior housing, the Storefront Renovation program, the NRAP microloan program, and the Clean & Safe Ambassadors.
Its business model blends philanthropic, public-sector, and commercial revenue streams: individual and institutional donations, membership fees, Special Improvement District (SID) assessments on district property owners, merchandise sales, and grant-funded programmatic activity. The Ohio City Incorporated Corporation (OCIC) operating entity runs a disclosed budget of approximately $570,000 annually, but total organizational throughput is materially larger once assessments, restricted program grants, and pass-through capital are included. The organization does not raise venture or private equity capital.
Over the past two to three years, the organization has supported or catalyzed more than $100 million in combined private and public investment in the district, helped compress commercial vacancy in the Market District from 35% to 2%, and backed the opening of 60+ new businesses, positioning it as the de facto operating partner for ongoing neighborhood revitalization.
Ohio City firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ohio City
- Legal name
- Ohio City Incorporated
- Website
- https://ohiocity.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ohio City Inc. is a Cleveland-based 501(c)(3) community development corporation that stewarding the Ohio City and Market District neighborhoods, serving 10,000+ residents, 250+ businesses, and 100+ nonprofits through revitalization, housing, recreation, and small-business programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ohio City industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Development Services
- NAICS
- Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)
- SIC
- Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Sanitary Services (4950), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse (BPAIANAI), Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM)
Keywords
Where Ohio City is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ohio City business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: OCI generates revenue through individual and organizational memberships. Resident members, business members, institutional members, and associate members pay membership fees. Resident and business/institutional members are eligible to vote on leadership and governance issues.
- Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations support children's recreation, community engagement initiatives, free events and programming, clean and safe initiatives, and small business assistance. Donations of $3,000+ qualify for the Ohio City Guardian program.
- Property Assessments: OCIC (Ohio City Improvement Corporation) is funded by property owners in the Special Improvement District through bi-annual assessments via property taxes. The 2020-2024 cycle has a $570,000 annual budget with a hybrid formula combining value-based assessment (35%) and frontage-based assessment (65%).
- Storefront and Gear Sales: Ohio City Gear Shop sells merchandise including hats, flags, stickers, and other items showing neighborhood pride through the Givebutter platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Ohio City Guardian Program - Annual donation of $3,000 or higher |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual and Organizational Memberships |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Ohio City product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ohio City is a nonprofit community development corporation (CDC) that revitalizes Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood through real estate development, small business support, housing programs, and community engagement initiatives. Originally founded in 1968 as the Ohio City Redevelopment Association, it operates as an integrated place-based organization combining physical development with resident advocacy and commercial district stewardship.
Product overview
Ohio City Incorporated (OCI) is a community development corporation that provides community development, advocacy, engagement, marketing, special events, neighborhood planning, and housing assistance services to the Ohio City neighborhood. The organization operates through several named programs and services including Near West Recreation (youth sports leagues), the Ohio City Improvement Corporation/Special Improvement District (clean & safe ambassadors), Fairview Gardens (affordable senior housing), Safety Camera Initiative, Historic District Design Review, business assistance programs (NRAP and Storefront Renovation Program), senior and home safety repair programs, and various community events including the annual Ohio City Oktoberfest and Music at Market Square Park concert series. The portfolio includes both direct service delivery (recreation, safety, housing) and programmatic support (business development, historic preservation, events).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ohio City Membership Membership program that connects residents, businesses, and supporters to the Ohio City CDC, providing access to community updates, events, and a voice in neighborhood planning.
- Real Estate Development Acquisition, renovation, and development of residential and commercial properties within the Ohio City neighborhood to stabilize and improve the built environment.
- Small Business Support Programs and services that support small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Ohio City commercial district, including technical assistance, district marketing, and storefront activation.
- Community Events and Programming Resident-facing events, neighborhood celebrations, and community engagement programming that fosters social connection and civic participation in the Ohio City neighborhood.
- Housing and Resident Programs Housing-focused programs that assist Ohio City residents with affordability, homeownership, and tenant support services.
Quantifiable outcome
- Commercial vacancy rate reduced from 35% to 2% in Market District
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ohio City
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ohio City technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ohio City partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and key.
- JumpStartstrategicJumpStart partners with Ohio City Inc. and City Goods for The Grocery at City Goods initiative, a pilot micro-grocery featuring 20+ local food brands including JumpStart Small Business Impact Program graduates.
- City GoodsstrategicOhio City Inc., City Goods, and JumpStart partnership to empower and equip the small business community through The Grocery at City Goods, featuring local food brands and pop-up food experiences in Ohio City.
- Near West Recreation PartnerscoreNear West Recreation is a partnership between Ohio City Inc., North West Neighborhood Community Development Organization, Tremont West Development Corporation, and Metro West Development Organization. This collaboration offers year-round recreation programming for children and adults across eight Near West side neighborhoods, operating on a sliding-scale system.
- Block by BlockcoreOCIC contracts with Block by Block to employ Clean & Safe Ambassadors in the Special Improvement District. Ambassadors provide services including patrolling, litter/graffiti removal, safety escorts, homeless outreach, and public space maintenance from 7:00 a.m. to midnight, seven days per week.
- Property Owners (Special Improvement District)coreOCIC is funded by property owners in the Ohio City Special Improvement District through assessments paid bi-annually via property taxes. Faith-based and municipal properties are exempt. The 2020-2024 cycle has expanded boundaries along Lorain Avenue and Detroit Avenue.
- Cleveland Museum of ArtkeyCMA partnership for City Stages outdoor concert series, featuring global music performances at Transformer Station in Hingetown. Events occur on two Wednesdays each summer with performances at 7:30 PM.
- Ohio City Nonprofits NetworkkeyOhio City is home to over 100 nonprofit organizations including Cleveland International Film Festival, Cleveland Public Library, May Dugan Center, Near West Intergenerational School, and many others providing neighborhood and human services.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Ohio City competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cleveland Neighborhood Progress: Cleveland-based intermediary and capacity-builder for the city's CDCs, including Ohio City Inc. Operates the same neighborhood development model (real estate, lending, capacity-building) at a city-wide umbrella level, with overlapping funding sources and Board/leadership networks.
- St. Clair-Superior Development Corporation: Cleveland CDC focused on neighborhood revitalization, commercial real estate development, and small business support in the St. Clair-Superior area. Operates a similar non-profit CDC model with NRAP-style lending and corridor redevelopment programming.
- Detroit-Shoreway Community Development Organization: Cleveland CDC serving the Detroit-Shoreway and Edgewater neighborhoods. Directly comparable nonprofit CDC model with housing, commercial corridor revitalization, arts/culture programming (78th Street Studios), and youth services in Cleveland.
- Downtown Cleveland Alliance: Special Improvement District operating a Clean & Safe Ambassador program funded by property assessments in downtown Cleveland. Closest analog to OCI's OCIC SID model, with comparable ambassador services, marketing/events, and BID funding structure.
- Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation: Detroit-based nonprofit CDC delivering residential and commercial revitalization, public safety, and community programming in the Grandmont-Rosedale neighborhoods. Operates a directly analogous nonprofit CDC model with comparable programs and funding mix.
- Tremont West Development Corporation: Adjacent Cleveland CDC operating in Tremont; co-partner with OCI in Near West Recreation. Offers directly comparable community development programming, historic preservation focus, business support, and neighborhood clean/safe services.
- Burten Bell Carr Development Corporation: Cleveland CDC with focused programming on housing, economic development, and youth services in the Central, Kinsman, and Buckeye-Shaker neighborhoods. Comparable nonprofit community development scope and funding mix (CDBG, assessments, foundation grants).
- Neighborhood Development Center (Minneapolis): Minneapolis-based nonprofit that supports small businesses and community development with lending and training programs. Comparable peer-CDC providing business development, lending, and real estate support in a defined urban geography.
Others
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development intermediary that funds and supports CDCs across the country including Cleveland operators. While not a direct competitor, LISC is a likely funder and programmatic peer that shares OCI's CD-focused mission and metrics.
Broad incumbents
- University Circle Inc. Cleveland-based nonprofit district management organization serving University Circle. Comparable institutional-area community development, security, and marketing services, with a larger scale and broader portfolio of anchor institutions than Ohio City.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ohio City social profiles
Digital presenceOhio City financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ohio City leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ohio City subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Ohio City funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ohio City M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ohio City
What does Ohio City do?
Ohio City is a nonprofit community development corporation (CDC) that revitalizes Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood through real estate development, small business support, housing programs, and community engagement initiatives. Originally founded in 1968 as the Ohio City Redevelopment Association, it operates as an integrated place-based organization combining physical development with resident advocacy and commercial district stewardship.
Is Ohio City a public or private company?
Ohio City is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ohio City founded?
Ohio City was founded in 1968. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ohio City based?
Ohio City is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ohio City make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Contributions, property Assessments and storefront and Gear Sales.
Who are Ohio City's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, St. Clair-Superior Development Corporation, Detroit-Shoreway Community Development Organization, Downtown Cleveland Alliance, Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation, Tremont West Development Corporation, Burten Bell Carr Development Corporation and Neighborhood Development Center (Minneapolis). Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is listed as an others. University Circle Inc. is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Ohio City have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ohio City.
What industry is Ohio City in?
Ohio City's product category is Community Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAE, Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives), with a secondary code of BPAIANAI, Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse. Its NAICS code is 925 and its SIC code is 6513.