JobsOhio Earns the Candid Platinum Transparency Seal for Sixth Year in a Row

COLUMBUS, OHIO December 8, 2023 – JobsOhio, the State’s private nonprofit economic development corporation designed to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio, is proud to announce it has once again earned the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, meeting the nonprofit sector's most stringent public disclosure standards for the sixth consecutive year.

The Candid Platinum Seal is the most prestigious recognition Candid awards to nonprofits. Only 0.75% of the more than 1.7 million U.S. nonprofits registered with the IRS earned the Platinum Seal in 2021. Candid introduced the GuideStar Seals of Transparency in 2013 to address the most asked questions about nonprofits, including whom they are serving with their programs, how they are governed, how they are funded, and how they are measuring impact. 

Participating nonprofit organizations voluntarily choose whether to meet Candid’s Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum levels of public disclosures. Candid then centers its work on collecting, standardizing, and making this data available. Candid's data tools on nonprofits, foundations, and grants are the most comprehensive in the world.

JobsOhio exists to empower world-class corporations, entrepreneurs, and talented individuals to build their businesses and careers in Ohio. Our advocacy and investments in partnership with the State enable sustainable economic growth and a better quality of life for all Ohioans through the power and dignity of work.

“Accuracy and transparency are vital to the steady and trusted flow of communication between JobsOhio and our partners at Ohio’s regional economic development organizations, academic institutions, federal installations, business sector organizations, as well as State and local leaders and government agencies,” said J.P. Nauseef, CEO of JobsOhio. “JobsOhio is driven by our shared values of acting with integrity, valuing all people and making a difference – and it shows.”

While most nonprofits are exempt from public record laws, all nonprofits are still required to supply their IRS form and 990 for the last three years. JobsOhio’s publicly available documents go back seven years, to offer maximum transparency. They include quarterly financials and audited year-end financials reaching back to 2015, and annual year reports dating back nine years. Those reports include a monthly breakdown of the grants offered to companies over the past six years.

JobsOhio’s private nonprofit model balances openness and transparency with the confidentiality of proprietary company information and details about negotiations to win competitive projects for Ohio and good-paying jobs for Ohioans.

“Companies considering relocations or expansions in Ohio can count on confidentiality during discussions, but JobsOhio makes our assistance and company commitments public on our website when the deals are done,” Mr. Nauseef noted. “JobsOhio remains committed to being the most effective economic development organization in the country while operating responsibly and with transparency for the people of Ohio.”

“A key part of that commitment is to maintain our platinum status for transparency every year,” Mr. Nauseef concluded.

JobsOhio is a private nonprofit economic development corporation designed to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio through business attraction, retention, and expansion. The organization also works to seed talent production in its targeted industries and to attract talent to Ohio through Find Your Ohio. JobsOhio works with six regional partners across Ohio: Dayton Development Coalition, Ohio Southeast Economic Development, One Columbus, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership, and Team NEO. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.

For more information visit jobsohio.com or contact Matt Englehart at englehart@jobsohio.com

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