OHIO FOUNDATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES INC

The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC) efficiently solicits financial support from corporations, foundations and other donors and distributes those funds to our member colleges and universities for educational programs, scholarships and collaborative efforts. The OFIC was founded in 1950 by a group of concerned business executives and college presidents recognizing that a central organization conducting annual solicitations of corporations and foundations to support Ohio's non-tax-supported colleges would enhance fundraising efficiency and help to improve the independent educational system. As employers, these leaders recognized that the corporate community and society as a whole has a vested interest in the preparation of future workforce. The OFIC endeavors to change lives and improve our state by: increasing student matriculation rates from high school to college, especially for low- and moderate-income students; increasing college retention rates; increasing the number of college graduates in Ohio; and, increasing the number of college graduates securing jobs in Ohio. The OFIC raises unrestricted, scholarship and program funds for its 34 institutions so they can provide learning opportunities for individuals from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Since 1950, OFIC has distributed $154,823,588 to its member colleges and universities and the students they serve. This corporate/collegiate/foundation partnership has made OFIC the nation's leader in facilitating corporate and foundation giving in support of non-tax-supported colleges and universities. Today, the OFIC facilitates corporate and foundation giving in support of its 34 member, non-tax-funded colleges and universities. The OFIC supports its member institutions in major activities of the academic cycle-from recruiting through financial aid and minority services aimed at student retention, to career services. Following are OFIC program services descriptions: Unrestricted support gives college leadership the flexibility to use the funds where the need is greatest on their respective campuses. Such uses include library, classroom and technology needs, or the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty. More often, these unrestricted funds are used for emergency student financial assistance. All unrestricted gifts are combined at the conclusion of the campaign and distributed to OFIC member institutions by a 60/40 formula. Sixty percent of total unrestricted gifts are distributed evenly among our 34 members. Forty percent is distributed according to each member institutions' enrollment. Established in 1988, The Ohio Scholars Program® is the largest and most diverse scholarship management program in Ohio. The program serves as an effective means to facilitate the philanthropic interests of corporations, foundations and individuals while providing scholarships for economically disadvantaged and academically deserving students enrolled full-time at OFIC member institutions. Over these years, OFIC has assisted 20,829 students with $36,850,258 million in direct scholarship support. OFIC Administers the following collaborative programs that provide support to OFIC member institutions in a variety of ways: a. CareerFest, a highly successful annual job fair that connects employers and students of OFIC's member institutions for potential internships/co-ops/employment. The 2016 event hosted 111 local/state/national employers and 623 students. b. Diversity Initiatives - OFIC takes a leadership role in facilitating sponsor support for annual diversity forums that bring together member institution multicultural faculty and staff and corporate donor human resource representatives to share best practices and discuss solutions for diversity/inclusion issues common to the campus and the workplace. The OFIC Bridges Program connects thousands of underserved urban youth in the major cities of Northeast Ohio with the higher education community by collaborating with schools, youth organizations, faith-based networks and OFIC member institution to assist students in forming and realizing their dreams of college attendance. The program, directed to high school students, strives to change the view that many urban youth have of college as an unrealistic and unattainable goal that is available only to students from privileged backgrounds. c. Programs designed to conserve costs and improve operating efficiency at OFIC institutions, including services in group purchasing and professional development. OFIC offers cost-saving opportunities to its member colleges and universities through group purchasing initiatives. OFIC membership in state and national organizations makes our members eligible for discount purchase of goods and services in areas such as office supplies, electricity, and maintenance supply products. Contracts negotiated directly by OFIC provide discount prices for long distance and mobile phone service, software licensing and shipping.