FUTURE HEIGHTS
Engaged citizens. Innovative ideas.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
The Heights Observer Community Newspaper - heightsobserver.org
The Heights Observer monthly print edition, weekly e-news and website, www.heightsobserver.org, facilitates access to local and neighborhood news and existing community resources; provides community partnership opportunities and the sharing of scarce resources; promotes volunteerism; hosts community discussions and forums.
HeightsShops-Citizen support of a strong local economy
HeightsShops works to strengthen the economic competitiveness of the historic neighborhood commercial districts, promote stabilization of neighborhoods and support local independent businesses through a "Shop
Local" campaign; technical assistance to the independent business community; and the annual Best of the Heights Awards program.
Civic Engagement Activities
FutureHeights hosts a number of local events each year to promote citizen participation in the betterment of their community. Cleveland Heights and University Heights, like similar older first-ring suburbs, stand
the greatest chance of survival as a desirable places to live only when
there is commitment from all facets of the community. FutureHeights hosts public forums, offers a neighborhood leadership workshop series and neighborhood mini-grants, mentors neighborhood leaders and is fiscal sponsor for several neighborhood-based groups.
FutureHeights recognizes its important role in maintaining a strong civic core, and is committed to moving forward with its mission to create substantive and cutting-edge citizen engagement activities.
This programming is at the very heart of why the organization was founded in 2000, and why its value as a community asset resonates with Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents.
FutureHomes
FutureHeights recognizes that older houses are an asset to the city of Cleveland Heights. Our city’s homes exhibit a variety of architectural styles and details not commonly seen in other communities. These homes represent the times in which they were built, our history, and they are a big part of what makes Cleveland Heights unique. Recognizing the importance of protecting these homes and showcasing their distinctive features led to the creation of our new rehab housing initiative, FutureHomes.
The FutureHomes program focuses on facilitating the rehabilitation of distressed homes with our rehab partners. Our hope is to raise the bar and set the example for housing renovations in Cleveland Heights, particularly in neighborhoods that have experienced recent disinvestment. Through this program, we hope to restore and maintain neighborhood pride in our community one house at a time.
Where we work
Awards
Certificate of Merit 2004
Heritage Ohio & Downtown, Inc.
Community Improvement Award 2008
City of Cleveland Heights
External reviews
Photos
Videos
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
FUTURE HEIGHTS
Board of directorsas of 01/22/2024
Mr. Chris Jacobs
Ms. Rhonda Davis Lovejoy
Cooper Denson, LLC
Term: 2021 - 2024
Harriet Applegate
North Shore AFL-CIO
Colin Compton
City of Shaker Heights Housing Dept.
Thomas Eastman
Enterprise Housing Credit Investments LLC, an affilate of Enterprise Community Partners
Carmen Iammarino
Fifth Avenue Realty & Appraisals
Christopher Jacobs
Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP
Laura Junglas
The Nonprofit Org Doctor, LLC
Jason McGee
KeyBank
Maria Schmitt
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Calvin Singleton
Calvin Singleton & Assoc. Architects
Matthew Wymer
WXZ Development, Inc.
Tonya Horn
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 08/24/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.