Community Matters

We believe that community matters.

Our community connects us and gives us our sense of place. Living in community means being a part of something bigger than oneself and creating space for people, families, and a local economy.

Founded in 2014, Community Matters has deep roots in the Lower Price Hill community, developed from the over forty years of work by its sister organization, Education Matters. Community Matters was created from the will of the Lower Price Hill community to address the overwhelming disparity in access to opportunities for our residents. In 2011, Community Matters’ founders listened to the frustration of residents who faced a daunting gap in the ability to create new opportunities and to grow within the community. Our neighbors felt trapped in an environment with 48% living in poverty, 66% unemployment rate, 90% renters without access to truly dignified housing, and the second lowest life expectancy rate in Cincinnati. As a result of these frustrations, alongside our neighbors, Community Matters responded with a vision that flipped the non-profit model on its head by challenging the idea that services alone are the answer to our needs. Instead, we believe that our community has the ability to meet its needs and to create long-term well-being through a collaboration among neighbors, businesses, and organizations.

Mission and Vision

Mission: To create a thriving and more just community by removing barriers to opportunity.

Vision: A city where all people hold the power to create opportunity.

What We Do

Our driving goal is to remove barriers to opportunity. Community Matters programs are designed to empower people to create opportunities, engage the community in the development process, create ways to serve together, and re-build the local economy through social entrepreneurship.