COLUMBUS, OH – On Thursday, April 25, the ACLU of Ohio received the ChampYNPN Award – presented by the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Cleveland. The award recognizes a nonprofit organization in Greater Cleveland that cultivates their young professional staff by:

  • Providing employees with access to professional development opportunities, in-house mentoring or training, and attractive benefits;
  • Offering younger workers opportunities to make meaningful contributions to mission-related work and the chance to explore different nonprofit career paths;
  • Going above and beyond in affirming employees’ commitment to nonprofit sector careers.

The ACLU of Ohio was recognized for its broad-based staff development programs.

“Our Board of Directors believes that building the skills and leadership of staff supports the success of the organization,” said ACLU of Ohio Executive Director Christine Link. “Employee interaction in professional and educational environments enhances the stature of the organization in the community.”

ACLU Staff members, especially early-career professionals, are encouraged to attend professional development seminars and enroll in college classes, teach courses, attain credentials, and maintain professional association memberships. They also are afforded the opportunity to work across departments and learn a variety of skills, including finance, legal reasoning, communications and fundraising. A collaborative work environment ensures employees are well-rounded, highly trained, and very effective.

Employees are also provided with a generous array of benefits, which support their long-term retention, including flexible scheduling and tuition reimbursement.

Established in 2009 as part of a growing national movement, YNPN Cleveland strives to connect and cultivate future leaders in the nonprofit community by engaging young professionals, supporting career development, and offering networking opportunities.

Founded in 1920, ACLU of Ohio is an affiliate of the National American Civil Liberties Union, the oldest and largest civil liberties organization in the world with over 500,000 members nationwide and over 30,000 members and supporters across Ohio. The ACLU and ACLU of Ohio are non-profit, non-partisan membership organizations devoted to protecting basic civil rights and civil liberties for all Americans and all Ohioans.