Get Involved
Madison County has many great business associations and community organizations that you can get involved with. Members of community organizations (like the ones listed below) have an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves – which is truly a rewarding experience. These members often work to plan festivals and other events that help make our community a better place.
PCBA is a networking and business information association that meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Der Dutchman in Plain City, Ohio.
Meetings begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. and are over by 9:00 a.m. to allow attendees to get to work.
The organization works hard to bring in relevant speakers and discuss current trends in the business world. Most members live or work in the Plain City area but many come from other parts of the Greater Columbus Region. All are welcome to attend a meeting and join the association.
The Downtown London Association (DLA) is an organization that works to foster and enhance a climate of support and advocacy to the business community for the long-term economic well being of Downtown London, Ohio.
It is a division of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce and meets every Tuesday at noon at Phat Daddy’s Pizza. All business owners and community members are welcome.
The DLA has considered the Heritage Ohio model for organization and structure. Heritage Ohio is a historic preservation and Main Street organization that fosters economic development and sustainability through the preservation of historic buildings, revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts and the promotion of cultural tourism.
Visit the DLA Facebook page for updates.
Support the revitalization of downtown London, Ohio!
Historic Plain City is home to a small town feeling of warmth and hospitality and offers endless opportunities as a prosperous place to live, work, shop, and conduct business. Uptown Plain City Organization (UPCO) is an innovative group of volunteers who are focused on the growth and development of the Historic Uptown District. The passionate team of visionaries at UPCO is committed to historic restoration, preservation, and revitalization and is dedicated to helping guide Plain City’s prosperous future.
The West Jefferson Community Association is responsible for planning the Ox Roast Festival every Labor Day weekend. The famous Ox Roast Sandwiches are slow cooked for 12 hours Saturday night into Sunday morning and served at lunchtime on Monday. For more information, visit their website West Jefferson Community Association.
Community Organizations
These groups offer the opportunity to build your network, learn and be a part of the business and local communities within the county.
While some, like the Health Care Providers Association and the Business Advisory Council, are industry specific, others including Safety Council, Plain City Business Association, Downtown London Association, London Community Organization, Uptown Plain City Organization and the West Jeff Community Organization discuss a wide variety of topics across many different industries.
Members of the community organizations have the opportunity to get to know the community they are living and working in and often times work to plan festivals and events and help to make the community a better place to live and do business.
Plain City Business Association
PCBA is a networking and business information association that meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Der Dutchman in Plain City, Ohio.
Meetings begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. and are over by 9:00 a.m. to allow attendees to get to work.
The organization works hard to bring in relevant speakers and discuss current trends in the business world. Most members live or work in the Plain City area but many come from other parts of the Greater Columbus Region. All are welcome to attend a meeting and join the association.
Downtown London Association
The Downtown London Association (DLA) is an organization that works to foster and enhance a climate of support and advocacy to the business community for the long-term economic well being of Downtown London, Ohio.
It is a division of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce and meets every Tuesday at noon at Phat Daddy’s Pizza. All business owners and community members are welcome.
The DLA has considered the Heritage Ohio model for organization and structure. Heritage Ohio is a historic preservation and Main Street organization that fosters economic development and sustainability through the preservation of historic buildings, revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts and the promotion of cultural tourism.
Visit the DLA Facebook page for updates.
Support the revitalization of downtown London, Ohio!
Uptown Plain City Organization
Historic Plain City is home to a small town feeling of warmth and hospitality and offers endless opportunities as a prosperous place to live, work, shop, and conduct business. Uptown Plain City Organization (UPCO) is an innovative group of volunteers who are focused on the growth and development of the Historic Uptown District. The passionate team of visionaries at UPCO is committed to historic restoration, preservation, and revitalization and is dedicated to helping guide Plain City’s prosperous future.
West Jefferson Community Association
The West Jefferson Community Association is responsible for planning the Ox Roast Festival every Labor Day weekend. The famous Ox Roast Sandwiches are slow cooked for 12 hours Saturday night into Sunday morning and served at lunchtime on Monday. For more information, visit their website West Jefferson Community Association.
Safety Council
Established in 1985 as a subsidiary of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the Madison County Safety Council is committed to providing safety information, training and recognition to achieve its goal of promoting a safe workplace. Whether your workplace is large or small, service, retail or manufacturing-based, MCSC has something to offer.
MCSC meets monthly to provide current and relevant information on new safety techniques, products, services and regulatory compliance. Meetings provide members with the opportunity to discuss safety concerns and seed guidance from peers.
Join the Madison County Safety Council!
Safety Council can help you:
- Learn techniques for increasing safety in your workplace
- Learn how to better manage your workers’ compensation program
- Network with other community employers
- Access useful risk management information
- Save money on workers’ compensation premiums
- Stay current and up to date on workplace safety trends, issues and news
- Implement new safety programs and products into your workplace
- Educate employees on the importance of safety and adhering to all company policies and procedures
To earn a rebate, employers must meet the following eligibility requirements set by the Ohio BWC:
- Attend at least 10 meetings annually
- The company Representative must attend one meeting annually
Rebates are available for Non-Group Rated employers, Group Experience Rated employers and Group Retrospective Rated employers. Self-Insured employers are not eligible for rebates but are encouraged to attend Safety Council meetings to stay current on trends and to help promote safe workplaces throughout the county.
- Non-Group Rated employers can earn a three (3) percent participation rebate and have the potential to earn an additional three (3) percent performance bonus
- Group Experience Rated employers can earn a three (3) percent performance rebate
- Group Retrospective Rated employers can earn a three (3) percent participation rebate
To earn a performance rebate, employers must reduce the severity of frequency of injuries by 10 percent or maintain both at zero.
Business Advisory Council
The mission of the Business Advisory Council is to develop the connections between Madison County businesses and our local schools, the career center and the educational service center. The connection will enhance the educational opportunities for students in the community by providing them with information on local career opportunities and the educational pathways that should be pursued to secure employment. It will look for ways to establish and sustain a talented workforce in Madison County.
Business Advisory Goals & Objections
- To provide two-way communication or input between the business and school community
- To increase the involvement of business in improving the educational program of all schools so that it matches the needs of the business community
- To provide schools with input on future employment needs and opportunities
- To enhance the understanding of the business community on current educational trends and legislation which may be obstacles to meeting the needs of local business
- To create partnerships between local businesses and the districts that will provide Madison County students with career awareness, mentoring, job shadowing and internships
- As mandated by Sub. HB 49 develop a plan that delineates needed employment skills and if appropriate develop the curriculum to instill those skills curriculum
- As mandated by Sub. HB 49 advises local boards of education on the job market and types of employment in which future jobs are going to be available
- The BAC and the ESC Board (representing the Madison County School Boards) will file a joint statement describing how the involved parties have fulfilled their responsibilities
Membership
- Representatives from local businesses including manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, retail, service industry, government and non-profits.
- Representatives from all four local school districts, the career technical center, and the educational service center.
Officers
- Chair responsible for creating the agenda with input from members and facilitating the regular meetings
- Recording secretary responsible for creating and maintaining minutes from each meeting of the BAC
Meetings
- The BAC will meet quarterly
- The BAC will be invited to meet quarterly with the Madison-Champaign ESC Governing Board to fulfill the requirements of Sub. HB 49
Join the Business Advisory Council
Interested in joining the BAC? Our mission is to develop and strengthen the partnership between local schools and businesses in our community. Our program helps guide young adults on their career pathway and sustains a talented workforce in Madison County.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers United
Discover how our hybrid of virtual & lean business spaces combine technology, connections & affordability so your business can flourish.
Get involved in your community by signing up to volunteer through the United Way of Clark, Champaign, and Madison Counties’ Volunteers United Website.
Sufficient Grace
Sufficient Grace Inc., a registered 501c3, is made up of dedicated volunteers who meet every week to assemble food bags that are distributed through various local schools in Madison, Union, and Clark Counties. Our goal is that no child experience hunger after school when they should be studying or playing.
Each school year 5500 volunteer hours and support are needed to make sure the program runs smoothly. This ensure that food is stocked, packaged and delivered each week for distribution at the end of the school day in time for a snack and later, dinner.
Help House
The H.E.L.P. House Community Outreach opened as a youth outreach for young people and their families in February 1999. Since opening, it has evolved into a large mission for helping all those in need with food and clothing, household items, referrals, and emergency funding.
Volunteering is an awesome way to help the H.E.L.P. House if you’re not in a position where you can contribute financially. Our volunteers include people from the community and even our own clients who want to give back to the H.E.L.P. House.
Daily Needs Assistance
DNA is committed to walking alongside those in the greater Plain City area who are most vulnerable. Where poverty, mental illness, addiction, and societal breakdowns exist hopelessness is prevalent.
Our goal is to empower people to grow by providing tools, encouragement, and community as we walk with them towards Christ.
Junior Achievement of Mad River
Junior Achievement’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed. The inspiration piece comes from community volunteers who not only deliver our lessons, but share their experience.
Junior Achievement of Mad River Region provides several ways that you can get involved whether you’re someone looking to volunteer, part of a district or school looking for educational materials, or part of an organization looking to help us move our mission.
Sign up for Volunteer Alerts!
In addition to these great opportunities listed here, we also frequently receive requests to fill spots for occasional one off volunteer needs. If you would like to receive email alerts when these opportunities come up, make sure to sign up here!
Leadership Development Collaborative
Schedule of Sessions
Purpose:
The Leadership Development Collaborative was created to increase the leadership skill sets of men and women capable of accepting leadership roles in their place of employment and varied community organizations. Participants will be trained in the key leadership curriculum that will guide them on their leadership journey and expose them to a variety of social and economic issues facing our area. This awareness helps develop informed, civic-oriented leaders who are interested in collaborating to help direct the future of Madison County.
Program:
The Leadership Development Institute consists of 9 sessions (morning sessions will be on leadership training and afternoon sessions will be community awareness) held one day a month from September through May, typically the second Tuesday of each month. The morning part of the sessions are held at the Madison County Chamber of Commerce office and the afternoon sessions will be held at various locations in Madison County that best relate to the topic. During each community session, participants are introduced to issues by means of panels, lectures, tours, and group discussions.
Participants:
Participants are selected in an objective application process. All participants will be recommended and supported by their employer as a new and/or emerging leader who is motivated to grow their leadership skill set and become informed about Madison County and its communities. All participants will complete a DISC assessment that will be made available for their employers.
Note:
The maximum capacity for each year’s class is 30. Participants are required to attend the entire day of all sessions to graduate. Missed sessions must be made up within two years. As part of the program, participants collaborate to design a proposal for a community improvement project. The topics covered in the Leadership program are: Effective Leadership Skills; Strengths and Weaknesses of Effective Leaders; Communication Skills; Team Building; Decision Making Skills; Feedback and Coaching Skills; Problem Solving Skills; Collaboration versus Competition and others based on the experience of the participants. The community piece will include, but not be limited to Economic Development; Law Enforcement, Fire & Rescue; Education; Human Services & Mental Health; Volunteer Opportunities; Media; Health Services; Local and Community Government; and Agriculture.
Tuition:
If accepted in the Leadership Development Collaborative program, each participant (or participant’s sponsor or company) will be billed for the tuition fee of $300.00 for program costs. We also have an adjustable fee schedule if companies send 2 participants, their fee will be $250.00 each and for 3 or more, their fee will be $200.00 each. There is financial assistance available in applicable situations.
Below is the Application to fill out for the Leadership Development Collaborative. You can fill it out online, save and send to Jon by email. It can also be printed filled out and sent by mail to Jon.
If you have any question, contact Jon McKanna by phone or email.
Phone: (740) 852-2250
Email: jon@madisoncountyohio.org