OHIO’s Voinovich School receives 2026 NADO Impact Award for partnership with Appalachian Ohio communities

Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service has been recognized with a 2026 Aliceann Wohlbruck NADO Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations for its work with the Mayors’ Partnership for Progress (MPP).

The award recognizes the Voinovich School’s support of and collaboration with the MPP, a 30-year partnership focused on bringing local government leaders together to address shared challenges and support communities throughout 27 Appalachian Ohio counties, and intentionally building local capacity. 

The 2026 NADO Impact Awards recognize projects and partnerships that strengthen communities through regional planning, economic development, infrastructure investment, workforce advancement and other community-focused initiatives. This year’s awards included organizations from across 20 states.

The Voinovich School maintains a unique position in which it manages technical assistance dollars, as directed by the state of ohio, to support requested endeavors from members like grant writing, engineering, architectural, planning and development projects to further advance communities. The school also utilizes a contact and boots-on-the-ground structure to be able to better understand and adapt to regional issues.

This collaboration has created and maintained a robust network of state and local connections. Since 1996, it has equipped MPP members to collaborate, and better advocate with various agencies and in the legislature to improve visibility and support of their otherwise small, rural communities. 

To date, in the current fiscal year, the MPP technical assistance portfolio of investments has generated at least $1.89 million in confirmed grant and principal-forgiveness awards, or approximately $4.87 in confirmed awards for every $1 invested. Additionally, for every $1 invested, approximately $16.08 in community capital was secured. 

“The technical assistance funds from MPP were essential in getting the storm water mitigation projects in our area started, a 75-year-old problem progressively getting worse. The initial technical assistance allowed us to get the hydrology and storm water studies started, which in turned, opened the door for grants and even community allocation nominations from Congress,” explained Mayor Jessie Tubbs of West Lafayette. 

For three decades, the Voinovich School and MPP have worked to strengthen local government collaboration in Appalachian Ohio. The partnership demonstrates how sustained relationships between higher education and local communities can help turn regional priorities into action.

The award is named in honor of Aliceann Wohlbruck, NADO’s first executive director, who championed regional approaches to economic development in rural communities. The awards highlight innovative projects and recognize the work regional development organizations, and their partners do to build stronger communities.