Community involvement

Illuminating the path
to thriving communities

Dreaming big

In May, the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland (GSOH) hosted its groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the construction of the STEM Leadership Center. Powered by the Girl Scouts’ “Dream Big” initiative, the center will help propel girls into STEM fields by allowing them to unleash their curiosity and develop a passion for leadership.

With a notable contribution of $1.5 million from the Nationwide Foundation, alongside support from community partners, the $16 million Dream Big project has set the stage for an array of impactful developments:

A new STEM Leadership Center with community space, and science and technology labs

A Maker space for learning trade skills such as welding, mechanics and carpentry

A new greenhouse for gardening programs, including hydroponics

Renovations to the Environmental Center that feature a teaching kitchen for farm-to-table programming

Outdoor learning spaces that create dynamic environments for exploration

Beyond its construction, this immersive 220-acre campus is poised to become a pivotal community resource for youth and community stakeholders across Ohio. It will be available to schools, other nonprofits and community partners.

Making an impact

More than a dozen central Ohio nonprofits found a unified home in downtown Columbus at the Community Impact Center, amplifying their collective influence. Amid the success of our hybrid work model, Nationwide repurposed a 9-story, 150,000-square-foot office building in downtown Columbus, partnering with the United Way of Central Ohio to create a centralized hub for area nonprofits to address critical community needs.

“We want to meet the unique needs of the community while contributing to the vitality of downtown. The Community Impact Center concept was the perfect fit.”

— Kirt Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Nationwide

Closing the gap

In recognizing the long-standing challenge of diversity within the financial services industry, the Financial Alliance for Racial Equity (FARE), in collaboration with Nationwide Financial, is making a meaningful difference. It’s helping to increase racial diversity, drive greater equity and foster inclusion within the financial services industry and communities served.

In 2023, FARE awarded approximately $80,000 in scholarships through the FARE CFP® Certification Diversity Scholarship and the FARE HBCU Scholarship Program to help 21 Black professionals and students prepare for the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification and Securities Industry Essentials (SIE®) Exam, respectively. A founding member of FARE and contributor to these awards, Nationwide Financial is proud to invest in the next generations of diverse leaders in the financial services industry.

FARE officially launched its HBCU Mentorship Program to support Black students and young professionals by offering career growth and professional development opportunities. Approximately 11 mentors and 27 mentees participated in FARE’s inaugural HBCU Mentorship Program in 2023. Insights from the program will be used to scale and expand the program in the coming years.

Mitigating weather risks

Extreme weather’s escalating frequency and severity pose growing challenges for homeowners and businesses across the country. To tackle this, collaboration between insurance carriers, distribution professionals and government officials is paramount. Together, we can empower people, businesses and communities to take proactive measures, enhancing their resilience when faced with severe weather. Nationwide is using its position as a leading protection company to advocate for crucial systemic changes, including the adoption and enforcement of modern building codes, aimed at safeguarding homes, businesses and communities from the impact of extreme weather events.

Our focus extends to providing resources to help distribution professionals educate customers on predictive and preventive measures they can take to mitigate risk. It’s not just insurance; it’s a collective effort to fortify our communities against the challenges of an increasingly unpredictable climate and show customers that Protection Is Our Purpose.