The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission is committed to providing a strong array of imperative and innovative benefits for our member governments.
MORPC has designed these resources to best fit our members regardless of their size or type of government. Our member governments receive exclusive access to advisory services, grants, other financial resources, GIS services, a local government summer internship program, and more.
Members, committee members and employees of MORPC are subject to the Ohio Ethics Law and related statutes. It is necessary for members, employees and committee members to be aware of and abide by the prescribed code outlined in Resolution 45-94, which is listed below.
By Section
MORPC makes it a priority to meet with every member government to stay abreast of their unique issues. We encourage open dialogue to ensure we are responsive to each community’s challenges, priorities, and opportunities.
Our executive director and membership services officer travel to each member’s community to make it as convenient as possible for the member to participate. While the appointment is set with the active commission member representatives, the members have flexibility to invite additional local staff or elected officials to join in the meeting and share their ideas or concerns.
At the meeting, MORPC staff members are given the opportunity to see the progress taking place in each community and adjust the topics of the agenda accordingly. After the meeting, MORPC prepares a summary of the discussion to share with its leadership and pursues follow-up items.
MORPC finds these meetings to be critical in ensuring that members’ priorities are incorporated into the services provided. These visits provide a forum to exchange ideas and strengthen relationships.
Information-sharing among local governments is crucial to the success of any planning or development initiative. In addition to the informal contact made by local planners and developers at meetings and events, there are a number of formally organized groups that meet on a regular basis to discuss issues and developments affecting a particular area.
Among these are the quarterly regional collaboration meetings, where MORPC convenes local governments to work collaboratively on short- and long-range community planning. Members can choose to attend multiple meetings.
Local governments and public service professionals in transportation, infrastructure, land use, economic development, and sustainability gather to provide updates on planning matters. The meetings are typically held at different host sites.
GrantFinder Service
MORPC provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for each member government to be able to access a GrantFinder service, which tracks over 10,000 grants. GrantFinder is a real-time, online, searchable database of 60 billion dollars’ worth of sources from federal, state, foundations, and corporate grants available to local governments and their community partners.
The service allows a representative to search the site with filters, dates, and links to application information, as well as a system to receive updates and weekly alerts on specific categories of grants.
Grant Forum
MORPC holds an annual grant forum for members to meet with providers and obtain strategies and advice on how to secure grants and loans for their communities. This opportunity takes place in the summer and is designed with our members in mind by allowing each participant to choose from a diverse and inspiring array of options to fit specific needs.
Past topics have included: community development; private funding sources; rural development and broadband; and infrastructure, including water, sewer, bridges, trails and roads.
MORPC provides each member with a general membership in the Council of Development Finance Agencies. CDFA is a financial service agency that provides expertise in public and private finance options. It was founded to strengthen state and local development finance agencies, and to stimulate job creation and economic growth through the use of tax-exempt and other public-private partnership finance programs.
CDFA provides many different ways to assist the development finance industry including, but not limited to, education, advocacy, research, resources, and networking. Each MORPC member government is able to designate a representative to receive updates and alerts on their programs.
MORPC monitors issues and advocates on behalf of its members to the legislative and executive branches of government at both the state and federal levels of government. Members receive regular updates on these advocacy efforts in both written and verbal formats.
MORPC is also a member of associations and coalitions comprised of like-minded organizations. These include the Columbus Region Coalition, the Ohio Association of Regional Councils, and the National Association of Regional Councils, among others.
Our policy positions are guided by the agency’s Regional Policy Roundtable committee. For more information, visit our Government Affairs page.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) play an important role in the work of local governments. MORPC’s data & mapping staff specializes in the sharing and consumption of spatial data using commercial and open-source GIS.
These services to members include providing data based on demographics of the governing body’s area, zoning maps, and other specific tasks using MORPC’s GIS software.
Our member governments are able to request eight hours worth of data and mapping services by contacting dataandmaps@morpc.org.
MORPC’s annual salary survey consists of data from our member governments on various positions and descriptions. Wage and salary surveys provide a valuable tool for use in determining how organizations’ compensation structure relates to those in a given area.
Current and past surveys are available here.
MORPC provides its members with the opportunity to secure talented college students for summer internships. Our members gain a fresh perspective from advanced students to complete tasks and projects while simultaneously providing the students with valuable work experience. MORPC member governments are eligible to participate as hosts. Hosts pay MORPC a $675 program fee per intern which covers training, mentors and special forums to supplement the intern’s experience.
For more information and to request an intern, go to www.morpc.org/internship
MORPC has formed education partnerships to encourage public sector service professionals to obtain additional degrees and build competences.
Capital University Partnership
MORPC has partnered with Capital University to offer discounts for both current MORPC-member government employees in graduate programs and their dependent children in undergraduate programs. This applies to online and on-site coursework.
Employees can receive a $5,250 discount per calendar year for 3 years in Capital’s MBA Cohort, following a set schedule; a 5% discount, plus the use of up to 5 tuition waivers for the MSN program; and a 15% discount on all other graduate level programs, including the MAEd, MSW, and MBA should the student not follow the cohort model. These discounts exclude the Law School, Conservatory of Music, and Trinity Lutheran Seminary.
Dependent children of member government employees can receive an additional $1,500 scholarship per academic year when attending the university as full-time students, in addition to the Main Street Scholarship, which is a $20,000 award renewable for up to 4 years that can be combined with additional scholarships. All undergraduate programs at Capital University are considered eligible for this benefit.
Those interested in applying can review the partner flyer or contact Dr. Mary Beth Bertrand, Director of Professional Studies and Executive Education, at 832.350.6737 or mbertrand3@capital.edu for more information.
Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) Partnership
MORPC-member government employees can receive a $15,300 discount to complete classes part-time online and on-site over the course of 6 semesters, which equates to 3 calendar years of education. Eligible programs include the MPS in UX Design, which is designing with the user in mind, and MPS in Retail Design. Students must follow a set schedule by taking two classes per semester in order to maximize tuition benefits.
Those interested can review the partner flyer or contact Dr. Mary Beth Bertrand, Director of Professional Studies and Executive Education, at 832.350.6737 or mbertrand@ccad.edu for more information.
Denison Edge Partnership
MORPC has partnered with Denison Edge for 25% off MBA-quality upskilling programs.
Denison Edge is an extension of Denison University’s career center, located in downtown Columbus, offering a series of career-relevant programs and a collaborative learning environment for lifelong learners to advance with highly competitive skill sets. Denison Edge bridges the gap between higher education and industry so students, employers and employees can deepen career skills, cultivate experiences, and build connections.
To browse available programs and for more information on Denison Edge, please visit edge.denison.edu. Use promo code DE25 for 25% off any program!
Franklin University Partnership
MORPC-member government employees can receive 20% tuition discounts on undergraduate and master degrees, 10% discount on doctoral online programs, and free books for many degrees.
More information on the partnership is available in this one-page fact sheet or by going to franklin.edu/MORPC. Those interested can contact Danielle Cordes, Partnership Account Manager, at 614.947.6829 or Danielle.Cordes@franklin.edu.
The Ohio State University – John Glenn College of Public Affairs Benefit
MORPC has partnered with the Glenn College at OSU to offer a 20% discount on the Management Advancement for the Public Service (MAPS) courses.
These courses provide professional training in leadership, personal development, diversity and inclusion, program management, and more. These short, intensive classes are offered online or on campus. They are specifically designed for public and nonprofit employees at all career levels.
To register for a course, see the course description calendar. You will be asked to enter membership code MORPC25 to receive the MORPC partner price of $225 per course – a 20% savings. More information on MAPS is available here.
Ohio University Partnership
MORPC and the Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service have partnered to encourage more public-sector professionals to pursue a graduate degree, while also providing students with practical experience in local government.
Employees who work for a MORPC-member government are eligible to receive 15% off tuition when pursuing eligible programs, including the Executive Master of Public Administration (MPA).
More information is available at www.ohio.edu/online/scholarships. Those interested can contact Kathy Wilson, Director of Graduate and Executive Programs Partner Development in the College of Business, at 419-610-9211 or kwilson@ohio.edu.
Ohio University also offers The Leadership Academy at Ohio University, as part of the Ohio Certified Public Manager Program. This 12-day, once-per-month set of workshops at the Dublin campus are for emerging and mid-level employees in public service who want to build their leadership skills. Learn more and register here.
Ohio University – Governing Essentials for Local Elected Officials Training Series
This is an introductory course promoting high-level understanding of topics essential to effective service at the municipal- and county-level. Program begins on Friday, February 28, 2025, and includes three half-day virtual workshops, two full-day in-person workshops in Central Ohio, and one economic development field trip. Please contact GVAcademy@ohio.edu, review flyer, or visit website for additional details.
OHIO Online Partnership
MORPC has partnered with the Ohio University’s OHIO Online to offer a 10% discount on eligible online undergraduate programs and certificates as well as a 15% discount on eligible graduate programs and certificates.
This incentive scholarship can be applied to instructional, general, program, and non-resident fees for enrolled courses, but it does not apply to any credits taken at the Athens or regional campuses. Full- and part-time active MORPC-member government employees have access to these discounts in addition to a $10,000 discount towards the College of Business Online MBA and all online MBA concentration programs during the Fall 2024 semester.
To search eligible programs and enroll, please visit the OHIO Online Incentive Scholarships webpage for more information.
Otterbein University Partnership
MORPC has partnered with Otterbein University to offer an estimated $20,000 award to the dependent children of MORPC-member government employees as well as member employees at the undergraduate level. In addition, MORPC member employees and spouses/domestic partners can receive a 15% discount on the undergraduate and graduate credit hour rate as part-time undergraduate and graduate students in some programs.
The Otterbein Educational Advantage Scholarship for Dependent Children of MORPC Member Employees is available to any undergraduate who starts at Otterbein prior to the age of 24 while still an IRS dependent and who has not completed a Bachelor’s degree. Those already enrolled at Otterbein are not eligible. Those interested can contact Phanawn Bailey, Advantage Partnership Admission Coordinator, at 614.823.1355 or bailey1@otterbein.edu.
The Coalition for the Common Good Educational Advantage Partnership for MORPC Member Employees and Spouse/Domestic Partners is designed to support employees and spouse/domestic partners enrolling as part-time undergraduate or graduate students. The 15% discount applies to any part-time undergraduate student and part-time graduate students enrolled in Coalition for the Common Good graduate programs. Those interested can contact Bridget Newell, Associate Provost for Graduate Studies, at 614.823.1735 or bnewell@otterbein.edu
Coalition for the Common Good Advantage Partnership programs are available for MORPC Member Employees and Spouse/Domestic Partners:
All the Antioch University Graduate Programs: https://www.antioch.edu/academics/program-finder/
Otterbein University Master of Science in Athletic Training: https://www.otterbein.edu/gradschool/athletic-training/
Otterbein University Master of Arts in Teaching: https://www.otterbein.edu/programs/master-of-arts-in-teaching/
Otterbein University Graduate Nursing programs, excluding CRNA: https://www.otterbein.edu/gradschool/nursing/
Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals (APBP) – 2024 Webinar Series
The 2024 APBP webinar series has been announced and is now available! Check out the list below, or visit the new APBP Education Center to see the details of each monthly webinar. MORPC will be hosting group viewings of these webinars throughout 2024. If you are unable to join us for the group viewings, you can find webinar pricing information for individuals or company group access here.
All APBP webinars begin at 3 p.m. ET on the third Wednesday of each month, unless there is a conflict with a major holiday/observance. Monthly webinars are eligible for 1.0 hour of AICP Certification Maintenance credit.
May 15, 2024 – Working/Planning to Advance Transportation and Health Equity
June 12, 2024 – Shifting Away From Car Culture Neighboring the Motor City
July 17, 2024 – Pop-Up Traffic Calming and Placemaking for Small Urban and Rural Communities
August 21, 2024 – Bike Comfort: Expanding our Understanding Through Data and Empathy
September 18, 2024 – Planning for New Forms of Micromobility
October 16, 2024 – Moving from World Class Trails to Fully Connected Mobility Networks
November 20, 2024 – Multibenefit Corridors: Designing Our Streets for Multisystem Benefits
December 18, 2024 – University Transportation Centers 101: An Overview of the UTC Program and Exploring How Practitioners Can Engage the Process
YWCA Discounted Trainings
MORPC is a proud partner of the YWCA Columbus. As a member benefit, MORPC members can engage in discounted training facilitated by the YWCA. Members can receive 10% off the total cost of their first service contract for the calendar year. For more information, please contact Ralonda Hampton, MORPC’s Senior Director of Communications & Engagement, at 614.233.4157 or rhampton@morpc.org.
HBCU Connect
MORPC has partnered with HBCU Connect, the world’s largest organization of Historically Black College & University students and alumni. The online platform operates as an access point for employers to connect with over 1 million members through their career portal.
MORPC is proud to offer a new member benefit for organizations to post their mid- to executive level hard to fill niche positions at no additional cost.
Please complete the job posting promotion submission form HERE to submit your career openings.
If you have any questions or issues with the form, please email memberjobs@morpc.org.
As a result of the significant growth in rural communities, MORPC has established a rural services plan to address the unique needs of these members.
MORPC can serve rural communities by encouraging collaborative planning efforts to help develop inclusive, local strategy-building processes to build on community strengths and address challenges. By bringing subject matter experts into discussions and forums, MORPC provides valuable information and resources for rural communities to make informative decisions.
MORPC provides each member with a detailed report on the value of their individual membership on a calendar-year basis. These reports are prepared in the fall and distributed in time for consideration during our members’ budgeting process.
The report highlights the estimated value of the services provided through the calendar year. A return on investment shows the value provided to the member organization for every dollar invested in MORPC.
MORPC is committed to providing on-going value to each member while also maintaining prudent fiduciary responsibilities to keep dues affordable and sustainable.
