OIC director outlines local services and says federal gun-violence grant was abruptly terminated

Leslie Crew, executive director of Opportunities for Individual Change (OIC), told the Springfield City Commission at a July 15 work session that OIC will continue core programs after a federal grant intended to fund local gun-violence prevention work was terminated shortly after a budget revision was approved.

Crew said the organization, which serves Springfield and Clark County, administers home energy assistance, adult workforce training and an alternative school, and that it has been a fiscal intermediary for partner agencies since 2023. "Since 2023, we have processed 1,041 applications and distributed $1,300,000 in reimbursement to [Sheltered Inc.] for services for qualifying individuals at no cost to the sheltering," Crew said.

Why it matters: OIC is both a direct service provider in Springfield and a fiscal agent for other nonprofits. The abrupt termination of a Department of Justice (DOJ) grant that OIC had been managing has immediate budgetary implications for local violence-prevention work and for OIC's own project staffing and consultant contracts.

Crew summarized OIC’s services and recent work. She described home energy assistance programming (HEAP) that served more than 3,100 clients last fiscal year and distributed "over $210,000" in assistance. She listed adult workforce training at OIC’s Urban Training Center, credit-recovery services for students age 16–21 at the Learning Opportunity Center, and partnerships with local employers and job-placement programs.

Crew said OIC had been acting as fiduciary for a multi-agency gun-violence prevention effort (the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, CVIPI) that included Springfield City Police, Clark County Juvenile Court, Springfield City School District, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, the Springfield Foundation, Mental Health & Recovery Board of Clark, Greene and Madison Counties, Clark County Combined Health District and the NAACP. She said the group selected Case Western Reserve University to conduct a community needs assessment and that OIC hired a full-time coordinator and completed strategic planning.

"In November 2024, we submitted a budget revision to begin implementation of the strategies that were identified on this plan. ... On 04/16/2025, we were granted approval of these revisions, and 6 days later, the grant was terminated," Crew said. She said OIC had spent roughly $400,000 on consultants, the community needs evaluation, the coordinator and fiscal oversight, and that it paid about $40,000 in April that it now has to recoup or account for while the organization pursues an appeal filed April 30.

Commissioners thanked Crew for the presentation and asked for updates. Doctor Michael Estrop (commissioner) commended OIC’s partnership with schools and social services and urged continued collaboration. Mayor Rob Ruh said he was glad OIC had recruited Crew as executive director and requested that OIC continue to report back on the grant appeal and next steps.

The presentation closed with Crew describing next steps for OIC’s own programs: continuing HEAP, expanding vocational training and recruiting for the Learning Opportunity Center.

Ending: Crew asked community members to volunteer and engage with local boards and service organizations; commissioners expressed support and asked staff to stay in contact as the DOJ appeal proceeds.