Vanguard Award

Philip E. Cole Vanguard Award

The Philip E. Cole Vanguard Award began in 2025 to recognize individuals across Ohio's Community Action Network who advance and inspire excellence. Named after Philip E. Cole, the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies' executive director who served from 1989 to 2025, the award honors those who challenge conventions, inspire bold leadership, and drive transformative change in the pursuit of helping people.

Mr. Cole has been a recognized leader across Ohio and the Nation for inspiring innovation and pursuing excellence. We are proud to celebrate his legacy with this new annual award.

Eligibility:

Any staff member working at one of Ohio’s Community Action member agencies is eligible to receive the Vanguard Award. There is no minimum length of service or leadership level required, though nominations must clearly demonstrate alignment with the award criteria.

Nomination Criteria:

Nominees should demonstrate excellence in the following areas:

Transformative Impact: The nominee drives initiatives and systemic changes that improved outcomes and advanced equity and opportunity.
Bold Leadership: Demonstrates courageous leadership by challenging the status quo, navigating complex issues, and inspiring others through vision, integrity, and a commitment to justice.
Innovation & Excellence: Introduces innovative ideas and practices that advance Community Action while continuously improving and setting a high standard.
Collaborative Spirit: Builds cross-sector connections, fosters inclusive partnerships, and empowers others to lead collaboratively.
Legacy Alignment: Embodies the values and leadership style Mr. Cole: visionary, principled, and people-centered.

Nominators:
Nominations may be submitted by peers, supervisors, Community Action staff, or by a verifiable network partner agency. Nominators have up to 1000 characters, approximately 150 words, for each question and may submit documentation such as testimonials, media coverage, or other data that supports the nomination. We recommend using our nomination template to prepare your answers, then copy and paste into the electronic format when open. Supporting documentation is not required and may be considered during the final stages of the nominee review process.

Selection Process:

The Vanguard Award committee consists of up to eight Community Action professionals or retirees, each who will independently review and score nominations. The committee will review the finalist's nominations and select the final awardee.

The selected awardee and their nominator will be notified and invited to attend the ceremony during the annual OACAA Winter Legislative Conference, held in Columbus, Ohio.

To learn more about the award selection process, download the Vanguard Award criteria.

Submission Deadline:

Nominations for the 2026 Philip E. Cole Vanguard Award will open on November 15, 2025 and close at 5:00 p.m. ET on January 7, 2026. Nominations and supporting documentation must be submitted electronically to be considered. Check back soon for submission details.

Questions? Contact Kathryn Clausen, Communications Director, at kathryn@oacaa.org.

Click here to submit your nomination

Previous Awards

Scroll to, and click on the year you are interested in seeing past Philip E. Cole Vanguard Award winners.

Previous Awards

Awardees prior to 2016 were recognized under the previous Best Practices Awards. Beginning in 2016, awardees are recognized with Exemplary Program Awards.

Community Action Akron Summit, Pathways HUB. The Akron Summit Pathways HUB works collaboratively to coordinate services to at-risk women to improve birth outcomes in the greater Akron area. The program uses community health workers to support expectant mothers through their pregnancy and link the expectant mothers to needed services without duplicating such services. The Pathways Hub aims to improve access to treatment for substance use disorders as well as other barriers that low-income, at-risk women may encounter. The program is based on a national Pathways HUB model.

Miami Valley Community Action Partnership, Legal Aid Clinic. The Miami Valley CAP Legal Aid Clinic provides legal assistance to individuals with few resources and pressing legal challenges. The program has served 650 clients to date. Cuts in legal aid funding over the years has expanded the need for low- income legal aid. This program addresses some of the most critical of those needs including driver’s license suspensions, criminal record expungement and housing issues. Addressing these challenges can assist clients in acquiring and maintaining viable employment. Additionally, with the potential for evictions due to COVID-19 pandemic the program shifted to provide additional legal assistance via a tenant rights clinic to help keep clients in their homes.

Ashtabula County Community Action Agency, Dragon Empowerment Center. The Dragon Empowerment Center connects schools with communities to provide valuable services to students, parents and teachers. In addition to traditional educational services, the schools provide food distributions, basic healthcare provision, tutoring, mental health services and a variety of workshops. All services are located on school grounds, removing barriers to resource access faced by struggling families in the school district.

Ironton-Lawrence County Area Community Action Organization, Recovery to Work. The Recovery to Work Program connects recovering individuals to comprehensive treatment, employment services and professionals. The program’s ability to bring partners together takes advantage of community strengths and creates a holistic environment. As a result of this collaborative approach, Recovery to Work participants achieve a 30% private employment placement rate following completion of the program.

West Ohio Community Action Partnership, No Excuses. The No Excuses program, was developed to identify and assist vulnerable populations in securing shelter. The program collaborates with over 28 community partners, enabling them to accept any family that seeks help with no income requirements. The flexibility of the program ensures that previously untapped resources, such as hotels, can be utilized to provide shelter in emergency situations.

Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland. Friendship Through Reading Program.

The Friendship Through Reading program is building stronger more positive relationships with children, families and police officers through a unique collaboration with Head Start centers and the Cleveland Police department. The program started with Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams reading story books to children on the first day of school at the William Patrick Day Head Start Center. Today the program has expanded to all 14 of the Council’s Head Start centers. Police officers read popular children’s books (If You Take a Mouse to School; Llama Llama Red Pajama) to Head Start students; they answer the children’s questions, ease their concerns about the police, and even discuss law enforcement as a career. Based on the success of the Cleveland program, other agencies across the country are implementing similar programs, and the Council has been invited to regional and national conferences to present the program.

Highland County Community Action Organization. Rural IMPACT, Integration Models for Parents and Children to Thrive.

The Rural IMPACT program is a collaborative, community-wide safety-net system. This exemplary program is helping Highland County families to earn, keep, and grow the resources and skills necessary for self-sufficiency now and through future generations. The program offers co-located services provided by a diverse group of partner agencies, with a focus on the needs of both children and adults. Multi-generational services include workforce development, post-secondary education, early childhood education and development, health care, and reentry. The Rural IMPACT program is part of a national demonstration program with the US Department of Agriculture, the American Association of Pediatrics, National Community Action Partnership and the Kellogg Foundation. Participating families have shown increased levels of achievement in comparison to their non-participating peers.

Highland County Community Action Organization. Family and Community Navigator Pilot.

The Family and Community Navigator Pilot uses a single point of contact – a Navigator – to work with families to develop family goals and action steps and to coordinate any services needed to move families from crisis to stability. All supportive programming is aligned and braided which is not only strengthening families, but is also creating greater efficiencies in program delivery. Families who have participated in the program have shown increased levels of achievement in comparison to their non-participating peers.

IMPACT Community Action for Employment Plus. ROMA Category One. The Employment Plus program provides training and education to individuals and families to assist them in managing their day-to-day finances. Program participants complete a curriculum that includes a financial needs assessment, computer and Internet skills, work readiness training, financial literacy, and the establishment of personal financial goals. Since 2015 over 340 individuals have completed the financial literacy curriculum. Financial support for program implementation was provided by the Bank of America and The Corporation for Economic Development

West Ohio Community Action Partnership (formerly Lima-Allen Council on Community Affairs) for Steps-to-Success. ROMA Category One. Launched in 2013, the Build –up Academy prepares young adults for careers in the construction industry. Program participants complete a 10-week training program including life skills, hands-on experience in home construction, and two industry certifications allowing graduates access to apprenticeship programs and ultimately high paying construction jobs. Comprehensive case management is also provided, ensuring individualized support for each student. Since 2014, 94% of graduates have found employment with an average starting salary of $12.77/hr.

Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) for Build Up Academy. ROMA Category One. Launched in 2013, the Build –up Academy prepares young adults for careers in the construction industry. Program participants complete a 10-week training program including life skills, hands-on experience in home construction, and two industry certifications allowing graduates access to apprenticeship programs and ultimately high paying construction jobs. Comprehensive case management is also provided, ensuring individualized support for each student. Since 2014, 94% of graduates have found employment with an average starting salary of $12.77/hr.

Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency for Head Start/Early Head Start Professional Learning Communities, ROMA Category 5

Community Action Organization of Scioto County for Business Resource Network, ROMA Category 4

Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland for Ohio VETS Program, ROMA Goal 4

Ohio Heartland Community Action Commission for Fatherhood Program, ROMA Category 1

Supports to Encourage Low-income Families for Getting Ahead Program, ROMA Category 4

WSOS Community Action Commission Inc. for Juvenile Offender Re-entry Initiative, ROMA Category 1

WSOS Community Action Commission, Ohio VETS Program, ROMA Category 1

Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency for Roosevelt Transitional Housing Program

Community Action Partnership of the Greater Dayton Area for Youth Empowerment Center

Community Action Partnership of the Greater Dayton Area for Youth Empowerment Center Community Garden

Hocking, Athens, Perry Community Action for Learn & Work Program

Supports to Encourage Low-income Families for Butler County Microenterprise and Microloan Program

WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc. for 21st Century Learning Centers New Directions After School Program

Community Action of Wayne/Media for Non-Fed Committee, ROMA Category 5

Community Action Organization of Delaware, Madison & Union Counties for Right on the Money, ROMA Category 1

Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action for Transportation Group, ROMA Category 2

Lifeline for the Empowerment and Development of Consumers, Inc. for Dancing Under the Stars, ROMA Category 5

Ohio Heartland Community Action Commission for Backpack Program, ROMA Category 4

Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families for Middletown Group Workcamps Home Repair Project, ROMA Category 2

Special Recognition: Erie Huron Counties Community Action Commission for service in support of Richland County CAC

Community Action Committee of Pike County for Masco Transition Center

Akron Summit Community Action for Development & Planning Dept – Research & Evaluation, ROMA Category 5 CAA of Columbiana County for Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, ROMA Category 4

Cincinnati-Hamilton County for Pre-employment Training, ROMA Category 1

Community Action Partnership of Greater Dayton Area for Hope Café, ROMA Category 1

Community Action Partnership of Greater Dayton Area for Housing Department Foreclosure Prevention Program, , ROMA Categories 1 and 2

Community Action Wayne/Medina for DARE (Develop an Array of Revenue Enthusiastically), ROMA Category 5

Supports to Encourage Low-income Families for 2010 Group Workcamps/HomeRepair Project, , ROMA Category 2

Supports to Encourage Low-income Families for Getting Ahead, ROMA Category 6

WSOS Community Action Commission Inc. for Water Operator Skills for Life Program, ROMA Categories 1 and 3

WSOS Community Action Commission Inc. for Silgan Plastics Transition Center, ROMA Categories 1 and 4

WSOS Community Action Commission Inc. for Tornado Long-term Recovery Project, ROMA Category 4

Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency for Development of the CAA Complex at Jordan Crossing, ROMA Category 5

GMN Tri-County Action Council, Inc. for The L.I.F.E. Program, Roma Category 6

Lima-Allen Council on Community Affairs for Kindergarten Kamp, ROMA Category 5

Ohio Heartland Community Action Commission for United Community Rx Program, ROMA Category 4

Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families for EITC Super Site, ROMA Category 1

Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families for Individual Development Accounts (IDA) Program, ROMA Category 3

WSOS Community Action Commission, Inc. for WSOS/TRIPS New Freedom Passenger Care Attendants, ROMA Categories 4 and 5