The Paulding Area Chamber of Commerce and the Paulding County Area Foundation are bringing the Charitable University Program to Paulding County. This event will be held on October 24^th, 2023, from 5-8pm at the Paulding County Carnegie Library. Ohio’s charities, big and small, make positive differences in the lives of Ohioans every day. The programs provided by charities elevate the quality of life we all enjoy, and many families rely on these valuable services. Because of the vital nature of our nonprofit sector, the Ohio Attorney General’s Charitable Law Section developed this new program aimed at elevating the security and effectiveness of Ohio’s charities by training board members, key staff and volunteers on the various legal obligations and fiduciary considerations that should be considered in guiding these organizations.

Charitable University is a free, training program for charitable leaders that covers some of the most important concepts necessary for protecting charitable assets and ensuring they are used exclusively for the charitable mission. Training courses are divided into four different topics: Board Governance and Policies; Financial Budgeting and Internal Controls; Governmental Filings and Recordkeeping; and Fundraising. Those who complete at least one training course in each of these four content areas will be eligible for a completion certificate and will be saluted on the AG’s web page as a graduate of Charitable University.

Completion of this program will be required for eligibility for some funding opportunities in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and it is hoped that other funding organizations begin to adopt similar requirements to better ensure the sound management and appropriate use of charitable assets.