Published on March 31, 2026
Franklin County Board of Commissioners
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a $50,000 grant to BESA Community to support its Community Impact Program, a year-round initiative that connects small businesses, employees, and volunteers to community service across the county.
BESA, founded in 2012, will manage approximately 2,000 service projects this year, up from 600 to 700 before the pandemic. The program will enroll at least 10 small businesses in the BESA Collective, engage roughly 400 small business employees in service activities, and coordinate about 900 volunteer projects supporting more than 185 nonprofit partners.
Founder and CEO Matthew Goldstein told commissioners that BESA functions as emergency mobilization infrastructure for the county. During last year's 43-day federal government shutdown, BESA mobilized close to 1,000 volunteers to keep food pantries open and expand hours. After a recent snowstorm left the Mid-Ohio Food Collective and LifeCare Alliance without volunteers, BESA organized 14 shifts within 24 hours to deliver meals to homebound seniors.
Goldstein said the investment also helps small businesses engage their employees in community service, a resource previously available mainly to large corporations like Cardinal Health and AEP.