Cleveland has an extraordinary number of organizations doing extraordinary work, yet many operate in separate circles and lack a mechanism to find one another. Large institutions, neighborhood groups, nonprofits, businesses, arts and cultural organizations, and civic groups often share goals but have limited opportunities to connect, share resources, or collaborate.

One Cleveland began as Cleveland Public Library’s effort to mark the city’s 230th birthday, but CPL saw an opportunity to use that milestone as a catalyst for lasting civic connection. As a trusted, nonpartisan institution with relationships across Cleveland’s neighborhoods and sectors, CPL was uniquely positioned to convene organizations that might not otherwise interact.

The initiative seeks to move beyond isolated efforts by creating a stronger culture of collaboration—helping build relationships, share resources, amplify civic messages, and develop opportunities that no single organization could accomplish alone.

One Cleveland began with Cleveland Public Library leveraging existing relationships to build a cross-sector network that now includes approximately 244 organizations spanning business, education, government, arts and culture, health, neighborhood development, philanthropy, and social services.

• CPL convenes partners around shared community goals and provides a platform for organizations to promote initiatives, share resources, reach new audiences, make introductions, and collaborate.

• Partners have promoted citywide initiatives, hosted events, developed joint projects, and participated in civic engagement efforts.

• The network has generated connections and collaborations that would not otherwise have occurred.

What began as an anniversary campaign evolved into a civic matchmaking platform: a library-led network that turns relationships into opportunities for collective action.

One Cleveland’s impact is demonstrated by the growth and activity of its network. Partners report valuing the introductions, visibility, and access to organizations they would not otherwise encounter.

• The Cleveland Ballet grew registrations for a free outdoor performance from an anticipated 200–300 attendees to more than 2,160 by promoting it through the One Cleveland network.

• Don’t Ghost the Vote brought nearly 240 organizations together around a shared civic-engagement message.

The initiative’s most unexpected outcome was the network becoming self-generating: organizations increasingly connect with one another to identify collaborators and opportunities without CPL serving as the intermediary. As a result, organizations increasingly view CPL not only as a service provider, but as a trusted civic convener and connector.