Driving Regional Cooperation
Our individual communities are connected and share a common fate. When we remain fragmented, our efforts are piecemeal and disjointed.
When we work together, we can drive positive change for the whole region. Regional cooperation may focus on many things – advancing regional plans, creating common policies, improving inefficient systems, building innovative programs – but the end goal of a better region for all is the same.
What We Believe
Metro areas with strong regional cooperation structures tend to perform better over time on economic measures such as job growth, population growth, median household income, poverty rate, and labor force participation. Structure is key: regions must create structures and processes for cooperation that function well and endure through political change. Building trust and a sense of shared fates is also important. We believe that if we build effective structures for regional cooperation and nurture a culture of trust, our region can ‘grow the pie’ for everyone.
While research shows that cooperation does not always lead to greater efficiency, the right kind of cooperation can deliver more effective, community-responsive services at a similar or lower cost. By consolidating government services, Charlotte, NC has reduced duplication, increased savings on buildings and other assets, and leveraged economies of scale. Birmingham-area Riverkeepers have lowered costs and increased quality and consistency of water quality programs through collaboration.
Regions that focus on cooperation have shown they can be highly successful at expanding high quality, regional amenities. For example, Denver has built an extensive regional transit system and dedicated $50 million in annual arts funding that flows to large institutions and grassroots organizations alike. It is important that philanthropy sits within a community of public-private partnerships that seeks creative funding solutions to build and sustain regional amenities.
The Impact We Seek
By supporting regional cooperation between organizations, municipalities, and communities, we aim to:
- Increase regional, equitable economic growth
- Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of public and private entities
- Improve the quality of regional amenities and developments
Learn More About Our Priorities
Grantee Stories
Collaboration Over Competition: Central Alabama Riverkeepers
While some nonprofits may feel they need to compete with nearby peer organizations, three Central Alabama Riverkeeper organizations have experienced firsthand the power of collaboration.
Dreaming of a Walkable City
Alabama is the most car-dependent state in the nation, according to previous studies, and we have more cars than people.
Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services awards $90,500 in grants
The Remy Fund for Pets and Animal Services at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham is pleased to announce its 2025 grants, awarding a total of $90,500 to companion animal (dogs, cats, and horses) nonprofit organizations that improve the lives of animals and the humans they touch in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, and Walker counties.
Women Helping Women: A Giving Circle
When The Women’s Network — a membership group for professional women in Birmingham — voted to disband in 2022, its members were committed to finding a new way to carry on the organization’s mission of empowering women and girls in Jefferson County. They found a way to do just that by using the group’s remaining assets to start a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham. With that, The Women’s Network Giving Circle was born.