At the Community Foundation, we work hand-in-hand with the communities that make the Greater Birmingham area home. Our mission is to ignite passion for transformational change, so we are dedicated to bringing people together and taking on big challenges. These five priorities guide us in our shared pursuit of a just, prosperous, and unified region where every person is empowered to reach their full potential.
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Fostering Equity and Inclusion
The people in our community represent a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, reflecting the richness of our region. We know that equity and inclusion of all individuals is critical to our shared future. Our Community Foundation will work together with community partners to include and value diverse voices, acknowledge the past and work towards healing, building trust and common ground, and create more equitable systems.
Creating Economic Opportunity for All
This means the student who is preparing for the next level of learning, the worker who wants to advance her career, the entrepreneur who has ambitions to grow a business, and especially those who have been left out or left behind – all have a strong chance at economic success.
Overcoming Persistent Poverty
Persistent poverty is not just a problem for some people or families—it affects everyone and is within our power to change. As we identify the enduring barriers that stand between people and economic well-being, we are able to work together to break them down. By building systems that are more equitable and that honor human dignity and potential, we can move toward a world where everyone can realize economic security, mobility and well-being—a truly Greater Birmingham.
Driving Regional Cooperation
We recognize that as a region, our individual communities are interconnected and that we all share a common fate. As economies have become regional in nature, the old ways of fragmentation work against future growth and opportunity. We look to build bridges between communities to form lasting connections that can lead to change. Whether we are bringing communities together to advance regional plans, promote equitable policies or improve inefficient systems – our community as a whole benefits when we work side by side.
Nurturing Thriving Communities
We constantly see communities accomplish incredible things. When they partner to build on and strengthen community assets, even greater things can happen. Together, we can create communities that are even more vibrant, connected, healthy, beautiful, safe and engaged.