Overcoming Persistent Poverty
Poverty is a complex issue, and much of the Community Foundation’s work to date has focused on the symptoms of poverty rather than the root causes.
We know there are systems in place that create barriers for people working towards economic security and well-being. This priority is about identifying and breaking down those barriers to success, whatever they may be, to address the underlying issues that result in persistent poverty. Overcoming persistent poverty is related to economic opportunity, but includes those who may not be in the workforce, like children, some seniors and some disabled individuals.
What We Believe
Persistent poverty affects everyone in our community and is an issue that we have a shared responsibility to address. Alabama is one of the poorest states in the U.S.; 17% of Alabamians and 24% of Alabama children live below the federal poverty threshold. Child poverty rates are highest among African American and Hispanic children. Single mothers experience significantly higher rates of poverty in Alabama and more than 47% of female-headed households with children in Alabama report income below the poverty threshold. The gap between Alabama’s median household income and the nation continues to grow.
These facts about poverty help us understand the issue of persistent poverty, but they do not fully describe the challenges faced by individuals and families in our community who are living at or below the poverty threshold. Overcoming poverty requires addressing a diverse range of issues within systems: equity, educational attainment, job creation, income inequality, housing, food security, public transit, healthcare, childcare, asset building, and more.
The Impact We Seek
The Foundation is committed to:
- Reducing the number of children and individuals living in intergenerational poverty by identifying and addressing obstacles to prosperity
- Building systems of support to meet the basic needs of those in crisis with a wide array of holistic safety net services
- Breaking down societal barriers that result in the disproportionately high cost of poverty through advocacy and public policy reform
Learn More About Our Priorities
Grantee Stories
Community Foundation Awards $1.6 Million in Grants
The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham has awarded more than $1.6 million in grants to 66 area nonprofits serving Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Walker counties. These grants are focused on the five priorities identified in our 10-year strategic plan: Thriving Communities, Regional Cooperation, Overcoming Persistent Poverty, Equity and Inclusion, and Economic Opportunity for All. (Explore our Priority Areas.)
The Philip A Morris Fund for the Design Arts: Building a Better Birmingham
Kathryn Harbert and Philip Morris at Railroad Park Anyone who has ever enjoyed an afternoon with family and friends at Railroad Park, a place often called Birmingham’s living room, has Philip A. Morris to thank for those memorable moments. Though not a trained designer, Morris was a visionary. He not only served on the planning committee for Railroad Park but also for Linn Park and Red Mountain Park. He was chair of Operation New Birmingham (now REV Birmingham), Birmingham Historical Society, and Mountain Brook Villages Design Review Committee. He was co-chair of the Vulcan Park renovation planning committee and served on the boards of the Vulcan Park Foundation, Birmingham Botanical Society, and Friends of Linn Park. He was also a founding board member of Design Alabama and Horizon 280 Association.
Giving Together, Growing Together
Each year, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham receives an increasing number of applications for our spring and fall grant cycles, and existing funds are never enough to cover all the grants approved. So, in 2008, the Giving Together program was born to accompany the grant cycles.
How Innovation and Collaboration Can Empower Students in Walker County and Beyond
Hundreds of high school students in Walker County will soon have access to a state-of-the-art facility offering high-quality career and technical education, equipping them with credentials and skills aligned with Alabama’s workforce needs.