In 2023, CFLeads was generously awarded a $4.8 million grant by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for our economic mobility work. This grant supports CFLeads’ Economic Mobility Action Network, a year-long learning network made up of two distinct cohorts of ten community foundations, each working to advance economic mobility with a focus on racial equity.
CFLeads is committed to empowering community foundations to lead change in their local place-based work. With the Economic Mobility Action Network, we’re fostering collaboration among 20 community foundations to advance equitable economic mobility. By aligning our shared focus on racial equity with a community leadership lens, we’re driving systemic change that truly reflects the needs and aspirations of our communities.
We look forward to engaging with the following 20 community foundations across the nation:
Advanced Cohort Participants
- ACT for Alexandria
- Cambridge Community Foundation
- Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond
- Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
- Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
- Foundation For The Carolinas
- Innovia Foundation
- North Texas Community Foundation
- Rochester Area Community Foundation
- Scranton Area Community Foundation
Intermediate Cohort Participants
- Community Foundation Boulder County
- East Bay Community Foundation
- Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, Inc.
- Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky
- Greater Milwaukee Foundation
- Kalamazoo Community Foundation
- The Pittsburgh Foundation
- The Winston-Salem Foundation
- Wichita Foundation
- Yellow Springs Community Foundation
I am thrilled to announce the selection of an outstanding group of community foundations to join our Economic Mobility Action Network. The competitive process highlighted the incredible commitment and innovative approaches of applicants across the country. In making our selections, we considered not only the strength of each application but also the scope, geographic diversity, institutional alignment, and deep community engagement demonstrated by these foundations. We are confident that this cohort will drive meaningful change and advance economic mobility in their communities.
The 20 participating community foundations will have the opportunity to explore using data tools and resources to further their economic mobility work with technical assistance and a capacity-building grant. More information is available on our EMAN webpage.
Following a virtual orientation, each cohort will attend three in-person meetings with content expert speakers, peer advisement, and site-visits. The Advanced Cohort begins in September and the Intermediate Cohort follows with a November start.
The Economic Mobility Action Network is led by CFLeads’ Economic Mobility team including:
- Dr. Leonard M. Brock, Vice President for Learning and Impact
- Amanda Hartigan, Project Director
- Enida Jeteric, Program Manager
- Kellie Alexander, Network Engagement Manager
