The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the tremendous economic insecurity that exists for millions of people in our country. While immediate response to the public health crisis is essential for all communities, the philanthropic sector must also look ahead to rebuilding the economy in a way that addresses the long-standing systemic issues that have made it difficult for too many families to thrive.
Community Foundations Working Together
To advance this work, CFLeads is pleased to announce the creation of a new Economic Mobility Action Network, a two-year pilot made up of six community foundation teams who will come together to further an economic mobility agenda for their communities.
The Network will be specifically focused on improving the economic circumstances of low-income families and addressing racial and economic inequities. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with additional support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, this work is critically important now as people from coast to coast experience reduced incomes, job loss and financial anxiety.
Economic Mobility Action Network Participants
The participants in the Economic Mobility Action Network were selected based on a number of factors, including their existing economic mobility work, a demonstrated commitment to racial equity, strong community leadership experience, as well as demographic and geographic diversity.
The community foundations that make up this pilot Network are:
- Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
- Foundation for Louisiana
- Greater Cincinnati Foundation
- The Chicago Community Trust
- The San Francisco Foundation
- Southwest Initiative Foundation (Minnesota)
Participating community foundation teams – which will include board members, CEOs, senior staff and community partners – will work together over two years to better understand the key elements of economic mobility, build their community leadership capacity, identify and implement solutions, and support learning and action of the other participants and the community foundation field.
Please join us in congratulating these outstanding community foundations as they take on this important work.
About CFLeads
The Economic Mobility Action Network is a project of CFLeads, the national network of community foundations working together to build strong communities. CFLeads advances community leadership practice, shares knowledge and galvanizes community foundations around the key issues of our time. To learn more about our Economic Mobility work, visit our website and stay tuned for future updates through our newsletter.
