Many of you will recall that AITF used to hold an annual conference prior to the pandemic. These events helped generate much of AITF’s programming, including various activities that continue today. They were exciting opportunities to bring the field together and hear from those who are actively engaged in reducing health disparities and expanding educational and economic opportunities. 

We have not returned to our prior annual conference format. However, last year, our November event, The Power and Potential of Anchor Partnerships, constituted a return to in person events. This was a smaller scale gathering by design in Philadelphia with about one third the attendance of our original annual conferences. In developing our list of participants, we were particularly cognizant of constructing a crowd inclusive of representatives from various fields and sectors. Additionally, we created a virtual link so that others could listen remotely, and distributed the recording to the full AITF membership and others.

This November, we are going to take a similar approach. On November 2, from 10am to 3pm Eastern, we will hold a gathering in New York City with a cap of seventy attendees. This event on Trusted Democratic Partnerships will highlight how multi-institutional anchor partnerships are engaging locally and seeking to create deep and authentic collaboration across sectors and with communities. If you have an interest in this event, please reply to this message. It is likely that we will not have space for all who are interested to participate in person. But we will make a link available for remote listening. Overall, it will be useful to have an indication of the level of interest among AITF members.

We look forward to this next chapter in AITF’s evolving effort to provide spaces for mutual learning and resources to inform anchor partnerships. Please stay tuned for additional information.

Reminders

We are seeking nominations for our 2024 cohort of anchor fellows:

Fellows Call for Applications for 2024 Cohort. Applications are due on May 12.

Research Report: Place-based Federal Investment Can Chart a New Future for Regions Dependent on Fossil Fuel

This report by Brookings Metro highlights the disparate impact of energy transition on carbon-specialized regions in the United States. Mobilizing groups of anchor institutions in such areas can help maximize the impact of federal resources when it comes to navigating some of the common challenges that emerge with significant energy transitions.

Community Forum: Understanding the Role of Anchor Institutions

Promoting understanding the impact of Anchor Institutions, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has launched an Anchor Economy Initiative, to help evaluate the role that these organizations can play in a region. Join them on May 11, 2023 at 11:30am via Zoom for a discussion on the significance of Anchor Institutions in Berks County. Register here.

Webinar: Students Leading University Community Engagement: What More Can Be Done and How Should It Be Recognized?

You are invited to participate in a Magna Charta Observatory (MCO) Webinar on 4 May at 15:00 CEST. At the event an essay competition will be launched with prizes that include travel to a potentially career enhancing influential international conference in the autumn of 2023. The Magna Charta Universitatum 2020 speaks about the responsibility of universities to engage with their communities and recognizes the role of students as key stakeholders in universities.

Register here.

Job Opportunity: Communications Coordinator (Remote), Community-Campus Partnerships for Health

Established in 1997, Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) is a nonprofit membership organization promoting health equity and social justice through community partnerships and academic institutions. The Communications Coordinator Position will support developing and implementing an effective and measurable communication and engagement strategy for new and existing CCPH programs and services. 

Learn more and apply.

Opinion: Libraries Are Priceless Community Resources, But Only If We Take Care of Them - from Times of San Diego

April 24 - While the services, knowledge, and community that libraries provide are priceless, operating these public spaces does come with a price tag. And, for years, librarians across the state and the country have faced threats like shrinking budgets, lack of investments, and actual physical attacks.

Royal Preston and Chorley Hospitals Pledge to Do 'More than Just Medicine' as Part of Ambition to Improve the Lives of Locals - from Lancash-ire Post

April 24 - Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTH) has made a series of pledges designed to boost the county's social and economic wellbeing - including by buying locally where possible and investing in the training and development of current and potential future employees.

Hospital Community-Benefit Bill Advances in House - from North Forty News

April 19 - The House of North Carolina advanced legislation on a preliminary vote to bolster community-based health care services across the state. Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder said “By strengthening accountability for how hospitals spend resources in the community and requiring them to incorporate more feedback, we can ensure these investments reduce costs for consumers, increase access to critical services and improve public health.”

Aspen Institute Launches Effort to Support Higher Ed's Role in Climate Action - from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

April 19 - The Aspen Institute’s This Is Planet Ed initiative has launched its Higher Ed Climate Action, which will aim to accelerate higher education’s progress on climate action, create an overarching framework, and identify policies to scale climate action across the sector. “Colleges and universities are anchor institutions that serve as community hubs, prepare the next generation’s workforce, produce vital research, and support students in facing our most pressing challenges,” said Dr. John B. King, Jr., co-chair of This Is Planet Ed and chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY). 

Recommitting to “Stewardship of Place” - from Inside Higher Ed

April 12 - Higher education institutions around the United States (and indeed around the world) embrace an anchor mission to varying degrees. In a new report, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities highlights examples of how public universities have carried out their commitments to stewardship of place across urban, suburban, and rural settings.

Advancing Student Success at Rural Community Colleges - from EdNC

April 4 - Community colleges are often considered anchor institutions, especially those that serve rural areas, where they are often the only higher education institution within close proximity. These colleges are vital to the fabric of a community, providing postsecondary access and contributing to the overall economic impact of their region. In 2019-20, the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) had a $19 billion annual economic impact on the state’s economy – supporting one out of every 19 jobs across the state.