Thanks to those who nominated prospective Anchor Fellows and applicants to the program. We look forward to announcing our 2024 cohort in September.

Here are some reminders about developments in the coming months:

• A new AITF Subgroup for retired and former leaders of anchor institutions is in development. If you are a retired chief executive of an anchor institution, and interested in becoming an inaugural member of an Emeritus Anchor Leaders Subgroup, please reply to this message indicating your interest.

• This year’s small-scale in-person event, Trusted Democratic Partnerships, will take place on November 2 from 10am to 3pm Eastern in New York City. Thanks to those of you who indicated an interest in participating. If you are interested, and have not yet expressed your desire to attend, please contact marga@margainc.com.

• If you are interested in AITF’s new Anchor Partnerships Database and wish to take part in a Beta launch, please send a message to marga@margainc.com for an exclusive link to the tool.

• AITF is interviewing current chief executives of anchor institutions toward the second publication in AITF’s series on Leadership. We are currently seeking recommendations for prospective interviewees. Those interested in being interviewed or recommending anchor leaders to be interviewed should reply to this message.

OAS and University of Pennsylvania Launch Book on Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

Pioneers of the modern community schools movement Marty Blank, Ira Harkavy, Jane Quinn, and Lisa Villarreal, and journalist David Goodman have completed the book The Community Schools Revolution. In a growing number of neighborhoods and school districts across the U.S. a community schools revolution is transforming public education for the better and providing a strategy for tackling or country most serious problems including extreme inequality and racial injustice. The community school strategy encourages deep partnerships among schools families and communities. Schools become hubs of learning opportunity engagement and democracy. The Community Schools Revolution tells the story of the powerful transformation that is occurring in thousands of schools. It also features university-assisted community schools, highlighting the importance of university-community-school partnerships in radically improving schools, neighborhoods, and higher education institutions for the better.

OAS and University of Pennsylvania Launch Book on Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the University of Pennsylvania launched the book Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean: Civic Engagement and the Democratic Mission, today at OAS headquarters in Washington D.C.

The book compiles best practices from researchers, practitioners, and education representatives from across the region, as well as global partners, on how to strengthen global cooperation on higher education initiatives, specifically on democracy, social inclusion, educational access, and social engagement. This edited volume highlights regional expertise on how universities in Latin America and the Caribbean educate for participatory democracy, with a particular focus on how they collaborate with local communities to educate students as democratic citizens and support local development.

Water Utilities as Anchor Institutions - Impacting the equity, social, and economic fabric of communities and regions

Water and wastewater utilities are uniquely positioned as anchor institutions to help address them and create positive economic, social, and environmental impacts in their community. This report by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shares examples of how utilities promote environmental justice, sustain critical infrastructure investments, and partner with others to advance community goals, often with a focus on utility leadership toward community equity.  

Community Foundation's Capacity Building Program Strengthens Corporate-Charity Collaboration In Milton Keynes - from mkfm

June 21 - In UK, MK Community Foundation's Capacity Building Program bridges the gap between the Corporate and Voluntary Sector in Milton Keynes, by working with companies who want to donate some of their staff's time or skills to community organizations.

Universities as Magnets for Remote Talent - from FDi Intelligence

June 16 - In Knowledge Towns, Ohio State University associate professor David Staley and venture capitalist Dominic Endicott make a compelling argument for the use of an iterative approach, which is typical of VC, in post-pandemic local development. Their main pitch is that as Covid-19 has accelerated the flexibility and remote nature of knowledge work and led millions of people to move to more affordable locations, placemaking should be based on attracting highly paid remote knowledge workers rather than companies. Unlike typical urban universities, the authors conceive of ‘knowledge enterprises’ as institutions that act as a “public utility” for communities, acting as both “an incubator of civic engagement and an economic driver”. Through this approach they see them as “anchor institutions” within communities that directly help to attract and retain local talent.

Chicago State Is Transforming the Landscape of Opportunity in Roseland

- from Chicago Business

June 12 - Chicago State University is a proud anchor institution for the South Side of Chicago, sitting on 161 acres of land in the Roseland neighborhood, and is the largest employer in the community. CSU is also an anchor for the state, generating $1.6 billion in income for Illinois annually. With the Red Line extension, the coming transformation of the 95th Street Metra Station and development of additional community amenities, the best is yet to come for the South Side, especially if the public, private, and philanthropic sectors meaningfully leverage CSU.

How a Neighborhood-focused Baltimore Initiative Is Employing Patience, Partnership, and Resident Leadership to Drive Long-term Change - from The Brookings Institution

June 7 - The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation in 2018 adopted a hyperlocal, place-based strategy (while continuing to provide grants across the Baltimore region). The premise was that by focusing some of the foundation’s financial and social capital in a compact geographic area, it could drive positive outcomes in an even more targeted way. Out of this decision came the Greenmount Life, Opportunity, and Wellness (GLOW) Initiative, a new effort to concentrate financial and social investment in select neighborhoods that have long experienced underinvestment.

How Universities Could Help Whole Communities Tackle Climate Change - from BKReader

June 7 - As centers of learning, universities have the potential to help whole communities learn about and address climate change. Universities have the technological, practical, and social resources to support the critical element of collaboration. They have cultural capital, meaning that people will pay attention to events and initiatives launched or developed with a university. They have the clout to spur communities, business, and policy makers to accelerate coordinated action.

Oregon Hospitals’ Reported 'Community Benefit' Grew in 2021 - from the Lund Report

June 6 - As the cost of wages, pharmaceuticals and other Oregon hospital expenses soared in 2021, so, too, did the amount of hospitals' so-called “community benefit spending.”A new report the state’s hospital trade group issued says its members tallied $1.97 billion in spending for their communities’ benefit in fiscal year 2021, in the midst of the pandemic. That's an increase of 13% from the year before, the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems said in a press release.