Initiatives

Annie E. Casey Foundation

Announcement:

PARTNERSHIP FOR A NATIONAL STRATEGY TO ADVANCE COMMUNITY-UNIVERSITY RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT

In the past quarter century fundamental changes in the connection between higher education institutions (HEI's) and the broader community has led to new definitions of the role of HEI's. HEI's are increasingly seen as important partners in identifying and building on community assets in collaboration with community partners, particularly in urban settings. Included in this new understanding is a growing recognition of HEI's potential as anchor institutions in addressing the human and physical development challenges of those communities. Anchor institutions are institutions physically rooted to their location, focused on serving students from their communities, and of a scale and self interest to have the capacity and incentive to go beyond their educational endeavors to significantly influence the development of their communities. Urban based-HEI's particularly fit these criteria, as they have produced a significant array of positive impacts on their communities, developing and refining programs across a broad scope of issue areas, and working at both individual and multiple urban sites. Likewise, many partnerships are improving and changing the HEI partners. Instruction and research are becoming more relevant to addressing community issues. Students and faculty members are gaining new insights and learning as partners with communities. HEI's are contributing to the construction of knowledge and education of students as they advance the wellbeing of the communities with whom they partner and meet their role in informing and advancing broader society.

On December 1st 2008, USU was awarded $20,000 from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to partner with the USU to (1) assemble, synthesize, and disseminate what has been learned with respect to programs, partnerships, and approaches; (2) assess the aggregate or collective impact of these partnerships, and (3) identify the questions, issues and directions that will inform a strategy of advocacy with which to address and advance the HEI-community locus of a responsible urban redevelopment movement.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is the 17th largest private foundation in the United States with assets of more than $2.3 billion. The Foundation ranks 24th in the nation for charitable giving. Established in 1948 by Jim Casey, founder of UPS, the Foundation is the world's largest philanthropy dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged children.

The primary mission of the Annie E. Casey Foundation is to foster public policies, human-service reforms, and community supports that more effectively meet the needs of today's vulnerable children and families.

Through the USU Strengthening Communities Initiative, in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, USU is developing a national network and strategy for urban research universities to serve as anchor institutions for community-university responsible neighborhood redevelopment. These institutions are organized to produce the knowledge and strategies of responsible urban development that will, in turn, enhance the understanding and application of the best practices and tools of institution building that will make universities fully vested foundational institutions of urban and community change.

Project Activities:

Assemble a data base on public urban research university-community partnerships related to three strengthening communities foci.
Develop white papers and accompanying policy briefs on effective strategies and practices for responsible redevelopment with anchor institution partners.
Conduct two strategic conversations as part of planned conferences with USU/NASULGC to review draft white papers and to exchange information on responsible redevelopment partnerships.
Form the basis for a central locus of a HEI-community development network.

Together, USU and the Annie E Casey Foundation offer unique potential to advance learning about partnerships and anchor institutions in promoting responsible community revitalization. The project will be directed by the Urban Serving Universities Strengthening Communities Strand Executive Committee. Committee members include:

Co-Chairs:

Dr. Luis, Proenza, President, University of Akron
Dr. Wim Wieval, President, Portland State University

Members:

Dr. David Cox, Executive Assistant to the President, University of Memphis
Dr. Geoffrey Maruyama, Associate Vice President, University of Minnesota
Dr. David Perry, Associate Chancellor, University of Illinois-Chicago
Dr. Kenneth Stapleton, Senior Economic Development Advisor, University of Akron