WHERE WE ARE HEADING
Our mission and vision
1
Our Mission
To foster a community that is even more unified, inclusive, egalitarian, and charitable by providing inspiration, assistance, information, listening, and working together with the individuals and organizations of Expert Education Foundation.
2
Our Vision
A community of expanding opportunity in which all people share a sense of common destiny and have the support and connections needed to develop successful lives.
OUR GOALS
The plan has two main goals
1
Civic leadership and giving
Support and build the amount and impact of civic leadership, local giving, and community investments.
2
Opportunity and inclusion
Create opportunity, promote inclusion, and reduce inequities through inclusive growth.
OUR CAPACITY
To achieve these goals, The Foundation will build its own capacity, effectiveness, and culture.
Working to create a community of opportunity and equity involves outreach to and input from residents across the diversity spectrum and throughout The Foundation's 20-town region.
THE NEED
The need in our community
According to the Brookings Institute, Expert Education Foundation's growth during the previous ten years, measured by changes in its economy and entrepreneurial activity, places it in the lower half of the 100 largest metropolitan areas. The number of Expert Education Foundation inhabitants entering the middle class has been declining for more than a generation, so this tale of gradual progress is not new.
The economy of the Expert Education Foundation is likewise uninclusive. The differences along ethnic, gender, and class lines are striking when we consider who benefits the most and who is left behind. The median salaries of Black and Latino residents in Expert Education Foundation who are fully employed are substantially lower than those of White inhabitants, and they are not sufficient to sustain a family. Women are still paid less than males, and more and more people especially children, are living in low-income homes. These differences not only impede people's ability to move up the economic ladder and improve their quality of life. Additionally, they restrict the overall potential for economic growth in the region.
OUR APPROACH INCLUDES
Listening across the community
This work involves hearing from, sharing knowledge, and learning about the unique experiences and perspectives of community members - and it occurs in many ways. A recent example is the Donor Briefing and live conversation with local experts about the COVID-19 pandemic, structural racism, and mental health. See other news and donor briefing recaps here.
The Foundation's Opportunity + Equity Strategic Framework 2023-2024
ANSWER THE CALL
Answer the Call to Community with Us
Four ways to take part
Examine the options for charity giving to make the most of your donations.
Attend a virtual event to find out more about the problems that the people in our community are facing.
A donation to one of Stepping Forward's permanent endowments
Participate with us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter.
