Community Development

We believe that in order for young people and families to thrive, the communities that they live in must be healthy and vibrant.

Community development research tells us that vibrant communities exhibit:

• Evidence of community pride.
• Willingness to invest in the future.
• Awareness of how their community compares to others.
• Deliberate transition of power to a younger generation of leaders.
• Strong belief in, and support for, education.
• Willingness to seek help from the outside.
• Conviction that, in the long run, they have to do things for themselves.

In this area of focus we want to fund projects that result in community viability and build or maintain the community’s ability to support healthy youth development.

Among our priorities in the area of Community Development are:

• Helping communities gain the baseline information they need to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
• Assisting communities in developing an overall plan for addressing their needs and building on their strengths.
• Providing opportunities for families to enjoy leisure-time activities that expose young people to new areas of interest and broaden their experiences.
• Supporting communities as they increase business opportunities, provide leadership skill development and promote charitable activities with a strong youth component.
• Ensuring that young people and families have the opportunity to experience local events that cause them to build a strong bond with their community.