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.

In the area of Community Development we want to invest in the following results:

• Increase communities’ baseline understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.
• Increase opportunities for families to enjoy leisure-time activities that expose young people to new experiences and areas of interest.
• Increase the number of communities that consider and engage young people as they:
  • Offer business opportunities
  • Provide leadership skill development
  • Promote charitable activities.
• Increase the number of opportunities for young people and families to experience local events and build strong community bonds.