Anchor Institutions Task Force News
March 2026
AITF Updates
Values in Action
In accordance with our theme for this year and last, Values in Action, we are continuing to prioritize and demonstrate AITF’s values - a commitment to place and community, democracy and democratic practice, collaboration and partnership (including cross sector collaboration), social justice and equity (including racial justice and racial equity). We are intensifying how these values are infused into our programming – our publications, our Subgroup conversations, and more. This is also the theme for our annual event this fall, which will take place on November 5 between 10am and 3pm Eastern. Please save the date. We will continue to share additional information on the event over the coming months.
Cross Sector Place-Based Collaboration
As commitments to place and collaboration are among our core values, AITF engages and highlights multi-stakeholder local partnerships involving anchor institutions. A few years ago, AITF created the Anchor Partnerships Subgroup to provide a dedicated space for representatives of anchor partnerships and collaboratives to come together and mutually strengthen their respective efforts in their various localities. In these partnerships we see institutions of higher education, hospitals, cultural organizations, businesses, foundations, community-based organizations, local governments and others joining together to strengthen cities, towns, neighborhoods, or regions where they reside. These partnerships are in urban and rural areas. They exist throughout the U.S. and in other countries. They come in various shapes and sizes and focus on a wide range of issues from education to health to food security to job creation and beyond. Some focus on a single issue and some others have ongoing programs addressing a few intersecting issues. Regardless of their location or the composition of their partners or the substance of their efforts, these partnerships are all building lasting collaborative infrastructure among the ecosystem of organizations in their communities.
We continue to investigate and identify anchor partnerships and collaboratives. These formations constitute an evolution of the anchor field, as they challenge anchor institutions to transcend their individual priorities and collaborate with other organizations, including those that might be considered competitors. We created the Anchor Partnerships Database in order to chronicle the presence of anchor partnerships and collaborative and share this important reference with the field. Please take a look at the Database. We are periodically updating our files. We want to make sure that we are accurately capturing the landscape of there collaborative efforts. We also are reminded that not all collaborative entities are using the term, “anchor”. The more we dig, the more we discover additional place-based partnerships involving anchor institutions. If you know of partnerships or collaboratives that should be included in the Database that are not already in our files, please let us know. The more complete our Database, the more we benefit the entire field. And if you are involved in an anchor partnership or collaborative, and would like to be in an action-oriented learning community of other collaboratives, consider joining the Anchor Partnership Subgroup.
Member Profile
We are grateful to the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), which is Maryland’s only public health, law, and human services university. In this month’s Member Profile, UMB shares a comprehensive portfolio of collaborative activities that truly capture practical demonstrations of the breadth of AITF’s values. Please find the time to read this profile and learn from UMB’s important contributions to West Baltimore neighborhoods.
AITF Member Spotlight
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is Maryland’s only public health, law, and human services university. Founded in 1807 with the establishment of the nation’s first public medical school, UMB has grown into a comprehensive academic hub that includes seven distinguished schools—among them the world’s first dental college, one of the oldest law schools in the country, and the nation’s fourth‑oldest school of pharmacy.
UMB’s mission is to improve the human condition and serve the public good through excellence in education, research, clinical care, and service.
A cornerstone of this mission is UMB’s deep, longstanding commitment to community engagement, which also reflects its commitment to democratic practice. While the institution’s reach extends globally, its most intentional and sustained efforts are rooted in the West Baltimore neighborhoods surrounding its campusreflecting its commitment to place. As an anchor institution located on the west side of Downtown Baltimore, UMB serves a densely populated and historically significant area within the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan region.
UMB is embedded within two majority‑Black communities—downtown Baltimore’s westside business district and West Baltimore proper. Once home to one of the largest and most prosperous free Black populations in the American South, West Baltimore has endured decades of systemic racism that have limited access to economic opportunity, health, safety, and wealth. Recognizing these challenges, UMB is working alongside residents and community leaders to foster meaningful and measurable change. By combining the University’s research, clinical expertise, financial resources, and academic strengths with the wisdom and leadership of grassroots partners, UMB has built a strong infrastructure for shared decision‑making, resource exchange, and community‑driven priority setting. This collaborative model guides numerous initiatives designed to strengthen health, education, and economic opportunity across West Baltimore reflecting its commitment to collaboration and partnership and racial equity and social justice.
Below are several UMB programs that exemplify this commitment to community‑engaged partnership and impact:
UMB-UMD Health Literacy Faculty Work Group and President’s Clinic
The UMB–UMD Health Literacy Faculty Work Group is an interprofessional collaborative dedicated to advancing health literacy as a foundational element of education, clinical care, and community engagement. Over the past year, the group has made significant strides in preparing faculty across disciplines to integrate health literacy and plain‑language strategies into their teaching and practice. One major accomplishment is the creation of a comprehensive, asynchronous Health Literacy Faculty Module, which builds faculty capacity in critical areas such as teach‑back, clear communication, and addressing social determinants of health (SDOH)
Complementing this work is the President’s Clinic—an innovative, team‑based interprofessional education model. The Clinic brings together students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, and social work to provide coordinated care to pediatric patients. In this setting, learners gain hands‑on experience applying health literacy best practices, with a focus on plain‑language communication, cultural humility, and understanding how SDOH influence health outcomes.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate UMB’s commitment to preparing future healthcare professionals to deliver safe, equitable, and patient‑centered care. They also highlight the University’s efforts to strengthen the connection between academic training and meaningful community impact.
The Health Village at Mondawmin
In partnership with the West Baltimore community, UMB, University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, and the University of Maryland Medical Center are opening a new 17,000‑square‑foot Health Village in a reimagined former Target® space. Located in one of the nation’s most historically significant and medically underserved neighborhoods, the Health Village will serve as a community‑driven hub offering integrated primary and specialty care, dental services, cancer prevention and treatment, laboratory services, wellness programs, and workforce development opportunities.
As part of the larger Village at Mondawmin revitalization effort, the Health Village will expand access to essential medical and dental care for children and adults and strengthen cancer prevention and treatment services across West Baltimore. Students from all seven UMB schools (medicine, nursing, dentistry, law, pharmacy, social work, graduate studies) will play a central role, learning and delivering care in interprofessional teams across every aspect of practice—from patient care to clinic operations.
The project will also provide innovative training opportunities to help build Baltimore’s future healthcare workforce. With convenient public transportation access, free parking, and close proximity to UMB’s academic medical center just two miles away, the Health Village is poised to become a flagship model for community‑based, holistic health improvement.
The PATIENTS Program, based at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, is a nationally recognized community‑academic research partnership founded in West Baltimore. The award‑winning program serves as a model for reducing health inequities and improving public health by engaging underserved communities in meaningful, patient‑centered research.
Working closely with patients, care partners, and communities across the country, the PATIENTS Program guides research that leads to practical, positive health solutions. Its success is rooted in acommitment to trust, transparency, and elevating community voices—ensuring that research priorities and questions reflect what truly matters to the people it serves.
The UMB CURE Scholars Program is helping pave the way for academic and career success among students in Baltimore’s underserved communities. Through intensive mentoring, training, and support, the program prepares middle and high school students for high achievement, college and career readiness, and future opportunities in research, STEM, and health care fields. By introducing these pathways at a young age, UMB CURE Scholars aims to inspire a long‑term commitment to higher education and empower students to help reduce medical and educational disparities in their communities.
The program has also been featured in an acclaimed Maryland Public Television (MPT) documentary series that follows CURE Scholars Shakeer Franklin, Tyler McKenzie, Princaya Sanders, Courtney Jacobs, and Davioin Hill on their educational journeys. The first film, From West Baltimore, received an Emmy nomination from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
UMB Community Engagement Center
The Community Engagement Center (CEC) is a historic 20,000‑square‑foot space in Poppleton where residents partner with UMB to advance shared goals around health, safety, and well‑being. The CEC offers a wide range of programs for adults and families—including exercise, food access, after‑school activities, and educational supports—designed to meet community‑identified needs. Since opening in 2015, the CEC has welcomed more than 100,000 visits from children, teens, and adults who participate in its services, pursue career goals, and benefit from a safe, supportive space to learn, grow, and connect.
Other Resources
Anchor Fellows
Our Anchor Fellows Program continues to be a vital component of AITF’s work. The Fellows have been provided an immersive learning experience designed to strengthen their pathways as anchor leaders into the future. Our latest cohort is about to begin their annual experience. As you know, we rely on AITF members to nominate future prospective Fellows. We are pleased to announce our latest call for applications in order to identify the 2027 cohort. Many of our Fellows have become active participants in AITF, and their voices and experiences are influencing the evolution of the anchor field.
Publications
Our Leadership Guide series has been making informative and stimulating contributions to our understanding of the role of anchor institutions in strengthening communities through democratic partnerships. We produced the third volume in the series last year. We are now seeking essays from AITF members on leadership matters relevant to anchor institution-community partnerships. We require these essays to take into account AITF’s Values in Action theme. Please let us know if you wish to submit an essay. We hope to release volume 4 at the end of the year. Also let us know if you wish to have your and your partners’ work featured in a future Member Profile in this newsletter. The profile will return in the next newsletter. This is a significant way in which we will highlight the Values in Actiontheme in practice at the community level throughout the year.
Download the AITF Leadership Guide, Third Edition
Overall, we look forward to engaging with you over the course of 2026. Remember that there are many ways to be involved in AITF. Our Subgroups have been among the most vital forms of activity in AITF. As we have continued to experience some difficult barriers to progress in the field, Subgroups have been spaces for mutual encouragement, learning, and sharing. These discussions have generated stories of resilience and helped shape many aspects of AITF’s work. Finally, stay tuned for some noticeable advances in AITF’s approach to storytelling, as we are beginning a new series of discussions to enhance how we tell the story of the contributions of anchor institutions to the communities in which they reside.
Learn More About AITF Subgroups
Resources from the Field
Student Mental Health, Well-Being, and Readiness: How Colleges Are Addressing the “Hidden Curriculum” | Insight Into Academia
Colleges and universities are expanding approaches to student mental health by integrating awareness, policy changes, and collaborative initiatives across campuses, including data-driven efforts and partnerships aimed at reducing stigma and improving access to supportive services. The article notes examples where institutional leadership and cross-sector engagement are reshaping how campuses address student well-being in academic and community contexts.
Placemaking Week | June 24th-26th, 2026
Placemaking Week is a global gathering of placemakers that emphasizes hands-on learning and innovative social events, while leaving behind a public space legacy. Embracing a wide variety of sectors and disciplines, the event creates a dynamic forum where attendees develop and share concrete strategies to advance placemaking both locally and globally.
Improving equitable maternity care through inclusive communication | NHS Confederation
The maternity team at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (ESTH) integrated a digital communication platform into its workflow to provide accessible health information in multiple languages and formats. As a result, the trust is reducing neonatal readmissions and ensuring safer, more equitable care for all families.
University presidents face a ‘Star Trek’-like Kobayashi Maru moment | Times Leader
Should university presidents publicly weigh in on the most pressing societal issues of our times? This piece argues that university leaders face increasing pressure to take public positions on contentious political and social issues, while also navigating risks to institutional funding, governance, and campus cohesion—highlighting the complex leadership challenges confronting higher education institutions.
Global Solidarity, Learning, and Action to Renew Higher Education’s Democratic and Civic Mission - Education
This webinar, to take place on 9 April 2026, (9:00-10:30 AM EST / 3:00-4:30 PM CET) will extend the global dialogue on key themes and takeaways from this timely Global Forum. This includes, among other things, a focus on educating for democratic citizenship, prioritizing student voice and agency, protecting academic freedom as a right and a responsibility that upholds democratic principles, leveraging universities as democratic civic anchors in their local communities, rebuilding public trust, and restoring the social contract between higher education and society at large.
News and Articles
A Foundation Creates a Community Hub, Anchored by Its Headquarters
The century-old Cleveland Foundation is betting that music, food, and open doors can rebuild trust — and a neighborhood.
The Anchor Institution Mandate: How Hunter College is Reimagining the Public Square
Dr. Nancy Cantor, president of Hunter College, says higher ed institutions have an obligation to leave the Ivory Tower and take up positions of public good in their communities.
How One Foundation Built a Board That's Standing Up to Trump
Young, racially diverse trustees who include several grantees are helping the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation hold the line on equity despite threats from the administration.
Pressley Unveils Resolution to Celebrate & Protect Black History Museums & Cultural Institutions, Marking 100th Anniversary of Black History Month - Ayanna Pressley
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is introducing a resolution to honor Black history museums and cultural institutions in their telling of our accurate, shared American history and protect these institutions from erasure, whitewashing, and funding cuts.
What’s Next for Cultural Organizations? Academy Roundtables Discuss Current Challenges and Future Needs
Summarizes insights from three 2025 roundtable discussions with arts and culture leaders examining growing uncertainty in the sector and exploring strategies for communicating value, sustaining institutions, and strengthening collaboration.
Portland’s Carnegie Libraries Reopen as Community Anchors - Metropolis
LEVER’s transformations of the Albina and North Portland libraries expand their civic role—pairing preservation with cultural investment and community-led design.
Who Decides? Foundation Staff Look to Outsiders to Steer Grants
Reports on the growing use of participatory grantmaking, in which foundations involve community members and external stakeholders in decisions about how grant funds are distributed.
Research & Publications
The evolving role of nonprofit hospitals and health systems in improving community health
Discusses how nonprofit hospitals and health systems function as anchor institutions by conducting community health needs assessments and collaborating with local partners to align internal operations with broader community health and development priorities, highlighting their economic and health contributions beyond clinical care.
University Urban Development and Studentification: Evidence of Neighborhood Change Unique to Higher Education
Explores how universities and community partners can strengthen public health outcomes through collaborative education and engagement initiatives, emphasizing the role of higher education institutions in supporting community well-being and local capacity building.
View Marga Inc's AITF Publications
If you have updates about your work, resources, or articles that you would like to share with the AITF network, please email Mala Coomar at mala.c@margainc.com.