Numerous AITF meetings took place in November, as the various subgroups convened. The Advisory Council also held its annual meeting to discuss AITF’s 2022 priorities, such as the continued development of the Subgroup model, the policy influence strategy, the Anchor Fellows, a new Leadership Guide, and others.
AITF’s policy brief continues to be circulated to various legislative staff, public officials, think tanks, and others. A statewide strategy is in development, which involves identifying a Senator, who will be receptive to the brief’s recommendations for a Fund for Anchor Institutions and a Work Initiative, developing targeted communication to this lawmaker regarding these ideas and their benefit to the state in question, and a support letter to this lawmaker signed by various anchor leaders within the state. This approach will be continually refined throughout 2022. We believe it can bring about impact at national, statewide, and local levels. If you think this policy influence approach could work in your state, contact dmaurrasse@margainc.com for details and insights.
As the 2022 cohort of Anchor Fellows will begin their year of activities, AITF will distribute the call for proposals for the 2023 cohort in January. The deadline for submissions, as in prior years, will be at the end of April.
Later in the year, AITF will publish a Leadership Guide for aspiring, emerging, and existing anchor leaders on how to build and sustain a commitment to community engagement internally and externally. This tool will be applied in various settings. The idea for this effort emerged in AITF’s Higher Education Presidential Subgroup, which recognized the need for new action in order to both build a pipeline of anchor leaders committed to AITF’s values and bring practical guidance, based on the experiences of anchor leaders, toward ensuring a robust commitment to mutually transformative partnerships in localities.
AITF would like to wish you a joyous holiday season and a promising start to 2022. We look forward to continually engaging regarding AITF’s important portfolio of activities as they evolve.
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