Leveraging Anchor Institutions for Economic Inclusion
Type
Policy Brief or Report
Year
2015
Level
County
State(s)
All States
Policy Areas
Children & Families, Civil Rights, Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Education, Environment & Natural Resources, Health
Anchor institutions can be important drivers of economic growth. Through their spending and investment, employment and contracting, and their ability to generate ideas, information, and talent, they can spark innovative enterprises grounded in place. Their existence can be especially important in older, industrial cities bereft of other major employers, but their presence is felt in virtually all metropolitan regions. In a growing number of places, local and regional organizations are engaging anchors as important partners to advance equitable growth by creating opportunities for low-income residents and communities of color to be the workers, innovators, and leaders who will propel the economy.