AECF - Atlanta Civic Site Strategic Articulation Map

AECF - Atlanta Civic Site Strategic Articulation Map

STRATEGIC ARTICULATION MAP aec f .org

ATLANTA CIVIC SITE

OUR PURPOSE // What we will do Develop solutions to build a BRIGHTER FUTURE for

Children

Families

Communities

IMPROVING THE LIVES of Youth and Young Adults

OUR VISION // What we want to see All young people ages 14–24 and their children have the

Family Connections & Relationships

Educational & Employment Opportunities

Communities

necessary for their WELL-BEING and SUCCESS.

OUR FOCUS // How we will do it We are deepening our focus on young people who are disconnected from

FAMILY Young people who lack stable relationships with caring adults and who are potentially in systems

COMMUNITY Young people who live in communities in which they don’t feel safe or supported and have a place to live

OPPORTUNITIES Young people who are not in school / work

and at risk of disconnection

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY How This Strategic Articulation Plan Was Built and What Problem Do We Seek to Solve

The Atlanta Civic Site envisions an Atlanta where all young people aged 14-24 and their children have the family connections & relationships, communities and educational & employment opportunities necessary for their well-being and success. Our approach to the ACS 2020 Strategic Articulation Map began with a collaborative experience to establish a common sense of purpose. By igniting purpose and its pursuit throughout our organization, we were empowered to bring an engaged and inspired presence to the planning process while keeping individuals' gifts, passions and motivations front of mind. From there, we engaged in a facilitated exercise to clarify our vision through snapshots on time horizons of Think Big (5+ years), Start Small (one year from now) and Scale Fast (about 3 years). With those visions snapshots as a guide while tapping into the power of visualization, we identified how we would measure progress, what we would have to do differently and what strategic priorities would be required. From there we determined what critical initiatives would be necessary to give us the action items needed to execute and a well-informed foundation to deliver our organizational outcomes successfully - all in the name and spirit of realizing our purpose. The guiding principles, strategic priorities and critical initiatives set out in the ACS 2020 Strategic Articulation Map will underpin the many specific decisions we will make in the coming years about personnel, programs, partnerships and investments. In light of the finite resources, tradeoffs are inevitable. We will make choices and weigh the tradeoffs in the broader context of our institutional aspirations. To achieve our goals, we will make thoughtful investments that support the interconnectivity between strategies. The creation of the ACS 2020 Strategic Articulation Map was a full team effort. So too, will successful implementation of the plan require the engagement of our team, strategic partners and community.

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SUMMARY OF THE ARTICULATION MAP OUR PURPOSE // What we will do Develop solutions to build a BRIGHTER FUTURE for Children, Families, Communities IMPROVING THE LIVES of Youth and Young Adults OUR VISION // What we want to see All young people ages 14–24 and their children have the Family Connections & Relationships, Educational & Employment, Opportunities, Communities necessary for their WELL-BEING and SUCCESS

OUR FOCUS // How we will do it We are deepening our focus on young people who are disconnected from:

FAMILY Young people who lack stable relationships with caring adults and who are potentially in systems

COMMUNITY Young people who live in communities in which they don’t feel safe or supported and have a place to live

OPPORTUNITIES Young people who are not in school / work and at risk of disconnection

THINK BIG - 2025 START SMALL - 2021 SCALE FAST - 2023

VISION SNAPSHOTS // What We Want To See

FAMILY

COMMUNITY

OPPORTUNITIES

HEADLINE INDICATORS // How we will measure our progress

IMPACT // Areas we hope to influence that are bigger than our work.

FAMILY

COMMUNITY

OPPORTUNITIES

MEASURE // Areas we will measure, manage and hopefully drive with our work.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES // How we will operate

DIFFERENTIATORS // What we must do differently going forward

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES // What’s most important to us

CRITICAL INIATIVES 2021

FAMILY

COMMUNITY

OPPORTUNITIES

Pittsburgh Yards

Support Youth Leadership

The People – Improve Systems and Pilot New Programs

Housing

Strengthen Permanent Connections

The Goal – Nurture, Grow and Invest

Community Safety

Youth Engagement

Pittsburgh Yards – Create a destination, not just a place

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VISION SNAPSHOTS // What We Want To See

THINK BIG (2025) Tested and Promising Innovative Practices

FAMILY Young people who lack stable relationships with caring adults and who are potentially in systems TWO GENERATION APPROACH • Strengthened family connections supported by Two Gen approach that are pervasive among partners working w/children and parents/caretakers in Atlanta. - Examples:

COMMUNITY Young people who live in communities in which they don’t feel safe or supported and have a place to live

OPPORTUNITIES Young people who are not in school / work and at risk of disconnection

PITTSBURGH YARDS • Pittsburgh Yards is fully built out, generating hundreds of living wage jobs for local residents • Pittsburgh Yards is offering opportunities for hundreds of local youth and young adults each year HOUSING • Quality housing is supplied on the southside of the City • Youth and their families are able to use various sources of income to access housing without discrimination • Georgia shifts from being one of the lowest ranked states for policies supporting tenants rights COMMUNITY SAFETY • The City of Atlanta has committed to funding community safety at an equivalent rate as for public safety • There are no deaths due to guns in NPU V and other surrounding neighborhoods • Significant reduction in shooting incidents and gun related deaths in the City of Atlanta. YOUTH ENGAGEMENT • Youth and young adults on the southside of the City vote and, are being elected to more political positions, and have strong civic organizing groups to support their needs. • Youth engaged in all city systems that impact them. Youth leaders are represented throughout public sector bodies • Built up youth of color leadership development pipeline

TEACHERS • ALL students have access to highly effective teachers without bias and able to integrate cultural competency RACE AND EQUITY • Closing Black/White and Brown/White education opportunity gap in Atlanta Public Schools COLLEGE AND CAREER • Atlanta’s youth have clear pathways to college and career REENGAGEMENT • Reengagement center available for youth not in a school that provides access to job and career training and/or reengagement with the school in order to access post-secondary opportunities - All black residents in Atlanta’s Southside have incomes that lead to wealth building - All black-owned businesses have the capital and capacity to grow, sustain, and create jobs - An integrated capital model that supports entrepreneurs through the business life cycle is available, accessible, and delivered through a network of lending partners • Youth and young adults have access to quality jobs and entrepreneurship ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY • Closing racial wealth gap opportunities that complement their interest and lead to sustained self-sufficiency and wealth building • Youth and adults have the knowledge and skill to make sound financial decisions • Pittsburgh Yards serves as the nerve-center for black-owned businesses in Atlanta’s Southside • Community investment tools and community wealth building models provide residents with equity and ownership in commercial real estate and businesses

Family-supporting organizations like Families First, etc., workforce development, childcare, and early-learning providers, and community-based organizations such as Emmaus House

TEEN CONNECT • Teen Connect Program is implemented citywide JUVENILE COURT PROBATION • Juvenile Court Probation Practices Reformed - Race-conscious and equity-centered juvenile court probation practices are adopted citywide.

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VISION SNAPSHOTS // What We Want To See

START SMALL (2021) Collaborative Implementation in Sites

FAMILY Young people who lack stable relationships with caring adults and who are potentially in systems TWO-GENERATION APPROACH Examples: Year 1 • 100% Sheltering Arms Centers applying two- generation approach. (currently implemented at two centers.) • STRIVE Atlanta - Introduce and consider implementation Intermediary • Possible Intermediary/ Partner: United Way of Atlanta. TEEN CONNECT Year 1 • Integrate 2Gen approach into training curriculum. JUVENILE COURT PROBATION Year 1 • Juvenile Court

COMMUNITY Young people who live in communities in which they don’t feel safe or supported and have a place to live

OPPORTUNITIES Young people who are not in school / work and at risk of disconnection

PITTSBURGH YARDS • The Nia Building is a vibrant hub of economic activity and is fully occupied with predominantly black or brown led businesses. Many of the tenant businesses are led by residents from surrounding neighborhoods. • Pittsburgh Yards succeeds in hosting a youth entrepreneurship cohort, in supporting youth artistic expression and in engaging youth as leaders. In all of these, black youth are predominant. HOUSING • Youth housing assessment by the Urban Institute has been completed, is shared with House ATL and other partners, and is informing the Atlanta Civic Site's investment strategy in youth housing needs. • Affordable housing policy advocacy and organizing groups are being supported by Casey to specifically address the housing challenges of youth and young adults (with a focus on Casey's priority populations). Youth and young adults are being supported to engage with these policy and advocacy organizations. • Households connected to elementary schools in NPU-V experience more housing stability through eviction prevention legal assistance, case management and rental assistance provided by Casey's partner organizations. COMMUNITY SAFETY • At least one community organizing group and at least one policy advocacy group is receiving significant support from the Foundation to work towards systems addressing safety from a public health framework. • The Trauma Response Network has a consistent group of trained community members who regularly deploy for NPU-V gun violence incidents. Healing Circles occur regularly and are well attended. The Cure Violence team has built trust and is well recognized in the community. Surrounding communities are observing and asking for these interventions to occur in their areas. YOUTH ENGAGEMENT • Youth organizing and youth leadership groups are working in southwest Atlanta and being supported by the Foundation. They are in regular dialogue with the Atlanta Civic Site and their capacity needs are informing plans for future investments. • A youth led participatory grantmaking process has been conducted and youth have assessed the process and made suggestions for improvements in 2022. • Casey provides support for youth who are selected to serve on the Citizen Review Board (and additional City boards and committees if the opportunity presents itself.)

TEACHERS • Teacher residency supported that includes an intentional focus on anti-bias, cultural competency, and content expertise; • Professional learning for existing teachers in anti-racist and liberatory practices RACE AND EQUITY • A race equity office in Atlanta Public Schools to hold the district and board accountable for the implementation of the equity policy COLLEGE AND CAREER • Career pathways' quality has been assessed for accessibility by student race, class, and neighborhood • Accessibility to Advanced Placement and/or International Baccaulaureate courses has been assessed by student race, class, and neighborhood REENGAGEMENT • Establish a reengagement center for youth who are not currently enrolled in school ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY • Youth and young adult advisory council established to guide the development of a workforce development report and strategy • Strategic partner is secured to position Pittsburgh Yards as the destination for black entrepreneurs and provide technical assistance to cultivate businesses located in the space • Local lender network convened to identify existing small business capital offerings, funding gaps, and needs • Capital partnership established with local CDFI to address financing gaps and technical assistance needs for emerging real estate developers and/or growth businesses • Investment in new workforce development training programs focused on the future of work and other career paths that align with state high-demand careers or economic development strategy

Probation Practices Reform adopted in Fulton County, including an introduction to the 2 Gen approach.

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VISION SNAPSHOTS // What We Want To See

SCALE FAST (2023) Scaling What We Learn

FAMILY Young people who lack stable relationships with caring adults and who are potentially in systems TWO GENERATION APPROACH • Intermediary and/or one direct-service provider (in addition to Sheltering Arms) adopts 2 Gen approach. - UWGA - United Way

COMMUNITY Young people who live in communities in which they don’t feel safe or supported and have a place to live

OPPORTUNITIES Young people who are not in school / work and at risk of disconnection

PITTSBURGH YARDS • Pittsburgh Yards has businesses operating on all five of the ground lease pads and they are hiring local residents at living wages and providing other community benefits. • Pittsburgh Yards has welcomed many youth as interns and apprentices, while continuing to support youth entrepreneurs and artists. HOUSING • House ATL secures $250M in funds to invest in increasing the affordable housing supply in the City by 6,000 units, and a significant number of those units are located on the southside of the City. House ATL's Funders Collective is coordinating investments in multiple projects by multiple funders. • Youth and young adults are serving on committees and councils related to affordable housing and homelessness such at House ATL workgroups, Continuum of Care committees, public sector commissions, etc. • Affordable housing policy advocacy groups achieve increased protections for tenants rights at the state level, resulting in a reduction in eviction filings and actual evictions. COMMUNITY SAFETY • Casey is supporting at least one youth led community organizing group in the community safety space. State and local policy changes are occurring that address safety from a public health framework. • Grady Hospital has fully implemented an evidence-based gun violence intervention program, not just a pilot, and is coordinating with street violence interrupters and outreach workers • The public sector has invested resources in sustaining Cure Violence in Atlanta YOUTH ENGAGEMENT • Casey is working with a greater number of youth led organizations and is working more intensely with those groups, by providing funding and other capacity building supports. • Casey grantees are including youth and young adults as board members. Casey is providing leadership development support for new youth board members to ensure they are successful. • Georgia Funders Network for Racial Equity is investing together in a robust youth organizing, racial equity and leadership development strategy.

TEACHERS • Recruit and retain highly effective teachers with expertise in content, who possess cultural competency, and use liberatory practices with an intentional focus on anti-Black racism RACE AND EQUITY • Chief equity officer is leading the work within the school district to provide increased resources (human and monetary) to Black and Brown communities COLLEGE AND CAREER • Ensure access to effective and high quality career and college pathways for all students regardless of race, class, or neighborhood that result in college going and/or career, including certification upon high school graduation REENGAGEMENT • Provide access to the reengagement center for opportunity youth across the city ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY • Atlanta-based integrated capital funds have invested $10m in small businesses via a mix of debt and equity • Pittsburgh Yards has an investment fund that provides accessible capital to support and grow businesses operating within the space • Employment barriers, such as criminal records, skill needs, and transportation are no longer preventing residents from securing living wage jobs • Residents are investing in local real estate through a mix of crowdfunding and other sources • Graduates of business and residential skill-building programs acquire assets, hire local, and reinvest in their local community • Early tenants of Pittsburgh Yards have outgrown their space and have invested in shipping containers located on the site, pad-ready sites, or purchased buildings in Atlanta’s Southside. These businesses are mentors to the new class of entrepreneurs at PY, investing in local companies, and stabilizing communities. • Casey houses a wealth of >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16

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