Arts and culture organizations can play a more powerful role in shaping community development in low-income communities by adopting and adapting key strategies used by traditional ‘anchor’ organizations like hospitals and universities. Arts and culture organizations already make important contributions to the vitality of their communities, and deserve a seat ... Read More

Written by Zachary Nieder and Kim Zeuli As we wrote in our Arts and Culture Organizations—The Overlooked Anchors blog in May, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and the Kresge Foundation’s Arts and Culture Program have joined forces to explore the degree of anchor engagement among arts and culture ... Read More

Stephen Rosa is a 2012 Inner City 100 alumnus and award recipient.  He currently serves as CEO/chief creative officer of (add)ventures and is an Emmy-winning writer/producer. This blog was written in response to his experience in the Inner City 100 program from 2007 to 2012. Read More

Written by Zach Nieder and Kim Zeuli Duluth, Minnesota is a resurgent city that has garnered national attention for its vibrant maker districts, natural amenities, and start-ups that are revitalizing the city’s image and economy. Loll Designs, Epicurean, and the aircraft maker Cirrus all call Duluth home. However, the city also ... Read More

In 2016, over 626,000 individuals in the U.S. were released from state or federal prisons. Often released with nothing more than a bus ticket and a check for less than $200, the formerly incarcerated face serious economic challenges. They struggle securing necessities such as housing and transportation, let alone finding employment. Employers are often unwilling to hire individuals with criminal records and the jobs that are available often pay them lower wages. Read More