In 2023, the Bronx Community Foundation (BxCF) partnered with Hester Street to design and implement a Bronx-wide community-driven engagement process to inform the Foundation’s new strategic plan.
In collaboration with 23 community-based organizations (CBOs), HST helped to orchestrate 18 community events throughout the summer of 2023 to engage community leaders, residents, and stakeholders in envisioning a brighter future for all Bronxites. We elicited feedback from over 1,000 Bronxites in order to identify and assess current conditions, needs, and opportunities for CBOs and residents throughout the borough. Bronx residents shared their experiences and created vision boards centered around tackling key issues, including fair and safe housing, quality education, food sovereignty, healthy equity and access, and community-owned open spaces, among others.
Following the community engagement process, our team made recommendations to inform BxCF’s future vision and strategic planning priorities to invest in staff and financial resources based on insight from CBO partners and Bronx residents.