• Our Vision: Together we can help more people in Edmonton experience family economic success.
  
  
• Our Mission: Vibrant Communities - Helping people move from surviving to thriving
  
  
• Our Objectives:

  • To build family economic success for 1000 households in Edmonton
  • To engage 20 community leaders who are living with low income
  • To engage 20 businesses
  • To engage at least 50 non profit organizations and government agencies

Building on the successful model of the Opportunities 2000 multi sectoral collaboration in the Waterloo Ontario region, the National Sponsors Tamarack – An Institute for Community Engagement, Caledon Institute of Social Policy and The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation invited representatives from over a dozen communities in Canada to participate in a conference to learn more about multisectoral, comprehensive approaches to poverty reduction.

After participating in the conference in 2002, a working group of interested people began to explore the potential for implementing a comprehensive community initiative in Edmonton. A three phased action plan was implemented.

• Phase I (2002) - Working Group Explores Community Support through 8 focus groups:  Businesses, Professional Associations, Youth, People Living with Low Income, Unions, Faith Community, Non profit organizations, Funder 4 keythemes emerge:
  
  

  1. Need for Community Awareness/Community Engagement
  2. Need for Compelling Vision
  3. Need for a “whole” systems approach – complex work
  4. Need for a framework/plan
     
     
• Phase II (2003) - Steering committee begins strategic planning through multi sectoral sub committees:
  
  

  1. Research and AnalysisCommunity Awareness/Education
  2. Partnerships/Community Engagement
  3. Leadership/Governance
  4. Fund & Resource Development
     
     
• Phase III (2004 – present) – Multi Sectoral Leadership Council implementation of strategic plan