Foundations For A Better Oregon

WE ENVISION A BETTER OREGON THAT HEARS, VALUES, AND CARES FOR EVERY CHILD. COMMUNITIES, POLICYMAKERS, SYSTEM LEADERS, AND PHILANTHROPY FORGE NETWORKS OF TRUST, HONOR OREGON'S COMPLEXITY AND MOVE AS ONE TO REMEDY THE HISTORICAL AND EMERGING INJUSTICES FACING CHILDREN. PUBLIC SYSTEMS AUTHENTICALLY ENGAGE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IN DESIGN AND DECISION-MAKING TO UPHOLD OUR COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN. TOGETHER, OREGONIANS NURTURE CHILDREN'S LEARNING, ASPIRATIONS, AND HUMANITY, AND EVERY CHILD KNOWS THAT THEY BELONG.

POLICY AND ADVOCACY - WORKING PRIMARILY AT THE STATE LEVEL, WE COLLABORATE WITH IMPACTED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO ANALYZE, DEVELOP, AND ADVOCATE FOR POLICY CHANGES AND PUBLIC INVESTMENTS THAT CREATE A BETTER OREGON FOR EVERY CHILD. WE BELIEVE PUBLIC SYSTEMS WORK BEST WHEN IMPACTED COMMUNITIES ENGAGE IN THE ENTIRE CYCLE OF CHANGE, FROM DISCOVERY TO POLICY DESIGN TO ACCOUNTABILITY.

DATA AND RESEARCH - WHEN GROUNDED IN SHARED VISION AND VALUES, DATA CAN BE A POWERFUL TOOL FOR UNDERSTANDING AND COMBATING THE PERVASIVE DISPARITIES THAT WE KNOW EXIST FOR TOO MANY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. WE ELEVATE DATA AND RESEARCH THAT DISCERN THE ROOT CAUSES OF INEQUITY, ILLUMINATE STRATEGIES THAT MAKE THE GREATEST IMPACT, AND PROMOTE CONTINUOUS REFLECTION AND IMPROVEMENT.

PARTNER ENGAGEMENT AND CONVENING - ENGAGING MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES AND EXAMINING ISSUES FROM DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINTS ARE CRITICAL TO DRIVING COLLECTIVE ACTION. WE CONVENE OREGONIANS FROM ALL SECTORS, GEOGRAPHIES, AND BACKGROUNDS TO NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS, SHARE LEARNING, FORM PARTNERSHIPS, AND SOLVE PROBLEMS.

OTHER - TO FOSTER EMPATHY AND BUILD PUBLIC WILL, WE HIGHLIGHT STORIES ACROSS OREGON THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE, HOW OUR CHILDREN ARE DOING, AND WHAT GIVES US HOPE. BY ADDRESSING LONGSTANDING SYSTEMIC FAILURES AND UPLIFTING THE DEEP-ROOTED STRENGTHS OF OUR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES, WE CAN NARRATE THE PATH TO A MORE JUST FUTURE.