
- Anchor institution connections
Anchor institution connections
We have catalyzed a national movement of anchor institutions working together to build community wealth.
We have been at the vanguard of a movement to enlist nonprofit anchor institutions like hospitals and universities in the construction of a democratic economy. We launched the Healthcare Anchor Network in 2017 to advance the anchor mission and spun it off as a separate organization in 2022 as a network of more than 65 leading hospitals and health systems that employ more than 2 million people.
By harnessing the healthcare sector’s economic power and aligning it with the democratic economy, these systems can help address the social and economic determinants of community health. We work within this network to lift up the boldest innovations—such as contracting with worker cooperatives and supporting community land trusts to preserve affordable housing—and center them as new norms for the sector.
Our history of work with the Anchor Learning Network—35 universities dedicated to advancing the state of community engagement and the anchor mission—and the Anchor Collaborative Network—which linked leaders from anchor institutions, local governments and the community in 22 localities—continue to inform and inspire efforts around the country to amplify the impact of anchor institutions on community wealth building and the movement to a democratic economy