Anchor Institutions Task Force Annual Conference

The Office of University Partnerships is pleased to share the following invitation on behalf of our friends and colleagues in the Anchor Institutions Task Force. We hope to see you in Chicago!

The Anchor Institutions Task Force (AITF) is a growing network of over 400 members, which serves as an ongoing think tank promoting the role of anchor institutions in community and economic development. Ira Harkavy, Director of the University of Pennsylvania's Netter Center for Community Partnerships is the Chair of the AITF's Steering Committee. David Maurrasse, Founder and President of Marga Incorporated, is the AITF's Director. Marga coordinates the AITF's activities.

The anchor institutions field continues to grow throughout the U.S., with an increasing number of institutions of various shapes and sizes identifying as anchor institutions and envisioning ways to leverage their commitment to place to strengthen their local democratic participation.

The AITF is holding its annual conference November 17 and 18 in Chicago, hosted by the University of Chicago, and co-hosted by the Chicago Community Trust and the University of Illinois at Chicago. The conference opens with a reception in the late afternoon on November 17 and should end by 4 pm on the 18th.