The Community Foundation Opportunity Network (CFON) comprises 40 regional foundations from across the United States, all of which are committed to narrowing the opportunity gap faced by youth of low- and moderate-income backgrounds. Among the Network’s advisors is Robert Putnam, whose Foundation-supported working groups outlined community-based solutions to narrow the opportunity gap. The central objectives of the CFON are to build awareness of community-based solutions to narrow the opportunity gap and to serve as a national hub for stakeholders engaged in these efforts. The Network aims to build coalitions between researchers, policymakers, and community stakeholders; develop and advance the solutions put forth by Putnam’s working groups; and engage in advocacy efforts for public policy reforms at the state and local levels. As a national hub, the CFON will bring together relevant stakeholders, including funders, policymakers, and social change institutions; host convenings centered on efforts to reduce the opportunity gap; mobilize individuals and organizations to communicate specific community-based efforts to media and policymakers; and engage in advocacy efforts for federal policy reforms.
This grant will support a two-year membership in the Community Foundation Opportunity Network (CFON).
