WHAT WE DO

We use our leadership and community knowledge to create positive change. 

We use our endowment, created by a community of donors and supported by caring people today, where those dollars can be most effective. 

And we are constantly looking for new opportunities to make life better in the Birmingham region – today, tomorrow, every day.  We are in the transformation business, and we welcome partners who share our passion.

We connect people to make life better by:
  • Providing charitable options, expertise and inspiration for people who want to give back to their community.  For donors, that means offering flexible, tax-effective options for giving in any amount.  For professional advisors, that means working hand in hand to help answer the needs of their clients.
  • Making strategic grants and providing services to help nonprofit organizations do the direct program work they do best.  For some, that means encouraging best practices in management and accounting.  For others, that means using our experience and asset size as a base for Charitable Gift Annuities, the Charitable Real Estate Foundation and other services which nonprofits can offer to their own donors.
  • Providing leadership and serving as a trustworthy partner on critical issues facing the region where we live.  The community serves as our guide to what issues are most pressing, as we review headlines, white papers, reports and surveys.  Our role may vary from neutral convenor to advocate, but we always take seriously the part we play in making life better for everyone.
WHAT'S NEW

Success for every child
Find out why Dave Lawrence believes success in school is an important promise for everyone's child. more

Voters support pre-K
Survey shows Alabama voters place extremely high priority on pre-K education. more

When disaster strikes
Community foundations can help you respond to disasters across our nation or close at home, like the recent tornadoes in central Alabama. more

Support for 3 great parks
$15 million from foundations and businesses launches individual campaigns. more

More on school readiness
The data in the "Community Counts" indicators report led to our latest initiative and a way to work on the root cause of many issues – giving children the best opportunity to succeed in school. more

What we do