The San Antonio Area Foundation imagines a vibrant arts and culture community that increases connectivity, empowers all San Antonians, and reflects the cultural diversity of our city. This impact area aims to preserve San Antonio’s rich culture and history and enhance community connectivity through the arts by focusing on approaches that:

• Support programs to promote economic and community development.
• Build capacity by supporting under-resourced arts and culture organizations.
• Influence funders through advocacy.
• Mobilize communities by supporting community voice and empowerment.
• Catalyzing collaboration by supporting coordinated efforts between diverse arts and culture organizations.

The San Antonio Area Foundation envisions a thriving, connected and resilient San Antonio where residents can enjoy a safe, stable, and lives full of opportunity in every zip code. Utilizing a multi-faceted approach to increase our community’s livability and resilience, thereby reducing economic segregation, this impact area focuses on approaches that:

• Build capacity for under-resourced non-profits through professional development, general operating support and learning circles.
• Mobilize communities through advocacy and community organizing.
• Catalyze collaboration by convening cross-sector actors and shifting resources and priorities to support zip codes with limited access to resources.
• Generate knowledge through investments in research and innovations that build on existing assets in under-served communities.

The San Antonio Area Foundation believes in building an attractive and livable community that supports the improved health, well-being, and autonomy of older adults and values the contributions of all older adults. Knowing that aging begins well before an individual reaches their 50s and 60s, this impact area engages the community and adults of all ages through approaches that:

• Support programs focused on strengthening safety nets and caregiving support for aging adults.
• Catalyze collaboration by supporting innovative, effective collaborative efforts and partnerships between system actors and supporting aging adults in San Antonio.
• Shifting the narrative on aging by building awareness and reframing mental models around aging and the assets and contributions from aging adults.
• Generate knowledge by sharing data, learnings and building capacity within aging adult-serving organizations.

The San Antonio Area Foundation helps build a network of programs in San Antonio that supports the improved educational and social-emotional success and autonomy of young people and elevates the achievement of all within the community. This this impact area creates opportunities for children and youth to thrive in adulthood, thus breaking the cycle of poverty, by fostering a cradle to career continuum focused on:

• Supporting programs that broaden assistance to students, family members and other educational stakeholders.
• Influencing other funders to increase alignment and focus on racial and economic disparities in education.
• Informing policy by supporting programming, research and advocacy that seeks policy solutions addressing the inequities.
• Mobilizing communities by supporting young people in articulating and advancing their own educational vision and elevating youth leadership.
• Catalyzing cross sector collaboration by convening to develop integrated, wraparound experiences for youth both in and out of school.

The San Antonio Area Foundation engages in several strategic partnerships and initiatives intended to build community capacity by responding to community needs, help organizations grow and advance equity.

The Area Foundation engages community stakeholders in fulfilling its mission and achieving its North Star, San Antonio area residents are deeply connected, have equitable opportunities to thrive, and contribute to the vitality of the community, by creating space for community leadership and community led collaborations.