For Alamance Initiative

This is a community initiative that aims to empower community members to take action on the things that matter to them.

Impact Alamance has forged a partnership with The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation on an initiative to spur community transformation in Alamance County.

The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that for over 30 years has equipped people, organizations, communities, and networks with the tools to bridge divides, create a culture of shared responsibility, and build a community’s civic capacities. The Harwood Institute’s Turning Outward practice has spread to all 50 U.S. states and 40 countries. A growing network of thousands have adopted the approach and made it their own.

There are two primary goals of this initiative: (1) generate community-led transformation on concerns that matter to people; (2) strengthen the civic culture of Alamance County so the community can take effective, sustainable action.

At the heart of this initiative is the belief that, by working together, the people of Alamance can build a more inclusive, hopeful path forward. 

Together, the Harwood Institute and Impact Alamance have engaged residents and community leaders to understand the key issues and underlying community conditions that make up Alamance by conducting in-depth interviews. In November 2022, The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, in partnership with Impact Alamance, released the report, Alamance Choosing Hope, which illuminates how people across the county see and experience life in Alamance. It also highlights key areas for strengthening Alamance’s civic culture so people can come together to determine how to move forward. The full report can be viewed below.