Community Capacity Building

We invest in grassroots advocacy, civic engagement and community organizing with diverse partners that build power, shift policy and influence systems within which children develop and grow. Deaconess has invested more than $85 million in the St. Louis community since 1998.

We aim to mobilize and earn trust with diverse constituencies by adding the value of staff expertise and the Foundation’s institutional network to high-impact initiatives for children in poverty.

We strive to expand community knowledge by resourcing and informing translation of research into policy in areas of child well-being specific to St. Louis in partnership with universities and community-based organizations.

We leverage our faith heritage, relationships with the faith community and non-profit organizations to lift child well-being as a public health priority for the St. Louis region.