The grantmaker serves as a catalyst for building strong and viable communities that meet the needs of their citizens through collaborative action and service. The foundation believes that successful communities must engage a diverse mix of human, social and economic assets in the process of defining and addressing community needs. It encourages collaborative efforts that engage a wide range of public, corporate, private and other nonprofit partners as investors and service providers. Priority is given to investments that leverage additional support from other sources, and that serve as a channel for long-term strategic change in organizations and communities to better meet local needs. This includes supporting efforts to increase philanthropy in the region through the establishment and support of community foundations.