The Community Foundation of South Alabama will have an Inaugural Policy Forum on Thursday, Sept. 13. Improving the strategies and policies of community economic development will be the focus of a series of forums for the Gulf Coast region.

Expanding community economic development efforts will begin with Baldwin County, A. Owen Drey, III, economic development program officer said.

“It will have a tremendous effect on Malbis and Spanish Fort,” he said.

It will be a region wide effort according to Drey.

The foundation will assist communities in eight Southwest Alabama counties, including Baldwin and Mobile counties.

Tools of community economic development will be utilized to bring a cross section of people together to help people of low to moderate income and at risk (impoverished) communities, Drey said.

People who have not traditionally had “a seat at the table,” are encouraged to attend to help identify areas of concern in their communities.

A main goal of the Community Foundation is “to have the community have a voice,” Drey said.

Community leaders will emerge and faith-based communities are traditionally good responders to community building, Drey said.

Charitable contributions are invested and the income from the investments are used to fund non-profits of the region.

In the April 2007 newsletter, the mission of the Community Foundation is to encourage gifts from the community to strengthen the future of nonprofits and it is the “pre-eminent vessel for permanent, perpetual giving.”

Community members will be well versed on their issues with the assistance of the Community Foundation who will also bring in technical expertise and funding.

The February 2007 Community Economic Development Development Symposium was attended by approximately 121 people, including representatives from every sector including chamber of commerce members, private businesses, social service agencies, housing authorities and nonprofits.

The series of forums will include six areas of needs assessment which includes housing, work force development, education, small business development, leadership development and healthy communities.

The Sept. 13 forum will address Workforce/Affordable Housing: Homes for Working Families.

The forum is open to the public and will be held at the Mobile Convention Center from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more information, call 251-438-5591.