CUMU’S ANCHOR MISSION INITIATIVE

Urban and metropolitan colleges and universities are deeply rooted in the communities they call home — as major employers, purchasers, and investors, they have both the opportunity and the responsibility to direct their economic power toward the long-term well-being of their communities. This is the anchor mission: the intentional alignment of a college or university’s economic assets and human capital with the needs of its local community to support shared prosperity and community well-being.

CUMU’s Anchor Mission Initiative is an umbrella of programs designed to support member institutions in applying their economic power and human capital in long-term partnership with their local communities. Whether just beginning to explore the anchor mission or looking to deepen and accelerate their work, there is a program for every stage of the journey.

This year, all of CUMU’s Anchor Mission programs are united by a shared theme: Strengthening the Workforce — exploring how colleges and universities can align postsecondary pathways, employer partnerships, and community engagement strategies to support opportunity and prosperity.

cumu anchor learning network logo

Anchor Learning Network Action Summit

The Anchor Learning Network Action Summit is a national virtual convening open to leaders from higher education, community-based organizations, and local government. 

Anchor Book Club

In the CUMU Anchor Book Club, CUMU members come together to read best-selling higher education books that focus on advancing higher education’s anchor mission. Whether you are an administrator, faculty, staff member, student or community partner at a CUMU member institution, all are welcome.

Anchor Learning Network

Through the Anchor Learning Network (ALN), CUMU members explore opportunities for advancing anchor mission strategies grounded in the Anchor Mission Framework that centers community wealth building and explores strategies around core economic assets of purchasing, hiring and investment.

Anchor Learning Network Accelerator

For campuses interested in a more intensive, team-building experience, the Anchor Learning Network Accelerator allows CUMU member campuses to create a cohort of peers on their campus to learn, collaborate and build a shared vision of anchor mission work to create impacts in their communities.

Anchor Task Force on Workforce Development

The Anchor Task Force on Workforce Development is an initiative led by campus and community leaders that will produce a public-facing report examining how urban and metropolitan campsues leverage their workforce development efforts — aligning postsecondary pathways, employer partnerships, and community engagement strategies — to strengthen their communities. The report is expected for publication in October 2026.