By Cynthia H. Andrews, Board Chair, Fund for Our Economic Future
The Fund for Our Economic Future is an incredible asset in Northeast Ohio, and I am thrilled to be taking on the role of board chair. For more than two decades, this collaboration has been at the forefront of efforts to advance an economy in which everyone can thrive, serving as a creative space for leaders to wrestle with some of our region’s most pressing challenges and test new ideas and ways of working. As the Fund continues to evolve, I am excited to help shape what comes next, ensuring we continue to bring value to leaders and communities while remaining rooted in our commitment to a growing economy with good jobs and rising incomes for all.
The Fund has always done its best work when the region has needed it most, and we are in one of those moments right now. Federal support for people, places, and innovation has shifted. Wages are struggling to keep pace with the cost of living. Local and regional leaders are being asked to step up as problem-solvers in ways that weren’t expected of them before.
What makes the Fund uniquely positioned to address these challenges is trust—trust that has been built over 20+ years, one step at a time, across all corners of the region. This trust enables us to convene, challenge, and connect across sectors in ways few organizations can. I saw this kind of cross-sector partnership work up close during my 26 years at IBM, where I led efforts across the region bringing together leaders in health care, education, manufacturing, and government to solve complex, interconnected problems. The Fund operates with the same spirit, and I believe we can go even further.
Over the past year, we have been listening carefully, reflecting on how peer organizations in other regions operate, and asking hard questions about where the Fund can add the most value. We aren’t creating a strategic plan; we’re reimagining our impact. This process has been deliberate, and it is ongoing. The Fund’s mission remains constant: building an economy in Northeast Ohio where good jobs and rising incomes are within reach of everyone, regardless of race or place. What we are working through together is how best to deliver on that mission, given what the region needs today.
My work at the Community Foundation of Lorain County has reinforced something I’ve long believed: Lasting change happens when philanthropy, business, and community work in genuine partnership toward a shared goal. I’m committed to building on this belief as chair of the Fund.
I look forward to working with the Fund’s remarkable network as we continue to shape what comes next. Stay tuned!
