Alabama Possible

Alabama Possible is a statewide 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works towards breaking down barriers to prosperity through strategic partnerships with higher education institutions, community partners, policymakers, and faith-based organizations. Its research-driven work is designed to broaden relationships and enhance capacity building, with a focus on addressing systemic poverty. All alabamians can lead prosperous lives, and its programs work to make that possibility a reality. Alabama Possible has changed the way people think and talk about poverty in Alabama since 1993. Auburn university president wilford bailey, auburn history professor emeritus wayne flynt, social work pioneer eulene hawkins, and Alabama baptist convention president earl potts founded Alabama Possible in 1993 when they decided to join forces and take action against poverty in Alabama. Alabama Possible removes barriers to prosperity through advocacy, education, and collaboration by implementing the following focus areas: postsecondary accessalabama Possible's postsecondary access programs build educational equity across Alabama for under-resourced and first-generation college-going students and students of color. Through the Alabama goes to college campaign, Alabama high school graduates accessed more than $59 million in free pell grant aid to pay for education after high school, including technical and academic credentials.postsecondary successalabama Possible promotes engaged learning that combines classroom instruction with thoughtful community and civic engagement. Alabama Possible convenes the 20+ member higher education alliance, 65+ member Alabama college attainment network (alabamacan) and the nation's first historically black community college/predominately black community college network to identify innovative approaches to teaching and learning. It also promotes relationship-building between these partners through statewide professional development workshops/summits. Collaborationalabama Possible facilitates virtual poverty simulations and a series of break it down community discussions as part of the breaking barriers to prosperity toolkit to increase participants' understanding of the hardships and emotional toll experienced by under-resourced families. Advocacyalabama Possible's programs and advocacy work are data-driven, and Alabama Possible compiles and summarizes its research on an annual basis through the barriers to prosperity data sheet, a comprehensive, graphic resource that highlights rates of poverty, food security, educational attainment, employment, and health insurance coverage for all 67 Alabama counties.