Big Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Move: Scaling Good Ideas in the Deep South

Birmingham, Alabama is known as a cradle of the civil rights movement — but it has also quickly become a hub of social sector innovation under the leadership of Mayor Randall Woodfin. When Woodfin took office in 2017, he drew on evidence-based ideas from other cities to build a new legacy for the city focused on economic growth and opportunity and has worked closely with partners like Results for America and Bloomberg Philanthropies. This approach fueled initiatives like Birmingham Talks – led by the nonprofit, Small Magic – whose literacy program has helped more than 4,000 children with a model that triples their likelihood of being ready for kindergarten. And other communities around the country are taking note, following Birmingham’s example and investing in sustainable approaches to building stronger and more vibrant local economies.

This panel will bring together local leaders from Birmingham to explore the city’s emergence as an unexpected source of innovation from cradle to career — and national leaders to discuss the role of investment in driving economic prosperity.