Institutions of Higher Education, Health Care Sign Pledge of Collaboration to Foster Economic Growth and Development

BALTIMORE, Md. (June 25, 2014)—Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joined representatives from eight of Baltimore's higher education and medical institutions to announce the Baltimore City Anchor Plan (BCAP), a strategic action plan to foster economic growth and development in Baltimore's neighborhoods.

"We recognize that Baltimore's anchor institutions play a significant role in the economic vitality of our City; but now it is imperative to increase collaboration and communication, as well as leverage and align resources to ensure that our communities are growing." said Mayor Rawlings-Blake.

Anchor institutions, as the City's largest employers, serve as catalysts to attract and retain residents, create jobs, and drive economic growth. They play a dynamic role in the local economy through hiring, purchasing power, and real estate development.

Building upon the strengths of existing partnerships—such as the UniverCity Partnership with the University of Maryland Baltimore; EBDI with Johns Hopkins Hospital and University and the Annie E. Casey Foundation; Park Heights Renaissance with Sinai Hospital—the Rawlings-Blake Administration began a process in the Fall of 2012 to increase collaboration and communication between local government, universities, and hospitals.

Working groups were created for three specific geographic sectors to build upon existing relationships between City government and anchor institutions—including Bon Secours Hospital and Coppin State University in Sector 1; Johns Hopkins University (Homewood Campus), Maryland Institute College of Art, and University of Baltimore in Sector 2; and Loyola University, Morgan State University, and Notre Dame of Maryland University in Sector 3. This led to the development of the Baltimore City Anchor Plan (BCAP).   

Through BCAP, anchor institutions and the City will work together in innovative ways to address the agreed upon priority areas public safety, local hiring, local purchasing, and quality of life. BCAP will serve as an inter-agency forum for City agencies to coordinate with anchors on City services such as homeownership incentives, neighborhood revitalization, recreational assets, public works and transportation capital investments, and business and employment services.

BCAP will formalize a quarterly inter-agency meeting schedule and bi-annual Presidents Roundtable meetings between the mayor and anchor institution presidents to coordinate on priority areas in a comprehensive manner.

"Since 1919, Bon Secours has been an anchor institution in West Baltimore, and we are very supportive of the city's Anchor Plan," said Samuel Ross, M.D., M.S., chief executive officer of Bon Secours Baltimore Health System, Inc. "Our services expand beyond healthcare to include affordable housing, developmental childcare, workforce development, parenting classes, financial literacy, and GED instruction to name a few. We are pleased to be a part of this project and look forward to helping the mayor move forward with growing Baltimore and attracting new families to our city."

BCAP will directly support Mayor Rawlings-Blake's existing economic development strategies and the mayor's efforts to grow Baltimore by 10,000 families. For more information, visit the link below to read the Baltimore City Anchor Plan.