Looking to the Future

Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Partners,

As we celebrate ICIC’s 30th anniversary, I’m filled with a deep gratitude for the extraordinary journey we continue to share. This milestone is a testament to the unwavering support of those whose leadership has helped us reach this point. To our funders, partners, alumni, small business owners, board members, and countless friends and colleagues who have contributed so much—thank you. Your commitment to our shared vision has been essential to our success.

Founded by renowned Harvard Business School professor, Dr. Michael Porter, ICIC has always been rooted in his awareness that under-resourced communities possess unique strengths that can spur economic growth. For 30 years, we have stayed true to our mission: to drive inclusive economic prosperity through innovative research and programs that create jobs, income, and wealth for local residents. This work directly supports our determination to eliminate concentrated poverty and close the racial wealth gap in the United States.

We remain dedicated to fostering partnerships that bridge gaps between the private and public sectors and encourage meaningful and lasting change.

As such, we’ve launched the “What’s Your Why?” campaign to hear from program participants, funders, staff, and partners about what motivates them and how their “why” connects them to ICIC. The powerful stories you’ll see throughout this report reflect ways we continue to inspire and shape our future.

Looking ahead, we recognize that closing the racial wealth gap continues to be a profound challenge. It requires the constant collaboration and community building central to ICIC’s unique approach. We remain dedicated to fostering partnerships that bridge gaps between the private and public sectors and encourage meaningful and lasting change. As part of our future efforts, we’re excited to introduce dynamic new programs designed to help primarily BIPOC-, woman-, and veteran-owned small businesses grow and thrive. With a focus on crucial priorities, including manufacturing and artificial intelligence, we’re equipping these businesses with the tools and strategies needed to succeed in a constantly evolving economy.

Thank you for being part of this journey. In large measure because of an extraordinary team with which I am privileged to work, we’ve achieved so much. We will continue to create opportunities, inspire inclusive prosperity, and build a future in which underserved communities thrive and concentrated poverty and racial wealth disparities are left behind.

With deep gratitude,
Steve Grossman, CEO, ICIC