By Lilli Cox | Vice President, Communications
As we are now firmly in the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and withweather events increasing in both frequency and severity across the globe, St. Croix Foundation is more mindful than ever before about what true “Community Resilience” looks like. Resilience is, of course, supported by policy, funding, and programs – but in truth, these are all tools, and our ability to wield them with effectiveness and with humanity lies in the collective, connected relationships within a localized community ecosystem.
Today, whether the crisis is natural, economic, political, or social, when a disaster hits, each community contracts into its own little island. The truth of this is seen in what unfolded in each city around the globe during the COVID Pandemic. And so, as today’s climate (natural and human-made) is rife with uncertainty, SCF and our Nonprofit Consortium are actively strengthening our local civic ecosystem.
This summer, St. Croix Foundation’s Nonprofit Consortium (NPC) will celebrate nine years of fostering collaboration, innovation, and sustainable community development! Our Consortium, born in the wake of an economic crisis when St. Croix’s largest employer closed its doors, developed new systems in response to the 2017 Hurricanes, which were put to the test in 2020 – and passed it with flying colors - during the pandemic. Since 2016, the Consortium has advocated publicly for the reinstatement of critical local government dollars for our healthcare nonprofit providers, created new systems of information dissemination and communication around environmental and public health, and leveraged scarce grant dollars to find and reach more of our People.
Current Work and Activities in the Past Quarter
This past quarter has been marked by growth and renewal within our Nonprofit Consortium. Demonstrating its enduring value and impact, the Consortium has been focused on solidifying its foundation through membership renewal and strategic expansion.
In just the past few months, our Consortium convened 10 times, facilitating crucial dialogues and collaborative initiatives, and reactivating our Advisory Council. The Council revised the Consortium’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to build additional structure around membership, enhancing our collective capacity to address community needs and providing clearer processes for joining. We are also proud to welcome five new members to the Consortium, each bringing unique expertise and a shared dedication to our mission.
A highlight of this quarter was our special session on July 14th, featuring the El Paso Community Foundation (EPCF). This meeting, titled "Field Voices: Strategies and Stories from El Paso, Texas," provided invaluable insights into the El Paso ecosystem and explored the role of the El Paso Community Foundation within their localized ecosystem. This peer exchange fostered cross-learning and identified best practices that could be adapted to the unique context of St. Croix.
Looking to the (Very Near) Future!
Looking ahead, we are excited to announce a joint Summit in early August, bringing together our KIDS COUNT work in the Virgin Islands and the Nonprofit Consortium to harness the diverse community genius and wealth that already exists in the territory. This summit, themed "Harnessing Community Genius, Co-Designing System Bypasses," will be held from August 4th to 6th and will feature a one-of-a-kind workshop led by global change leader Tuesday Rivera from The Outside.
This collaborative event will bring together community members to share ideas, nurture partnerships, and co-design support systems and safety nets for our families and children. By weaving together community wisdom and fostering collaborative action, we are confident that this Summit will catalyze innovative solutions and strengthen the fabric of our community. As we continue to navigate the complexities of our time, the St. Croix Foundation and the Nonprofit Consortium remain committed to building a resilient, equitable, and thriving St. Croix for all.
Over the past nine years, SCF and our Nonprofit Consortium members have intentionally developed muscle around collaboration that goes far beyond a single project or memorandum of understanding – in fact, our NPC is itself bypassing entrenched systems and demonstrating that sustained, true community resilience lies firmly in the hands and in the power of collective action.
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