You can get a lot done when you don’t care who gets the credit.

We’re committed to philanthropic impact that goes beyond a check. Let’s transform our community together.

Our work.

At the Mountain West Center for Community Excellence, our mission is to educate, support, and promote collaboration through community and civic engagement to collectively address challenges and opportunities that empower communities to thrive.

We serve as a neutral convener in the Salem-Keizer area, bringing together community members and groups of diverse backgrounds and interests, to learn together and tackle issues our community deems important.

Our priorities.

Children & Families

Build community resilience and strengthen children, youth, and families.

Leadership

Develop transformational leaders in every sector and generation of our community, with an emphasis on nonprofits.

Seniors

Help seniors find comfort, connection, and purpose.

Civic Engagement

Provide nonpartisan educational and informational opportunities to develop an engaged citizenry.

Education

Support innovation in education across all levels.

Faith

Promote application of faith-focused solutions to personal and community challenges.

Our impact.

It is our hope that the Center becomes an integral community resource in the Salem-Keizer area, with the following outcomes:

  • Enhance community and civic engagement

  • Build community resiliency by strengthening families and neighborhoods

  • Increase innovative education and leadership opportunities for local youth

  • Support and sustain nonprofit organizations and partners in our community

  • Increase effectiveness of locally elected public boards, including the Salem-Keizer School Board and Salem City Council

  • Promote a shared understanding of community issues and concerns and facilitate opportunities to learn together and collaboratively solve problems and challenges

The Center honors the values and principles of our community, and is committed to doing what is in the best interest of the entire community and all its members.

Let’s better our community. Together.

Passionate about solving a particular community issue? Looking to collaborate with similarly focused organizations or individuals? Let’s connect.