Turning Charleston’s Priorities Into Plans
How Is Our Community Shaping What Comes Next?
Charleston Thrives is a community-led effort that brings people together to help shape Charleston’s future around five areas that matter to our community: Government & Civic Engagement, Education, Economic Opportunity, Health & Well-Being, and Culture & Arts.
Right now, community members are participating in those five areas to take an important next step: turning shared priorities into plans for continued local action in 2027.
That starts by taking a closer look at Charleston today. What is already working that we can build upon? Where are there challenges or gaps? What opportunities could help Charleston move forward? And what outside factors could affect that progress? Working Group members are researching and discussing these questions together so their plans are grounded in a fuller understanding of each focus area.
From there, the work becomes increasingly specific. Participants will use what they learn to establish goals, identify the actions that can help achieve them, determine who and what will be needed, and decide how progress can be tracked. This allows community members to turn shared priorities into clear sets of actions that local people can help carry forward.
That is part of the value Charleston Thrives brings to our community. People with different experiences, expertise, relationships, and perspectives have a regular way to work through important questions together. Instead of planning in isolation, they can learn from one another, see connections across different parts of community life, and identify where working together can make an effort stronger.
SonEdna Foundation acts as the backbone supporter of Charleston Thrives by providing structure, tools, and coordination to help this community-led work to continue to move forward. Community participants bring the knowledge, ideas, relationships, and leadership that shape the plans.
Between now and the end of the year, that work will continue across all five focus areas as participants develop plans for 2027. Each step helps move Charleston from shared priorities toward shared action and creates a clearer path for people to contribute to our community’s future.
That is Making Progress Together: understanding where we are, deciding where we want to go, and doing the work together to move Charleston forward. Follow SonEdna Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with Charleston Thrives and learn about opportunities to participate.
If you see progress happening across Charleston, we hope you will share it with me and with each other.
Email cheryl@sonedna.com.
Charleston Thrives is a community-led effort supported by SonEdna Foundation that brings people together to recognize progress already happening across Charleston and carry it forward together. Through shared experiences, conversations and participation, Charleston Thrives helps people see their place in the future of the community and how they can help shape it. Focus areas include Government & Civic Engagement, Education, Economic Opportunity, Health & Well-Being, and Culture & Arts. Follow how Charleston Thrives is Making Progress Together: Facebook.com/sonednafoundation | Instagram.com/sonednafoundation | and at Linkedin.com/company/ sonedna-foundation.
