Mission

VAN ALEN INSTITUTE HELPS CREATE EQUITABLE CITIES THROUGH COMMUNITY-LED INCLUSIVE DESIGN. IN AN EQUITABLE CITY, COMMUNITIES ARE ENGAGED IN THE CONCEPTION AND CREATION OF THEIR BUILT ENVIRONMENT, REGARDLESS OF INCOME OR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING BUILDS RESILIENCE, SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ULTIMATELY, MORE JUST CITIES. WE PARTNER WITH LEADERS OF HISTORICALLY DISINVESTED COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND LONG TERM VISIONS WITH OUR NETWORK, KNOWLEDGE, AND RESOURCES. WE SHAPE DIVERSE INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS, BUILD CROSS-SECTOR PUBLIC/PRIVATE COALITIONS, AND INVEST OUR OWN FUNDS TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD PRIORITIES. BY CENTERING COMMUNITY IN EVERYTHING WE DO, OUR INCLUSIVE DESIGN METHOD RESPONDS TO THE URGENT NEED FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN CITYMAKING. FOR 130 YEARS, OUR PURPOSEFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CONVENING CAPACITY, AND GLOBAL NETWORK HAVE PRODUCED PROFOUND TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE PUBLIC REALM OF NEW YORK CITY AND BEYOND. WITH AN INTERDISCIPLINAR