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Impact How UAB powers Alabama’s Economy

Building Community

University Contributions

UAB’s impact on Birmingham and across Alabama goes beyond the numbers. Economic studies like this usually capture only that which can be assigned an actual number. Still, the value of the university goes far beyond what can be displayed on a spreadsheet. From fighting food insecurity to serving residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, UAB is committed to being a caring partner, a good neighbor, and an economic driver. 

UAB Academic, UAB Health System, and Southern Research are strong community partners. The institutions themselves partake in several activities that support local businesses and nonprofits to succeed. As a committed anchor in Birmingham and in Alabama, UAB sees an opportunity in community-campus partnerships that serve the needs of the community and the state. 

UAB provides countless opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to serve the community through institutional partnerships, programs, and service-learning projects that significantly impact the community. Through UAB’s agenda, the university has developed partnerships with local charitable and community organizations, strengthening the Birmingham area and offering unique educational opportunities for UAB students. 

Each UAB faculty, staff, and student has a broad and substantial focus on assisting the communities in which they are a part. UAB provides more extensive community access to faculty experts and adds richness and diversity to the region’s activities. Assigning an exact dollar amount to UAB’s outreach and community activities is challenging. Still, the lives of those in the surrounding communities are significantly enhanced daily by its presence in many ways.14 

The following are a handful of the community activities in which UAB engages with the immediate and broader communities: 

  • UAB Benevolent Fund: The UAB Benevolent Fund, established and governed by employees, recognizes the importance of supporting the community. The UAB Benevolent Fund has active partnerships with 124 local nonprofit agencies. The UAB Benevolent Fund looks to transform where residents live, work, and play. A total of 4,462 donors have given $1.8 million. 

  • UAB Habitat House photoUAB Habitat House :

    The UAB Benevolent Fund has completed three Habitat for Humanity homes in the Birmingham area in the past four years. All three homes were funded by employee contributions and built by UAB employees and student volunteers. In 2022, donors gave $15,336. 

  • BlazerPulse: BlazerPulse is a tool that helps connect the dots, fill in gaps, and support internal and community partners by creating a central place for seeking, fulfilling, and documenting community engagement by faculty, staff, and students. The online platform enables UAB to reduce barriers to community engagement, connects university expertise and effort with community needs and partners, and improves the university community’s ability to communicate quickly and directly. This tool simplifies access for community partners who have difficulty finding a single point of contact — a front door — when they need support. 

  • Blazer Kitchen: The UAB on-campus food bank serves UAB employees and students facing food insecurity with fresh and nonperishable foods. Blazer Kitchen partners with the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama to access low-cost food such as USDA food, food donated through grocery stores, and food available only to food banks. In 2022, donors gave $123,492.

  • Birmingham Promise: UAB is committed to supporting access to educational opportunities for Birmingham students and developing the city’s future leaders and workforce. Providing opportunities for students to receive a world-class, socially conscious education is a pillar of UAB’s strategic plan, Forging the Future. UAB is the first academic partner to support the Birmingham Promise scholarship in providing Birmingham City Schools graduates an opportunity to attend the university with a one-to-one tuition scholarship match. In addition, the program directly aligns with the core principles of the University of Alabama System, which is committed to improving the lives and educational opportunities of all Alabama residents. 


Charitable Contributions

UAB Academic directly and indirectly affects the Alabama economy and supports jobs throughout the state. It also touches the lives of residents by way of community support. UAB Academic, its employees, and its students all take active roles in engaging with the local and larger communities, donating time and dollars to support their community. 

Tripp Umbach estimates that UAB Academic faculty, staff, and students generated more than $56.7 million annually in charitable donations and volunteer services. These community impacts are in addition to the economic impact of UAB Academic and include: 

  • $13.6 million donated to local charitable organizations by UAB Academic faculty, staff, and students. 
  • $43.1 million in value of volunteer time provided to area communities by UAB Academic faculty, staff, and students.