Mission
FOUNDED IN 2018, OPPORTUNITY ALABAMA (OPAL) IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO CREATING A NATIONAL MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH COMMUNITY-LED, PLACE-BASED INVESTMENTS. WE HELP UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES LEVERAGE DIVERSE FUNDING SOURCES FOR PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES THAT IMPROVE QUALITY OF PLACE AND ENHANCE THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. MOST OF THAT WORK INVOLVES CLOSING ACCESS TO CAPITAL GAPS IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, IN ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES, AND/OR WITHIN DISADVANTAGED POPULATIONS (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MINORITY- AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS OF LOW-INCOME AREAS, ETC.). THROUGH THAT WORK, WE REMEDIATE BLIGHT, IMPROVE GENERAL ECONOMIC AND SOCIETAL CONDITIONS, COMBAT COMMUNITY DETERIORATION, AND/OR PRESERVE THE TRADITIONS, ARCHITECTURE, AND APPEARANCE OF THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.