More importantly it is related to community. Start-up Funding External planning funds for MathFirst came from the Ford Foundation and The Phil Hardin Foundation. Community sponsors included the Meridian Workforce Council, the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, Lauderdale County Schools, Meridian Public Schools , Mississippi State University , and Meridian Community College . Core Values MathFirst is grounded in five principles, or core values, as suggested by the Ford Foundation's Rural Community College Initiative . Rural America matters.
Healthy communities focus on their assets.
Change begins with self-assessment. Effective change requires collaboration and inclusiveness. Equity and high expectations should undergird education and economic development goals. We recognize that to do this we must build better bridges among our schools, businesses, developers, governmental entities, and programs. Rationale The MathFirst team thoroughly reviewed its situation analyses, data review, and SWOT assessments to determine key goals that will address problems, bring community partners together, and provide real opportunities to build bridges.