MDC's mission is to help organizations and communities close the gaps that separate people from opportunity. The organization has been working to create positive change in disadvantaged communities for 40 years--by conducting research and demonstrating effective programs at the community level. MDC focuses on three areas: education, economic and workforce development, and asset building and strategic philanthropy. This paper presents MDC's annual report for 2008. This report describes MDC's growing portfolio of work in education, job training, economic development, asset building and strategic philanthropy.