Community and economic development professionals in cities use a variety of strategies to grow their local communities, shape their economies, and advance equity and inclusion. As NPQ has reported, both in its newswires and through its Economy Remixseries, including community voices and enhancing relationships is vital to any successful community or economic development effort. While there are a growing number of new community development mechanisms, such as the federal Opportunity Zone initiative, many traditional approaches still have tremendous value.

One often overlooked instrument is the Community Development Corporation (CDC), which has a rich history of mobilizing billions of dollars—$12 billion in the state of New Jersey alone—and creating resilient structures within low-income communities. For decades, CDCs have tackled some of America’s most challenging problems: neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, community economic development, workforce development and job creation, financial empowerment, and food access. Through these efforts, CDCs have local impact by improving economic opportunities and social conditions in the communities they serve. Central to the CDC model is community engagement, an approach detailed in NPQ​’s June 2018 newswire on Detroit’s Sinai-Grace Guild Community Development Corporation.

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