Community Development Corporations

In poor communities across the country, community development corporations (CDCs) provide a link to a better life: more affordable housing, better community facilities, financing for credit-starved businesses. For many years we’ve assisted an informal coalition of CDCs on public policy issues. Fast-forward: Accomplishments include more than doubling funding for an important community economic development program at the Department of Health and Human Services; creating new authority in welfare legislation for CDCs to sponsor job creation investments for welfare recipients; and creating a tax credit for CDCs that was the forerunner of the New Markets Tax Credit. We’ve also helped CDCs raise the visibility of their issues and organizations by preparing a series of reports on what CDCs have accomplished, holding briefings on Capitol Hill, and helping CDCs make connections with Administration and Congressional policymakers.