Community development corporation

A community development corporation (CDC) is a not-for-profit organization incorporated to provide programs, offer services and engage in other activities that promote and support community development. CDCs usually serve a geographic location such as a neighborhood or a town. They often focus on serving lower-income residents or struggling neighborhoods. They can be involved in a variety of activities including economic development, education, community organizing and real estate development. These organizations are often associated with the development of affordable housing.

Activities

• Real estate development
  • Affordable housing
• Economic development
  • Small business lending
  • Small business technical assistance
  • Small business incubation (i.e. provision of space at low or no cost to start-up businesses)
• Education
  • Early childhood education
  • Workforce training
• Nonprofit incubation
  • Fundraising for local causes as a corporate donor, public charity, or foundation
  • Financing Housing cooperatives or other cooperatives
  • Fiscal sponsorship of community-based associations
• Youth and leadership development
• Advocacy
  • Sustainable development advocacy
  • Locally-owned business advocacy
  • Environmental justice and brownfields redevelopment
• Community planning
  • Master planning for retail and community development
• Community organizing
  • Lessening neighborhood tensions
  • Facilitating community and stakeholder participation in local programs and activities
  • Facilitating community access to targeted grants

In some jurisdictions in the United States, a CDC is by definition targeted towards direct investment in the community, while a "community development advocacy organization" is a category eligible for recognition as a tax-exempt charity or service organization.

Notable examples

• Abyssinian Development Corporation
• Accion USA
• Chicanos Por La Causa
• Mexicantown Community Development Corporation

External links

• http://community-wealth.org/strategies/panel/cdcs/index.html
• http://www.southfloridacdc.org/who/development/