Building CDC Capacity

MACDC is committed to providing its members with a range of important capacity building services such as training, technical assistance, networking, research, collaboration and access to valuable resources. Our goal is to help CDCs achieve success in their communities by helping them to become community-driven, financially sound, and highly effective organizations. We do this through the establishment of various programs or special initiatives and peer groups. The peer groups are coordinated by MACDC staff and often chaired by CDC members.

Special InitiativesMACDC sponsors or co-sponsors several special initiatives that offer opportunities for training, as broader policy issues emerge from these special initiatives they can be referred to Standing Committees and/or the Board. Each initiative has its own governance body on which CDCs can serve.

The Alliance Advancing Community Development by Confronting Racism is a collective effort of many groups to increase the diversity of senior staff in the field.
Staff contact: Shirronda Almeida
The Green CDC Initiative provides training, technical assistance and financing to help CDCs build high performance, environmentally friendly developments.
Staff contact: Don Bianchi
The Western Mass Community Development Initiative is a project to strengthen the community development system in this region.
Staff contact: Don Bianchi
The Massachusetts CED Training Institute: Coming soon!

Peer Groups

MACDC operates peer groups where members can come together (in person and electronically) around common interests to share information, learn, network, and to discuss the policy implications of MACDC�s work in these areas. Members can form new peer groups where there is sufficient interest and disband them when appropriate.

Housing and Real Estate Group -for real estate professionals.
(Don Bianchi)
Organizers Network - for organizers at Community Development organizations. (Pam Bender)
Small Business Development Group - for practitioners that provide loans and services to small businesses.
(Chris Harris)
Workforce Development Group - for practitioners involved in job training, adult basic education, and other programs that advance individual opportunity.
(Joe Kriesberg)
Small Cities Group - for members serving smaller cities.
(Joe Kriesberg)
Youth Peer Group - provides a space for CDC staffers that work with young people to dialogue and share resources.
(Shirronda Almeida)