Offering a range of practitioner peer groups is our signature strategy for encouraging professional networking, sharing of best practices and engaging in discussions exploring issues related to CDCs and community development. Currently, MACDC has the following active peer groups:
The Boston Committee: Convenes leaders from all 20 CDCs in Boston on a monthly basis to discuss a variety of policy and program issues impacting the City. The Committee offers a place to foster collaboration among CDCs and between our sector and other fields. Recently, we met with leadership from the Boston Foundation, with leaders from the Department of Neighborhood Development, and with colleagues working to promote public art and public health in Boston neighborhoods. To join the group, please email Emily Haber, CEO, at ehaber@macdc.org.
CITC Group: The CITC group meets on at least semi-annually to share best practices, discuss CITC fundraising strategies and to ensure overall success of the CITC program. This group is open to all staff from Certified CDCs. if you have questions about CITC, please contact Emily Haber at ehaber@macdc.org. "Temporarily Inactive"
The Community Business Network: MACDC is helping lead a statewide coalition of small business technical assistance providers and business service professionals that meets to discuss how to best support small businesses throughout the commonwealth. A major priority for the network is to provide support to businesses owned by people of color and immigrants as these communities have been hardest hit by the pandemic and the economic crisis. Through the network, participants can learn from one another, share events or best practices, share new lending programs and grant opportunities and discuss advocacy priorities to leverage state resources that help keep businesses open. To join the group, please email Yari DeJesus, Director of Economic Development, at yaritzad@macdc.org.
Energy Cohort: The Energy Cohort is a peer learning group for affordable housing professionals interested in energy efficiency, renewable energy, resiliency, and resident health to network, learn and share information. As the Energy Cohort is a collaborative effort by MACDC, LISC Boston, and New Ecology, both nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing stakeholders are invited to join. Our goal is to support the affordable housing community in gaining expertise and successfully developing high-performance, resilient, and healthy buildings at scale. Our goal is to meet approximately every other month. For more information, reach out to Don Bianchi, MACDC’s Director of Housing, at donb@macdc.org.
Health Equity Committee: The Health Equity Committee supports MACDC’s efforts to drive the convergence of community development and community health by embedding health equity work into the fabric of the community development movement. The Health Equity Committee provides opportunities for CDC leaders to learn from one another and from outside experts about the ways in which racism, white supremacist culture, and other systems of oppression have caused disparities in community health outcomes. Together the group explores ways to increase engagement in health-related work and to deepen its understanding of the ways in which health disparities stem from social, economic, demographic inequities. Historically, the Health Equity Committee has had meetings devoted to strengthening hospital-CDC partnerships, measuring community health outcomes, food policy and distribution, and the health effects of climate change, and the intersection of racism and public health, among other topics. The Health Equity Committee steers MACDC’s emerging health equity work, including training opportunities through the Mel King Institute, and impacts MACDC’s engagement with partners and policymakers regarding health priorities. For more information, reach out to Elana Brochin, MACDC’s Director of Health Equity, at elanab@macdc.org or Grace Dowling at graced@macdc.org.
Housing and Real Estate Group: Our Housing and Real Estate Peer Group meets approximately six times per year, to supplement formal training opportunities and provide a support network of practitioners to share information, engage in problem solving, build knowledge and skills, and offer peer support. The peer group also offers a regular and structured vehicle for meeting with potential partners and funders who are interested in connecting with CDCs. Going forward, MACDC can draw upon strong relationships with State officials and experienced development consultants to provide a platform to address challenges that present themselves and seize opportunities that arise. For more information, reach out to Don Bianchi, MACDC’s Director of Housing, at donb@macdc.org.
Operations Peer Group: MACDC’s Operations and Technology Peer Group is an ad-hoc gathering of staff from our member organizations that come together to share best practices and tools they use at their organizations. From cloud computing to automation, MACDC’s members are implementing technology and operational processes that increase their organization’s capacity and allows for staff to focus on working more effectively with community members and residents. "Temporarily Inactive"
Resident Services Coordinators Peer Group: The Resident Services Coordinators Peer Group provides peer learning and peer support to Resident Services Coordinators who work for our member organizations or who work for management companies in CDC-owned buildings. The group meets at least quarterly (or more often if the group determines it is needed) to discuss specific topics identified by the group. Meeting schedule: Third Wednesday every two months.To join the group, please email Shirronda Almeida, Director of The Mel King Institute, at shirrondaa@macdc.org.
Western MA Members Peer Group: Through the Western MA Members Peer Group, MACDC Member organizations in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Western Worcester County are working together to build partnerships among and between community-based organizations; expand funding to support community-based development from both existing and new sources; and build capacity of CDCs and other community-based organizations through peer-to-peer support, technical assistance, and training. MACDC convenes periodic meetings of the peer group, whose members face challenges in implementing programs and projects to serve communities without the economies of scale prevalent in Eastern Massachusetts. For more information, reach out to Don Bianchi, MACDC’s Director of Housing, at donb@macdc.org.