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
- 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/