An overall description of the program/project. In northern Indiana, Intend Indiana is spearheading a regional approach to increasing affordable housing supply using the NeighborWorks model of resident centered and place-based comprehensive community development. Taking the lead as “community quarterback” Intend Indiana is leveraging its expertise in real estate development and lending to build capacity in smaller communities, setting them up for success as stewards of much-needed workforce housing and supporting the growth of small contractors through their Build Fund along the way. Attendees will learn about the factors Intend uses to assess and build regional partnerships and consider opportunities for their own communities. An explanation of how your program/project relates to the theme Innovative Pathways to Thriving Communities. This presentation focuses on the regional partnership between three NeighborWorks organizations led by Intend Indiana. This emerging partnership, which also includes South Bend Heritage Foundation and Pathstone Corporation, is facilitating knowledge sharing across a wide swath of Indiana, amplifying the efforts of the individual organizations to build stronger, more equitable communities as they tackle an urgent challenge – increasing the supply of affordable workforce housing. In recent years, community development corporation and CDFI Intend Indiana expanded its reach from the city of Indianapolis to state-wide. To accomplish this, they have prioritized establishing partnerships in new communities. Attendees will learn from this replicable model of regional collaboration which utilizes a comprehensive community development approach to center resident voice, leverage strategic partnerships, and layer strategies. Factors utilized in identifying and advancing regional partnerships will be unpacked, including assessing local community support, future economic outlook, resident engagement strategies, and property availability to ensure a strong and stable foundation for region-wide collaboration. As a member of the NeighborWorks America network, Intend Indiana benefits from the unique peer connections, funding, and technical assistance support provided by NeighborWorks to accomplish this work. Regional partners South Bend Heritage Foundation and Pathstone Corporation (Muncie) are also members of the NeighborWorks network, which provides a supporting framework to anchor their partnership and alignment around regional community development challenges and approaches. Attendees will understand the role regional and national intermediaries can play in supporting and amplifying the impact of localized solutions.
