Cohort 2 Celebration & Project Bus Tour - Image Gallery
Program Overview & Developer Context
Bus Tour
Networking Happy Hour
Session 2 marked the first curriculum-focused gathering of the Community Developers Roundtable (CDR) cohort, hosted at the Fort Worth offices of Westwood . This session brought participants together with experienced professionals from across the development and finance space. The focus was on connection, perspective, and creating room for honest dialogue, reinforcing CDR’s role as a place where emerging developers can engage directly with people who understand the realities of the work. The conversation continued throughout the day and wrapped up with informal discussion and networking, giving participants time to connect ideas back to their own goals and build relationships with one another and the speakers. Session 2 presenters included: • Will Northern, Crescendo Development • Porchia Barrett, HM&M • Diana Cetares, HM&M • Banking and financial institution representatives
The first session of the Community Developers Roundtable (CDR) Fort Worth launched with great energy and excitement. Hosted at Bennett Partners, one of Fort Worth’s leading architecture firms, the event brought together an incredible group of emerging developers, local partners, and community advocates who are passionate about shaping stronger and more inclusive neighborhoods. Participants began the morning with breakfast and networking before diving into a full agenda that blended learning, discussion, and inspiration. Setting the Vision The morning opened with introductions and a conversation about the purpose and vision of the CDR program. CDR Fort Worth is a nine-month professional development program designed to equip emerging community developers with practical knowledge, mentorship, and resources to move their real estate projects forward. Led by Innovan Neighborhoods, the program focuses on building long-term capacity within Fort Worth’s development ecosystem. Participants also learned what to expect from upcoming monthly sessions, each designed to combine expert insights with peer exchange and hands-on learning.
A new networking program aims to connect Fort Worth’s nonprofit and for-profit real estate developers with financial capital to build more affordable housing units. The Community Developers Roundtable, launched in Dallas in 2022, provides developers with access to capital, peer learning and strategic support. Organizers of Fort Worth’s roundtable hope to replicate the success it had in Dallas, which resulted in nearly $125 million in development activities. That included 39 housing units built and more than $1.7 million in predevelopment and construction loans provided by financial partner BCL of Texas. Organizers said they want to increase affordable housing and community-based amenities to revitalize neighborhoods through real estate projects. The nine-month program launched with a public presentation at Texas Wesleyan University on Aug. 28, Maggie Parker, founder of Innovan Neighborhoods and the Community Developers Roundtable program, said the two-year Dallas pilot program equipped about two dozen local developers with resources, networks and capital to drive lasting impact. “The Fort Worth expansion is about championing and empowering developers who understand the context of their neighborhoods, making them best positioned to build, revitalize and reinvigorate the places they call home, which contributes to the economic vitality of Fort Worth,” Parker said.