Process & Application

The Community Developers Roundtable (CDR) is a collective networking and learning opportunity for established nonprofit and for-profit community-focused real estate developers who reflect the communities they serve. The Community Developers Roundtable addresses a gap in the community development ecosystem by offering a longer-term, developer-led structure with ongoing feedback and accountability to community-focused development projects. Additionally, the Roundtable aggregates partnerships, maintains community, and promotes collective strategies to address housing affordability and community-focused commercial development.


The inaugural Community Developers Roundtable Network ran from October 2022-June 2023; cohort 2 will commence in October 2023. Applications are currently closed.


Eligibility Criteria

Admission to the Roundtable is extremely competitive with a limited number of participants accepted from a strong pool of applicants. Participants are selected based on their qualifications and previous real estate experience. Participants are selected through a rigorous three-step screening process.


Application Process

Application

Candidates will be required to have a minimum of two years of real estate development experience, with a commitment to develop community-focused projects that foster economic mobility and fair access. To demonstrate competency in these requirements, candidates will need to provide previous development history via the application.


Key criteria includes:

  • At minimum, completion of one (1) project through construction or an active project with approved plans and financing secured.
  • Provide contact information for two professional references, ideally one reference from a previous lender or financial partner (note- reference letters are not required- the request is for contact information for two references)
  • Minimum of one (1) project that fits in the targeted project types:

- Single-family housing, attainable for buyers earning up to 120% of AMI

- Multifamily Housing, attainable for renters earning up to 80% AMI

-Commercial real estate located in underserved populations or distressed areas


Note: Once past the initial screening via Step 1, participants will need to provide the information required for financial/organizational capacity requirements within one week of being selected. All documents will be reviewed by partner financial lenders (shared confidentially) to assess readiness for financing, identify talent development opportunities, and support bridging gaps in resource access.



Financial & Organizational Assessment

Candidates will provide at minimum, two-years of financial statements; an organizational leadership structure overview; and past project highlights.


The financial assessment ensures that Roundtable participants are prepared, or have a pathway to be prepared, for targeted financing available through the dedicated Predevelopment Fund, of which a percentage is forgivable alongside flexible terms. All candidates will receive written feedback from local lenders on their current financials. (These will be shared confidentially, and our team can address any questions or concerns prior-to.)

Candidate Interviews

The Selection Committee will conduct in-person panel interviews with the Candidates  (virtual options are available upon request). The committee will include CDR partners, local lenders, and community stakeholders.

Zoom Q & A Slide Deck

Download Presentation

2022 Q & A Session (recorded via Zoom)