The Revolution Will Not Be Grant Funded

Community development corporations have become too reliant on foundation grants and public dollars to provide affordable housing and jobs in our communities. But now that the era of giving is ending, we should consider the market as a way to support ourse

1 minute read

November 9, 2005, 6:00 AM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


Philanthropic support is declining and government subsidy is disappearing. Isn't it time for CDCs to break the shackles of foundation support and let the market set them free?

"For 40 years community development corporations (CDCs) blossomed from the financial nutrients provided by myriad government programs and America’s wealthiest foundations. Now that this era of soft money is coming to an end, some CDC managers are filled with dread. We believe the more appropriate response should be one of excitement, because CDCs can â€" finally â€" break free from the shackles of the philanthropic plantation.

CDCs now must do what they have helped others to do â€" to enter the world of community entrepreneurship...We believe that the spread of social entrepreneurship, as a positive alternative to conventional fundraising, offers a fundamentally new strategy for CDCs to expand their power and their voice in the United States."

Thanks to David Holtzman

Tuesday, November 8, 2005 in Shelterforce Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Two people walking away from camera through pedestrian plaza in street in Richmond, Virginia with purple and white city bus moving in background.

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA

The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

June 17, 2025 - WRIC

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

June 16, 2025 - Governing

Empty platform at Los Angeles Metro subway station.

LA Transit Ridership Plummets Amidst ICE Raids

LA Metro’s bus and rail lines are seeing up to 15 percent lower ridership in the wake of violent immigration arrests.

3 hours ago - Los Angeles Times

Aerial view of single-family homes with rooftop solar panels in planned development near Austin, Texas.

A New Texas Neighborhood is Powered by Geothermal Energy

The 7,500-home development claims to be Austin’s ‘first zero energy planned community.’

June 29 - Floodlight

Heat map of extreme heat in rural U.S. communities.

Data: In Rural America, Mobile Homes are Heat Traps

Extreme heat is often viewed as an urban problem, but rural communities face their own unique risks.

June 29 - The Daily Yonder

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.