News Release

January 6 , 2010

Contact:Erin Angell Collins, 202-220-6317, ecollins@nw.org
Doug Robinson, 202-220-2360, drobinson@nw.org

NeighborWorks America Accepting Applications for Achieving Excellence Program
Program Enables Community Development Leaders to Address Challenges, Change Communities

Washington, D.C. –Today NeighborWorks America, the nation’s leading trainer of community development professionals, announced that it is accepting applications for the 2010-2011 class of its renowned NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence in Community Development program. 

Addressing what experts have called an alarming leadership gap across the nonprofit sector, Achieving Excellence is a comprehensive organizational development program that results in senior managers at local nonprofit organizations that are better equipped to address the critical challenges faced by their organizations, produce real results in their communities, enhance fundraising capacity even in tough economic climates, and foster collaboration and innovation inside the nonprofit sector.

Through cutting-edge academic sessions led by faculty at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, guidance on performance-driven change by prominent thought leader and author Douglas K. Smith, and intensive one-on-one executive coaching, Achieving Excellence advances a more fulfilling and impactful leadership experience for nonprofit leaders and increases nonprofit leadership retention rates.

Participants in the past four classes — 180 leaders from every region in the U.S. who participated in Achieving Excellence classes since the program began in 2002 — report significant improvement in their businesses and improved service to even more people. For example, leaders who finished the third class in February 2008 reported a 146 percent increase in people served, or more than 53,000 community members across America, specifically because of their participation in the program.

When Neighborhood Housing Services of Freeport, Ill., entered the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence program in October 2008, their capital was becoming increasingly limited and leadership was apprehensive of expanding beyond their community. Now NHS of Freeport Executive Director Deb Elzinga credits Achieving Excellence with bringing her organization to a new and promising place that includes new regional partnerships in Rockford and Peoria (Ill.) — increasing the organization’s reach in these communities.  The new partnerships led to a new mixed-use condo development in Rockford — the first LEED-certified new construction projectin the area — as well as a consortium application with three new partners for a CDFI counseling pilot.  The NHS of Freeport board is newly energized and consistently engaged so they may optimally utilize their resources for Freeport, Rockford, and beyond.

Additionally, at a time when homeownership was precarious and access to affordable financing became difficult, organizations led by graduates from the third class of Achieving Excellence were able to increase the number of homeowners served by fifteen percent and also increase their assets and access to capital. Moreover, the organizations attribute a 32 percent increase in the number of affordable housing units developed, or more than 1,100 new affordable homes, to the skills learned and the strategic plans developed while in the Achieving Excellence program.

**The application deadline for the Achieving Excellence program is March 15, 2010.  Applications, as well as additional program information, are available online at www.nw.org/ae.** 

**If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Christina Deady at 202-220-2432 or cdeady@nw.org.**

About NeighborWorks® America
NeighborWorks America creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. Since 1991, we have assisted nearly 1.2 million low- to moderate-income families with their housing needs. Much of our success is achieved through our support of the NeighborWorks network ― more than 230 community development organizations working in more than 4,400 urban, suburban and rural communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $15 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals. www.nw.org.