News Release

March 4, 2010

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

Forty-Nine Community Development Leaders Graduate from NeighborWorks’
Achieving Excellence Program

New Orleans – Today NeighborWorks® America, the nation’s leading trainer of community development professionals, announced the graduation of 49 community development leaders from NeighborWorks America’s prestigious Achieving Excellence in Community Development program offered in association with Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. The graduation of the fourth Achieving Excellence class occurred during the NeighborWorks Training Institute in New Orleans.

Achieving Excellence is an 18-month educational program for seasoned executive directors and senior level staff in community organizations that have a focus on affordable housing, community revitalization or community economic development. Through this program, graduates specifically addressed one of the most critical challenges facing their organizations, identified and implemented solutions that not only dramatically changed how the organizations do business, but also fostered lasting community change.

“As a result of the dedication and hard work of these community development leaders, 49 nonprofit organizations are better equipped to increase the availability of quality affordable housing, stem the tide of foreclosures, and revitalize communities. We look forward to their continued success in business and creating lasting change in our communities,” said Ken Wade, CEO of NeighborWorks America.

Independent evaluations have shown that in just the first Achieving Excellence two classes alone, graduates have collectively achieved the following:

• Total clients served increased by 146 percent collectively;
• More than $12.3 million in new income generated by 23 organizations; 
• Average total assets per organization increased by 23 percent, while the average increase attributed directly to Achieving Excellence was $6,860,507 per organization with $96,047,109 in aggregate;
• Affordable housing units developed and managed increased 32 percent and
  22 percent, respectively;
• Approximately 2,500 new affordable rental homes developed, managed or acquired by 18 organizations;
• 89,100 square feet new commercial space created by 7 organizations.

The only comprehensive, intensive training of its kind, the Achieving Excellence program includes three formal sessions at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, as well as executive coaching, intensive peer learning and guidance from Douglas K. Smith, a principal designer of the program and renowned expert on performance, learning, innovation and change.

Additionally, the Achieving Excellence program was a finalist for the National Housing Conference’s “Pioneering Housing Strategies” award. The award acknowledges forward-thinking strategies that are changing the way we approach affordable housing and community development initiatives.

NeighborWorks America is accepting applications from nonprofit leaders for the 2010-2011 Achieving Excellence class. 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.

MEDIA: For more information about the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence program, please contact Erin Angell Collins, 202-220-6317, ecollins@nw.org.

NONPROFITS: For more information about the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence program, please contact Christina Deady, 202-220-2432, 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.