What Is Coalition Building? A Practical Guide for Economic Development Partnerships
Coalition building unites community-based organizations, economic development organizations, and government around a shared economic goal. Learn the definition, the four building blocks of durable coalitions, and how to start.
What Is a CBO? How Community-Based Organizations Strengthen Economic Development
A community-based organization (CBO) is a nonprofit led by and accountable to the residents of a specific community. Learn how CBOs differ from CDCs and other nonprofits, and how they strengthen economic development.
How State and Local Governments Can Strengthen Economic Development and Advance Economic Mobility
Lasting economic progress demands collaboration, not just good programs. Six practices state and local governments can borrow from nine Alliance coalitions to strengthen economic development and advance economic mobility.
Coalition Building Examples: Nine Economic Development Partnerships That Lasted
Nine coalitions from NGIN’s Economic Partnership Alliance offer five key lessons on sustaining cross-sector partnerships and maintaining momentum beyond their initial launch.
What Is an Economic Development Organization? How Innovative EDOs Expand Economic Opportunity
An economic development organization (EDO) is the public agency, nonprofit, or public-private partnership responsible for growing a place’s economy. Learn what EDOs do, the four common types, and how innovative EDOs expand opportunity.
NGIN Honors the City of Saint Paul with Luminary Award for Economic Excellence
NGIN honors Saint Paul with the Luminary Award for Economic Excellence during its September 2026 LEAP event, recognizing the city’s leadership in community wealth building and economic development.
Beyond the Deal: How to Build a Community Ownership Ecosystem That Lasts
What does it take for community ownership to move beyond individual projects and become a lasting force for neighborhood development? This blog explores how practitioners and researchers are building the ecosystems, relationships, and infrastructure needed to help communities shape, own, and benefit from local investment over the long term.
Anchors at Work: How Hospitals, HBCUs, and Faith Institutions Are Building Community Wealth
How can hospitals, HBCUs, and faith-based institutions use their economic power to create lasting community wealth? This blog explores how anchor institutions are aligning hiring, procurement, investment, and land use strategies with local priorities to drive long-term economic opportunity and shared prosperity.
What Is Catalytic Capital? A Different Approach to Community Investment
Why do so many communities have to prove they are investment-ready before they can access the capital they need to grow? This blog explores how catalytic capital is helping entrepreneurs, institutions, and communities overcome traditional financing barriers by bringing more flexible, patient, and risk-tolerant investment approaches to places often overlooked by conventional markets.
NGIN Releases New Research and Action Guide on Regional Engagement in Technology-Based Economic Development
NGIN’s newest report examines how communities engage with technology-based economic development initiatives and explores what it takes to ensure innovation investments create benefits that extend beyond traditional innovation ecosystems. Drawing on research conducted in two NSF Engines regions, it highlights approaches to regional engagement and broad-based outcomes.
Community Wealth Building Is Economic Development: Five Ways Communities Can Keep Wealth Local
Economic development professionals often spend significant time chasing growth: recruiting employers, attracting investment, securing grants, and competing for the next major project. Yet a question raised repeatedly during Cityscapes 2026 challenged a core assumption underlying much of that work: What if the real challenge isn't attracting wealth—but keeping it?
AI Readiness for Local Economies: Expanding Opportunity, Agency, and Trust
Talk of artificial intelligence was everywhere at Cityscapes Summit 2026, even in sessions where it wasn't the topic on the agenda. Yet what stood out most was not technology itself. The deeper conversation was about power, participation, and preparedness.
How Communities Can Attract, Direct, and Deploy Investment for Shared Economic Prosperity
At Cityscapes 2026, practitioners explored how communities can move beyond attracting investment to building the power and capacity needed to shape where capital flows and who benefits.
NGIN Partners with RTI to Support 22 Communities Through EDA Recompete Initiative
New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) is partnering with RTI International to support the development and delivery of a national community of practice.
Upcoming Event (2/5) | NGIN to Host Interactive Conversation on Baby Bonds and Guaranteed Income with Partner, AFA
Join NGIN February 2nd, 2026 for an interactive expert conversation on guaranteed income and baby bonds—our first event collaboration with Accelerator for America.
Reflecting on Our 2025 Impact and Initiative Updates | End-of-Year Newsletter
Looking back on a year of purpose, partnership, and possibility.
Collaboration Is the Infrastructure: Three Insights from NGIN’s 2025 SCALE Convening in Cincinnati
Written by NGIN Advisor Beka Burton, this article takes a closer look at the lessons and perspectives gathered during NGIN’s recent immersive learning trip to Cincinnati.
From Recognition to Reflection: Cincinnati Shines at NGIN’s SCALE Convening to Kick Off 12-Month Program
Over four days, delegates explored the interconnected fabric of Cincinnati’s economy to kick off the 12-month SCALE program.
NGIN Selects Eight Coalitions for 12-Month SCALE Program Offering Technical Assistance and Capital Support
Eight coalitions join NGIN’s SCALE program to drive community-driven commercial real estate development and build community wealth in cities across the U.S.
NGIN Honors Mayor Justin M. Bibb with National Award for Advancing Cleveland’s Economic Transformation
Cleveland’s visionary leadership in economic innovation took center stage as Mayor Justin M. Bibb was honored with the Luminary Award for Economic Excellence by New Growth Innovation Network