NGIN’s Small and Midsized City Hub (SMC Hub) is an initiative that offers a suite of programs, technical assistance, resources, and tools to support economic and community leaders build healthy, thriving communities in cities with populations ranging from 50,000 to 500,000.
Join Our Community of Practice for Economic, Community and City Leaders
Join NGIN’s Community of Practice — a national network where small and midsize city leaders learn, test, and build economic systems together through events peer connection and curated programming.
Our Community of Practice (CoP) helps leaders connect, share strategies, accelerate innovations, and activate investment.
Cityscapes Summit
The NGIN Cityscapes Summit is an event that brings together leaders from Small and Midsized Cities to explore innovative economic development strategies that expand economic opportunity and mobility in local economies. Attendees engage in dynamic workshops, panels, site visits, and dynamic networking opportunities
Register today to join us in New Orleans, May 18-20, 2026.
Learn. Explore. Activate In Place. (LEAP)
LEAP is a five-day immersive professional development program for economic and community leaders. Participants visit a leading city, engage in hands-on workshops, and network with peers to explore how smaller cities (up to 500,000 residents) are driving innovation and expanding economic opportunities. All travel and logistics covered.
Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this program is part of NGIN's Small and Midsized Cities Hub—an initiative that offers a suite of programs, technical assistance, resources, and tools to support economic developers build healthy, thriving communities.
Applications are now closed.
Strategic Capacity for Advancing Local Economies (SCALE)
NGIN’s Strategic Capacity for Advancing Local Economies (SCALE) program, previously the Economic Inclusion Incubator, supports Small and Midsized Cities (population 50,000–500,000) to advance community wealth and commercial real estate development.
The SCALE program has 2 tracks, designed to meet your city’s exact needs: (1) Community Wealth Building and (2) Commercial Real Estate Development. Over a 12-month period, selected teams will participate in a national learning cohort and receive targeted support tailored to their track.
Applications for SCALE are now closed.
Featured Reports and Tools
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The Ownership Advantage: Exploring Ownership-Centered Economic Development Models That Build Wealth
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How Anchor Institutions Can Unlock Community-Driven Real Estate Development in Low-and Moderate-Income Communities
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Community Investment Vehicles: A Practitioner Field Guide on Community-Owned Real Estate
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Investigating Regional Engagement and Broad-Based Outcomes of Tech-Based Economic Development Report & Action Guide
SMC Practitioner Spotlights
Explore our SMC Practitioner Spotlights, where we feature city leaders dedicated to fostering more inclusive economies.
Supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) supports efforts to create healthier communities by improving the physical, economic, and social conditions that help residents thrive. With RWJF’s generous support, NGIN’s Small and Midsized Cities (SMC) Hub offers a suite of programs, technical assistance, resources, and tools to support economic developers build healthy, thriving communities.
