Community Development is Essential for Thriving Communities
What 6 Years of Research Reveal About Our Field
 Community development organizations (CDOs) build and preserve affordable housing. They support small businesses, strengthen neighborhood economies, deliver community services, and connect residents to the resources they need to shape their futures. CDOs play a critical role in communities that private markets have historically left behind and public systems alone often cannot adequately serve.
resource for funders, policymakers & partners
Grounding Values in Research reports are designed to help funders, policymakers, and partners understand how to create systems change across the full ecosystem of community development practitioners. Building a shared understanding of the field, this research strengthens the foundation for more effective investment, supporting long-term community change.
Explore the findings
The Community Opportunity Alliance has released eleven reports through the Grounding Values in Research. The reports show how community development organizations turn resources into impact. They offer evidence-based recommendations for creating the conditions that help communities thrive over the long term. See topline findings on:
Read Our Reports
Explore research revealing how community development organizations create impact, what supports their success, and where greater investment can strengthen communities.
Field Identity & Impact
Reports that defines the community development field and demonstrate what organizations contribute to communities:
Financial Health & Resource Flows
Reports that examine the financial condition of community development organizations and how funding moves through the field:
Community Voice, Partnerships & Field Building
Reports that explore what organizations need to sustain their work and how partnerships, leadership, and infrastructure shape long-term outcomes:
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