NeighborWorks America Strategic PlanOUR MISSION AND VISION ~ NeighborWorks creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities. We work to make every community in America a place of opportunity.^^Over the next three years, NeighborWorks willwork with its network partners to respond to thecontinuing affordable housing crisis affecting somany American communities. In the wake of pandemic and growing movement to address structuralinequities, our short-term goals and outcomesreflect the need to meet this moment, even as ourlong-terms aspirations for impact remain the same.NeighborWorks was chartered to create places ofopportunity in communities across the country, andbetween 2022 and 2024 we will remain true to thatmission as we focus on four specific organizationalgoals.CORE BELIEFS^^• Our fundamental core belief is thatfamilies and communities needquality affordable housing to thrive.Housing anchors the investments inpeople and place needed to addressequity and eliminate structural barriers to opportunities that can improvelives.^^• All individuals and families deservehousing stability, to build wealth,and make decisions that impact theirfuture. Equitably meeting the housingneeds and improving the communities of underserved populations isessential for individuals, families andcommunities to thrive.^^• Communities are more equitable,inclusive and equipped to be resilient, healthy, vibrant places when theresidents, nonprofits and leaders thatserve them are empowered to driveand sustain positive change.^^• Communities are positioned to thrivewhen residents are engaged, leadingthe charge to make positive change,and there is a local infrastructureof strong nonprofits that have thecapacity and resources to provide access to affordable housing, improvelives and strengthen communities. NeighborWorks AmericaNWA_9265650c-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea00CongressWith the strong financial support of Congress over thepast four decades, NeighborWorks America has grown intoa national force promoting affordable housing and community development in urban, suburban and rural communities. In partnership with our network, we collectively haveleveraged our annual federal appropriation into billions ofdollars of investments in local communities. Every year,these investments help expand access to affordable housing, open the door to home ownership to tens of thousandsof people, create and maintain thousands of jobs, andrevitalize under-resourced communities. Local Nonprofit OrganizationsAs the nation emerges from the impacts of the COVID-19pandemic, NeighborWorks America’s network of nearly250 local nonprofit organizations stands primed and readyto respond to some of the most pressing challenges facingour country. HomebuyersRapidly rising construction costs and rising propertyprices make it harder to develop and rehab affordablehousing for renters and homebuyers, leading to higherrents and home prices and further cost-burdening lowincome renters and pushing homeownership out of reachfor more potential buyers.RentersCommunitiesLack of affordable inventoryfor both multi-family and for sale single family homesremains an enormous issue facing many communities.And accessing sufficient capital to respond on thescale needed to make a significant difference remains achallenge for NeighborWorks network organizations. FamiliesThe pandemic and experiences over the past year illustrated the criticality of the interconnected nature of health,housing, and the economic stresses facing families andcommunities across the country and reinforced the understanding that we will need creative and comprehensivesolutions.Every community in America is a place of opportunity_9265662e-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea00To create opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities_926566ec-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea00AccountabilityWe areaccountable for achievingexcellence through measurable,impactful outcomesIntegrityWe create anenvironment of transparency and honesty that is built onrespect and opennessInclusionWe foster inclusive accessand participation across diverse stakeholders to ensure we build on diversityas a strengthCollaborationWe foster effectivecollaboration and work in partnershipwith others to achieve resultsStewardshipWe are resourceful,responsible stewards, promotingsustainable practices and leveragingresources to maximize impactHousing & WealthCreate, preserve and invest in affordable housing and wealth building_9265678c-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea001We know that stable, affordable housing is a platform forfinancial wellbeing and provides a pathway to build wealth.Communities of color have historically been barred fromintergenerational wealth building through housing discrimination and structural barriers --- these disparities are furtherexacerbated during periods of crisis. Creating pathwaysto wealth building through affordable rental housing andsustainable homeownership is fundamental to creatingequitable opportunity.^^Over the next 3 years, NeighborWorks will increase accessto capital and catalyze and amplify innovative solutions tocreate and preserve affordable housing in communitiesacross the country. NeighborWorks will also focus on reducing barriers to wealth building in communities of color bysupporting customer-centric approaches which anchorresponsive services for individuals at each transition point onthe housing continuum. This includes offering programs thatstabilize people at risk of homelessness and support themall the way through sustainable homeownership, if desired.Through new partnerships, expanded funding, and replicating successful housing solutions, NeighborWorks Americawill strengthen its investment in strategies that supporthousing stability and wealth creation.CapitalExpand access to capital_92656836-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea001AHousingInvest in replication and testingof innovative strategies thatdramatically improve access toaffordable housing_926568e0-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea001BFinancial ServicesStrengthen continuum ofservices for improving financialhealth and wealth of low-incomeand households of color_9265698a-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea001CLow-Income HouseholdsHouseholds of ColorCommunitiesFoster stronger, more equitable communities_92656a3e-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea002CommunitiesWe know that comprehensive approaches are needed toaddress the complex, multifaceted issues facing communities. While housing is a critical anchor, comprehensiveapproaches are required to help communities recover fromthe pandemic and become more resilient in the future.We must connect housing to health, education, economicdevelopment, public safety, and workforce developmentthrough community-driven strategies that meet uniquelocal needs, and invest in the development and empowerment of resident leaders to craft solutions to the challengesfacing their communities to build stronger, more equitablecommunities.^^Over the next three years, NeighborWorks will deepen itssupport for comprehensive, place-based and resident-ledefforts with a focus on holistic, cross-sector approaches toadvance equity and pandemic response efforts. NeighborWorks will partner with the network, residents, and community stakeholders to develop and implement local strategiesaligned with a shared vision and framework for comprehensive community development and build capacity to attractand deploy resources. Under this goal, NeighborWorks willcontinue its commitment to inclusive resident engagement,which is central to creating and sustaining positive change.We will help equip organizations to work across sectors andconnect their strategies to community-led plans. We willalso support organizations to assess long-term change intheir communities and elevate our story of positive impact incommunities across the country. Capacities & GrantsFocus investments through newmulti-year capacity-building andgrant funding program_92656ae8-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea002ATools, Training & CollaborationProvide CCD and ResidentLeadership Tools, Training andPeer Collaboration_92656bf6-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea002BChange & ImpactAssess Community Change and Tell Story of Impact_92656cb4-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea002CNetworkStrengthen the capacity and sustainability of the NeighborWorks network_92656d72-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea003The network is the major delivery system through whichNeighborWorks America achieves its mission. By increasingthe strength, capacity and sustainability of the network, weexponentially increase our impact and our ability to buildstrong communities even during crisis. NeighborWorksAmerica and the network have been a critical source ofhousing and community services during this pandemic due tothe scale, efficiency and resilience of the network. We want tocontinue to strengthen capacity and build deep sustainabilityso that NeighborWorks Organizations respond to challengesin the future.^^To achieve this goal, over the next 3 years, NeighborWorksAmerica will increase the capacity and sustainability of theNeighborWorks network to build strong and resilient communities through enhanced levels of funding/investment, capacity building, technical assistance and learning/collaborationopportunities. We will support organizational resilience byensuring network members have sufficient knowledge andresources to assess community needs, access the resourcesto deliver critical services, and are positioned to meet thenext crisis, be it economic, disaster-related or other systemiccalamity. In addition, we will work toward addressing longterm human resource capacity needs by piloting new ways tobuild a diverse talent pipeline as we know many communitydevelopment professionals will be facing retirement over thenext several yearsFinancesStrengthen financial sustainability of the network through capacity-building, fundraising, training and peer collaboration_92656e30-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea003AResilienceStrengthen organizational resilience through preparation, training, best practices_92656ef8-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea003BTalentDevelop a diverse talent pipeline for the sector_92656fb6-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea003CAccountability & BelongingStrengthen a culture of accountability and belonging at NeighborWorks America_9265707e-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea004To accomplish these ambitious outcomes will requirethe common commitment and best efforts of everyone across the NeighborWorks network. But it willalso be necessary to strengthen a culture of accountability and belonging within NeighborWorks Americaitself. The strategy therefore includes a set of organizational initiatives designed explicitly to accelerateour progress in making this critical internal evolution.^^By living our values of stewardship, accountability,integrity, inclusion and collaboration, NeighboWorksAmerica will advance a culture that fosters belongingand deepens our impact. Institutionalizing our Race,Equity, Diversity and Inclusion work so it is part of ourfabric as an organization, not a separate initiative, iscrucial to meeting this moment. We want to ensureNeighborWorks America has the culture, processes,and staff capacity to continually increase equity andinclusion in all that we do.^^Over the next 3 years, NeighborWorks Americawill cultivate a culture of belonging by committing topractices that advance diversity, equity and inclusion across all levels of the organization. We will workto ensure our corporate practices are aligned withour strategy and our values. We will make an equitable transition to the hybrid workplace, while creatingplaces and spaces for opportunity for staff within andacross the organization. We will also work to makeour accountability mechanisms more consistentacross the organization to optimize performance.^^If these initiatives are successful, our workforceat all levels will be representative of the communities NeighborWorks serves. We will have seamlessly transitioned to a hybrid workplace and wedocument a strengthened staff commitment toNeighborWorks, as measured by an increasing netpromoter score. And perhaps most important, asan organization we will not only live our values, butlean into them as well.Equity & InclusionLive our values by integrating equityand inclusion into NeighborWorksAmerica’s way of operating_92657146-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea004AWorkplaceEquitable transition to hybrid workplace_92657218-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea004BPlaces & SpacesCreate places and spaces for opportunity for staff within and across the organization_926572f4-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea004CAccountability & LearningOptimize accountability structures and processes by implementing regular customer feedback mechanisms and using data to drive learning and decision making_926573c6-3ab8-11ed-960d-5728fc82ea004D2021-10-312024-09-302022-09-22https://www.neighborworks.org/getattachment/About-Us/NeighborWorksAmerica_StrategicPlan_FY22-FY24.pdf.aspx?lang=en-USOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net