Leaders Convene in Milwaukee to Tackle Community Development Financing Gaps

MILWAUKEE - EntSun -- Across Wisconsin and the nation, community leaders have no shortage of vision, but many projects fail at the same bottleneck: accessing and structuring capital. Conventional financing alone cannot close the gap.

On February 19, 2026, at the Urban Ecology Center – Washington Park in Milwaukee, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, whose top priority this year is expanding access to affordable housing, will help welcome attendees and underscore the city's commitment to innovative, partnership-driven development solutions. Attendees will participate in plenary sessions on public and private financing tools, including New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC), affordable housing finance, and mission-aligned capital from foundations, family offices, and community development financial institutions. Afternoon breakout sessions will provide project-level guidance on accessing and structuring capital for community facilities with NMTC, housing for vulnerable populations, and church-owned real estate redevelopment, with a strong emphasis on execution, not theory.

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"Community development finance is not theoretical. It is practical problem‑solving," said Carrie Sanders, Founder & CEO of Hope Community Capital. "Communities often have strong projects, local support, and even public grant dollars, but still face a financing gap that conventional loans cannot fill without putting the project at risk."

The Invest Forward workshop is intended for nonprofit and mission-driven developers, local governments, economic development authorities, foundations, CDFIs, CDEs, and churches stewarding land and buildings for community use. Registration is required and space is limited. Deadline for registration is February 8, 2026 at 9:00 PM CST.

Event Details:
Date: February 19, 2026
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. CST
Location: Urban Ecology Center – Washington Park, Milwaukee
More information: https://events.blackbirdrsvp.com/hope-community-capital-courage-to-lead-summit