Annual Summit News & Updates

Charleston, SC – The South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations, Inc. announced the winners of its “Eagle Award of Excellence in Community Economic Development” during the first North/South Carolinas Conference on Community Economic Development (CED) September 25 – 27, 2007. The winners were three community development corporations (CDCs) that have excelled in advancing economic development in some of the state’s most distressed communities. The three winners were:

• Allendale County Alive - A rural CDC based in Allendale County who, among other efforts, developed a commercial space to attract a Sav-a-Lot grocery store site as part of a local neighborhood revitalization project,

• Community Assistance Provider – A multi-county CDC has plans to develop and rehabilitated over 100 unites of affordable housing in 5 counties in South Carolina, and

• Midlands CDC – A rural CDC based in Richland County who is a partner in a multi-use development in lower Richland County. Midlands CDC is currently developing the job/career development center that will focus on careers in the health care field.

All three of the winners are also grantees under the South Carolina Community Economic Development Fund, managed jointly by the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations. Awards were made to nine grantees receiving $770,500 in state funds provided through the South Carolina Legislature’s initial appropriation in 2006 of $1 million in funds pursuant to the South Carolina Community Economic Development Act of 2000.

The grant funds were awarded to state-certified community-based organizations to advance a host of projects designed to benefit the low-wealth communities of South Carolina. Allendale County ALIVE and Community Assistance Providers each received $100,000 through the CED Fund and Midlands CDC received $79,800 in state funds.
The other grantees include:

• Camden First CDC - $30,000 for creation of a business development center.

• Charleston Area CDC - $100,000 for an affordable housing development

• Metanoia CDC (Charleston)- $60,700 for a “building green” entrepreneurship program

• Santee Lynches CDC (Sumter) - $100,000 for a rental housing development

• Soteria CDC (Greenville) - $100,000 for its Vance Street housing development

• Sumter County CDC - $100,000 for its North/South Zone housing development

The South Carolina Legislature has appropriated $1.4 million in the 2007/08 State Budget. Final proposals are due on October 11, 2007. Eligible applicants include organizations certified by the South Carolina Department of Commerce as “community-based organizations.”

The South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations (SCACDC) serves as the grant administrator for the program”, said Bernie Mazyck, President and CEO of SCACDC. “These grant awards represent our State’s investment and confidence in the work of grassroots organizations. Our low-wealth communities will reap the benefits of these funds for many years to come.”

(Charleston, SC)) – “Wealth creation is the true and sustainable path out of poverty for South Carolina’s poor families and communities,” said Bernie Mazyck, President & CEO of the South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations (SCACDC). “Strategic investments in community-based economic development is a proven approach to improving under resourced communities and warrants the attention of local and state leaders,” Mazyck added. To present these strategies, The South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations (SCACDC), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Columbia Field Office, Fannie Mae’s South Carolina Community Business Center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development, and other collaborative partners present the 2006 Community Economic Development and Housing Summit (Summit 2006). This year’s conference is scheduled for September 12 - 13 at The Francis Marion Hotel, 387 King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. This year’s theme, “Wealth Creation through Housing, Community Economic Development and Beyond!!!,” was selected to underscore the tremendous impact of the community development corporation (CDC) industry and other community initiatives in South Carolina; and the growing importance of wealth building strategies to improving communities and growing local economies.

In addition to powerful breakout sessions, the Summit Partners have attracted two experts in the field of wealth creation, housing and community economic development. James H. Carr is the Senior Vice President for Research for the Fannie Mae Foundation and Paul Kealey is the National Training Director for NeighborWorks America. Both are based in Washington, D.C.

The Fannie Mae Foundation is the largest foundation in the country devoted to increasing the supply of homes for those who need them the most. In Addition to serving as senior vice president of Research at the Foundation, Jim Carr is a visiting professor of urban planning at Columbia University. He is responsible for the Foundation’s housing finance and neighborhood strategies consulting unit, it’s nationally and internationally recognized Office of Housing Research, and its program evaluation activities.
NeighborWorks America is a national nonprofit organization created by Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based revitalization efforts. As director of NeighborWorks Training Institute, Paul Kealey is responsible for the recruitment and training of over 5,000 individuals annually from around the nation, who then return to their communities capable of educating low-income and minority homebuyers, combating predatory lending, launching small businesses, capitalizing rehabilitation projects and so much more.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is the principal Federal agency
responsible for programs concerned with the nation’s housing needs, fair housing opportunities,
and improvement and development of the nation’s communities. “Summit 2006 is the optimum opportunity for communication, cooperation and coalition building,” said William Dudley Gregorie, Director - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Columbia Field Office. “Millions of federal and private dollars are available for community economic development and housing to South Carolina communities and faith-based groups. We want to make sure the community is aware of these resources and have the ability to access them.” “I believe that together, we will develop new ways to work as a community to help more South Carolinians build wealth and receive the services we are charged with delivering, thus improving the quality of life for all,” added Gregorie.

To learn more about the conference call:
843-579-9855 ~ 803-765-5592

Register Today.

Draft Agenda

New Artist Premier

We’ve posted a slideshow from our 2005 Community Economic Development & Housing Summit.

Note, you will need the flash player to view it. A link is available on the slideshow page to download the free player if you don’t already have it.

This years Community Economic Development & Housing Summit will focus on the identification of community economic development and housing tools to build capacity and empower and enhance citizens’ ability to grow wealth thereby building stronger communities.

It will be held Wed, September 7, 2005 - Fri, September 9, 2005 and will take place at the Francis Marion Hotel, 387 King St., Charleston, SC

The summit will be presented by

• The South Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations (SCACDC)
• The Columbia Field Office of The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• The Fannie Mae Partnership Office in South Carolina

Download the registration form

Be sure to check out the slideshow from last years summit