As economic uncertainty deepens due to workforce reductions, shrinking federal budgets and mounting local challenges, community-based organizations are responding with creativity and determination. In collaboration with its member network, NCRC continues to maximize existing grant resources to empower these organizations to make a meaningful difference in low-income communities nationwide.
Last November, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) awarded $2.4 million in grants to 17 member organizations through the Field Empowerment Fund (FEF) towards scaling community-based programs that build wealth via affordable housing, small business and workforce development.
These grants remain flexible and responsive to community needs to ensure community organizations’ continued impact despite challenging conditions. Each applicant was evaluated based on an 18-month plan that detailed the impact of their existing programming and a road map for implementing an FEF-supported project between November 2024 and May 2026. In August—the halfway point of the grant cycle period—grantees shared their progress on the transformational improvements to their programming they’ve been able to realize despite federal rollbacks and economic shifts.
In the past year, Black Women Build-Baltimore (BWBB) has put the funds towards providing much-needed homebuyer education programs for first-time homebuyers in low- to moderate-income communities, in addition to providing guidance on properly restoring historic row houses in the city. Thanks to these funds, BWBB has also been able to provide 198 individuals with financial education resources.
“Our NCRC FEF grant is helping us address myriad challenges and provide critical support during a time when many of the first-time homebuyer incentives have dried up,” said BWBB Founder and Executive Director Shelley Halstead.
Thus far, BWBB has sold seven of their reconstructed homes in West Baltimore, supporting new pathways to homeownership and community stability. The organization is also working with the City of Baltimore towards finalizing a permit for their Community Resource Center, which will serve not only as a space for connection, but also a stronger hub for education on home repairs and a tool lending library.
For the Texas Association of Community Development Corporations (TACDC), the FEF grant funds have been instrumental in expanding its Community Loan Center of America (CLC) program. CLC operates a unique lending model that partners local lenders with employers across the country to provide their employees from low- to moderate-income households with a sustainable consumer loan to cover unexpected expenses. Most recently, TACDC collaborated with the Urban Institute on a report about the Community Loan Center that was released in September.
“TACDC is optimistic about the future of the CLC program, our growth during challenging times, and revising some of our policies [so we can] ensure CLC borrowers have access to responsible credit,” said TACDC Executive Director Matt Hull.
In recent months, TACDC has leveraged grant funding to add two new lenders, hosted a national retreat and upgraded its loan software. These efforts have helped increase lending activity, with more than 22,000 loans projected for 2025 and over 150,000 loans issued since the program began. TACDC is also exploring ways to expand lending into underserved markets across the Southeast supported by new CDFI rules that enable broader nationwide reach.
In New York, Grow Brooklyn used its FEF funding to advance its workforce readiness program by adding a certified tax preparer training program for individuals in their late teens and early twenties. By the end of January, 12 graduates of the program were working in permanent positions, significantly expanding Grow Brooklyn’s capacity to offer tax services to the community. While seasonal, these jobs provide higher salaries and more permanent career pathways for young adults compared to other forms of employment, such as retail.
“The FEF grant has allowed us to create and launch a structured workforce development pipeline,” said Grow Brooklyn’s Executive Director Makeela Brathwaite. “This initiative would not have been possible without this catalytic support that has been instrumental in helping us build a flexible, responsive workforce model and maximize participant engagement.”
With seven months remaining in the program year, grantees are well on their way to expanding their core programs and directly responding to the communities they serve. These early success stories illustrate the powerful ways in which NCRC and its members are able to level up programs that drive resiliency, equity and opportunity.
For more information about the Field Empowerment Fund, visit NCRC.org/fef.
Dia Henderson is the Community Impact Program Manager with NCRC’s Programs and Strategic Development team.
Photo courtesy of Black Women Build-Baltimore.
