What a Community Development Corporation Is and Is Not

How is the Greater Crisfield Action Coalition (GCAC) like other CDCs in the country? First of all, like GCAC, “Community Development Corporations (CDCs) are nonprofit, community-based organizations focused on revitalizing the areas in which they are located, typically low-income, underserved neighborhoods that have experienced significant disinvestment,” according to community-wealth.org.

How many CDCs are there in the U.S. and who starts them? The National Congress for Community Economic Development has estimated there are at least 4,600. In fact, they operate in every state and region, including on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, with 90% launched by individuals or small groups and run by a professional staff, as GCAC is proposing.

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