Bringing Small and Midsized City Leaders Together for Big Impact.
Thanks to generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) Cityscapes Summit is a biennial event offering a unique blend of inclusive economic development insights and strategies, as well as dynamic networking opportunities that will not only inspire but leave you with a renewed sense of purpose.
Relive the experience!
You can now access a selection of recordings, presentations, downloadables and book recommendations from the summit on our post-event resources page.
2024 Sessions and Workshops by Track
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Crafting Your Development Capital Stack - Learn about new financial tools to diversify commercial real estate ownership and pathways for community investment into these properties.
Access to Capital: Building New Pathways and Products for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses - Discuss new pathways and products for providing access to capital for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
CDFIs and Beyond: Centering Community in Community Investment - Learn more about Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and their role in centering communities in community investment.
Commercial Corridor Development: Principles of Community Transformation - Focus on principles of community transformation in commercial corridor development.
Impact Investing: Explore Philanthropy’s Role in Economic Development - Exploring the role of philanthropy in impact investing and its contribution to economic development.
Integrated Capital: Moving Beyond the Bank Loan - Workshop focusing on identifying capital pathways.
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Activating Anchor Institutions as a Lever for Inclusive Growth -Discuss the activation of anchor institutions as a lever for inclusive growth.
From the Ground Up: Community Land Trusts as a Tool for Equitable Development - Explore the use of community land trusts for promoting equitable development.
From Pilot to Policy: Crafting Guaranteed Income Programs - Learn about the process of developing guaranteed income programs from pilot projects to policy implementation.
Inclusive Ecosystems: Designing Entrepreneurship Support as a Pathway to Community Wealth - Learn the design of entrepreneurship support systems as a pathway to community wealth.
Changing Ownership: Cooperatives as Tools for Economic Equity - Explore cooperatives as tools for promoting economic equity and changing ownership structures.
Truth and Justice: Reparations in Small and Midsized Cities - Focusing on truth and reconciliation processes and reparations in Small and Midsized Cities.
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Rethinking Economic Development: Going Beyond Business Attraction and Retention - Delve into alternative strategies for economic development beyond traditional approaches.
Metrics that Matter: Charting New Economic Development Benchmarks - Examine new benchmarks for economic development metrics.
Language Justice and New Narratives: How Do We Talk about Inclusive Economic Development - Focus on language justice and narratives in discussions about inclusive economic development.
Towards Community Ownership: The Art of Participatory Budgeting -Learn more about the art of participatory budgeting and its role in achieving community ownership.
Environmental Justice: Investing in Climate and Equity - Discover the intersection of environmental justice, climate investment, and equity.
Breaking Down Silos: Community Development and Economic Development Organizations Transforming Regional Economies Together - Learn about breaking down silos between community development and economic development organizations to transform regional economies collaboratively.
Meet Our 2024 Keynote Speakers
ARLO WASHINGTON
Discover the trailblazing journey of Arlo Washington, the visionary founder of Arkansas' first Black-owned bank, and the inspiration behind the Oscar-nominated documentary, "The Barber of Little Rock."
As the driving force behind the People Trust Loan Fund, a Certified Community Development Financial Institution, Arlo champions financial empowerment.
Join us as Arlo shares his insights, experiences, and strategies in fostering economic inclusion and uplifting marginalized communities at the Cityscapes Summit!
BREE NEWSOME BASS
Renowned for her courageous act of civil disobedience in 2015, Bree captured global attention when she fearlessly removed the Confederate flag from the South Carolina state house grounds following the Charleston Shooting.
As a filmmaker, musician, public speaker, and passionate advocate for racial and economic justice, she remains at the forefront of crucial conversations, emphasizing the power of the arts in driving societal change.
Join us as Bree Newsome Bass shares her profound insights, unwavering activism, and inspiring vision for a more just and inclusive world at the Cityscapes Summit!
2024 Speaker Lineup
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Xavier Briggs
Senior Fellow
The Brookings Institution
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SeonAh Kendall
Economic Health Director
City of Fort Collins Economic Health Office
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Tawanna Black
Founder and CEO
Center for Economic Inclusion
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Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch
City of Michigan City, Indiana
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Tulani Watkins
Business Advisor / Investor
A Peaceful Enterprise
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Mayor Stephanie Orman
City of Bentonville
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Dr. William A. Darity
American Economist and Social Scientist
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Kirsten Mullen
Writer and Folklorist
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Ross Tilchin
Director, Economic Mobility
Results for America
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Evelyn Burnett
Co-Founder + CEO
ThirdSpace Action Lab + Reading Room
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Syretta Hill
Executive Director
Step Up Durham
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Abbey Cofsky
Managing Director
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Talib Graves-Manns
Managing Partner
Partners in Equity
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Elizabeth Demetriou
Sr. Director of Economic Development
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
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James Hardy
Senior Program Officer, Interim Deputy Director - Healthy Communities
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Dell GInes
Chief Innovation Officer
International Economic Development Council
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Zytha Kock
Senior Economic Development Associate
International Economic Development Council
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Kathrine Cagat
Research and Program Manager
Mayors for a Guaranteed Income/Counties for a Guaranteed Income
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Lyneir Richardson
CEO
Chicago TREND Corporation
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Ryan Miller
Director
MVCC's ThINCubator
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Sarah McKinley
Director of Community Wealth Building Programs
The Democracy Collaborative
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Cierra Williams
Business Services Manager/ Senior Librarian
Durham County Library
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Todd Greene
Vice President, Executive Director
Urban Institute
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Balakrishna Gokaraju
STEPS4GROWTH - Lead PI
North Carolina A&T State University
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Michael Gilliland
Organizing Director
CALEB
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Wilson Lester
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Partners in Equity
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Dion Cook
CEO/Co-Founder
Denkyem Co-Op
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Aliana Pineiro
Impact Director
Boston Impact Initiative -
Aaron Dawson
Senior Director of Training and Development
The Industrial Commons
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Yolanda Meraz
Chief Strategy Officer
Stanislaus Equity Partners
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Andre Perry
Senior Fellow
The Brookings Institution
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Trevor Smith
Co-Founder/Executive Director
BLIS Collective
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Kat Everett
Founder/CEO
Everetts Enterprise LLC
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Chelsea Talbert
Strategist
City of Tacoma
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Donovan Duncan
Executive Vice President
Urban Strategies. Inc.
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Mark Little
Executive Director
NCGrowth (UNC)
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James Crowder
Senior Associate, Local Policy Reform & Advocacy
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Curt Lyon
Executive Director
Transform Finance
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Kristopher Smith
Community Development Officer
LISC Jacksonville
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Mark Pinksy
Partner
CDFI Friendly America
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Zachary Neville Young
Director of Integrated Capital Solutions
Boson Impact Initiative
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RJ McGrail
Senior Fellow
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
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Fay Horwitt
President & CEO
Forward Cities
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Sarah Edwards
Research Associate
Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
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Christina Mastroianni
Vice President, Community Engagement and Resource Development
ChamberRVA
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Sarah Lester
President & CEO
Cornerstone West CDC
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Ben Stewart
Managing Director, Senior Program Officer
George Kaiser Family Foundation
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Andrea Romero
New Mexico Impact Investing Collaborative, Fellow
Avivar Capital
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Hilda M. Jordan
CEO and Founder
HMJ Consulting
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Anderson Sainci
Director of the Office of Shared Prosperity and Neighborhood Support
City of Dubuque
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Abigail Vizcarra Perez
Equity Program Administrator
Metro Parks Tacoma
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Katie Milligan
Director, Entrepreneurship, Human Capital & Workforce Development
Heartland Forward
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Randal Pinkett
Chairman and CEO
BCT Partners
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James Crowder
Senior Associate, Local Policy Reform & Advocacy
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Marshawn Wolley
President and CEO
Black Onyx Management Inc
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Sarah Edwards
Research Associate
Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
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Ajia Morris
Founder
LocalCode Kansas City
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Anita Dos Santos
Advocacy Manager
Participatory Budgeting Project
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Emad Rahim
Surge Entrepreneurship Manager
CenterState CEO
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Joda Thongnopnua
Special Advisor
National Science Foundation
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Lilly Weinberg
Senior Director - CNI
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
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Jade Arn
Director of Engagement
Brookings Institution
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Reuben Teague
Executive Director, Sustainable Investing
PGIM Real Estate
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Jonathan Morgan
Professor of Public Administration
UNC School of Government
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Mordecai Cargill
Co-Founder + Chief Creative Officer
ThirdSpace Action Lab
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Sara Lawrence
Program Director, Economic Development
RTI International
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Richard Young
Executive Director
CivicLex
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Magalie Yacinthe
Senior Director of Programs
Forward Cities
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Samantha Smith
Special Projects Coordinator
Durham County
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Brenda Howerton
County Commissioner
Durham County Government
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Sarah Miller
Principal Advisor
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
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Aaron Brickman
Senior Principal
RMI
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Harrison Williams
Director of Strategic Sales
Mign
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Neil McInroy
Global Lead for Community Wealth Building
The Democracy Collaborative
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Christopher Pike
Executive Director
Jackson Redevelopment Authority (JRA)
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Kenton Spencer
Executive Director
DataWorks NC
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Aoife Harte
Associate Research Analyst
Main Street America
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Sterling Johnson
Director, Just Opportunity Portfolio
Partnership for Southern Equity
2024 Summit Overview
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Check-In • Site Visits • Cityscapes Gallery & Makers Market • Welcome Mixer • Main Stage Opening Remarks and Keynote
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Breakfast • Summit Kickoff • Keynote • Break • Workshops • Lunch • Sessions • Summit Celebration & Banquet
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Breakfast • Breakouts • Main Stage Closing Session • Lunch
Thank you, Durham!
Durham, nestled in the heart of the Research Triangle, is renowned for its vibrant culture, rich history, and innovative spirit, standing as one of the 700 Small and Midsized Cities across the United States. The innagural Cityscapes Summit was hosted at Durham Convention Center on May 15th-17th, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The NGIN Cityscapes Summit is a biennial event. The next NGIN Cityscapes Summit will take place in 2026.
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Insights articles will be released over the course of a few months. Recorded sessions will be available soon. Please check back to this webpage or sign up for the NGIN newsletter to stay updated.
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Small and midsized cities refer to urban areas with populations ranging from 30,000 to 500,000 people. With over 700 such cities in the United States, these cities play crucial roles in fostering economic growth, cultural enrichment, and social advancement within their respective regions.
Our 2024 Sponsors are Lighting the Path to Inclusive Economies
This event is possible thanks to generous funding from our headline sponsor, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and through additional support from the Kresge Foundation and MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative (TDI).
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