NGIN’s biennial summit bringing together leaders from Small and Midsized Cities across the country to dive into innovative practices, strengthen networks, and champion new pathways for locally driven, community-centered economic growth. 

Thank you for joining us at Cityscapes 2026.

Building on the success of the inaugural Summit in Durham, North Carolina, Cityscapes 2026 brought hundreds of economic development, community, and local government leaders to New Orleans for three days of learning, connection, and action. This year’s Summit featured more than 20 mainstage and breakout sessions, six tours and site visits, two conversation dinners, and a Makers Market showcasing more than 15 local small businesses.

2026 Tracks and Sessions

Programming explored topics like community wealth-building, innovative investment models, the future of work, technology, and partnership-driven economic growth through three content tracks: Community Wealth & Ownership, Capital & Investment, and the Future of Economic Development.

  • Session | Reimagining Entrepreneurship through Community Economics

    • Speakers: Roquel Crutcher (Common Future), Courtney Smith (Culinary Femme Collective), Bartholomew Jones (Cxffee Black)

    Session | Expanding Opportunity Through Wealth Building and Community Development

    • Speaker(s): Monica Copeland (ThirdSpace Action Lab), Michelle Witthaus (Invest STL), Devin Cotten (Universal Basic Employment)

    Session | Understanding Ecosystems to Support Community-Owned Real Estate

    • Speaker(s): Yerin Cho (Center for Community Investment), Nola Miguel (GES Coalition--Tierra Colectiva CLT), Ahmed Mori (University of Miami), Helen Leung (LA Más)

    Workshop | Action Planning for Community Wealth Building

    • Facilitator: Burrell Poe (Democracy Collaborative)

    Session | Building Wealth From Birth: Baby Bonds and Guaranteed Income

    • Speaker(s): David Radcliffe (The New School), Amit Khanduri (GRO Fund), Yaw Owusu-Boahen (CT Wealth Accelerator)

    Session | Hidden Wealth Revealed: Heirs' Property, AI and the Neighborhood Balance Sheet

    • Speaker: Kristopher Smith (LISC Jacksonville)

    Session | Beyond the Promise: Making Community Ownership Real

    • Speakers: Victoria Monteiro – Common Future, Adriana Abizadeh-Barbour – Kensington Corridor Trust, Ismail Samad – Loiter

  • Session | Unlocking Capital: Building Community Investment Ecosystems on Main Street

    • Speaker(s): Luke Hallowell (Main Street America), Omar Carrillo Tinajero (Center for Community Investment), LeShawn Farmer (River District Association)

    Session | Anchors at Work: Investing Locally Through Trusted Institutions

    • Speaker(s): David Zuckerman (Healthcare Anchor Network), Sidney Williams (Oikos), Henry Golatt (HBCU CDAC), Bernita Johnson-Gabriel (NGIN)

    Session | Catalytic Capital: Financing Community Growth

    • Speaker(s): Erika Seth Davies (Rhia Ventures), Betsy Biemann (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.), Brady Meixell (Urban Institute), Damien Wilson (Reinvestment Fund)

    Session | Supplier Firms: Innovative Models for Shared Prosperity

    • Speaker(s): Dr. Randall Pinkett (BCT Partners), Darrin M. Redus Sr. (Cincinnati Business Accelerator), Katie Robins (Next Street)

    Session | Community Finance Roadmaps: Capturing Economic Opportunity in New Energy

    • Speaker(s): Aaron Brickman (Rocky Mountain Institute), Meredith Cowart (Rocky Mountain Institute), Gina Cheverine (Greater Cleveland Partnership)

  • Session | Making AI Work for Community and Economic Development

    • Speakers: Serena Jezior (Greater Cleveland Works), Rick Thomas (Hopeworks), Chanell Hasty (Accelerator for America), Archie Stewart (City of Birmingham)

    Session | From Data to Decision: How SMCs Turn National Research into Local Action

    • Speakers: Stephanie Orlando – AFA, Trevor Tormann – City of Allentown, Ciara Coleman – NEO Philanthropy

    Session | Aligning States and Regions for the Next Economy

    • Speaker(s): Joe Parilla (Brookings Metro), Joy Polefrone (Alliance for Building Better Medicine / APM Tech Hub), Bethany Hartley (South Bend - Elkhart Regional Partnership)

    Session | Silos to Synergy: Sparking Cross-Sector Power through Partnerships

    • Speakers: Larry Reed – Thrive Lights, Kate Klinger – Newark Alliance, Mary Butler – Newtown Business Council, Rochelle Gallant – City of Sarasota, Cuevas Peacock - NGIN

    Session | Participatory Program Design, Engagement and Action

    • Speaker(s): Sarah Miller (Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta), Jason Schneider (Civic Possible), Kathy Litchfield Grote (Employer Quality Network)

    Session | Applying Co-Governance for a More Democratic Future of Work

    • Speaker(s): Sarah Assefa (Center for Economic Democracy), Shari Davis (Center for Economic Democracy)

R E S O U R C E S

View Session Materials and Resources

Want to dive deeper into the ideas shared at Cityscapes 2026? Explore our resource library for presentation slides, tools, guides, and session materials.

Our 2026 Keynote Speaker—Bill Bynum and Speaker Lineup

Based in Jackson, Mississippi, Bill serves as CEO of Hope Enterprise Corporation and Hope Credit Union, where he has spent decades expanding economic opportunity across the Deep South. His leadership bridges finance, policy, and grassroots impact—bringing real pathways for communities to thrive. At Cityscapes, Bill shared insights on investing in people and place, and what it takes to create lasting economic progress in small and midsized cities.

Feel the Energy of Cityscapes Through Our 2026 Recap Video

From thought-provoking discussions to moments of connection across sectors and communities, the video captures what it looked like when leaders from across the country came together to ignite innovations and power economies.

Read Insights from Cityscapes 2026

Our Headline Sponsor

The Cityscapes Summit is made possible through the generous support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, our headline sponsor and a key funder of NGIN’s Small & Midsized Cities Hub. Their commitment to healthy, thriving communities helps make this gathering possible.

Additional Sponsors

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