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.
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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
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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)
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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.
G A L L E R Y
Check out the Cityscapes Photo Gallery.
Want to relive the energy of Cityscapes 2026 or see what you missed? Explore the photo gallery and experience the highlights from New Orleans. Photos courtesy of Worthy Artists.
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