Join NGIN’s Community of Practice — a national network where small and midsize city leaders learn, test, and build economic systems together through events peer connection and curated programming.
Community of Practice
Small and midsized cities (SMCs) have a unique opportunity to test innovative economic approaches, yet many face challenges like uneven neighborhood investment, aging infrastructure, and fragmented systems.
Our Community of Practice (CoP) helps leaders connect, share strategies, accelerate innovations, and activate investment.
A Network of Leaders Solving Problems and Leveraging Their Strengths
Through the CoP, you can expect:
Flexible ways to engage. A mix of live sessions, peer conversations, and self-paced touchpoints designed to fit into busy schedules.
Connection that feels useful. Opportunities to exchange economic ideas, learn from peers, and stay connected without overcommitting.
Ongoing access to resources. Tools, insights, and shared knowledge curated to support day-to-day efforts.
Who the Community of Practice Serves
This Community of Practice is designed for leaders from small and midsized cities (30,000–500,000 residents) across three core sectors;
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City leadership includes mayors, city council members, and senior municipal officials who set policy direction and steward public resources.
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Leaders from Economic Development Organizations include public, private, and quasi-public entities focused on business growth, workforce development, and investment attraction.
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Community leaders include individuals from nonprofits and anchor institutions—such as universities, hospitals, and cultural organizations—focused on strengthening communities and supporting long-term social and economic outcomes.
Find Your People.
Connect with peers who understand your challenges and goals. When you join, you’ll be paired with an NGIN advisor to help curate your journey within the CoP, gain access to tailored resources, hear about new opportunities, and receive invitations to special sessions.
Upcoming Events
Dive into a dynamic knowledge-sharing session where we introduce a key shared opportunity or challenge facing our network. Learn from peers, exchange ideas, and explore how you can get involved. We’ll also invite you to share your preferred level of engagement, helping shape the CoP around the ways you want to contribute and connect. Don’t miss this chance to be part of a collaborative, action-oriented community!
February 26th at 2 PM ET
Virtual
Info Session | CoP Launch Event
Join us for a 3x3 Exchange: 3 organizations, each showcasing 3 slides, in just 30 minutes. Hear what’s working in other cities, get practical ideas you can apply, and connect with fellow participants. Interested in sharing your work? Reach out to CoP Advisor Beka Burton at beka@newgrowth.org.
March 26th at 2 PM ET
Virtual
Meet Your Peers
Join us in New Orleans for 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.
May 18-20, 2026
New Orleans, LA
Cityscapes Summit 2026
News from the SMC Hub
Meet Our CoP Advisor
Beka Burton is a Certified Economic Developer with a passion for building communities where people and businesses can thrive. She brings nearly two decades of experience spanning statewide initiatives, cross-sector partnerships, and grassroots engagement.