An Enterprise Faith-Based Development Initiative

Enterprise Community Partners, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing housing stability and affordability, in partnership with the City of Charlotte, has launched the "Faith in Housing Charlotte: An Enterprise Faith-Based Development Initiative Cohort." This program invites Houses of Worship (HOWs), Faith-Based Organizations, and Community Development Organizations (formally affiliated with HOWs) that own land in Charlotte, North Carolina, to apply for a technical assistance and training cohort focused on the development of affordable housing and/or community-serving facilities. Enterprise has a longstanding history of working across all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, investing over $80.9 billion since 1982 to create or preserve one million homes. The Faith-Based Development Initiative (FBDI) builds upon that legacy by supporting religious and faith-rooted entities in using underutilized land for development purposes, specifically for community or affordable housing projects. This initiative in Charlotte is focused on building development capacity within eligible organizations through structured in-person and virtual training, peer learning, and direct technical assistance delivered over an approximately 8-month cohort period starting October 16, 2025. The training curriculum covers key aspects of real estate development such as project design, community engagement, deal structuring, and operations. Each selected participant will receive one-on-one technical assistance and will be eligible to apply for grant funding from the City of Charlotte to support pre-development activities like feasibility analyses and market studies. Additionally, participants will gain access to Enterprise’s capital products. Up to 12 organizations will be selected based on organizational capacity, completeness of application materials, and alignment with affordable housing development goals. To qualify, applicants must own or control land within the City of Charlotte and meet one of the following organizational criteria: (a) a House of Worship or Faith-Based Organization owning real estate and actively pursuing or considering development; or (b) a nonprofit Community Development Organization formally affiliated with a HOW and similarly situated. Applications must include detailed organizational narratives, an assessment form hosted on SlideRoom, and additional documentation like leadership bios, staffing information, and a development plan overview. Participation also requires committed involvement from senior leaders and staff in all training activities and a final presentation summarizing the participant’s project concept. The application window opened on August 12, 2025, and all proposals must be submitted via SlideRoom by 11:59 PM ET on September 12, 2025. A Pre-Submission Webinar was held on August 19, 2025, and applicants may view the recording and slide materials for reference. Notifications will be made by October 7, 2025, with the cohort formally launching on October 16, 2025. All inquiries regarding the opportunity can be directed to Timothy Block, Senior Director, Southeast, at tblock@enterprisecommunity.org. Participants should be aware that the program’s continuation is contingent on ongoing funding from the City of Charlotte and Enterprise Community Partners.

Applicants should carefully complete the Organizational Narrative and Assessment document even if some sections are incomplete, as this informs the baseline support to be provided during the cohort