Community Development Institute (CDI)

Past 2022 Trainings

Community Gardening: A Tool in Community Development

Community Gardens are more than a place to grow produce, herbs, and flowers. It’s a tool to bring a community together through youth/school gardens, entrepreneurial gardens, or communal gardens. As community gardens come in many shapes and forms it’s important understand all the aspects to managing a garden from relationships, group dynamics, planning and organizing, financial costs, group decision-making, and the associated opportunities and challenges that come with establishing a community garden. Attendees joined us in Pawley’s Island, SC for a site visit to Carolina Human Reinvestment’s community garden to learn how they started their community garden and how it has grown over the years. Furthermore, Clemson Extension and SCACED discussed partnership, financial and other resources for organizations to access as they establish and grow their community garden.

This in-person, full day training was geared towards groups who are looking to start a community garden or grow their current program.

Trainers:

• Amy Dabbs, Statewide School & Community Gardening Coordinator, Clemson extension, Clemson University

• Didier Guedjo, Executive Director, Carolina Human Reinvestment

• Ken Harvin, Program Associate/Rural Prosperity Coordinator, SCACED

Community Reinvestment Act Proposed Rule Changes

In May 2022, notice of Proposed Rulemaking to strengthen and modernize the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) was issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The Community Reinvestment Act was enacted in 1977 to address redlining and other discriminatory practices within financial institutions. The last update was 25 years ago, and as banking has evolved over the decades, it is imperative to strengthen CRA to ensure financial institutions meet the modern investment needs of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Co-hosted by Georgia ACT and SC Association for Community Economic Development, this session reviewd CRA, discussed how the proposed rule changes will impact the community economic development industry, and how community organizations could submit commentary before the August 5, 2022 deadline.

Speakers:

• Josh Silver, Sr. Advisor, Policy, National Community Reinvestment Coalition

• Frank Woodruff, Executive Director, NACEDA

SBA Community Navigator Webinar

Through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Small Business Administration established the Community Navigator Program to support small businesses with a focus on those owned by veterans, women, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals - including in rural and urban communities. The program is designed to reduce barriers that underrepresented and underserved entrepreneurs often face in accessing the programs they need to recover, grow, or start their businesses. In this webinar, attendees learned about the South Carolina statewide program and the organizations involved in supporting small businesses through financial assistance, access to capital, business development, technical assistance, and more.

Speakers:

• Katy Davenport, Chief Program Officer, CommunityWorks

• Evelyn Lugo, President, SC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

• Sam Skardon, Director of Operations & Development, CLIMB Fund

• William Furman, Senior Area Manager, South Carolina District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration

• Ingrid Tugwell, Increasing HOPE Financial Training Center

SCACED 2022 Policy Priorities

We held a virtual discussion on our 2022 Policy Priorities where attendees learned how their organization can help advocate for community economic development funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. We also discussed how to help end predatory lending in South Carolina by advocating for 36% cap rate.

Broadband Community Training

Broadband Community Champion Training Initiative address barriers and the lack of broadband access in rural communities.  The goal of the initiative is to certify Community Broadband Champions to marshal sustainable support from key community stakeholders.  Our design empowers local leaders to attract service providers and capital to expand rural broadband service. Counties selected to participate are engaged in three (3) training sessions; access, adoption and use of broadband; K-12 education; and rural healthcare providers.