In new study, Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) shows how a decade of partnership has helped the nonprofit community development sector grow into a powerhouse, prepared to support communities in the wake of climate-fueled disasters
San Juan, Puerto Rico (March 19, 2025) – Over the past 10 years, community groups across Puerto Rico have developed to play a vital role in supporting affordable homes and stronger communities, particularly in the wake of record-breaking climate-fueled disasters.
In a new report, Enterprise – among the largest affordable housing nonprofits in the country – shows how those community groups have effectively developed into powerful intermediaries and first responders, channeling needed funds and know-how to yield resilient communities across the island. The report is an illustration for how, at a time of dramatic cuts to government funding, small community-led organizations are foundational to affordability and resilience.
“Over the past decade, we’ve been working alongside housing community development organizations across the island, offering financial support but also critical technical assistance to help the sector grow and develop,” said Erika Ruiz, senior director at Enterprise Advisors, the consulting services arm of Enterprise Community Partners. “Today, while there are still major hurdles to getting assistance and investments to communities island-wide, these community development organizations are now trusted, critical links in the chain to ensure communities stabilize, recover, and prosper, especially in the wake of disasters and other challenges.”
In the report – A Decade of Impact: Strengthening Puerto Rico’s Nonprofits for Growth and Resilience – Enterprise’s Impact and Evaluation team shows that through over $2 million in investments and grant support, the community development sector in Puerto Rico has been able to grow and thrive. Historically, the sector has been plagued by a variety of challenges including funding gaps, leadership deficits, a lack of infrastructure, and an inability to meet compliance requirements, all of which has stalled the organizations’ ability to support vulnerable communities across Puerto Rico.
“Enterprise doesn’t just provide funding,” said Carmen Matos of Fundación De Desarrollo Comunal (FUNDESCO). “They ensure we know how to use it.”
Through those funds and advisory and technical assistance, Enterprise has worked alongside the sector and the Puerto Rico Department of Housing to improve these organizations’ ability to offer flexible, sustainable support to communities island-wide. That support has allowed the groups to diversify funding streams, leverage resources channeled from the Puerto Rican government, improve disaster preparedness and response, and secure additional federal funds.
“Capacity building has enabled us to become more efficient and adaptable,” said Juan Sabathie of INDESOVI, a community development organization in Puerto Rico. “This includes the creation of cross-functional teams that improve collaboration and decision-making.”
The report explores some of the persistent challenges that will continue to require support in the years ahead. There are still far too many resources, the report finds, and investments are often insufficient and inconsistent to ensure the sector is prepared to respond effectively to disasters. There are still major staffing challenges across the island, as well as a need for a pipeline of leaders and a more robust mechanism for collaboration. The report recommends not only increases in funding, from both government and philanthropy, but more flexible funding for the sector, as well as deeper policy changes at the island and federal levels to support community-led development throughout Puerto Rico.
“There are still plenty of challenges, no doubt. But we’ve found that through effective collaboration and mentorship – not to mention the support of the Puerto Rican government and allies stateside – the community development sector will continue to grow to help all Puerto Ricans thrive,” said Michelle Rivera, program associate with Enterprise Advisors.
Enterprise has been active in Puerto Rico since 2001, when the organization invested in 158 affordable homes on the island. Since then, Enterprise and Enterprise Advisors have worked to outline resilience and community development strategies island-wide and has been a vital partner to the Puerto Rican government, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, and dozens of funders and local organizations committed to helping the island fortify its low-income communities.
About Enterprise Community Partners
Enterprise is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. We support community development organizations on the ground, aggregate and invest capital for impact, advance housing policy at every level of government, and build and manage communities ourselves. Since 1982, we have invested $72 billion and created 1 million homes across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands – all to make home and community places of pride, power and belonging. Join us at enterprisecommunity.org.
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