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New impact report highlights strength of the CDO Fund model: 100,000 residents served and 1,400 affordable homes created in Phase II.

DETROIT (May 20, 2026) — Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise) today announced the largest phase of its Community Development Organization (CDO) Fund to date. Thirty-seven Detroit CDOs will work together to scale their collective impact in the city, receiving critical operating support and technical assistance over three years. With more than $14 million in philanthropic support already raised, Enterprise projects $27 million will go towards phase III CDOs focused on Detroit’s housing, economic development, and neighborhood stability.

In its prior phases, the CDO Fund was designed as three separate cohorts based on size, capacity, and focus: the Detroit 21, Elevating CDO, and Key Corridors funds. Now, Phase III brings all CDOs together as one cohort to deepen collaboration and expand impact across the city. Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD) will serve as lead facilitator, connecting CDOs to specialized technical assistance and shared services based on need and interest. 

“In neighborhoods across the country, and especially in Detroit, community development organizations serve as essential civic infrastructure,” said Ayonna Blue Donald, Vice President and Interim Detroit Market Leader, Enterprise. “The CDO Fund’s flexible, multi-year operating support has provided game-changing security and support for CDOs to scale their impact. We’re grateful to our philanthropic partners for investing in this fund and to former Enterprise Detroit Market Leader Melinda Clemons for helping to establish this nationally replicable model for scaling community development.” 

“The CDO Fund has been instrumental to the organizations keeping Detroit's neighborhoods whole and thriving,” said Madhavi Reddy, Executive Director, CDAD. “Each of them does monumental work in their communities, including providing services to residents, creating leadership opportunities for youth, developing deeply affordable housing, and helping to shape the future of Detroit. CDAD is honored to work with Enterprise, and we look forward to supporting the CDOs to achieve their missions, remain connected to the vast community development ecosystem, and influence decision-making in the city.

The launch of Phase III follows the release of Enterprise’s Phase II evaluation, which found that the CDO Fund model has delivered measurable impact for both organizations and the communities they serve:

  • 100,000 Detroit residents received services from CDOs, ranging from healthcare, youth services, employment, and more.
  • Grantees created or preserved more than 1,400 affordable homes and developed over 30,000 square feet of commercial space.
  • 97% of grantees reported diversifying their revenue sources, strengthening long-term sustainability, and nearly all were able to expand their programming, staffing, or real estate activity.
  • The evaluation also found that flexible, multi-year operating support—paired with technical assistance—was critical to helping organizations stabilize, grow, and respond to changing economic conditions.

Since its launch in 2020, the CDO Fund has grown significantly—from approximately $12.2 million in Phase I to over $23.7 million in Phase II, and now to $27 million planned for Phase III. This growth reflects continued investment from a collaborative group of philanthropic partners— Kresge Foundation, Ford Foundation, Gilbert Family Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Hudson-Webber Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Ballmer Group —committed to strengthening Detroit’s community development ecosystem.

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 $92.0 billion and created 1.1 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.