The mission of CDI is to empower people with the knowledge and skills necessary to proactively improve the physical and human resources of their communities, thereby increasing the quality of life for all citizens.

CDI can effectively and positively impact economic and social development by building the capacity of individuals and communities through practical, interactive, and comprehensive training designed to meet the needs of economic and community development professional working in a fast paced environment.

The program consists of three, four-day training sessions which can be completed in subsequent years at the same site location or by fast tracking to multiple sites within the CDI network in a single year or more. Participants are exposed to a comprehensive, applied approach to community and economic development. In addition to learning from successful practitioners, CDI also offers valuable networking and peer‐to‐peer learning opportunities.

Who Should Attend?

Participants include community and economic development practitioners, city, county and state officials and community volunteers, non-profit staff and board members, chamber staff, private industry, municipal districts, and academics, all of whom find the institute to be a valuable learning tool for the development of individual and community leadership skills. Attendees will expand their ability to identify community assets, set goals, encourage collaboration, and respond to a broad range of economic and quality of life issues.

CDI Across the Nation

CDI is a national network of training sites endorsed by the Community Development Council (CDC), a nationally-recognized, non-profit organization with the mission of advancing the practice and profession of community development.