NFF spotlights community ownership as a path to local wealth

Nonprofit Finance Fund has released a new publication on community ownership, framing it as a way to expand affordable space, local control and long-term community wealth. The post outlines where the model is taking hold, what it takes to scale and why investors and philanthropy are paying closer attention.

Why it matters: - Community ownership is gaining traction as cities and neighborhoods look for ways to keep land, housing and businesses aligned with local priorities. - The model is designed to give longtime residents, local workers and community institutions more control over assets that shape daily life. - NFF frames the approach as a tool for financial stability, social well-being and wealth-building in communities that have often been excluded from traditional capital.

What happened: - Nonprofit Finance Fund published a new resource titled “How Community Ownership Creates Affordable Spaces, Local Power, and Lasting Community Wealth.” - Aisha Benson, NFF’s president and CEO, and Jessica LaBarbera, chief of staff and vice president of strategic initiatives, wrote the post. - The publication explains the forces behind rising interest in community ownership of assets. - NFF said the resource is part of its broader Community Ownership practice. - More information is available in NFF’s community ownership hub.

The details: - Community ownership can include land, housing, commercial real estate, energy infrastructure and businesses. - The resource highlights examples of community ownership work from Philadelphia to California. - NFF says the model can benefit communities, nonprofits, investors and philanthropy partners. - The publication says successful community ownership requires shared vision-setting, decision-making and governance. - The resource also addresses risk mitigation as these investments move toward the mainstream. - NFF’s Community Ownership practice includes work with Justice Capital, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the California Community Land Trust Network. - NFF says those partners bring expertise, relationships and experience to the work.

Between the lines: - The publication positions community ownership as more than a financing strategy; it is also a governance model built around agency and self-determination. - Benson described the approach as aligning capital with community priorities and said NFF sees growing interest from philanthropic and community partners. - LaBarbera said community ownership is a way to build an economy that works for people who have been locked out of wealth-building for too long. - The framing suggests NFF is pushing the idea from niche practice toward mainstream investing.

What's next: - NFF is likely to continue expanding its advisory and investment work in community ownership. - The organization is also signaling that more partners may join the effort as the model scales. - The publication points to ongoing work on governance, risk management and implementation as the field grows.

The bottom line: - NFF is betting that community-owned assets can help communities keep value local while creating affordable spaces, stronger institutions and more durable wealth.