CHICAGO, Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a city defined by strong neighborhoods and enduring civic leadership, NeighborWorks® America will convene well over 1,000 housing and community development professionals Feb. 23-27 for the 2026 NeighborWorks Training Institute.
Held twice each year, the NeighborWorks Training Institute is the largest professional learning and networking event of its kind in the country. This year’s theme, “Building Connections, Building Solutions,” reflects the focus of the week: practical training, peer exchange and partnerships that translate into measurable results in communities nationwide.
From housing counselors and nonprofit leaders to funders and emerging practitioners, participants will gather to strengthen their skills, earn professional certificates and share strategies that expand access to affordable homes and support financial stability.
“NeighborWorks America is committed to helping our network and the broader field recruit, train and retain the next generation of leaders,” said Doug Sessions, senior vice president, Training Division, NeighborWorks America. “Through our in-person institutes, online learning and onsite certification courses, we provide practical education that equips professionals to deliver results in their communities.”
Chicago provides a powerful backdrop. The city’s legacy of neighborhood-driven progress mirrors the work of the nearly 250-member NeighborWorks network, which serves communities in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Native lands.
The NeighborWorks Training Institute is also expected to deliver measurable economic impact locally. According to a pre-event economic impact profile, the convening is projected to:
- Generate $5.2 million in total business sales
- Support 809 total jobs
- Contribute more than $480,000 in combined state and local tax revenue
- Produce nearly 4,836 estimated room nights
During the opening plenary, Chief Financial Officer Kemba Esmond framed the week as an investment in outcomes, not just instruction.
“Chicago is a powerful place for us to gather,” Esmond said. “Progress does not happen by chance. It happens through planning, partnership and persistence. This week is designed to prepare you for what comes next. Training is not a cost; it is an investment in impact.”
NeighborWorks America is a congressionally chartered nonprofit corporation entrusted with stewarding public investment and turning it into measurable outcomes, she added. “We do that alongside a network of local organizations around the country. Local expertise is how national solutions actually work.”
About NeighborWorks America
For nearly 50 years, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., a Congressionally chartered national nonprofit known as NeighborWorks® America, has strived to make every community safer and more prosperous. Our network of excellence includes nearly 250 nonprofits in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and on Native lands. NeighborWorks offers grant funding, peer exchange, technical assistance, evaluation tools and access to best-in-class training as the nation's leading trainer of housing and community development professionals. NeighborWorks network organizations build homes and apartments, expanding the supply of affordable housing in every community; provide financial counseling and coaching that increases self-sufficiency; encourage resident leadership, and collaborate with local stakeholders in the areas of health, economic development, employment and education. In Fiscal Year 2025, for every dollar received from Congress, NeighborWorks network and NeighborWorks America attracted an additional $74 of investment from other sources.
The 2026 NeighborWorks Training Institute in Chicago marks the next chapter in how leaders connect, sharpen their expertise and return home ready to build what works.
For more information, visit neighborworks.org.
Contact:
Arian L. Tyler
Director, External Communications & Marketing
NeighborWorks America | media@nw.org | atyler@nw.org
