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Arian L. Tyler
Director, External Communications & Marketing
NeighborWorks America | [email protected] | [email protected]
NeighborWorks America celebrates 75 new graduates from Excellence in Governance Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 31, 2026) – NeighborWorks® America this week announced 75 new graduates representing 35 network community development nonprofits from the organization’s Excellence in Governance Program. The 18-month program, which included more than 60 hours in governance training, is designed for board members, chief executives and board support staff who are ready to sharpen their leadership skills, strengthen their governance strategies and experiment with promising practices.
Each cohort works on these strategies through peer learning, specialized training and tailored resources. In addition to meeting the program requirements, 37 cohort members also completed and presented a final, applied learning capstone project and received the NeighborWorks America Board Governance Leader Certification. The credential recognizes board leaders, senior executives and board support staff who demonstrate a strong understanding of governance fundamentals, value diverse perspectives and help organizations navigate decisions with confidence and care
“At NeighborWorks America, we know how important it is to have an engaged and informed board that keeps us connected – and looking forward – in the communities we serve,” said NeighborWorks President & CEO Marietta Rodriguez. “It not only helps the organization; it helps the whole community. I’m already anticipating the impact our newest graduates will make in their respective communities.”
Jennifer Christian, senior director of Network Leadership Development, said that NeighborWorks invests in board members knowing that the training will have what she calls a “multiplier effect.” “Participants become leaders not just on the board, but in other ways in the community. Their impact grows exponentially.”
Participants presented their projects and takeaways during the program’s final weeks. Highlights included adopting a sabbatical policy for the senior executive, creating a Governance Committee, introducing board member term limits, initiating a community building and friend-raising campaign, restructuring board committees, implementing governance micro-learning in board meetings.
As participant Elina Lininger, board chair of NeighborWorks Umpqua, said, “It provides an opportunity to step back and look at our board from a higher perspective and imagine what a strong and effective board could really look like.”
NeighborWorks is accepting applications for its next cohort of Excellence in Governance leaders from network members until June 5.
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.
For more information, visit neighborworks.org.
