8:30 – 9:00 AM: Registration & Networking Breakfast 
A light networking breakfast to start building connections among attendees before the forum begins. 

Opening

9:00 – 9:15 AM - Welcome & Invocation 

More information coming soon

Session I

9:15 – 10:00 AM - Opening Keynote: David Bowers (Enterprise Community Partners) “Radical Common Sense: Equipping the Faith Community to Meet Housing Affordability and Community Development Needs” 

This session aims to be an inspiring call to mobilize faith institutions as central players in addressing housing accessibility and rebuilding communities, positioning faith-based organizations as credible developers and social innovators. Participants see faith not only as mission driver but as a tangible community asset for social and economic renewal. The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A and open dialogue with the audience, inviting participants to engage directly with the speaker, share on-the-ground challenges, and explore practical pathways for translating faith-driven purpose into scalable housing and community development solutions. 

10:00 – 10:45 AM: Panel 1: “Making it Happen: Faith-Based Development in Action”

Facilitated by David Bowers, this panel highlights Enterprise Community Partners’ real-world examples of faith-based housing and community development in practice. Panelists will share lessons learned from projects already underway—what worked, what didn’t, and how challenges around zoning, financing, partnerships, and community engagement were overcome. Designed to be highly practical, the discussion equips participants with actionable strategies, replicable models, and partnership insights they can apply in their own communities to accelerate faith-based development and deliver tangible housing and community outcomes. 

10:45 – 11:00 AM - Networking Coffee Break 

Session II

11:00 AM – 11:45 PM – Panel 2: Federal Support for Faith-Based Housing: Development, Resilience, and Impact.  

This panel gathers key leaders from HUD, and the faith-based centers from other government agencies, such as Department of Commerce, U.S. Small Business Administration to discuss how faith-based organizations can access federal programs, navigate regulatory challenges, and build cross-agency partnerships to deliver affordable, resilient housing that meets community needs. Panelists will share their agencies’ priorities and funding opportunities, explore strategies for cross-sector collaboration, and offer guidance on incorporating disaster preparedness and resilience into housing initiatives. Attendees will gain practical insights from successful multi-agency case studies, learn how to effectively leverage federal resources, and leave with key contacts to support the planning, development, and expansion of impactful faith-based housing programs. The panel will be moderated by a housing policy expert or a leader from a national faith-based housing coalition and is designed to provide a structured, informative discussion. Each agency will begin by sharing its priorities and key programs, followed by a conversation on opportunities for collaboration and strategies to navigate regulatory and funding challenges. The panel will also highlight real-world case studies demonstrating successful multi-agency faith-based housing initiatives. It will conclude with an audience with Q&A to address practical questions and provide actionable guidance. 

 11:45 – 12:30 AM – Panel 3: Faith in Action: Navigating the Complexities of Attainable Housing and Community Development. 

Faith leaders with experience in housing initiatives, nonprofit and community development executives, CDFIs, financial institutions, policy or regulatory experts, and advocacy leaders.  Faith-based organizations are increasingly stepping into the role of housing developers, leveraging their mission-driven approach to address local housing needs. However, the path from vision to reality is often fraught with challenges, navigating regulatory frameworks, securing financing, managing development logistics, and addressing community concerns. This session will explore through successful cases how faith institutions can build the expertise and strategic capabilities necessary to deliver high-impact, attainable housing projects. Participants will learn practical strategies for overcoming common barriers, including understanding zoning and regulatory requirements, and building technical and operational capacity. Panelists will share case studies and lessons learned, highlighting how faith-led projects can balance mission integrity with financial sustainability. Attendees will leave with actionable insights on assembling the right expertise and implementing scalable approaches to faith-based housing initiatives that meet pressing community needs. 

12:30 – 1:30 PM – Networking Lunch 

Session III

1:30 PM – 1:45 PM Afternoon opening remarks from Alexandria Mayor, Alya Gaskins 

Mayor Alya Gaskins will open the afternoon session with remarks highlighting the City of Alexandria’s commitment to housing affordability, inclusive growth, and cross-sector collaboration. Her remarks will underscore the critical role of local leadership, faith-based institutions, and public-private-philanthropic partnerships in addressing the housing crisis and advancing community-centered development. The Mayor will also set the stage for the afternoon discussions by emphasizing the importance of scalable, locally grounded solutions that align policy, capital, and community trust. 

1:45 – 2:30 PM – Panel 4: Projects Showcase: Faith-Based, Hispanic & Tribal-Led Innovations in Community Development 

This project showcase session will feature initiatives led by faith-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Tribal Nations, demonstrating how mission-driven leadership, philanthropy, and public-private collaborations are delivering attainable housing and community renewal across varied cultural and geographic contexts. Each presentation will highlight innovative, culturally grounded approaches; shared values rooted in stewardship and community trust; and blended funding models that combine public, private, and philanthropic (P3) capital to achieve measurable social and economic impact. Beyond spotlighting successful projects, the session will explore how these models can be adapted, replicated, and scaled through partnerships with faith-based organizations nationwide. Participants will be invited to identify opportunities to contribute expertise, capital, land, and policy support to advance inclusive housing solutions that honor community identity while addressing urgent housing needs. 

2:30 – 3:15 PM - Spotlight Session: FOZI and Presidential Cottage Homes in Action. A scalable model for dignified, attainable living, and community prosperity. 

This session demonstrates how Faith-Based Opportunity Zone Investments (FOZI) and the Presidential Cottage Homes model collaborate to transform underused faith-owned land into vibrant, inclusive communities. Attendees will learn how this innovative community development and housing approach builds economic and social ecosystems around faith-centered initiatives (such as workforce training, schools, childcare, and small businesses) by leveraging faith-based land assets to accelerate the delivery of attainable housing. Participants will gain insight into how this replicable model blends innovation, faith, and finance to create dignified, attainable housing while fostering community wealth and opportunity. The session will motivate leaders to rethink how underutilized assets, especially faith-based properties, can be leveraged to deliver both housing and hope, and will be an invitation to collaborate with FOZI and Presidential Cottage Homes to build opportunities.  

3:15 – 3:30 PM - Networking Coffee Break 

3:30 – 4:15 PM - Aligning Mission and Capital: Opportunity Zones as a Tool for Faith-Based Housing 

This panel brings together a diverse group of practitioners and leaders working at the intersection of faith, housing, finance, and community development. Panelists include senior leaders from faith-based organizations actively developing housing on church- and faith-owned land; impact investors and Opportunity Zone fund managers deploying mission-aligned capital; housing developers and intermediaries with experience structuring complex public-private-philanthropic (P3) partnerships; and policy and municipal leaders shaping local land-use, zoning, and incentive frameworks. Representing communities from urban, suburban, and rural markets across the country, panelists offer grounded, real-world perspectives informed by projects at different stages—from early concept and capital formation to construction and long-term stewardship. Together, they provide a cross-sector view of how Opportunity Zones and faith-based assets can be aligned to unlock capital, mitigate risk, and deliver scalable housing solutions rooted in community trust and local impact. 

Closing

4:15 – 4:30 PM - Closing Session: “Faith as an Engine for Community Renewal” 

A reflective wrap-up featuring key takeaways from the day and a call to action for future collaboration. 

• Recap of insights and commitments 
• Building a national network for faith-based development 
• Announcing the next steps. A shared roadmap for continued collaboration among attendees, partners, and investors.