• Events

Upcoming events

  • Economic Empowerment Network Check In

    • Thursday, January 16, 2025
    • Thursday, November 20, 2025
    • 6 sessions
    • Online


    Come meet other CCDA practitioners who are working on the front lines of economic empowerment ministries. We’ll connect with other practitioners who are working in this space for the purposes of sharing ideas and encouragement that helps us grow together in the area of economic empowerment ministries. This peer-to-peer support network will brainstorm new ways to tackle local challenges in your communities. Come be refreshed and enjoy the fellowship of others who get you!  

    Follow our network here: ccda.org/economic/

    Click here to register for the check-in

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  • CCDA Executive Leadership Peer Coaching Circle

    • Tuesday, January 28, 2025
    • 2:00 PM
    • Tuesday, May 20, 2025
    • 3:30 PM
    • Zoom


    Do you ever feel isolated in leadership? Are you unsure where you can find a supportive professional community to navigate tough decisions and challenges?


    The good news is that executive leadership doesn’t have to be lonely. CCDA is launching an Executive Leadership Peer Coaching Circle in 2025. Each month, a small group of leaders will meet together for peer coaching and collaborative discussion. In these hour-and-a-half sessions will include breakout groups where facilitators create space for participants to share experiences, challenges, and successes in a confidential space. Participants are able to peer coach one another through supportive listening, collaborative discussion to find solutions to challenges together.


    How is an executive leader defined? In this context, Executive Leader/Leadership is defined as Executive Director, President, CEO, Senior Pastor, or Business Owner. Essentially, the head of an organization who reports to a governing entity; the person in charge of the organization. Non-hierarchical shared leadership is welcome; please follow the link to apply for registration. Contact Mary Beth Meadows at marybeth@ccda.org if you have any questions.


    There are only fifteen spots available, so apply today!

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  • Women of Color Check-ins

    • Thursday, January 30, 2025
    • Thursday, December 25, 2025
    • 12 sessions
    • Online

    This is a space for WOC in CCDA to come together and share their stories, be encouraged, receive prayer and also have a moment to inhale and exhale. We hope to reflect on who God has called us to be and share our hopes and dreams for the future. We desire to champion each other for years to come.

    Register here for meeting link.

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  • CCDA Member Office Hours

    • Thursday, May 22, 2025
    • Thursday, April 26, 2035
    • 120 sessions
    Register

    CCDA Member Office Hours are a monthly chance to connect with CCDA staff and other members. It's your time. Share what you are working on. Ask questions. Have conversations. Build community. It's an open forum to spend some time together with a few other members and connect. 

    What are the tools and resources you’ve found most useful?

    What challenges is your community facing?

    What’s one thing happening in your community that you are excited about?

    Let's talk about it! 

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  • CCDA Mentoring Program - Mentors registration

    • Friday, May 30, 2025
    • Deadline for registration
    Register


    This mentoring program is dedicated to supporting and developing CCDA's members.

    CCDA mentors play a crucial role in developing, guiding and supporting the CCDA mentee's journey to reach their personal goals.

    Being a Mentor is an important engagement of your time, sharing skills and experience, and developing others and yourself at the same time.

    As a Mentor, you shall commit:

    • to be available for 30 min every 2 weeks or 1 hour per month to catch up with your mentee for the duration of the program till mid-December, when the mentoring program ends.
    • Maintaining an active membership, in your name and email address, for the duration of the program 

    We recommend that you define upfront your availability and inform us in case your availability changes.

    Book the sessions in advance with your mentee(s) on our Partner platform when you can be available so that you manage your involvement and provide sufficient time to develop your mentee(s).

    Your CCDA Mentoring team

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  • CCDA Mentoring Program - Mentees registration

    • Friday, May 30, 2025
    • Deadline for registration
    Register


    We will launch a pilot CCDA Mentoring program in 2025.

    Our Mentors will dedicate their precious time to sharing their experience with you.

    Being committed to participating actively in this mentoring program is the key to your success.

    It is a 6 month Mentoring program. It will end in October 2025.

    REGISTRATION CONDITIONS

    The mentoring program is accessible to Individual Gold membership level and above. 

    You will be matched to a potential Mentor who is as close as possible to your expectations and needs.

    Your CCDA Mentoring team

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  • Front Porch Wisdom: Navigating Leadership Pressures and Barriers as a Woman of Color

    • Monday, June 02, 2025
    • Monday, June 23, 2025
    • 4 sessions
    • Zoom
    • 20
    Register


    This four week session will focus on the experiences of Biblical women as a guide for our leadership journeys. We will discuss topics such as Rejection and Trauma in the workplace using Hagar's life as a guide. This coaching circle will emphasize the importance of faith and personal values in leadership roles and offer practical tools and strategies for navigating corporate and nonprofit sectors along with reflective exercises designed to encourage personal and professional growth.

    This is designed to provide a space for women of color to feel safe, heard, and seen knowing that God is with us offering peace and love even when the world doesn't always find value in who we are.

    Outline of sessions:

    • Session 1: You are Woman: What Does God Say About You?
    • Session 2: Hagar--Dealing with Othering in the Workplace
    • Session 3: Leah--Being Rejected/Imposter Syndrome
    • Session 4: Jesus and the Three: The Role of Social Capital, Mentors, and Coaches as you move to the Mountaintop

    Froswa' Booker-Drew (PhD, Antioch) will be leading these sessions. She is the founder of Soulstice Consultancy providing philanthropic guidance, community engagement strategies, and leadership development for companies and nonprofits. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Tulane University and a research affiliate at Antioch University. Froswa' is the author of five books including the soon to be released, Front Porch Wisdom (InterVarsity Press), as well as the award-winning Empowering Charity: A New Narrative of Philanthropy and is the cofounder of HERitage Giving Circle. She has an adult daughter and a grandcat.


    Please note: There will be readings provided throughout session as homework.

    Zoom link will be given upon purchase of ticket. 


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  • Holy Shift - Pivoting Strategies for Non-Profits in 2025

    • Wednesday, June 04, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register

    In light of our current moment, how do non-profits maintain focus while communicating the mission and values to your staff, donors, stake holders, local community, board and in public facing venues?

    With existing and potential federal & state funding restrictions learn to identify key financial metrics to help non-profits "stress test" existing financial systems  as well gain tools to build capacity into the future. Learn how to ensure that your donor base/grants and fundraising strategies are in alignment to mitigate short time loss revenue/relationships along with increasing engagement opportunities for long term sustainability and growth.

    Join Everence and Cultured Enuf to learn how to manage risk yet maintain your mission and community impact.


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  • Renewed for the Journey: Planning, Experiencing, and Re-entry of a Sabbatical

    • Wednesday, June 11, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register

    Burnout is a challenge for anyone working in Christian Community Development (CCD). The demands of the work, the stress of the stories, the never-doneness of ministry means there is always more to do. Rest does not always come easy.

    The Lord gave us sabbath and sabbatical as gifts – rest for the week, and rest and refreshment in a longer season. A sabbatical well planned, funded, supported, experienced, and reported on can refresh and renew a person’s soul, family, and ministry. Join Rev. Dr. Jason Leininger who will share resources, perspectives, and planning tools to plan, experience, and re-enter a sabbatical well and whole.

    *This class requires at least 10 registered participants. If minimum enrollment is not met, the class may be rescheduled or canceled.

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  • Sustaining Leaders Amidst the Burnout Crisis

    • Wednesday, June 18, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register

    Burnout has reached unsustainable levels for US nonprofits. With risks for developing serious mental health concerns for leaders. Community development practitioners, particularly faith-based individuals, are at greater risk for developing PTSD symptoms than the average population.

    How can we create resilient organizations to withstand the emotional toll that community development nonprofits experience? One answer rests within trauma-responsive organizational leadership and its connections to community support. Join Jena Kitchen and Leo Hylton from Radiate Social Impact to develop tools to recognize and address burnout and toxic stress within yourself and your organization. 

    *This class requires at least 10 registered participants. If minimum enrollment is not met, the class may be rescheduled or canceled.

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  • The Holistic Coaching Model

    • Wednesday, June 25, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register

    Join Michael Sickles and Madison Walter from Back2Back Cincinnati to learn about The Holistic Coaching model. The model is designed to equip adults investing in teenagers, so that they may coach and train youth towards holistic care and sustainability through an established, trusted relationship following the principles of Luke 10, as people of peace. 

    *This class requires at least 10 registered participants. If minimum enrollment is not met, the class may be rescheduled or canceled.

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  • Navigating the Advocacy Space as a 501c3

    • Wednesday, July 02, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register


    Organizations with 501c3 status can advocate, but there are some limits. Join veteran CCD practitioner and advocate Michelle Warren for an informative and practical session to learn how to better understand how you can raise your voice in advocacy without jeopardizing your organization's tax status.

    *This class requires at least 10 registered participants. If minimum enrollment is not met, the class may be rescheduled or canceled.

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  • Create Impact Reports Your Donors Won’t Put Down

    • Wednesday, July 09, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register

    Whether you regularly publish an annual report, or you are thinking about creating one, have you ever wondered if your reports matter? Join Sonja Schappert Howden to learn 10 tips to maximize your efforts and create reports that are more meaningful to your donors, strengthening your organization's fundraising efforts. Practical activities include building a reader profile, identifying your narrative arc, and identifying best practices for describing the various types of data reported. Come away with an impact report checklist and a worksheet to outline your next publication!

    *This class requires at least 10 registered participants. If minimum enrollment is not met, the class may be rescheduled or canceled.

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  • Self-care in the Midst of DEI Erasure

    • Wednesday, July 16, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register

    As diversity, equity and inclusion champions, how do we sustain self-care in the midst of cultural adversity and uncertain times? What happens to our sense of efficacy when our efforts to communicate the intersection of faith and diversity fails in the social landscape of our institutions, communities and broader culture? Come join Dr. Valerie Stokes for a conversation that offers space for those enraged and disheartened.

    *This class requires at least 10 registered participants. If minimum enrollment is not met, the class may be rescheduled or canceled.

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  • Strategic Planning for Transformative Engagement: A Roadmap for Sustainable Community Impact

    • Wednesday, July 23, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register

    Community transformation doesn’t happen by chance—it requires intentionality, strategic planning, and capacity building. Join Chanda Epps for this interactive class which equips community leaders, faith-based practitioners, and organizational teams with practical tools to design sustainable, impactful engagement strategies that foster long-term community change.

    Through a structured strategic planning framework, participants will explore how to move beyond reactive engagement and build proactive, vision-driven initiatives that align with their mission. This session will highlight key principles in capacity building, leadership sustainability, and effective community partnerships, ensuring that engagement efforts lead to real transformation.
    Participants will leave with a customized strategic engagement roadmap to apply within their own communities, ministries, or organizations.

    *This class requires at least 10 registered participants. If minimum enrollment is not met, the class may be rescheduled or canceled.

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  • Embodied Shalom: How Our Well-Being Fuels Collective Flourishing

    • Wednesday, July 30, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
    • Private Zoom Link
    Register


    Embodied Shalom: How Our Well-Being Fuels Collective Flourishing, explores the vital connection between personal well-being and community restoration. Through personal stories, interactive activities, and teachings, Adam Vanderwell will lead the class on reflecting on how caring for our spiritual, emotional, and physical health empowers our ability to serve others. The session covers the importance of vulnerability, rhythms of rest modeled by Jesus, and practical steps for holistic self-care. By acknowledging the need for self-restoration, we empower ourselves to lead more effectively in our communities, ultimately contributing to collective flourishing. The session will include time for Q&A and resources for further growth.

    *This class requires at least 10 registered participants. If minimum enrollment is not met, the class may be rescheduled or canceled.

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  • 2025 Wednesday Go & Sees

    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025
    • 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    Register

    2025 CCDA National Conference Go & Sees offer a great opportunity to experience amazing CCD ministries all throughout Grand Rapids. Go & Sees provide conference participants an opportunity to visit the neighborhoods and communities in the area.

    Options include:

    Bridge Street Ministries

    Bridge Street Ministries is a place-based youth development organization that runs several youth-focused programs with a CCD focus.

    This Go & See will visit our ministry headquarters, which is located in the heart of one of Grand Rapids’ historic neighborhoods and is home to our West Side Resurgence site and community cafe. This location was formerly a dilapidated liquor store and porn shop but was renovated into a beautiful multi-use community space.

    Visit Bridge Street Ministries and explore the power of relocation, presence, and longevity. We will also discuss the importance of youth development and collaboration in our CCD work.

    This Go & See does not include lunch, so be sure to grab something before meeting in the Convention Center lobby to take a van to Bridge Street.

    ICCF Community Homes and Madison South Hill Church

    In 2020, Madison Church: South Hill realized its vision of 24/7 'kingdom impact' by restoring the 415 MLK Building. Today, this historic school houses a CCD congregation, ICCF Community Homes (with 41 affordable housing units), and the YMCA's early childhood education program. Hear the story of this transformative project and see how a church can drive impactful community development.

    This Go & See includes lunch and transportation.


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  • Leap of Faith Film Screening

    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025
    • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • Grand Gallery A, DeVos Place, Grand Rapids Michigan
    • 120
    Register


    Can people disagree and still belong to each other?

    This is the question at the center of Leap of Faith, a documentary featuring The Colossian Forum. This powerful film emphasizes what is possible locally among pastors and churches with significant difference when centering a strong commitment to our relationships with Christ and to our neighbors.

    Leap of Faith shows the beauty that can emerge in conflicted spaces, and demonstrate that faith communities have an extraordinarily important and positive role to play in a time of such deep national polarization.

    Attend a screening of the film and then engage in a conversation with some of the pastors featured in the documentary.

    Learn more about the film here: https://colossianforum.org/leap-of-faith



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  • 2025 CCDA National Conference | Shalom

    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025
    • 7:00 PM
    • Saturday, November 08, 2025
    • 12:00 PM
    • DeVos Place
    Register

    Conference Location

    The conference will be held at DeVos Place, located at 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

    Click HERE to learn more about the 2025 National Conference. 

    Registration changes, deletions, additions, etc.

    Have questions you can't find answers to? Check  out the CCDA Help Center.

    Plan to arrive early for Go & Sees and Preconference events on Wed.

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  • 2025 Thursday Go & Sees

    • Thursday, November 06, 2025
    • 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
    Register

    2025 CCDA National Conference Go & Sees offer a great opportunity to experience amazing CCD ministries all throughout Grand Rapids. Go & Sees provide conference participants an opportunity to visit the neighborhoods and communities in the area.

    Options include:

    Bridge Street Ministries

    Bridge Street Ministries is a place-based youth development organization that runs several youth-focused programs with a CCD focus.

    This Go & See will visit our ministry headquarters, which is located in the heart of one of Grand Rapids’ historic neighborhoods and is home to our West Side Resurgence site and community cafe. This location was formerly a dilapidated liquor store and porn shop but was renovated into a beautiful multi-use community space.

    Visit Bridge Street Ministries and explore the power of relocation, presence, and longevity. We will also discuss the importance of youth development and collaboration in our CCD work.

    This Go & See does not include lunch, so be sure to grab something before meeting in the Convention Center lobby to take a van to Bridge Street.

    New City Neighbors

    Get ready for an unforgettable experience with New City Neighbors, a dynamic youth empowerment organization on a mission to transform lives! We’re not just growing food; we’re growing future leaders.

    Join us for an exciting tour of our farmhouse and discover how we cultivate 60,000 pounds of fresh veggies every year! Then, take a seat at our farm-to-table café, where you’ll savor delicious wood-fired pizza from our outdoor pizza ovens. As you enjoy the flavors, we’ll share our groundbreaking approach to tackling food scarcity with sustainable agriculture—all while empowering a new generation of young leaders.

    You will ride the bus with a volunteer from New City Neighbors. Lunch will be provided.


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  • 2025 Friday Go & Sees

    • Friday, November 07, 2025
    • 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
    Register

    2025 CCDA National Conference Go & Sees offer a great opportunity to experience amazing CCD ministries all throughout Grand Rapids. Go & Sees provide conference participants an opportunity to visit the neighborhoods and communities in the area.

    Options include:

    Escape Ministries & Heights of Hope

    Escape Ministries peels the labels off "at-risk youth" by seeing youth through God's eyes, empowering them as young heroes alongside their families. Learn about our alternative suspension program, youth employment program, and after-school programs. During this Go & See, you will see how we strive for a trauma-informed approach to discipline, a culture steeped in joy and affirmation, and let relationships lead the way.

    From there, we'll visit Heights of Hope, a CCDA Neighborhood focused on championing community members' gifts, youth leadership, and walking with families through Circles. You'll learn about after-school programs for kindergartners to adults, fostering a dedicated mentoring program, and engaging a community that normally wouldn't open their doors.

    Lunch and transportation are included.

    ICCF Community Homes and Madison South Hill Church

    In 2020, Madison Church: South Hill realized its vision of 24/7 'kingdom impact' by restoring the 415 MLK Building. Today, this historic school houses a CCD congregation, ICCF Community Homes (with 41 affordable housing units), and the YMCA's early childhood education program. Hear the story of this transformative project and see how a church can drive impactful community development.

    This Go & See includes lunch and transportation.

    New City Neighbors

    Get ready for an unforgettable experience with New City Neighbors, a dynamic youth empowerment organization on a mission to transform lives! We’re not just growing food; we’re growing future leaders.

    Join us for an exciting tour of our farmhouse and discover how we cultivate 60,000 pounds of fresh veggies every year! Then, take a seat at our farm-to-table café, where you’ll savor delicious wood-fired pizza from our outdoor pizza ovens. As you enjoy the flavors, we’ll share our groundbreaking approach to tackling food scarcity with sustainable agriculture—all while empowering a new generation of young leaders.

    You will ride the bus with a volunteer from New City Neighbors. Lunch will be provided.


    Show details

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