#8, Frank Woodruff, National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations

Access to affordable housing is a national imperative but, as Frank Woodruff will tell you, it takes more than bricks and mortar to build a community. Frank leads National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA) an organization whose members are local and state level nonprofits serving CDCs (Community Development Corporations) in their communities. NACEDA's members have the technical-know how and the relationships with funders, community members and policymakers needed to fill the housing, jobs and public needs gaps where they live. Now, more than ever, the capacity to advocate for public policy that supports these needs, matters. As Frank explains: the ideas of how we advance ourselves in changing.