The City of Champaign hosted a training course from the National Community Development Association (NCDA) focused on practitioners in the federal HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME program). The three day course included 18 practitioners from around the country and three local staff. The event was offered at the Champaign Police Department, which provided great accommodations for classroom training. In exchange for the free meeting space (Champaign Police Department – Dodsworth Training Room), morning coffee/tea service (Neighborhood Services), and meeting logistics (Neighborhood Services, Informational Technology and Champaign Police Department), the City of Champaign was able to send staff free of charge. Nina Sibley, Administrative Assistant, and Rachel Buchler, Neighborhood Program Division Intern, completed the course and passed the course exam on the final day. With the City of Champaign hosting the free training, this saved the City approximately $750.
Neighborhood Services is also interested in bringing the summer national conference of NCDA to our community as the Bristol Place redevelopment nears completion (estimated completion is in 2019). This would bring 150+ community development practitioners from around the country to our community for 3+ days.