Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations

What Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations does

Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations (PACDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association headquartered in Center City Philadelphia at 1315 Walnut Street. Founded as an umbrella organization for the city's community development sector, PACDC serves 150+ member organizations — primarily Philadelphia-based Community Development Corporations (CDCs) plus associate members (nonprofits, individuals, financial institutions, and professional service firms). The association's mission is to advocate for resources and policies that support equitable community development, while providing its members with capacity-building, professional development, and convening opportunities.

PACDC's core offerings are organized around four programmatic areas: (1) advocacy and policy development, anchored by the Equitable Development Policy Platform (six policy planks covering housing, anti-displacement, economic development, vacancy, and quality of life, endorsed by 60+ organizations); (2) professional development via the Philadelphia Community Development Leadership Institute (CDLI), offering workshops and training; (3) policy initiatives including the Community Capacity Building Fund (with a pilot $10,000 grant program), the proposed Quick Strike Property Acquisition Fund, and the Commercial Corridors Program; and (4) knowledge dissemination through the annual PACDC Journal, FY Annual Reports, Resource Directory, and the Minority + Women Business Directory. Distribution occurs through a website-driven membership enrollment process, peer committees (Commercial Corridor Working Group, Housing Committee, Communications Peer Group), email newsletters, social media, the annual Equitable Development Conference (250+ attendees expected in 2026), and the annual Gala.

PACDC generates revenue primarily through tiered membership dues ($100–$1,500 annually for CDC members based on operating budget; $100–$250 for associate members; $3,000–$25,000 for Supporting Associate Members), supplemented by event sponsorships (10 named 2026 Signature Events Supporters include Community Lenders, Pennoni, Univest Bank, and CSH), donations, and grants. The organization is led by Executive Director Rick Sauer (since 1999) and a small 16-person staff, and is governed by a Board of Directors representing member organizations. PACDC is not a technology company — its competitive position rests on network density, policy influence, and the institutional relationships of a 28-year track record (with claimed $5.4B in economic impact to Philadelphia and $9B to Pennsylvania over that period).

Name

Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations

Legal name

Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations

Website

https://pacdc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PACDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association in Philadelphia serving 150+ community development corporations and associate members through advocacy, policy development, professional training, and convening events focused on equitable neighborhood development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Nonprofit Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) & Reporting for Donor Programs (BPADAOAL)

Keywords

• Community development advocacy
• Nonprofit membership association
• Affordable housing policy
• Equitable development services
• Technical assistance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: PACDC generates revenue through annual membership dues from CDC Members and Associate Members. CDC members pay tiered dues ranging from $100 to $1,500 based on operating budget size. Associate members pay $100-$250 annually, with Supporting Associate Members paying $3,000-$25,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PACDC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association that serves Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and adjacent community stakeholders in Philadelphia through advocacy, policy development, and technical assistance. It enrolls CDC Members and Associate Members under a tiered annual dues structure, delivers professional development through the Philadelphia Community Development Leadership Institute (CDLI), convenes peer groups and committees, and publishes the Equitable Development Policy Platform along with annual journals and reports. Supporting services include exclusive funding alerts, advocacy testimony before City Council, and discounted access to third-party tools such as PhilaDox, Parcel Explorer, and Drexel University programs.

Product overview

PACDC is a membership association offering advocacy, policy development, and technical assistance for community development corporations. The organization operates as a unified service organization rather than a platform with modular products. Core offerings include membership services with funding alerts and networking, the Equitable Development Policy Platform with six policy planks, the Community Development Leadership Institute (CDLI) for professional development, publications (journals, annual reports), resource directories, and policy initiatives including the Community Capacity Building Fund, Quick Strike Property Acquisition Fund, and Commercial Corridors Program. The portfolio centers on capacity building and advocacy rather than technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PACDC Membership Services Membership program offering CDC Members and Associate Members annual access to exclusive funding alerts, networking with public officials and funders, policy development participation, discounted training, and access to resources such as PhilaDox, Parcel Explorer, and Drexel University programs.
• Philadelphia Community Development Leadership Institute (CDLI) Professional development and network strengthening program for community development practitioners offering events, workshops, and training sessions that build leadership and technical capacity within PACDC's member CDCs.
• Equitable Development Policy Platform Comprehensive policy platform with six planks covering Quality of Life, Inclusive Communities, Anti-Displacement, Housing, Economic Development, and Vacancy & Blight, comprising 22 high-impact recommendations developed with over 100 community leaders and endorsed by 60+ organizations.
• Community Capacity Building Fund (CCBF) Advocacy initiative and pilot grant program providing flexible multi-year funding and $10,000 pilot grants to qualifying nonprofit CDCs to support general operating capacity.
• Quick Strike Property Acquisition Fund Proposed revolving fund initiative for rapid property acquisition designed to help CDCs compete with outside investors by pre-certifying nonprofit developers to purchase properties for affordable homeownership or rental housing.
• Commercial Corridors Program Advocacy and program initiative supporting three City of Philadelphia programs — Targeted Corridor Revitalization Management, Storefront Improvement, and the Neighborhood Economic Development Grant Program — that back neighborhood commercial development.

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, moderate and core.

• Tacony CDCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Signature Events supporter and CDC member providing event sponsorship
• Germantown United CDCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Signature Events supporter and CDC member providing event sponsorship
• PennoniminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Signature Events supporter providing engineering and consulting services sponsorship
• Thriven DesignminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Signature Events supporter providing design services sponsorship
• Mosaic Development PartnersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20262026 Signature Events supporter and development partner providing sponsorship
• Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20262026 Signature Events supporter and strategic partner in supportive housing initiatives
• CeibacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-host of Mayoral Candidate Forum on Equitable Development & Affordable Housing in April 2023, partnering with PACDC on policy advocacy initiatives
• LISC PhiladelphiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-host of Mayoral Candidate Forum and regular collaborator on commercial corridor working group initiatives
• Regional Housing Legal ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-host of Mayoral Candidate Forum and partner on housing policy initiatives
• Urban Affairs CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-host of Mayoral Candidate Forum and longstanding partner in community development advocacy
• Urban League of PhiladelphiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-host of Mayoral Candidate Forum on Equitable Development & Affordable Housing, collaborating on equity-focused initiatives

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH): National nonprofit intermediary that partners with PACDC on signature events and works on supportive housing financing and policy — overlapping audience and policy agenda in Philadelphia's affordable housing ecosystem.
• Grounded Solutions Network: National membership network for community land trusts and shared-equity housing organizations, intersecting with PACDC's Quick Strike Acquisition Fund and anti-displacement agenda.

Direct peers

• National Council of Nonprofits: National network of nonprofit associations; PACDC's structure (membership association providing advocacy, training, and resources to nonprofit members) directly mirrors this model at a local scale.
• National Community Development Association: National membership association for community development organizations, directly comparable to PACDC as a trade body advocating for CDC capacity, federal funding, and policy at a larger geographic scope.
• LISC Philadelphia: Local Initiatives Support Corporation's Philadelphia office is a core strategic partner of PACDC and a peer in pooling CDC capacity, advocacy, and funding for equitable community development in the same geography.
• Urban Affairs Coalition: Philadelphia-based nonprofit coalition of community-based organizations serving similar audiences to PACDC, with overlapping advocacy in housing and equitable development.
• Urban League of Philadelphia: Co-host of PACDC's Mayoral Candidate Forum and overlapping advocate on equitable development, housing access, and minority economic empowerment in Philadelphia.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit developer and funder operating at scale in affordable housing and community development; comparable mission space and convening power to PACDC, but at much larger scope and capacity.
• United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey: Regional federated nonprofit that mobilizes funding and convening capacity across a similar Philadelphia-area geography, with overlapping donor base and corporate sponsorship channels.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI that funds and supports CDCs across the country; LISC Philadelphia is a direct PACDC partner and comparable in mission, though LISC operates at national scale with substantially more capital.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PHILLYCDCS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/philadelphia-association-of-community-development-corporations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations