Purpose Built Communities

Building a stronger neighborhood doesn't always require a big commitment.

Sometimes, it starts with small actions, supporting a local business, attending a community event, or simply getting to know a neighbor.

Swipe through for five simple ways to invest in your neighborhood this summer.

What's one way you'll show up for your community this season? 👇

It's easy to look at a neighborhood through the lens of what it lacks. But transformation begins when we see what has always been there: resilience, leadership, history, potential, and people who care deeply about the place they call home.

As Jotaka Eaddy reminded us at the 2025 Purpose Built Communities National Conference:

"Broken is not the same as beyond repair. Overlooked is not the same as unworthy. Underfunded is not the same as unimportant."

Across our Network, Community Quarterback Organizations, residents, and partners are proving every day that when neighborhoods have the resources, investment, and support they deserve, extraordinary things are possible.

What gives you hope about the future of your community?

What if we thought about pediatric health differently?

For decades, we've measured children's health by the care they receive after a problem emerges. But the strongest predictors of long-term health often exist outside the walls of a hospital.

A child's neighborhood. Their housing stability. Their access to high-quality early learning. Their readiness for kindergarten. Their ability to read proficiently by third grade.

If we want healthier communities, we must broaden our definition of health itself.
That means investing not only in healthcare systems, but also in the neighborhood conditions that help children thrive from the start. It means recognizing that schools, housing, community wellbeing, and economic opportunity are all connected to lifelong health outcomes.

The future of pediatric health may depend less on treating illness and more on creating the conditions that allow children to flourish long before they need medical care.

During the Prosperity Starts With Place™ National Conference, Dr. Jelani Cobb challenged us to keep today's obstacles in perspective. The work of neighborhood transformation has never been easy, but history reminds us that progress is possible when communities remain committed to one another and the future they are building together.

The path forward may not always be easy, but history shows what's possible when communities remain committed to building a brighter future together.

Here's what most people don't know about neighborhood transformation:
The answers already exist within the community.
That idea surfaced again and again at the 2026 Prosperity Starts With Place™ conference, where more than 700 leaders, residents, practitioners, funders, and partners gathered to explore what it takes to create lasting change.

In our latest newsletter, we're sharing five key lessons from the conference, including why resident leadership, connected systems, and collective hope remain essential to building thriving neighborhoods.

Read the full article through the link below.

And if you want more stories, research, and insights like this, subscribe to our newsletter and never miss an update.

Read more here: https://purposebuiltcommunities.org/2026/05/highlights-from-a-transformative-week-in-jacksonville/

Didn’t get a chance to tune in? There’s still time to watch.

DREAM ON’s newest episode takes viewers to Spartanburg’s Northside neighborhood, where residents, community leaders, educators, and local partners came together around a shared vision for the future, and the results are remarkable.

Dive in on their Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com//videos

Our CEO, Carol Naughton, recently joined Kirk Wester-Rivera on the Thriving Neighborhoods Lab Podcast for a thoughtful conversation about what it really takes to create lasting neighborhood transformation.

In Episode 8, The Long Game: Why Transformation Takes Generations, Carol reflects on more than three decades of experience working alongside residents, local leaders, and partners to strengthen neighborhoods and expand pathways to prosperity and opportunity.

The conversation explores a critical question: What happens when we commit to communities for the long haul?

From the realities of multi-decade neighborhood transformation to the importance of aligning expectations with the pace of meaningful change, Carol shares lessons learned from the field and insights for practitioners, funders, and anyone committed to building stronger neighborhoods.

If you're interested in the future of community transformation, this episode is well worth a listen.

Listen now:

Episode 8: The Long Game - Why Transformation Takes Generations Carol Naughton has spent more than thirty years inside some of the ...

Strong neighborhoods are built through strong relationships.

Real transformation happens when residents, local leaders, businesses, nonprofits, and funders work together with a shared commitment to the future of a community.

That kind of progress takes trust. It takes listening. And it takes long-term investment in the people and places that make neighborhoods thrive.

We believe lasting change is possible when neighborhoods have partners willing to stay engaged, think boldly, and support resident-led visions for the future.

Because prosperity grows when people work together.

Purpose Built Communities® is proud to announce the promotion of three exceptional team members whose leadership continues to strengthen our work and support our growing network.

Please join us in congratulating:

Evan Smith, promoted to Senior Vice President, Prospects and Growth

Reagan Perkins, promoted to Director, Network Member Success

Shena Garrett, promoted to Manager, Finance and Risk

These promotions reflect the expertise, dedication, and impact each of these leaders brings to Purpose Built Communities and the neighborhoods we serve.

As Carol R. Naughton, Chief Executive Officer of Purpose Built Communities, shared, "Evan, Reagan, and Shena have each played an important role in advancing our mission, and their promotions reflect both their leadership and the impact they bring to our work."

Their leadership will help strengthen strategic growth, support the success of our Network Members, and ensure strong financial stewardship as we continue expanding pathways to prosperity and opportunity in neighborhoods across the country.

Join us in congratulating Evan, Reagan, and Shena on this well-deserved achievement.