ABOUT THE MEL KING INSTITUTE

Mission and Vision

The Mel King Institute for Community Building fosters vibrant and thriving Massachusetts communities by advancing the skills of professional practitioners and volunteers in the community development field. We leverage collaborative mulit-sector partnerships that increase access to learning, building networks, and exploring new strategies to solve the complex challenges facing communities today..

MACDC and LISC Boston launched the Mel King Institute in 2009 in partnership with MassHousing and other community development leaders. The Institute is named after Mel King, a former state representative and mayoral candidate, and builds on his legacy as a political activist, community organizer, and educator. The Institute enables community development organizations and other local nonprofits to build homes, create jobs, grow businesses, and nurture leaders by providing access to proven community building strategies and tools.

The Program

The Institute brings professionals and volunteers skills, information, and innovative resources they need to be effective in their roles. We focus both on individual skill and organizational capacity building to strengthen the field of community development. Trainings are offered in the following learning areas: Real Estate Development, Community Organizing and Planning, Economic Development, Nonprofit Management, Racial Equity and Leadership Development.