This summit is part of Community Development Week 2026:
Shaping Tomorrow’s Community Development Ecosystem
Capacity Building Institute , Community Development Week , Small Business ,
This summit is part of Community Development Week 2026:
Shaping Tomorrow’s Community Development Ecosystem
As the culminating event of Community Development Week 2026, The Coalition’s Community of Leaders Awards Reception brings together leaders from across Washington, DC’s community development ecosystem to celebrate the people, partnerships, and organizations driving meaningful change throughout the District.
For more than a decade, Community Development Week has celebrated the individuals and organizations whose leadership has strengthened Washington, DC’s community development ecosystem. The Community of Leaders Awards Reception continues that tradition by celebrating excellence while creating space for members, partners, policymakers, funders, and community leaders to connect, strengthen relationships, and celebrate the collective impact of the community development field.
The reception reflects The Coalition’s role as a unifying convener, bringing together diverse sectors around a shared commitment to expanding economic opportunity, strengthening neighborhoods, and improving quality of life for District residents.
Bob Pohlman Lifetime Achievement in Community Development Award
Named in honor of longtime community development leader Bob Pohlman, this award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated at least 20 years of outstanding leadership and service to Washington, DC’s community development field. The award celebrates a lifetime of commitment to expanding opportunity, strengthening neighborhoods, and improving the lives of District residents.
Community Champion Award
The Community Champion Award honors a Washington, DC resident whose advocacy, organizing, and grassroots leadership have created meaningful and lasting change within their community. This award recognizes individuals whose dedication exemplifies the power of local leadership to strengthen neighborhoods and improve quality of life.
Who Should Attend?
The Community of Leaders Awards Reception welcomes:
Whether you have participated in Community Development Week or are joining us to celebrate the field, the reception offers an opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, build new relationships, and recognize the leadership shaping stronger communities across the District.
Thank you to our Community Development Week Funders
Become a member of The Coalition today, and join the fight for a District where all residents can live in thriving communities that are racially, economically and socially just!
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