CALL for SPEAKERS
Call for speakers IS OPEN SEPTEMber 1, 2026 – november 1, 2026
With approximately 350 attendees, the SPRE Summit brings together community space operators, philanthropic leaders, social justice advocates, CDFIs, lenders, government leaders, real estate development professionals, and more to connect, collaborate, and learn. Across sessions, roundtables, and plenaries, we’ll explore how to create and operate community spaces for the common good, how real estate can be an effective tool for shifting power, and what’s next for community development, investment, and impact.
The 2027 Summit will feature 30+ sessions across the five themes below. The Call for Speakers is now open — this is your invitation to help shape the conversation around community spaces, share what you’ve learned, and provide thought leadership for the social purpose real estate movement throughout the United States and Canada.
CONTENT Themes
The 2027 Summit sessions will be organized under five themes, each covering a different dimension of social purpose real estate. Browse the tracks below for examples of the kinds of topics we’re looking for in each. When you submit your proposal, you’ll choose the single primary theme that best fits your session. Full track descriptions and submission requirements are in the Proposal Guidelines.
ACCESS TO CAPITAL
Sessions on CDFI financing, catalytic capital structures, and public-private funding tools that make mission-driven real estate financially viable. This track takes on one of the most persistent barriers facing community developers in underinvested markets. We’re especially interested in sessions that demystify deal structures, walk through real capital stacks, and help practitioners find their way to funding that fits.
COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP & WEALTH BUILDING
Sessions focused on developing and sustaining community land trusts, multi-tenant nonprofit centers, and shared commercial spaces as long-term anchors of neighborhood economic stability. This theme surfaces replicable models, peer connections, and actionable strategies for community-controlled real estate development. We’re especially interested in sessions that share hard-won lessons from real projects, including what didn’t work, and models other communities can adapt.
DEVELOPMENT & OPERATIONS IN SPRE
Sessions covering the full lifecycle of mission-driven projects, from site acquisition and community-centered design to construction, property management, tenant relations, and long-term stewardship. This theme digs into inclusive design principles, sustainable operations, and the day-to-day realities of running spaces that serve the community without losing sight of financial durability. Think practical frameworks for taking projects from concept through occupancy and beyond. We’re especially interested in sessions that get concrete about the messy middle of development and operations, the decisions and tradeoffs that rarely make it into the polished case study.
PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATIONS
Sessions on building the cross-sector relationships that make social purpose real estate possible, connecting nonprofit developers, community organizations, funders, public agencies, and private partners around shared goals. This theme centers interdisciplinary models where no single actor carries the full weight, reflecting CSN’s belief that we complete the ecosystem rather than compete within it. Think of strategies for forming durable coalitions, aligning mission across partners, and turning collaboration into lasting neighborhood impact. We’re especially interested in sessions co-led by cross-sector partners who can speak candidly about what it took to build and sustain the relationship.
POLICY & ADVOCACY
Sessions connecting local practitioners to state and federal legislation, zoning reform strategies, and community reinvestment frameworks shaping what is possible on the ground. This theme equips practitioners to advocate effectively for the policy conditions that support community economic development. We’re especially interested in sessions that turn policy into practice, from winning zoning fights to organizing around reinvestment, with tactics attendees can use back home.
FOR SELECTED PROPOSALS
Conference Registration: Reduced to speaker fee of $395 USD. Scholarships are available. Travel support is not provided. You are responsible for your own travel and accommodations. Session Scheduling: CSN determines scheduling of all sessions, which will take place in-person in Atlanta, GA on May 5 or May 6, 2027. Please plan to be available either day. Speaker Training: All presenters will be required to attend a virtual training facilitated by CSN a few weeks before the Summit.
SUBMISSION TIMELINE
Call for Speakers Opens: September 1, 2026
Session Proposals Due: November 1, 2026 at 11:59pm EST
Presenters Informed of Selection Decision: January – February 2027
Questions about the process or proposals? Please email Heather Malveaux at [email protected].