Building Power, Unlocking Capital: Advancing Equity Through Developer Capacity

Join NPH’s webinar, Building Power, Unlocking Capital: Advancing Equity Through Developer Capacity, to explore how supporting BIPOC and emerging community-based developers is key to creating deeply affordable, community-rooted housing. Despite their critical role, these developers face barriers such as limited access to flexible funding and underinvestment in organizational infrastructure.

This session highlights capacity-building as essential infrastructure for equity and sustainability. Panelists from CDFIs, intermediaries, and community-based developers will share practical strategies for funding staffing, systems, and operations, not just projects. Participants will learn how investing in organizational capacity strengthens long-term access to capital, enabling developers to sustain and scale their impact. They will gain advocacy tools and storytelling strategies to advance capacity-building within their organizations. Panelists will also share lessons from cross-sector collaborations that combine capital, technical assistance, and peer learning. Attendees will leave equipped to champion long-term investments that shift power, unlock capital, and strengthen equitable housing systems.

Ticket cost: $20 for members, $40 for non-members

Speakers include:

Nori Dubon, Program & Impact Manager, Housing Trust (Moderator)

Nori Dubon is the Program and Impact Manager at Housing Trust, where she leads initiatives that expand equitable access to capital and economic opportunity for BIPOC and emerging developers. She oversees the organization’s impact measurement and management (IMM), evaluating program and capital campaign outcomes to inform continuous improvement. Previously, Nori was a Housing Policy Fellow with Partnership for the Bay’s Future, focusing on affordable housing preservation, anti-displacement strategies, and community engagement. She also served as a Program Officer at the Low-Income Investment Fund, funding the new construction of childcare centers serving low-income families and partnering with San Francisco city agencies to co-locate them within affordable housing projects.

Nori brings deep expertise in grant management, program strategy, and impact evaluation, with a strong commitment to sustainable, community-rooted solutions. She earned her undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Spanish Literature from UC Davis.

Evita Chavez, Senior Program Officer, LISC

Evita is a Senior Program Officer at LISC Bay Area and a heart-driven leader committed to serving her community. Prior to joining LISC Bay Area, she was a Program Officer at the San Francisco Foundation, focusing on housing advocacy and policy at the state and regional levels. While at the San Francisco Foundation, she managed grantmaking for a $4M portfolio, developed and oversaw the Partnership for the Bay’s Future Policy Grant programs, and supported advocacy for key affordable housing production, preservation, and tenant protection policies.

Evita also previously served as a Legislative Assistant for Senator Bob Wieckowski, where she worked on housing and transportation policy, including landmark legislation on accessory dwelling units. She earned a Master’s in Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor’s in Urban and Environmental Policy from Occidental College.

Don Gilmore, Executive Director, Community Housing Development Corporation

Don Gilmore is the Executive Director of Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC), bringing over 40 years of experience in affordable housing, community development, and nonprofit leadership. Since 1992, he has led CHDC’s growth from an all-volunteer group to a regional organization of nearly 100 staff, completing more than 1,500 affordable homes and launching programs in economic development, lending, and asset building across Contra Costa, Alameda, and Solano Counties.

A founder and vice chair of the California Black Developer Forum and the National Black Community Developers Group, Don is a recognized leader in advancing equity and opportunity for Black developers and communities. He is a graduate of Harvard University’s Achieving Excellence program and the College of Idaho. An Oakland native, Don continues his lifelong commitment to revitalizing and empowering underserved neighborhoods.

Caitlin Keane, Program Manager, Terner Labs

Caitlin Keane is a Program Manager at Terner Labs. She manages the Housing Venture Lab, a national accelerator providing wraparound support for bold new ideas to make housing more equitable, accessible, and sustainable. Before joining Terner Labs, Caitlin was the California Initiatives Manager at Capital Impact Partners, a national CDFI, where she led technical assistance and lending programs for emerging affordable housing developers. Caitlin has also designed and delivered capacity- building programs for mission-driven organizations through her work at the Taproot Foundation.

Caitlin brings deep experience in program strategy and organizational development and is passionate about supporting the people and systems that drive sustainable community development. She is currently pursuing an MBA in Sustainable Solutions at the University of Redlands’ Presidio Center for Sustainable Solutions and holds a BA from Richmond American University in London.