2026 Reclaiming Vacant
Properties Conference
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | September 2026
Conference Scholarships
Conference scholarships provide access to the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference (RVP) for resident leaders and representatives from public agencies and the nonprofit community whose work and community will benefit from their conference participation.
The scholarship covers registration for conference activities from September 23-25, 2026. Applicants traveling from outside the Pittsburgh region may apply for coverage of two nights of hotel accommodations. The scholarship does not cover travel expenses (e.g., airfare, mileage, and ground transportation) or pre-conference activities on September 22nd. Participation in mobile workshops, tours, and service projects would be at your own expense.
The Center for Community Progress is committed to ensuring that RVP reflects the diversity of the communities that we serve. We encourage qualified applicants of all races, ethnicities, and genders that share this commitment to apply.
Applications are due April 22, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
Important Dates
April 22, 2026: Application deadline (11:59 PM ET)
May 25, 2026: Scholarship recipients notified via email
July 17, 2026: Scholar registration deadline.
Scholarship Program Eligibility
Eligible applicants are resident leaders and representatives from public agencies and nonprofit organizations who serve communities facing negative impacts of widespread problem properties, particularly communities disproportionately impacted by the legacy of segregation and discriminatory laws and/or public health, housing, and economic crises.
Individuals who have received scholarship awards for a previous RVP Conference are not eligible.
Selection Criteria
Scholarship applications will be evaluated by Community Progress staff based on the following criteria:
- Demonstrated commitment to serving communities with widespread vacancy and abandonment and residents in those communities who have been most affected
- Demonstrated financial need
- Demonstration of how lived experience in neighborhood(s) impacted by vacancy and abandonment, if any, has inspired their work in the field of community development
Questions about the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference? Please reach out to our events team at [email protected].
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