Vacant Property Leadership Institute

The in-person gathering for the next VPLI has not yet been determined. Sign up for our newsletter to receive  notifications about this and our other programs

While we plan to host a pre-event virtual gathering to help prepare the selected cities to participate the capstone training will not have a virtual component. One of the most impactful elements of this program is the ability to have strategic, face-to-face conversations away from the everyday demands of work.

Yes, we have found that this program is most successful when delegations consist of three cities from one state since it allows representatives to collaborate on city and state-level policy needs. However, exceptions have been made to this rule in the past. (As part of the 2021-22 cycle, we accepted states with just two city delegations.)

Community Progress is committed to ensuring that change-makers across the country are well-equipped with the vision, knowledge, and leadership skills necessary to support strong, vibrant neighborhoods of opportunity.

We recognize that each team’s willingness to spend a week away from the office, engaged in intense training, is a serious commitment. Therefore, there are no tuition fees associated with VPLI and Community Progress will cover hotel accommodations, food and beverage, and onsite transportation for the duration of this event. We will not provide delegation members a per diem as part of participation.

Each participant is responsible for travel costs (airfare, rental car, taxi fare, etc.) to get them to and from VPLI. 

We will admit up to three state delegations. Selected city delegation team leads will identify up to two representatives from each state (six total) to admit as statewide delegation members.

Application Process

We will use Swoogo to collect and review applications. The due date will be provided when It Is available.

Information about how to access the application portal and other relevant information will be provided when we announce our next VPLI Program.

Community Progress will only review applications received though the Swoogo portal before the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications submitted via email, Word document, PDF printout, etc. will not be considered.

Who can apply

All cities, towns, and villages in the United States are invited to apply.* Interested communities should download and review our VPLI application guide to learn more about the program and how to prepare a competitive application.

Municipal Department/Agency Directors are eligible to represent city delegations as the team lead. While it is not necessary that the mayor or city manager’s office lead the delegation, competitive applications will include representation from their offices.

Communities and states who participated in the past program cycle of the Vacant Property Leadership Institute (2021-22 or 2023-24) are not eligible to apply for the upcoming program. Please review the application guide to see the full list of cities/states which are not eligible for this cycle of the program.

for more information download the application guide from 2023-24 > 

The application includes narrative response questions and requests letters of recommendation from various stakeholders including the Office of the Mayor/City Manager/senior-level administrator and a community-based organization embedded in the areas most impacted by VAD properties. While we encourage cities from the same state to apply and reference one another, each city must submit their own, unique application.

Community Progress will prioritize participation for communities that possess:

• Demonstrated need: Competitive applications will show that there are significant challenges with VAD properties, especially in low-income communities and communities of color.

• Demonstrated commitment, leadership, and capacity of stakeholders to implement reform: Competitive applications will include original letters of support from a diverse set of stakeholders, such as local and state policymakers, community leaders, private-sector partners, or philanthropic organizations. The letters should demonstrate that solving VAD property challenges is a priority for the highest level of local government leaders and decision-makers.

• Interest in a diverse, multi-stakeholder format: VPLI catalyzes problem-solving across organizational, functional, and political lines. The strongest applicants will provide specific examples to show how engaging a multi-stakeholder team can help overcome the city’s challenges related to VAD properties.In addition to the required participants noted under Delegation Composition above, the most competitive applications will propose a diverse list of additional participants drawing from organizations working in the communities most affected by vacancy, private-sector partners, state-level champions, and others focused on revitalization.

• Demonstrated commitment to equitable community development: Community Progress recognizes that because of a legacy of unjust policies and racist systems, low-income communities and communities of color bear an unfair share of the burden of VAD properties. Competitive applications will show a willingness for the applicants to be open and honest about ways in which these oppressive systems fuel vacancy and abandonment. Competitive applications will highlight efforts to address root causes of VAD properties in ways that tackle unjust systems head-on to foster equitable community development and opportunities.

• Open minds: Effective change-makers need bold vision and courage to drive meaningful change in the face of obstacles. Doing so requires exploring new ideas and being willing to challenge how one’s city and state address VAD properties. Competitive applications will demonstrate this willingness to have candid conversations about your city’s successes and failures.

Communities and states that have participated in past cycles of the Vacant Property Leadership Institute program (VPLI 2021-22 & 2023-24) are not eligible to apply for the next program. See "Past VPLI Delegations", above for a list of past participants. 

Unfortunately, non-governmental organizations (e.g., nonprofits, community foundations, land banks, etc.) are not eligible to submit letters of interest for VPLI. However, non-governmental organizations are eligible to participate as a delegation representative should their city be selected to participate. We invite non-governmental organizations to reach out to their contacts in local government to encourage them to apply.

Communities and states who participated in the past program cycle of the Vacant Property Leadership Institute (2021-22 or 2023-24) are not eligible to apply for the upcoming program. Please review the application guide to see the full list of cities/states which are not eligible for this cycle of the program.

We welcome interest from communities that participated in the predecessor to VPLI, the Community Progress Leadership Institute (CPLI), prior to 2021.

for more information download the application guide from 2023-24 > 

We will allow four to six representatives from each city and want to see directors and leaders of the departments crucial in the everyday work of addressing vacant properties. We will also look for representation from a community-based organization which works in the places most impacted by VAD properties. More details about the roles we look to see in a delegation can be found in the application packet.

The technical assistance award is only made available to the communities selected to participate in VPLI program overall.

The award is not automatic. Community Progress will host a competitive process immediately following the in-person event in which the selected VPLI cities can apply to receive technical assistance hours.

Additional questions about the Vacant Property Leadership Institute (VPLI) can be sent to:

Justin Godard, Associate Director, National Leadership & Education [email protected].