What Can I do With a Degree in Community Development?

Career Center Library Resources

• 100 Jobs in Social Change by Harley Jebens.
• A Guide to Careers in Community Development by Paul C. Brophy and Alice Shabecoff.
• Careers for Good Samaritans & Other Humanitarian Types by Marjorie Eberts and Margaret Gisler
• Careers in Focus: Government
• Careers in Renewable Energy
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Careers

Vocational Biographies

Vocational Biographies describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portland su and pass code: 3w9n.

• Community Education Coordinator
• Developmental Day Care Program Coordinator
• Economic Development Director
• Housing Authority Executive Director
• Housing Rehabilitation Specialist
• Job Center Director
• Resident Initiatives Coordinator

Professional Associations

• Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations
• The Community Development Network
• Community Development Society (CDS)
• International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)
• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
• National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED)
• Young Women Social Entrepreneurs-Portland (YWSE)

Sites with Job Search Resources for Community Development Majors

• Community Nonprofit Resources Group — "is a network dedicated to providing career development and support for young professionals working at all levels of the nonprofit and government sectors in the Portland metropolitan community." CNRG has an "active e-mail distribution list that offers an extensive selection of job notices and volunteer opportunities..."
• Find a Job — From Idealist/Action Without Borders. Search database of jobs by Area of Focus (i.e., community building/renewal); location; keyword; etc.
• Jobs Listserv — Posts jobs and volunteer opportunities for CDN members. From the The Community Development Network (CDN).
• Job Postings — From the Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations.
• Job Postings — From the Community Career Center. Search database of jobs by keyword, location, skills, etc.
• League of Oregon Cities — Intern Placement and Referral Service

Community Development Organizations (Portland Area)

• Albina Community Bank — "one of only 55 community development banks in the country... founded to accelerate the redevelopment of N/NE Portland and extend opportunity to the under-served wherever the need exists."
• Cascadia Housing, Inc. — Part of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare. Cascadia Housing "develops and operates a wide variety of safe, stable and innovative housing options to a diverse set of very low income people with special needs in Multnomah County."
• Central City Concern — Mission is "to provide pathways to self-sufficiency through active intervention in poverty and homelessness."
• City of Portland Bureau of Housing and Community Development — Mission is to "make Portland a more livable city for all by bringing low-income people and community resources together."
• City of Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement — Enhances "the quality of Portland's neighborhoods through community participation."
• Community and Shelter Assistance (CASA) of Oregon — Dedicated to developing "affordable housing and improving the quality of life for farmworkers and their families in Oregon."
• Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) — "CPAH provides safe and healthy affordable housing along with support and skill building activities for individuals and families with the greatest need who live or work in the Tigard-Tualatin area and SW Portland, Oregon."
• Downtown Community Housing, Incorporated (DCHI) — 7720 SW Macadam #20; Portland, OR 97219; 503-244-3435. Developed and manages Alder House (single room occupancy apartments) and Kearney House (for large families).
• The Enterprise Foundation is a "leading provider of the development capital and expertise it takes to create decent, affordable homes and rebuild communities."
• Hacienda Community Development Corporation — Mission is to "improve the overall livability of low-income Latino families by developing a permanent resource of affordable housing and educational, economic, and community development activities that benefit the low-income population in the State of Oregon." National Council of La Raza Community and Family Wealth-Building (NCLR-CD) affiliate.
• Home Ownership a Street at at Time (HOST) Development — Dedicated "to providing home ownership opportunities for working individuals and families."
• Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Oregon
• Housing Authority of Portland (HAP)
• Housing Connections
• Human Solutions — Helps "low-income families and individuals gain self-sufficiency by providing affordable housing, skill development, and family support services."
• Innovative Housing, Inc. — "nonprofit developer of high-quality, affordable housing for low and moderate-income people."
• Metro — "Metro protects open space and parks, plans for land use and transportation, and manages garbage disposal and recycling for 1.3 million residents in three counties and 25 cities in the Portland, Oregon, region."
• Northwest Housing Alternatives
• Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force — "...statewide advocate for Oregonians who are hungry or at risk of hunger."
• Peninsula Community Development Corporation — Mission is to "promote long-term stability in North Portland neighborhoods through the development of quality, affordable housing and economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income people and families; to encourage and support leadership development opportunities for residents, especially youth; and to expand resources for the community through local partnerships."
• Portland Community Land Trust (PCLT) — PCLT helps "families attain the American dream of homeownership."
• Portland Community Reinvestments Initiatives, Inc. (PCRI) — Provides "affordable rental housing to low-income families in north and northeast Portland."
• Portland Habitat for Humanity — "To build partnerships among volunteers, families and the community to transform lives and revitalize neighborhoods by enabling families in need to earn and own a simple, decent, affordable home."
• Portland Housing Center
• ROSE Community Development Corporation — "combines affordable housing programs with supportive services and economic opportunities to Revitalize Outer South East."
• REACH Community Development Corporation — Mission is to "develop and maintain a permanent resource of affordable housing, promote healthy neighborhoods, and provide opportunities for low income people through partnerships and community involvement."
• SE Works: One Stop Career Center — A "community-based workforce development organization providing employment, training and supportive services."
• Sabin Community Development Corporation — Provides "tools, resources and knowledge to help make their neighborhoods better places to live and work, while maintaining cultural diversity."
• Salem-Keizer Community Development Corporation — Their "mission is to build community in Salem - Keizer neighborhoods through economic development, family empowerment and the creation of affordable housing."
• Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Program — "a non-profit coalition of 20 neighborhoods in southeast and northeast Portland south of Interstate 84 [...providing] free technical assistance in citizen participation, community development, organizing and urban planning."
• State of Oregon Department of Economic and Community Development — "...provides economic and community development and cultural enhancement throughout the state, and administers programs that assist businesses, communities and people."
• The City Repair Project — Helping "people reclaim their urban spaces to create community-oriented places."

Community Development Organizations (National/International)

• Citizens Development Corps — Provides "products, programs, and services that foster economic growth, stimulate economic opportunity, and spread the benefits of prosperity."
• Community Development Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco — "gives financial institutions, community-based organizations and government entities the tools they need to effectively address community development issues affecting low- and moderate-income individuals and communities."
• Housing Assistance Council (HAC) — Mission is to "improve the housing conditions of the rural poor, with an emphasis on the poorest of the poor..."
• National Community Development Institute (NCDI) — Mission is "to develop strong, resilient communities of color with the collective capacity to promote democratic participation, equitable distribution of resources, and social and economic justice in this country and around the world."
• National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) — "Dedicated solely to ending America's affordable housing crisis."
• Peace Corps — "an agency of the federal government devoted to world peace and friendship."

Additional Links

• Council for Community and Economic Research — Promotes "excellence in community and economic research by working to improve data availability, enhance data quality, and foster learning about regional economic analytic methods."
• Cyburbia — "portal and social networking site for urban planners and others interested in cities and the built environment."
• Knowledgeplex — "...KnowledgePlex® is designed to support the efforts of practitioners, grantors, policy makers, scholars, investors, and others involved or interested in the fields of affordable housing and community development."
• National Housing Institute — "...examines the issues causing the crisis in housing and community in America...These issues include housing, jobs, safety, and education, with an emphasis on housing and economic development, as well as poverty and racism, disinvestment and lack of employment, and breakdown of the social fabric."
• Planetizen — "a public-interest information exchange provided by Urban Insight for the urban planning, design, and development community."

Places of Employment

Students who major in community development develop skills that are valued by employers. These skills include: research, analysis, writing, oral presentation, critical thinking, synthesis, problem solving, advocacy, and the ability to take initiative. Students and alumni may find employment in government, nonprofits, social services, educational institutions, and businesses, depending on their skills and experience. Internships or relevant part-time jobs may be a prerequisite to finding employment.

The following list of employers and job titles was derived from the Career Center's jobs database where the employer specifically requested community development majors. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for community development majors. This list does not reflect current openings.

• Bureau of Development Services, City of Portland — Development Services Technician 1
• City of Beaverton — Neighborhood Association Committee Outreach Coordinator
• City of Madras — Community Development Director
• City of Portland — Development Services Technician I, Right of Way Agent III
• City of Salem — Neighborhood Services Specialist/Community Services Counselor
• Ciy of Seattle Office of Housing — Community Development Specialist
• City of Tigard — Permit Coordinator
• City of Vancouver — Urban Forestry - Neighborhood Canopy Restoration Coordinator
• Clackamas County — Project Coordinator (Homelessness)
• Clackamas Housing Action Network — Community Organizer/Housing Network Staff
• Coalition for a Livable Future — Development Coordinator
• Columbia County Courthouse — Environmental Services Specialist I/II
• Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission — Project Implementation Coordinator
• Columbia Sportswear — Corporate Relations Specialist
• Corvallis Neighborhood Housing Services — Housing Developer, Home Ownership Program Assistant, Microenterprise Program Coordinator, Housing Development Coordinator
• Enterprise for Progress in the Community (EPIC) — Executive Director
• EnviroIssues — Project Coordinator
• Equity Foundation — Executive Director
• Hopelink — Child Development Manager
• Housing Authority of Portland — Community Revitalization Director
• Human Services Council — Planner/Program Coordinator II, Program Coordinator, Program Manager II
• Independence Northwest — Support Services Provider
• King County Community & Human Services — System Performance Evaluation Coordinator (Program/Project Manager IV)
• Klamath County — Planner III
• Lane County — Community and Economic Development Coordinator
• League of Oregon Cities — Staff Associate
• Lifeworks NW — Adult Foster Home Manager
• McKinsey & Company — Organization Survey Analyst
• Menta Group, The — Executive Director
• Mercy Corps — Small Business Loan Officer; Program Coordinator, Asset Development Services; Assistant Program Officer, Southeast Asia
• Multnomah County Sustainability Program — Sustainable Purchasing Coordinator
• NeighborImpact — Head Start Director
• Neighbors West-Northwest — Community Outreach Specialist
• Oregon Food Bank — Volunteer Coordinator-Learning Garden, Statewide Services Manager
• Our United Villages/The Rebuilding Center — Deconstructionist
• Outside In — Youth Specialist 1--Housing Program
• Portland Development Commission — Associate Project Coordinator/Project Coordinator, Economic Development Director, Ezone Assistant, Senior Project Coordinator - Gateway URA Team
• Portland Impact — Community Coordinator III
• Portland Office of Transportation — CSA II - Transportation Planning
• Raphael House of Portland — Project Coordinator
• REACH Community Development, Inc. — VISTA Program Intern - Community Builders
• Salem-Keizer Community Development Corp. — Executive Director
• SOLV — Project Coordinator, Director of Outreach and Member Services
• Trimet — Event Representative
• US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) — Program Assistant
• Vancouver Housing Authority — Executive Director-Columbia Non Profit Housing
• Volunteers of America — Child Care Supervisor
• Worksystems, Inc. — Director of Community Investments
• Yakima Valley Community Foundation — Executive Director
• YWCA of Greater Portland — Program Manager

Community Development Program, Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning