Purpose
The Community Challenge is an opportunity for affordable housing, community development, and planning organizations to work together as a co-hort group to address issues of diversity and inclusiveness in their organizations. Organizations commit to the Challenge for a 3-year period. During that time they share successes and problems and participate in workshops and strategy sessions.

The specific objectives are to actively participate in the 3-year diversity initiative as outlined by the Community Challenge sponsors by:

• Partnering and engaging with other agencies on issues related to diversity
• Completing the culture audit designed for the Community Challenge organizations in the 1st year of the initiative and in the 3rd year of the initiative
• Developing and implement a diversity vision for the organization
• Positioning diversity as a core ideal for the community and the organization
• Setting specific goals to increase and maintain the diversity of staff, board, vendors and partners
• Setting specific goals to improve the culture of the organization and to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for a diverse staff and board
• Developing a work plan to implement and accomplish goals
• Providing opportunities for networking and support staff on issues of diversity
• Providing information for evaluating the Challenge program to the Changing the Face of Housing sponsors and consultants

Participants
In 2004, 21 organizations committed to participating in the Community Challenge. They are:
- Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
- Central Community Housing Trust (CCHT)
- Center for Neighborhoods
- CommonBond
- Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
- Family Housing Fund
- Hearth Connection
- Hope Community
- Housing Link
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
- Mental Health Resources
- Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless
- Model Cities
- Project for Pride in Living (PPL)
- Riverton Community Housing
- SPARC
- Tubman Family Alliance
- Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
- Twin Cities Housing Development
- Wilder
- Young Women’s Christian Association – St. Paul (YWCA)