The City of Charlotte helps neighborhoods organize, plan and implement the initiatives that are a priority to their unique communities.
Our signature board support program is the Neighborhood Board Retreat, conducted two times per year. Topic-specific trainings for neighborhoods are offered year-round. Our experienced neighborhood advocates are available to connect your neighborhood to other community resources and partners to help you achieve your neighborhood goals.
Learn more about the resources the City of Charlotte offers to help neighbors build neighborhoods.
The City of Charlotte’s Housing and Neighborhood Services Department invites neighborhood-based organizations to apply for the Neighborhood Board Retreat, on Saturday, March 21. This year’s theme, Building a Stronger Board Together, supports boards seeking to strengthen how they function as a team, support leadership continuity, and build credibility and trust within their community.
The retreat provides dedicated time for board members to step back from day-to-day operations and focus on how their board works. This includes how roles are defined, how new members are supported, and how leadership is shared. Participants will gain practical tools, peer learning, and structured reflection that can be applied immediately.
Why Apply to Attend the Neighborhood Board Retreat
Selected attendees will:
- Explore real board challenges through facilitated, discussion-based sessions
- Learn practical strategies to strengthen communication, leadership, and alignment
- Connect with other neighborhood leaders
- Reflect on current practices and identify opportunities for improvement
Topics include:
- Supporting and onboarding new board members
- Clarifying board roles, responsibilities, and boundaries
- Practicing collaborative leadership and leveraging board strengths
- Strengthening board credibility and building community trus
Application Options:
Group Application Full Day Retreat
Neighborhood based organizations may apply as a board group for full day participation. This option is intended for boards that want to learn together and spend dedicated time planning as a team.
Selected organizations will participate in the morning learning sessions and receive a facilitated goal setting and strategic planning session focused on their neighborhood during the afternoon.
Important details:
- Only one group application is submitted per organization
- The group application must list all board members who plan to attend (updates/additions can be emailed to nichelle.wilson@charlottenc.gov)
- A minimum of four board members from the same organization is required
- Eligible organizations may earn up to $2,000 in Neighborhood Matching Grant volunteer hours credit
- Organizations not selected for the full day retreat will have all listed board members automatically registered for the half day morning session
Apply for the Group Application Full Day Neighborhood Board Retreat:
Individual Application Half Day Retreat Morning Session Only
This option is ideal for board members whose full board can’t attend the retreat but still want to gather tools and insights to bring back to their organization.
Apply for the Individual Application Half Day Neighborhood Board Retreat:
Application Deadline
All applications must be submitted online by March 6, at 11:59 PM.
All applicants will be notified by March 13. Space is limited, and priority is given to first time attendees.
Eligibility Note
This event is designed for neighborhood-based organizations only. Community organizations and nonprofit organizations are not eligible to apply.
Questions
For questions, please contact Nichelle Wilson at nichelle.wilson@charlottenc.gov.
The Quality of Life Explorer looks at the social, housing, economic, environmental and safety conditions in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.
Local residents, businesses, service providers, government agencies, realtors, universities and others can use the Explorer to learn more about the county and its neighborhoods, develop programs and services, and plan for the future.
>What's included?
- Over 80 variables providing detailed information about neighborhood housing stock, household income, jobs, health, education, tree canopy coverage, crime rates, code violations, community engagement, energy consumption and much more
- Maps, trend information, data tables and summary reports for 462 neighborhood profile areas
- Ability to explore data by custom geographies (i.e., the light rail corridor, school zones, business districts, or jurisdiction such as the City of Charlotte)
- Links to hundreds of City, County and community resources to help people learn more and take action
Service Teams are assigned by council district and work directly with citizens, neighborhood and business associations, civic groups, and other community organizations to assist communities with project implementation and area revitalization.
- Advocacy. As advocates for Charlotte communities, NEST seeks to maintain a balance between meeting the needs of both the city and individual neighborhoods.
- Coordination. To improve the quality of life in Charlotte neighborhoods, Teams engage in a significant amount of coordination efforts to align City resources, projects, and initiatives with community needs.
- Information. Teams provide information about available programs and services directly to individual citizens and neighborhood groups and help facilitate connections where possible.
- Problem Solving. Teams work with neighborhood and community groups to empower them to develop and implement solutions that create positive change.
Neighborhood Engagement Service Teams
Jacquelyn M. Horton, Strategic Operations Manager | Jacquelyn.Horton@charlottenc.gov | (980) 333-5962
For outreach in the City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity, contact Kelsi Preston, Kelsi.Preston@charlottenc.gov , (980) 257-7123, Corridors of Opportunity Community Engagement Lead.
NEST Service Area Map
The
Neighborhood Organization Contact List is a subscription list of neighborhood leaders and residents throughout the City of Charlotte who have registered to receive communications from the city. This list is a valuable communications tool used by city and county agencies to engage the community on public initiatives, meetings, and projects that may impact their neighborhoods.
Recently, it has been upgraded to provide new features including real time registration and address management and neighborhood document storage.
The Neighborhood Organization Contact List is now part of
CLT Community, an online platform where residents can connect with several City of Charlotte programs using one convenient account. It allows residents to identify and register as neighborhood leaders, access the latest city data, and utilize web-based applications and programs designed specifically for our community.
The City of Charlotte provides monthly training on capacity-building topics for neighborhoods.
Past topics have included:
- Board/Organization Support
- Neighborhood Resources
- Connecting with Government
- Community Resources
- Environment and Sustainability
- Youth
The City of Charlotte has composed a resource directory for neighborhoods to access organizations and information that will assist them in achieving their goals. This Resource Guide is updated yearly.
The Need A Speaker program connects neighborhood groups, civic organizations, business associations, homeowner associations, special interest groups such as book clubs, and other community groups with knowledgeable City of Charlotte or Mecklenburg County staff for informative and engaging conversations about local government.
Depending on your group’s needs, you may request:
- A speaker or panelist with specific expertise on your desired local government topic.
- A city or county resource information/vendor table hosted by staff at your event (typically for community events with multiple vendors or exhibitors)
- Other special requests, including - but not limited to - staff visits featuring vehicles such as fire trucks or solid waste vehicle appearances.
Please note: Most requests require a minimum of two-weeks advance notice. Special requests - such as Fire Department or Solid Waste Services vehicles - can require 30-days or more. Staff will make every effort to attend community events as their schedules allow.
For topic ideas, browse city or county department information to find a program or service that interests you by visiting:
To make a request for your event, complete the form at the link below and provide details about your request.