Creating Healthy
Neighborhoods
Where People Thrive
Common Wealth Development works to strengthen the conditions that help people and neighborhoods thrive through affordable housing, youth and adult workforce development, business incubation, and community-centered partnerships.
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A Seed Called Community
Common Wealth Development is a community development organization that works to strengthen the conditions that help people and neighborhoods thrive. We do that through affordable housing, youth and adult workforce development, business incubation, and community-centered partnerships. Our approach is rooted in the understanding that health, safety, opportunity, and stability are connected. When those conditions improve, communities are better positioned to grow, stay rooted, and build a stronger shared future.
Our Programs and Services
Affordable Housing
Youth Workforce Development
Affordable
Housing
Adult Workforce Development
Youth Workforce
Development
Business Incubation
Adult Workforce
Development
Economic
Development
Healthy Housing for Human Beings
Common Wealth Development develops, owns, and manages affordable housing for low- to moderate-income residents across Madison. We are committed to providing and maintaining safe, stable, and healthy housing for the communities we serve. In addition to our affordable housing units located throughout the Williamson-Marquette and Meadwoood neighborhoods, we also offer a lease-to-purchase-program, and manage 15 units in partnership with The Road Home’s Housing & Hope program.
Youth Development Programs
Youth are fundamental in revitalizing the community and investing in their development is a key pillar of Common Wealth’s violence prevention work. Common Wealth Development has been supporting youth in Madison for over 30 years through our Youth Workforce Development programs. We provide a spectrum of tailored experiential learning opportunities, collaborative partnerships, and workforce readiness programs.
Adult Workforce Development
Our Adult Workforce Development programs support adults re-entering the workforce following a gap in their employment history, due to either incarceration, being unhoused, or other circumstances. We use a person-centered and coordinated care model, collaborating with multiple partners to help participants with pre-employment skill development and address their basic needs, such as housing support, food security, mental health and wellness, transportation, childcare needs, and access to health care.
Economic Development
Our first and second-stage incubators, Madison Enterprise Center and Main Street Industries respectively, offer affordable commercial space for diverse small businesses, prioritizing those that are owned by women and BIPOC entrepreneurs. A walk down the hallway of either building yields a dynamic and unique snapshot of the varied businesses operating from our incubation spaces. These businesses operate as a core component of Common Wealth’s mission to support business incubation in pursuit of equitable economic development in Madison.
Our Impact
9000+
Teens
supported through paid internships, training opportunities, and leadership board
177
Affordable Homes
maintained and kept affordable across Madison’s near east side and far west side
250+
Local Businesses
supported through affordable business incubators, boosting our local economy