This story was originally published in Moving Cities Forward, the Forward Cities monthly newsletter. Subscribe for the latest news and updates from cities across the country.
A Message from Our CEO
When I arrived at Forward Cities in the spring of this year, I knew I was stepping into an organization at a critical inflection point. For more than a decade, Forward Cities has been dedicated to advancing entrepreneurial ecosystem building across the country. That work has helped reshape what is possible when we invest in the organizations that support entrepreneurs and when we recognize inclusive entrepreneurship not as pure charity, but as an economic imperative essential to the long-term health and vitality of our cities.
Looking ahead, 2026 signals a new beginning for Forward Cities and for the community economic development sector more broadly. This moment represents the culmination of important foundational work that has made space for something more expansive, more ambitious, and more responsive to the realities facing entrepreneurs today. We are ready to meet this moment, informed by national thought leadership and grounded in holistic approaches that recognize the conditions required for entrepreneurship and economic mobility to thrive at every level.
Over the past year, we have asked ourselves difficult and necessary questions. What is our why? Who are we now? How do we ensure our work reflects what is ethical, effective, and right, not simply what is popular? These questions have guided deep reflection and decisive action. The answers brought clarity. They sharpened our role in a rapidly shifting landscape and reinforced our commitment to building systems that work for people, not around them.
In the year ahead, we will demonstrate how a decade of ecosystem building will coalesce into a powerful and practical model for systemic change. Our approach centers grassroots innovation while aligning with structural economic development strategies that create permanence and staying power. The results we are working toward are replicable, accessible, and sustainable. We are clear that no single program, organization, or practitioner can do this work alone. Progress requires partnerships that mature into coalitions, rooted in shared goals and centered on the social and economic growth of people and communities.
As we fully embed our work in Durham and Pittsburgh, our two anchor cities, we will translate and connect those results in a way that builds resonance with other communities ready to mobilize for impact. Forward Cities will continue to amplify proven strategies that foster entrepreneurship while strengthening the surrounding conditions entrepreneurs need to grow and sustain their businesses. These include access to capital, trusted navigation, professional services, attainable housing, workforce connections, and infrastructure that supports healthier communities overall. Entrepreneurship does not exist in isolation, and neither should the systems designed to support it.
Forward Cities is positioning itself as a catalyst and connector that will continue to learn, to listen, and to lead with integrity. Our focus remains on building aligned ecosystems that expand opportunity, strengthen local economies, and support entrepreneurs as drivers of long-term economic mobility.
Dr. Diamonte Walker, Forward Cities Chief Executive Officer
Thank you to our partners, funders, staff, and community leaders who have helped to strengthen our practice during this pivotal time.
We wish you a time of rest and reflection as we Press Forward in the New Year.
With Gratitude,
Dr. Diamonte Walker
Chief Executive Officer
Forward Cities