The Financial Institutions Community Development Conference (FICON) seeks to bring together financial, governmental, nonprofit and private sector entities involved in neighborhood revitalization efforts in order to problem solve, build relationships, educate and in general advance the cause of neighborhood community development in Detroit and the surrounding region.

 

Structure

The FICON conference is a partnership between the financial institutions who sponsor the conference and Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD) to produce an annual or biannual event for Detroit.

 

History

The first Financial Institutions Community Development Conference took place more than 17 years ago on October 2, 1993. The event was originally called the Financial Institutions’ Housing Conference. A selection from the first opening address to conference attendees read:

Today’s event, ‘Community Empowerment through Investment,’ marks the first time eight of Detroit’s leading financial institutions have joined with community-based organizations to promote the cause of affordable housing.

We’re coming together today to collectively address housing issues by sharing ideas that will educate, develop and empower our communities…Our goal is to strengthen existing partnerships and create new ones that will increase access to affordable housing for more metropolitan Detroit families.

From there the conference grew into an annual (and sometimes biannual) event that served as a forum for financial institutions, community development organizations, businesses, governments, NGOs, and residents to discuss, learn, and explore reinvestment and development opportunities in Detroit’s communities.