Our Core Services

YIGBY (“Yes In God’s Backyard”) is a movement that activates underutilized faith-based land and assets to create affordable and supportive housing. Faith institutions often have both the physical space and the moral authority to anchor inclusive community development. To make these projects work, effective community engagement, organizing, and facilitation are essential.

Strategic Faith-Based Engagement

• Identify and build relationships with churches, mosques, synagogues, and other faith institutions open to development partnerships.
• Facilitate listening sessions to align faith values with YIGBY project goals.
• Translate complex development language into community-centered messaging to build trust.

Facilitation & Community Organizing

• Organize stakeholder convenings, roundtables, and community dialogues.
• Develop shared visioning sessions between faith leaders, community residents, investors, and builders.
• Serve as neutral facilitator to ensure every voice — including vulnerable communities — is heard and respected.

Investor & Builder Partnership Support

• Bridge the gap between faith communities and development partners.
• Support values-aligned deal structuring that respects mission while ensuring financial feasibility.
• Prepare churches and faith groups to participate effectively in development negotiations.

Community Benefit Framework

• Help faith partners articulate their community benefit priorities (e.g., affordable units, workforce pathways, youth programs).
• Support integration of these benefits into formal development agreements.

Public Affairs & Coalition Building

• Coordinate communications strategies to build broader community support for YIGBY projects.
• Develop coalitions with nonprofits, housing advocates, neighborhood associations, and faith-based networks.

Outcome

With this facilitation and organizing approach, Wade and Wade Consulting LLC ensures:

• Faith institutions are empowered and respected as co-creators of development.
• Investors and builders gain trusted community partnerships.
• Projects are rooted in mission, community trust, and long-term impact.