About this Event
Community Development Investors (CDI) Annual Conference: Scaling Community-Based Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) and Employee Ownership (EO)
April 10-11, 2026, Capital Hilton, Washington, D.C.
The annual conference for Community Development Investors (CDI) is designed to encourage community-based Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) and Employee Ownership (EO). CDI is responding to the impending “Silver Tsunami” of retiring baby boomer business owners, which account for more than three million businesses. An estimated 60% of these businesses will change ownership over the next decade, yet 80% lack a succession plan. This generational transition presents an unprecedented opportunity to create wealth for new entrepreneurs from underserved communities.
CDI’s inaugural ETA and EO Conference will bring together entrepreneurship experts, ETA searchers, underserved MBA students, employee owners, philanthropy, lenders, and investors, including Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs). The conference will feature successful community-based ETA and EO transactions and breakout session in four tracks:
- TRACK 1 — Finding, Negotiating, and Closing Community Acquisitions
- TRACK 2 — Financing Community ETA Transitions
- TRACK 3 — Managing and Growing Companies After Acquisition
- TRACK 4 — Employee Ownership
Agenda | April 10, 2026
🕑: 01:00 PM - 06:30 PM
CDI Annual Conference: Scaling ETA and EO | Agenda | April 10, 2026
🕑: 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Registration and Networking
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:20 PM
Opening Comments / Welcome to the ETA and EO Conference
Host: Christopher Weaver, Executive Director, CDI
🕑: 03:20 PM - 04:00 PM
Keynote Session: Public-Private Leadership on Inclusive Business Ownership
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM
Keynote: The State of Wealth in America and the Silver Tsunami Opportunity
🕑: 05:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Networking Reception
Agenda | April 11, 2026
🕑: 07:30 AM - 07:00 PM
CDI Annual Conference: Scaling ETA and EO | Agenda | April 11, 2026
🕑: 07:30 AM - 08:45 AM
Registration and Networking Breakfast
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:10 AM
Welcome Remarks
Host: Christopher Weaver, Executive Director, CDI
🕑: 09:15 AM - 10:00 AM
Keynote: What is Community-Based ETA and EO?
🕑: 11:10 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions #2 (concurrent sessions)
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:10 PM - 02:00 PM
Fireside Chat: Responsible Investing and Measuring Impact
🕑: 02:10 PM - 03:00 PM
Breakout Sessions #3 (concurrent sessions)
Info:
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Networking Break
🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
ETA Fireside Chat: Buyer, Seller, and Investor Perspectives
🕑: 04:30 PM - 04:45 PM
Closing Remarks
🕑: 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Networking Reception
Breakout Sessions #1
TRACK 1: Finding, Negotiating, and Closing Community Acquisitions
Info: Session - Sourcing ETA Deals
TRACK 2: Financing Community ETA Transitions
Info: Session - SBA 7(a) Loans and ETA
TRACK 3: Managing and Growing Companies After Acquisition
Info: Session - Surviving Year One (ETA)
TRACK 4: Employee Ownership
Info: Session - Financing EO Deals
Breakout Sessions #2
TRACK 1: Finding, Negotiating and Closing Community Acquistions
Info: Session - Reaching Underserved Markets
TRACK 2: Financiing Community ETA Transitions
Info: Session - CDFI and Community Lenders
TRACK 3: Managing and Growing Companies After Acquisition
Info: Session - Growth Capital
TRACK 4: Employee Ownership
Info: Session - Surviving Year One (EO)
Breakout Sessions #3
TRACK 1: Finding, Negotiating, and Closing Community Acquisitions
Info: Session - Tips for MBA Students
TRACK 2: Financing Community ETA Transitions
Info: Session - Role of Philanthropy
TRACK 3: Managing and Growing Companies After Acquisition
Info: Session - Role of Advisors
TRACK 4: Employee Ownership
Info: Session - Washington EO Update
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street Northwest, Washington, United States
USD 30.00 to USD 200.00
