In 2026, Building Neighborhoods Together celebrates 40 years of affordable housing, homeownership, financial empowerment and housing stability.
As we researched BNT’s history for this anniversary, we uncovered a story even more remarkable than we realized.
It began with a public-private partnership
In 1986, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) helped bring together seven Bridgeport banks, the City of Bridgeport, the Bridgeport Area Foundation and other community partners to create the Bridgeport Neighborhood Fund, or BNF, Connecticut’s first bank-funded housing loan fund.
Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust, now Building Neighborhoods Together, was created the same year as the charitable 501(c)(3) partner supporting the work.
The model worked. By December 1989, BNF reported approximately $7.5 million in loans supporting 30 affordable housing projects and 254 homes.
Forty years later, the connections remain
Many of the institutions that came together in 1986 are still connected to BNT’s story today.
The seven founding banks can now be traced through mergers and acquisitions to Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, M&T Bank and Wells Fargo. The Bridgeport Area Foundation’s legacy continues through Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. And BNF’s lending legacy ultimately became part of Capital for Change, now Connecticut’s largest full-service CDFI.
The names have changed, but much of the partnership remains.
Building the next chapter
Today, BNT continues to help Connecticut residents become homeowners, remain in their homes and build stronger financial futures. We are expanding youth financial literacy, rebuilding our affordable housing development pipeline and returning to our lending roots through a new Housing Stability Loan Fund.
Forty years after BNT began, we remain committed to the same basic idea: government, financial institutions, philanthropy and community partners can accomplish more together than any one organization can accomplish alone.
Throughout our anniversary year, we will continue sharing the people, partnerships and milestones that shaped BNT’s first 40 years and the work that will define our next chapter.
Celebrate With Us
Join us for BNT’s 40th Anniversary Gala:
Thursday, November 5, 2026
5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The Waterview, Monroe, Connecticut
Celebrating 40 Years of Affordable Housing, Homeownership, and Financial Empowerment
