The Church Properties Initiative’s annual conference returns March 17 - 18th, 2026. Register now to join church leaders, researchers, real estate and design professionals, and nonprofit entrepreneurs on Notre Dame’s campus for a conversation on the Church’s role in fostering human flourishing through beautiful, attainable, and sustainable communities.

Keynote speaker Chuck Marohn, founder and president of Strong Towns, will anchor a varied program of case studies, technical sessions, lightning talks, academic papers, and topical presentations bringing together national and international leaders working at the intersection of faith and housing.

Topics

In addition to three plenary sessions, jampacked concurrent session tracks will allow attendees to participate in targeted discussions on the following themes:

Case Study Showcase

Faith leaders, designers, and developers will detail successful church property development projects and highlight innovative models for achieving sustainable affordability.

Design

A series of presentations on design, from building- to neighborhood-scale, will illustrate the Church’s power to anchor beautiful, sustainable communities across a wide range of contexts.

Strategy & Masterplanning

Advisors will address the planning and discernment phases of church property development projects and will share examples of big-picture thinking for long-term impact.

Integral Ecology

Several presentations will contextualize Church land holdings within created ecosystems that support natural and human flourishing.

Lightning Talks & Academic Papers

These varied blocks will give participants a chance to hear short, thought-provoking presentations from emerging leaders as well as research presentations from academics.

Transaction Design & Risk Mitigation (presented by Notre Dame Law School)

Intended for professional managers of church property, these technical sessions will showcase legal strategies for effective structuring of church property development projects.

 

Preliminary Schedule

The formal conference program is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17th, through 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18th. Attendees arriving on Monday, March 16th, are warmly invited to an informal welcome reception from 6 to 8 p.m.

Monday, March 16th

4 pm                                 Registration Opens

6 - 8 pm                            Informal Welcome Reception

Tuesday, March 17th

8 - 9 am                            Breakfast

9 - 10:15 am                     Plenary Session: What Does the Church Have to Do with Housing Affordability?

10:45 am - noon               Concurrent Sessions

Noon - 2 pm                      Lunch

2 - 3:15 pm                       Concurrent Sessions

3:45 - 4:45 pm                  Plenary Session: Perspectives on an Emerging Policy Movement

5:15 - 5:45 pm                  Mass

6 pm                                 Cocktail Reception 

7 pm                                 Banquet Dinner and Keynote Address

Wednesday, March 18th

8 - 9 am                           Networking Breakfast

9 - 10:15 am                    Concurrent Sessions

10:45 am - noon              Plenary Session: Transforming the Culture of Housing Development

Noon - 2 pm                    Boxed Lunch & Concluding Experiences TBA