Resource

Last week, we gathered nearly 300 friends, partners, and leaders for SGA@25, an event marking 25 years of Smart Growth America’s impact. Celebrating 25 years of Smart Growth America is a chance to reflect on how far the movement has come and why this work remains essential as communities face interconnected challenges across housing, transportation, land use, and equity.

SGA@25 brought together generations of staff, longtime collaborators, and newer partners to reflect on our wins from over the years and how the smart growth movement has grown and evolved. It was a chance to reconnect, take stock, and reaffirm the importance of aligning transportation, housing, and development decisions to create healthy, prosperous, and resilient communities. For 25 years, Smart Growth America has helped communities navigate outdated rules and systems, translating on-the-ground experience into practical policy reform.

Current and former Smart Growth America staff gathered to mark 25 years of the organization’s work.

The event would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, including the Surdna Foundation, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, who went above and beyond to make this evening a success. Thanks to our sponsors and attendees, we raised nearly $130,000 to support our work during a challenging moment for nonprofits and to ensure we can continue providing hands-on support to communities nationwide. That support helps ensure communities see real results from the policies and investments shaping their futures.

The conversations we shared didn’t just celebrate the past. They reinforced why Smart Growth America’s work remains essential and helped sharpen our focus on what comes next. We were grateful for thoughtful remarks from our Board Chair Madeline Fraser Cook, LOCUS Chair Alecia Hill, and longtime partner Polly Trottenberg, who each spoke to the importance of Smart Growth America’s leadership, clear-eyed priorities, and collaborative action. Their remarks underscored why Smart Growth America’s role as a connector, translator, and partner remains essential at a time when many communities are navigating uncertainty and change.

As we look ahead to the next 25 years of the smart growth movement, we know that this work remains a collective effort. While our progress is real, the work ahead remains unfinished, and it will require the same persistence that has defined the movement from the start. With friends, supporters, and partners new and old in the fold, we remain committed to continuing to advance policies and practices that help communities thrive.

Learn more about SGA’s recent progress in our 2025 Annual Report. Despite a challenging year, we supported communities across 46 states and DC, advanced practical policy solutions, and turned on-the-ground work into measurable impact.Read the 2025 Annual Report