Side view of an apartment building with a tree and balcony railing in the foreground

Operating, maintaining, and preserving affordable housing is complex and requires a specialized set of skills and a deep organizational commitment to asset management. Today, affordable housing providers are operating in a challenging environment that includes rising operating costs, rental arrears, staffing shortages, complex compliance requirements, an aging portfolio, and more.  

To meet this challenge, Enterprise is launching the Midwest Asset Management University Cohort, a five-month training series designed for affordable housing owner-operators interested in information, guidance, and resources to bolster the operating and financial health of their portfolios and strengthen housing stability for their residents.

Learn more about how Midwest affordable housing owner-operators can access asset management training and resources below. 

About the Midwest Asset Management University

The Midwest Asset Management University (AMU) is slated to launch in March 2026. Selected cohort organizations will have access to:

Asset Management Training - Each organization will receive a scholarship for up to two (2) staff members to complete the Asset Management Specialist (AMS) certificate offered by the Consortium for Housing and Asset Management (CHAM).

Participants will take the course as a cohort through CHAM’s AMS+ program, which combines self-paced, on-demand learning with live, facilitator-led sessions and a built-in peer community, giving you guidance from an expert facilitator who will lead you through live, 90-minute virtual sessions as well as clear milestones and accountability to help you finish on time and earn your AMS certificate with confidence. Please see the full Request for Applications (RFA) below for a list of AMS+ classes.

Expert-Led Workshops – Selected organizations will have the opportunity to attend an in-person convening closing out the program and celebrating AMS+ participants. This convening will include hands-on training and panel discussions featuring technical assistance providers and subject matter experts to support your organization in strengthening its portfolio health. In addition to AMS+ participants, selected organizations’ staff, leadership, and board are encouraged to attend.  

Targeted Technical Assistance - Participating organizations will have the opportunity to apply for consultant support tailored to the organization’s asset management needs and goals. Please see the RFA for a list of eligible technical assistance focus areas.

Apply to the Midwest Asset Management University Cohort

Eligibility. Applicants may be a mission-aligned nonprofit organization, a for-profit entity, or housing agency that owns and operates affordable housing and seeks to increase their asset management capacity. Organizations must operate affordable housing properties in at least one of these states: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, and/or Minnesota.

To participate in the cohort, organizations must submit an application and be selected.

Key Dates:

  • The deadline to apply is Friday, February 6 by 11:59 pm CST. Applications will only be accepted via SlideRoom.
  • Selected organizations will be notified on or around Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • The AMU program will start in mid-March and run until the end of July. A full training schedule will be shared with selected participants.

Please contact Jessie Wang, Program Manager with any questions about the application guidelines. For technical support with SlideRoom, contact [email protected].