Created in 2002 as a 501 (c)3 non-profit corporation organized for the purpose of utilizing the collective expertise of its partner organizations, ACE provides participants with a “one stop shopping” type of experience—community development programs and tools needed to insure long term success found through one organization.

ACE’s comprehensive three-phase approach targets communities with populations ranging from 2,000 to 18,000. Using a competitive application process, communities are selected based on the level of local commitment to the ACE program and the community’s capacity to support the ACE program.