Century’s Community Strategy Is A Core Business Imperative

In the hard math of homebuilding’s 2025 reality — thin margins, wary buyers, stubborn input costs, and hesitant capital — it might be easy to dismiss something like a school supply drive as a well-intentioned distraction from what really matters.

But at Century Communities, one of the nation’s Top 10 homebuilders, initiatives like these aren’t window dressing. They’re structural steel.

Purpose, Operationalized

This summer, Century wrapped a nationwide classroom supply drive, collecting donated backpacks, notebooks, markers, and pencils at model homes and sales centers across its footprint. Team members, trade partners, homebuyers, and neighbors participated — not as a corporate PR exercise, but as a visible extension of the company’s operating philosophy.

The program was a success,” says Jim Francescon, Executive VP of Corporate Operations. “That’s thanks to our team, our trade partners, and all of our stakeholders. The supplies went directly to local schools in the communities where we build.”

More than just charity, the initiative is a living embodiment of Century’s mission: A Home For Every Dream®.

Ever since day one, we’ve always focused not only on providing great homes and value, but also helping the communities we build in,” Francescon explains. “Being an active stakeholder in those communities — that’s core to who we are.”

Trust, in Practice

Century’s humanitarian work — from school supplies to mortgage-free homes for veterans — plays a key role in an increasingly critical business asset: trust. In a market full of caution and skepticism, trust is no longer a soft skill. It’s currency.

For today’s consumer, it’s not just about getting a good home at a good price,” says Francescon. “They want to know who’s building their home. What does the company believe? What do they stand for?”

And it’s not just customers who are paying attention. In an industry built on multi-party coordination — lenders, investors, local officials, land sellers, suppliers, trades — being perceived as credible, values-aligned, and community-committed matters.

Francescon puts it plainly:

When buyers — or partners — look at our culture and see that we’re focused on giving back and working to improve the communities we’re part of, it resonates. It builds trust.”

Team Culture: Purpose That Lifts Performance

These community initiatives also play an internal role — especially when the market turns rough. In 2025’s slower-moving sales environment, when front-line teams are managing increased buyer objections and tighter operational margins, the sense of shared purpose these efforts create is invaluable.

I truly believe we have the best team in the business,” Francescon says. “And one part of that is working for a company that values giving back.”

According to Francescon, feedback from the field is consistent: team members appreciate the chance to engage in something larger than their daily tasks. It elevates morale, reaffirms values, and fuels collaboration.

As I’m out visiting divisions and offices, I hear it again and again,” he says. “Initiatives like this mean a lot to our people — not just the school supply drive, but also the volunteering, the employee giving matches, and the freedom to support causes that matter to them.”

“It’s something that’s not only a positive impact on the community — it’s a positive thing for us to rally around as a team.”
— Jim Francescon

In an industry where talent attraction and retention have become existential challenges, this matters.

Built Into the Operating Workflow

Perhaps most impressively, Century doesn’t treat community engagement as an ancillary function. It’s embedded in the culture — and scaling with the business.

We’ve tried to make this part of the culture so that it always remains part of how we operate as we grow,” says Francescon.

With operations in more than 17 states and over 45 markets, that growth includes frequent M&A integrations — bringing new local teams into the Century fold. But community commitment is part of the onboarding process.

We empower our divisions to support their local communities,” Francescon says. “We offer matching programs for donations. We support what local teams care about. It’s not just top-down — it’s collaborative.”

The Century Communities Foundation serves as the company’s philanthropic backbone, supporting both national and local efforts. The approach is diversified, strategic, and mission-aligned.

Veterans, Children, and Underserved Communities

Among the causes Century has championed:

• Veterans: Partnering with Operation Finally Home, Century has built and donated mortgage-free homes to veterans and their families, including a recent handover to U.S. Army Sergeant Joanna Ellenbeck in Houston.
• Military Organizations: Financial support has gone to the Navy SEAL Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, Operation Homefront, and Rising Warriors.
• Children’s Causes: Century supports Children’s Hospital Colorado, scholarships for low-income families, and national education nonprofits.
• Employee-Guided Giving: Team members are encouraged to nominate and lead support for causes they care about — with corporate matching and logistical help.

We’re proud of our team members for spearheading these initiatives,” Francescon says. “It’s a big positive impact where it’s needed — and a reflection of who we are.”

Why It Matters More in 2025

This year has not been kind to the homebuilding sector. Mortgage rates, inflation echoes, insurance turbulence, and buyer hesitancy have strained sales pipelines and capital forecasts. Trust, morale, and clarity of mission are under pressure.

In this context, the real significance of efforts like Century’s school supply drive becomes clear. They’re not charity — they’re clarity. They reinforce what the company stands for. They build cohesion. They generate goodwill in the communities that will shape the next decade of growth.

And crucially, they’re not reactive. They’re proactive.

Programs like this aren’t a response to pressure — they’re part of the way we’ve always worked,” Francescon says. “And in markets like this, they become even more important.”

The Builder’s Takeaway

In 2025, “building trust” is not a metaphor. It’s a measurable capability.

Century Communities is showing what that looks like — from the job site to the sales center to the school hallway. Through supply drives, veteran housing, scholarships, and volunteerism, it’s delivering not just homes — but roots, relationships, and reliability.

For homebuilding leaders across the country, the lesson is simple: culture scales. If you build it into your business, it becomes self-sustaining — even in the most uncertain environments.

And if you don’t?

Well, no amount of incentives or spreadsheets can substitute for a community that no longer believes you're invested in its success.