Empowering Community-Rooted Developers to Lead Revitalization Efforts
In an effort to better ensure that real estate developers truly reflect their city’s make-up and that real estate developers working in disinvested communities are able to participate in growth and revitalization efforts, we have launched the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI). Charting a new path toward inclusive economic opportunity, this program combines our local knowledge, partnerships, and key strengths – including program design and project financing – to support these developers to grow their careers and support communities.
Applications Now Open – Apply by April 21ST!
2025 Austin Equitable Development Initiative
If you are an emerging real estate developer in the Austin area looking to expand and grow your business and expertise, apply for our 2025 Austin Equitable Development (EDI) Initiative today!
Benefit from free training, technical assistance, advising, networking opportunities, and potential financing pathways. Eligibility criteria can be found in the application form.
Questions about the Austin EDI application? Join the upcoming webinar to learn more about our program, application process, and requirements.
Friday, April 4, 2025 @ 1:00 p.m. CT – Register Here
Program Overview
Training
Program participants engage in formal real estate development training, workshops with local development experts and city leaders, and discussions around challenges and opportunities for community-rooted developers in metropolitan regions.
Mentorship
Participants receive one-on-one support from both a developer mentor and a finance mentor. These local experts provide project-specific guidance to further participants’ real estate development efforts.
Financing
Capital Impact Partners will work with program participants to connect them to potential project financing options, leveraging the tools they’ve gained to strengthen their financing applications.
Interested in participating in EDI? Fill out our inquiry form to receive updates on our upcoming EDI cohorts. Fill out form
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates are selected based on the following eligibility criteria guidelines:
- Demonstrated barriers to accessing capital, including limitations to balance sheet capacity, and the resources required to advance affordable housing projects that benefit their communities
- Able to illustrate how barriers to accessing critical industry networks have restricted or limited accelerated personal and professional growth
- Demonstrated need for specialized real estate, financial, technical, and enterprise management training to scale their businesses
- Live in or near the primary metropolitan area of the program, and have a strong connection to the city in which they are working
- Demonstrate a commitment to inclusive growth and actively participating in that effort in the applicant’s city
- Be able to commit to in-class training sessions on a weekly basis for up to six (6) hours per week during the cohort period
- Be interested in responding to requests for proposals for real estate development opportunities with or without a development partner in the next 1-2 years
Meet Our EDI Program Participants
Equitable Development Program participants represent a group of individuals with a range of backgrounds and experience. We invite you to learn more about them by downloading the bio sheets below.
Our Partners
We would like to thank our partners at JPMorgan Chase and the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation for their generous support of the Equitable Development Initiative and our broader efforts to create a more inclusive economic opportunities in Detroit and Washington, D.C.
We’re here to answer your questions.
Jeffrey Mosley
Director, National Real Estate Programs
Contacts by EDI Program
Atlanta
Atlanta
Tommy Lester
Manager, Atlanta Initiatives
tlester@capitalimpact.org
571-560-1364
Austin
Austin
Aaron Gougis
Manager, Dallas Initiatives
agougis@capitalimpact.org
703-647-2326
Bay Area
Bay Area
Caitlin Keane
Equitable Development Manager
ckeane@capitalimpact.org
703-647-2389
Dallas
Dallas
Aaron Gougis
Manager, Dallas Initiatives
agougis@capitalimpact.org
703-647-2326
Detroit & Cleveland
Detroit & Cleveland
Rieanna Stewart
Detroit Training Manager
rstewart@capitalimpact.org
703-215-7849
Washington Metro (DMV)
Washington Metro (DMV)
Melissa Stallings
Director, DMV Initiatives
mstallings@capitalimpact.org
703-967-3615
Building is in Her Blood
Stories of Impact
Returning Detroit to Greatness
When Richard Hosey returned to his hometown in 2008, the economic downturn had completely changed the city he remembered. With help from Capital Impact, the Detroit native has focused his efforts on returning the city to its former greatness through projects that foster inclusive growth for all residents.
Learning New Skills to Shape Their Future
In this video, Ellis Carr talks about Momentus Capital’s efforts to utilize mission-driven financing, social innovation programs, capacity building, and impact investing, to advance issues of social and economic justice.
Building Community in Washington, D.C.
When Thomas Houston and Talayah Jackson had the vision to turn a vacant lot in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 7 into affordable housing, office space for entrepreneurs, and a locally owned grocery store, they used their skills from the EDI program – and financing from Capital Impact – to get their project off the ground.
