Open Access Celebrates Fourth Year Milestone with Announcement of 2024 Fellows

Empowering Diversity in Community Development Finance

NATIONWIDE, NATIONWIDE, UNITED STATES, May 6, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Open Access Celebrates Fourth Year Milestone with Announcement of 2024 Fellows
Empowering Diversity in Community Development Finance

Open Access, a groundbreaking initiative launched in 2021, committed to enhancing diverse representation in the Community Development Finance (CDF) sector, has announced it’s 2024 fellows of the fourth annual program.

Open Access aims to address the underrepresentation of Black and Latinx professionals in the community development finance industry, encompassing areas such as community development financial institution financing and tax credit financing including New Markets Tax Credits, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, and the Energy/Renewables sector of tax credits.

"Open Access celebrates another year of cultivating leaders, transforming communities, and bridging gaps for a more inclusive future,” says Rashidah Billups, Executive Director of Open Access 2022 Alumna. “We look forward to the valuable impact that our 2024 Fellows will make, as they possess the cultural perspectives needed to best understand and drive change to the diverse populations served.”

Jeff Monge, one of the founding co-chairs of Open Access, emphasized, "With this year’s cohort, our primary focus is addressing the gap in capital financing delivery within low-income communities. It's not just about meeting diversity goals; it's also a sound business strategy!"

Open Access is grateful for the generous support of industry leaders who have sponsored the 2024 Fellowship Program. Their commitment to equity and inclusion is instrumental in expanding opportunities for diverse individuals in community development finance, both for this year's fellows and for future programs. “As a firm, we are incredibly proud to support Open Access and sponsor the 2024 Open Access Fellowship program, an initiative that is essential to expanding opportunities for underrepresented professionals in community development finance,” said En Jung Kim, Head of New Markets Tax Credit at JPMorgan Chase. “As an industry, we must remain committed to driving economic inclusion through employment opportunities like this.”

“U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance is pleased to be a founding sponsor of Open Access,” said Managing Director of Community Finance Solutions Laura Vowell. “We support their mission to increase diversity in community development and believe it is critical to improve representation in an industry that serves all communities. We’re committed to investing in projects and collaborating with organizations that prioritize equity outcomes.”
The new cohort of fellows will receive 10+ hours of free online industry training, access to webinars, a 160-hour paid fellowship, and free attendance to a Novogradac conference. Successful participants will be awarded a certificate of training completion by Novogradac.

With 76% of alumni succeeding in either finding positions in the community development finance industry or launching their own CDF firms, Open Access hopes to continue to provide new or enhanced career opportunities for this year’s participants. Fellows are matched with trained professionals for mentoring and career growth opportunities.

2024 Program sponsors for include:
Executive: JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance | Founder’s Circle: Baker Tilly US, LLP, National Equity Fund, TELACU/NMCC, Monge Capital, Classic Lake, Stonehenge Capital, Charles Schwab Bank | Underwriters: M&T Bank, Huntington Bank, National Trust Community Investment Corporation, Cherry Bekaert, Sabio Enterprises Inc., CohnReznick LLP, Dudley Ventures/ Valley | Friends of Open Access: Advantage Capital.

A special thank you to our Trailblazer Sponsor, Novogradac for their in-kind donations.

“Novogradac is proud to support Open Access because its goals align with Novogradac’s commitment to creating pathways for diverse communities to enter the community development finance field.”

2024 Fellow Hosts: 9th & Clinton, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, Baker Tilly, Broadstreet Impact Services, Cherry Bekaert Advisory, Chicago Community Loan Fund, Classic Lake, CohnReznick LLP, Conifer, Corporation for Supportive Housing, Hope Community Capital, Monge Capital, National Equity Fund, National Trust Community Investment Corporation, Nonprofit Finance Fund, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, Reinvestment Fund, Stonehenge Capital, TELACU/New Markets Community Capital, Texas Community Capital, and TruFund.

Introducing our 2024 Fellows:
9th & Clinton: Sivan Bruce
AHTCC: Marie Butterfield
BakerTilly: Leila Gathago Win
Broadstreet Sophia Checa
Capital Impact: Nataly Jiminez
Cherry Bekaert: Corwyn Mitchell
Chicago Community Loan Fund: Taylor Jackson
Classic Lake: Marcus Elliot
CohnReznick: Richard Mbouombouo
Conifer: Alexis Farmer
CSH Fellow: Bria Francisco
Hope Community Capital: Kristen Reynolds
Monge Capital: Yadira Simmons
NEF: Monifa Watson
NFF: Namon Freeman
NJCC: Ryon Campbell
NTCIC: Garrett Dickerson
Ohio Capital: Jordan Wilkins
Open Access: Shana Ray
Open Access: Erika Williams
Reinvestment Fund: Andrew Gray
Stonehenge Capital: Daniel Chatters
TCC: Leah Castro Baucom
Telacu: Josvianny Rosa Alvarado
The Alliance: Peyton Parkin
TruFund: Gabriel Jamison

About Open Access
Open Access is an independent 501(c)3 envisioned and co-founded by leaders in the community development finance industry, Jeff Monge, Managing Partner of Monge Capital and Gina D. Nisbeth, President of 9th & Clinton Advisory, to address the inequity of diversity, equity & inclusion in their industry. Headquartered in New Jersey, the nonprofit partners with leading organizations in the field and operates nationally.
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