The Nareit Foundation, through its Dividends Through Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DDEI) Giving Campaign, launched a new grant program to support organizations addressing gaps and barriers faced by underserved or underrepresented businesses, professionals, and students. The grant application process is now open, and the deadline for applications is Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. EST.
The DDEI grant program is funded by Nareit and 39 Nareit members, and you can see the list of donors here. The goal is to create a REIT and publicly traded real estate industry that is more representative and inclusive of the communities in which people live, work and play.
The DDEI grant program will prioritize awarding grants to nonprofit organizations whose programs and initiatives address systemic challenges faced by Black/African Americans Latino/Hispanics, women, first-generation college students, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and high-school students. Programs must focus on workforce and professional development for a variety of careers in real estate, and supplier diversity initiatives supporting minority- or women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs).
- Important Note
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The application process is administered by JustFund and applicants will be required to create an account as the first step before applying. Accounts will take 24-48 business hours to be approved. Click here to create your JustFund account and access the grant application.
Eligible Programs
Nonprofit organizations that offer one or more of the following, and meet the criteria below, are encouraged to apply.
Workforce initiatives that focus on helping diverse or underrepresented talent learn about, prepare for, or advance professionally in careers in real estate, including programs such as, but not limited to:
- Internship programs
- Mentoring programs
- Professional/leadership training and development
- Career training programs
- Board membership readiness
Supplier diversity initiatives that help MWBEs increase their operational knowledge and business sustainability, or that increase their business’s profitability, scalability, and overall competitiveness to provide sustainable goods and services, including programs such as:
- Business mentoring
- Procurement matchmaking
- Business accelerator programs
- Technical assistance and capacity building programs and initiatives
- Access to capital
Eligibility Criteria for Grantees
- Be legally registered as a 501c3
- Have at least five (5) years of operations as a registered nonprofit
- Demonstrate a sound fiscal and financial position
- Ensure that no more than 20% of the grant supports administrative costs
- Serve populations that are recognized as underserved, underrepresented disenfranchised, and/or low income
- NOTE: Capital projects are not eligible for funding under this grant
Anticipated Funding Levels
Funding levels for this grant program may range from $25,000 up to $100,000 based on scope, scale, project readiness, project budget, applicant responses, and availability of funding. The amounts may be subject to change.
JustFund will facilitate the application process
The Nareit Foundation’s application process is administered by JustFund. JustFund offers a common proposal model designed to save organizations time and to allow for more access to other funders and available grants.
Applicants will be required to use JustFund’s site to create a JustFund account as the first step before applying. Click here to create your JustFund account today. Accounts will take 24-48 business hours to be approved.
For questions about how to submit a proposal on the JustFund site, organizations can refer to JustFund's Help Center or contact info@justfund.us. To receive updates on this grant program organizations are encouraged to sign up with Nareit here.