Celebrating Ira Goldstein’s Legacy of Data-Driven Impact
For the past 27 years, few have championed Reinvestment Fund’s mission more passionately than Ira Goldstein.
(Philadelphia | June 17, 2026) – Reinvestment Fund, announces that Ira Goldstein will step down from his role as Senior Advisor to Policy Solutions, after 27 years of service. As he remains with us until June 30, we are taking a moment to reflect on his incredible contributions to both Reinvestment Fund and Policy Solutions and look forward to continuing this legacy of success for the communities where we live and work.
A Visionary Legacy of Impact
For most of his time at Reinvestment Fund, Ira served as the President of Policy Solutions, a vertical he championed and created. He started with a simple, yet powerful vision: using the best data, objectively, and rigorously analyzed, to increase Reinvestment Fund’s effectiveness for the people and communities we serve.
Under his leadership, that simple idea grew into the national thought leader and advisor that Policy Solutions is today. During his tenure, Policy Solutions’ work expanded across the country, cementing the team’s reputation as a trusted partner for leaders seeking data-driven expertise to invest in housing, childcare, community development and more.
Among his many lasting contributions to the field, Ira’s work leaves a legacy of tangible, real-world change:
- The Market Value Analysis (MVA): Ira spearheaded the creation of the MVA, an analytical tool that has since informed hundreds of millions of dollars in public investments in cities across the country, helping local governments target their resources equitably and effectively. To date, Policy created MVAs in cities across the country, ranging in size from Selma, Alabama to Houston, Texas.
- Advancing Civil Rights & Social Justice: Ira led groundbreaking research on predatory, abusive and discriminatory mortgage lending and real estate practices, uncovering data that was used to secure major policy changes and legal victories for civil rights and that will have impacts for generations to come.
- Measuring Actionable Gaps in Childcare Access: Ira led creation of Reinvestment Fund’s childcare and early childhood education access studies. These analyses have informed the allocation of millions of dollars in grants in Philadelphia, expanding the number of high-quality childcare seats by more than 3,500. That body of work has grown into a national resource, helping policymakers and funders understand where access gaps exist and how to close them.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Ira since he joined Reinvestment Fund. I have seen his vision come to life and his proof of concept play out in ways that better the lives of people who are consistently excluded from traditional systems. I know Ira is incredibly proud of what Policy Solutions has become, and the legacy our team continues to build in Philadelphia and nationwide, but I also hope he knows how grateful we all are for his leadership, wisdom, and unwavering commitment through his time with us,” said Don Hinkle-Brown, President and CEO of Reinvestment Fund. “We wish Ira all the best in his next chapter as Reinvestment Fund furthers the work he helped create.”
Press conference hosted by Pennsylvania lawmakers and fair housing advocates to address the termination of funding for organizations fighting housing discrimination. (2025)
Reinvestment Fund Policy Solutions and Programs team members join ECE partners at the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey conference. (2024)
Ira Goldstein testifying to the Committee on Legislative Oversight, Philadelphia City Council. (2018)
Ira Goldstein presenting at Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) conference. (2008)
A New Vision Built on a Strong Foundation
While it is difficult to say goodbye, we are also proud of how Emily Dowdall stepped into leadership of the Policy Solutions team as President more than two years ago. Guided by Emily’s vision to build on our legacy and the strengths of the entire team, Policy Solutions has developed new partnerships, expanded its impact to more cities and states, and guided decisionmakers on emerging community issues. Her expertise and commitment to Reinvestment Fund’s mission have already ensured that Policy Solutions will remain a premier partner for data-driven community investment, program design, and policy development.
“As I look back at my time with Reinvestment Fund, I am proud of what we’ve accomplished – becoming that trusted advisor to whom policymakers and investors turn as they work to improve lives, now and into the future” said Ira Goldstein. “I am also reminded of the importance of looking forward towards the next goal and the new north star. When I began working with Emily more than 10 years ago, I knew she had the expertise and skill to be the leader of our team. Since she assumed the role of President in 2023, I have seen her continue to grow into a smart, capable, and thoughtful leader. I truly appreciate that Emily and the Policy Solutions team are committed to building upon and expanding the foundation we collectively built over the years!”
“I am tremendously grateful to Ira for bringing me onto the team more than a decade ago, and for the opportunity to learn from him for all of these years. He transformed the field and we will all continue to benefit from that,” said Emily Dowdall, President of Policy Solutions. “On behalf of the whole team and our partners across the country, I want to thank Ira for all of his contributions.”
Please join us in thanking Ira for nearly three decades of extraordinary service to our work, our mission, and our communities—and in celebrating the bright future of Policy Solutions.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact: media@reinvestment.com.
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About Reinvestment Fund
Reinvestment Fund is a mission-driven financial institution committed to making communities work for all people. We bring financial and analytical tools to partnerships that work to ensure that people in communities across the country have the opportunities they strive for: affordable places to live, access to nutritious food and health care, schools where their children can flourish, and strong, local businesses that support jobs. We use data to understand markets and how transactions can have the most powerful impact, which has consistently earned us the top Aeris rating of AAA for financial strength and four stars for impact management. Our asset and risk management systems have also earned us an AA- rating from S&P. Since our inception in 1985, Reinvestment Fund has provided over $3.2 billion in financing to strengthen neighborhoods, scale social enterprises, and build resilient communities. Learn more at reinvestment.com.