Reinvestment Fund Winter Newsletter
Community of Practice
In October 2024, leaders from 24 cities across the Southeast gathered in Jacksonville, FL, for the Community of Practice (COP), hosted by Reinvestment Fund and the Jesse Ball duPont Fund. All three Reinvestment Fund business lines—Policy Solutions, Lending and Investments, and Programs and Capital Access—collaborated on the programming, fostering rich discussions on community-focused strategies.
Panels and breakout sessions tackled topics such as preserving affordability in rapidly appreciating markets, addressing systemic bias in housing, and leveraging anchor institutions like HBCUs to create mixed-income housing and community development opportunities. Tools like PolicyMap and NYU’s City Health Dashboard were highlighted for their role in building consensus and guiding targeted interventions.
Throughout the convening, participants emphasized actionable solutions, cross-sector collaboration, and data’s role in advancing equitable outcomes. Success stories included efforts in Roanoke, VA, to secure funding for a grocery store in an underserved neighborhood, and Greensboro, NC’s resident-driven development priorities. Discussions also focused on integrating housing with health, jobs, and commercial corridor development to support broader community well-being.
The COP underscored the importance of learning from shared successes and using market data not only to identify challenges but also to frame opportunities for meaningful progress.
“We come together to bring all of these different challenges – with solutions. …And some of these are things I can go back and literally implement tomorrow.” – Teresa Thomas-Smith, Mayor of Palmetto, GA
30 years After its Founding, YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School Finally has a Home of its Own
YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School celebrated the opening of their new state-of-the-art campus on North Broad Street. Reinvestment Fund has been a proud financial partner of YouthBuild Philadelphia for over two decades, and most recently, as they built this campus.
YouthBuild Philly empowers young adults through education, job training, and leadership development—helping to break cycles of poverty and build stronger communities. This innovative space provides students with expanded opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive in a supportive environment.
News & Resources
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Welcome to new staff Henry Feinstein and Chris Warman.
- The new Market Value Analysis for Atlanta Metro – outlining Atlanta’s real estate market and enabling strategic investment to support equitable development is available now. Reinvestment Fund has invested over $570 million in the Atlanta Metro Area, impacting nearly 1 million residents.
- LaToshia DeVose, Reinvestment Fund’s Program Director for Early Childhood Education, was honored as one of City & State PA’s 2024 Pennsylvania Impact Award recipients.
- Trinity AME Early Learning Center celebrated the unveiling of its renovated playground, made possible through a PAACT Repair and Renovation Grant, supported by Reinvestment Fund in collaboration with the City of Atlanta, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, and LIIF.
- Reinvestment Fund’s Ira Goldstein, Senior Advisor of Policy Solutions, delivered the keynote address at the More Front Doors: The Pocono Housing Summit, where leaders convened to tackle the region’s pressing affordable housing challenges.
- Bridget Wiedeman, LaToshia DeVose, and Karen Bustard proudly represented Reinvestment Fund at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating St. Michael’s School and Nursery. With critical support from Reinvestment Fund, St. Micheal’s has completed a $7 million renovation, expanding its capacity to serve over 200 children and enhancing its impact on the local community.
- Reinvestment Fund releases new housing research, led by President of Policy Solutions Emily Dowdall, highlighting that of 10 Southeastern cities, only Charlotte and New Orleans have successfully narrowed the gap between Black and White homeownership over the past 40 years. Dowdall & team identified key strategies including expanding downpayment assistance and enforcing anti-discrimination laws to address persistent racial gaps in mortgage approvals.
- Reinvestment Fund’s Dr. Sara Pantenaude, Southeast Region’s Director of Policy Solutions, is appointed to the HouseATL Board of Advisors, bringing a deep commitment to affordable housing that will help drive HouseATL’s strategic initiatives across Atlanta’s five-county region.
- The Early Learning Stabilization Grant (ELSG), funded by the Bainum Family Foundation and led by Reinvestment Fund’s LaToshia DeVose, Jacob Kurtz, and Sharon Nielson, is transforming support for historically overlooked Child Development Homes (CDHs) in Washington, D.C. With over $320K in investments in 2024 alone, ELSG ensures CDHs receive the resources they need to thrive, strengthening early childhood education across the city.