February 10, 2021
Private equity firm and small business lender Advantage Capital today announced it has hired two Fellows as part of the Open Access Fellowship program—Trevor Nelson and Anika Wright. This pilot program was created to increase diverse representation in community development finance, with a focus on Black and Latinx communities.
As Fellows, Nelson and Wright will be working closely with firm leaders across multiple lines of business. Each has been matched with mentors to help guide their career growth in community development finance, and will receive one-on-one education and training opportunities, as well as career experience.
“We are excited to be a part of this pilot program and welcome Trevor and Anika to our team,” said Jonathan Goldstein, managing director at Advantage Capital. “We know there is a lot of work to be done within the community development industry to bring more diverse professionals into the field. We are hopeful this is another step in the right direction as our industry continues to become more representative of the communities in which we work.”
Created by advocates in the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) industry, in collaboration with Project REAP (Real Estate Associate Program)—an organization committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the commercial real estate industry—the Open Access Fellowship provides a pathway for diverse professionals at all levels to work in the community development finance space.
Though the industry took hold decades ago, the economic fallout from COVID-19, which has disproportionally affected minority communities and economically underserved areas, has illuminated the need for equitable access to funding for community development and social and economic initiatives.
Advantage Capital joins 14 other community development finance organizations across the country in welcoming Open Access Fellows.
