The Aequo Fund was established to level the playing field in real estate by providing capital and support to emerging developers who are black, brown, women, immigrant or from other groups that traditionally struggle to obtain investment. The Aequo Fund supports infill and modest scale rehab and resell projects. The Aequo Fund has three pathways to becoming a participating developer:
1. Community-Based. The Aequo Fund accepts applications from individuals within an under-represented group in real estate as listed above with some experience in Real Estate or related fields. These individuals have not fully launched as an independent developer or been able to access capital for projects. Most “community-based” applicants have been directly involved in a small-scale rehab project or two. Applicants also must subscribe to Aequo’s “development-without-displacement” ethic of rehabilitating vacant buildings and adding value to neighborhoods.Note: Due to a large volume of responses, any Community-Based applications will be reviewed beginning again in Fall 2021.
2. Affiliated Academic Program. The Aequo Fund accepts applications from individuals who are of an under-represented group in real estate as listed above and who are recent graduates of Aequo-affiliated Master’s level real estate programs. Currently, Aequo-affiliated programs are: Master of Real Estate at Cornell University, Master of Regional Planning at Cornell University, Master of Real Estate at Columbia University. These applicants also must subscribe to Aequo’s “development-without-displacement” ethic of rehabilitating vacant buildings and adding value to neighborhoods.
3. GirlBuild. The Aequo Fund has a relationship with GirlBuild, a soon-to-be-launched empowerment initiative for women in the development and construction industry. Aequo will receive applications from GirlBuild program graduates.