CHICAGO, IL – January 22, 2026 – DNA Fund NFP, C3 Impact Fund (“C3”), and Diversified
Community Impact (“DCI”) today announced they have been awarded a grant from U.S.
Bancorp Impact Finance to expand technical assistance and cohort-based training for
emerging real estate developers.
The grant will fund the creation of a new intermediate-level professional training cohort
comprising affordable housing developers, with a focus on capital readiness and accessing
institutional capital, directly supporting the creation and preservation of affordable
housing.
“This grant from U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance is a powerful acknowledgment of how
critical it is to support developers with the potential to build affordable housing at scale, ”
said Dajuan Robinson, Founder of DNA Fund. “By combining our community roots with
C3’s lending expertise and DCI’s capital formation capabilities, we’re not only deepening
the pipeline for affordable housing in the city but also creating real pathways to wealth
creation for developers who may lack access to institutional capital.”
Eric Andrew, Co-Founder and Executive Director of DCI, expanded on the sentiment.
“Emerging developers face compounding barriers—capacity gaps, knowledge gaps, and
network gaps—that prevent them from accessing the capital they need to scale. This
program addresses all three, helping them position themselves attractively for equity
investment.”
DCI co-founder Vernon Beckford added, “There are many impact-oriented entrepreneurs
that want to address the shortage of affordable housing. But often, they’re hamstrung when
it comes to attracting funding and sadly their neighborhoods suffer for it. This program will
equip developers with key tools to overcome this obstacle and deliver much needed
housing stock to low- to moderate-income communities.”
The three-organization partnership brings complementary strengths to the initiative. DNA
Fund, through its Real in Rehab mentorship program, has deep ties to stabilizing distressed
neighborhoods and a strong track record in developer recruitment and hands-on
construction mentorship. C3 Impact Fund, a certified Community Development Financial
Institution (CDFI), has originated more than $80 million in debt capital supporting over
680 housing units in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and creating
approximately over 4,900 jobs. Diversified Community Impact (DCI) manages developer
cohorts nationwide and will deliver the curriculum, capital readiness coaching, and tools
focused on structuring and accessing equity capital designed to complement C3’s debt
financing and prepare developers for more complex capital stacks.
“As a CDFI lender, we see firsthand that capital alone is not enough. Developers also need
the tools and credibility to execute complex projects at scale,” said Tiffany Taylor,
Executive Director of C3 Impact Fund. “This grant enables us to deepen capacity-building
support so developers can demonstrate institutional readiness and successfully access the
range of capital required to deliver impactful housing projects in low- to moderate-income
communities.”
The program builds upon DNA and C3’s existing introductory “Level 101” program, which
has supported 22 developers to date, helping them navigate the challenges of becoming
bankable and obtaining debt. The new “Level 202” program, intended for developers
pursuing larger multifamily projects, will build upon this by exploring the various forms of
equity capital, the range of expectations and requirements of various institutional investor
segments, and key considerations when negotiating complex capital structures like joint
ventures and Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) transactions. The program will
culminate with a pitch competition where developers obtain exposure and access to
funding.
“We’re proud to support capacity-building programs that help equip emerging developers
with the tools, skills and connections they need to succeed,” said Torrence Moore, head of
Access Capital at U.S. Bank. “With our Access Capital grants, we’re not just supporting
individual developers – we’re helping strengthen the affordable housing ecosystem for the
next generation.”
The Access Capital grant is part of U.S. Bank Access Commitment®, a group of initiatives
dedicated to helping close the wealth gap.
### About DNA Fund NFP
DNA Fund is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization operating “The Real in Rehab” real
estate mentorship program, providing training, resources, and mentorship for aspiring real
estate developers. Founder Dajuan Robinson has worked on hundreds of residential rehabs
totaling $26 million in budget costs and $42 million in after-repair value, with a focus on
revitalizing low-to-moderate income neighborhoods. Learn more at therealinrehab.com.
###C3 Impact Fund is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)
headquartered in Chicago, with lending activity across Texas, North Carolina,
Massachusetts, and Florida. C3 specializes in providing flexible debt financing and capacitybuilding support to real estate developers working in low- and moderate-income
communities, with a focus on helping borrowers scale into more complex projects and
capital structures. Learn more at c3.fund.
### About Diversified Community Impact
Diversified Community Impact (DCI) is a community development corporation dedicated to
advancing inclusive economic development through comprehensive capital readiness
education, transactional, and capital formation support for emerging real estate firms. The
organization manages and/or supports cohorts nationally, including active cohorts in the
Southeast, Northeast, Mid-West, and Southwest. It also offers institutional impact advisory
support to CDFIs, non-profits, foundations, and community-led partnerships by designing
investment products addressing key funding gaps and activating local emerging developer
ecosystems. Learn more at diversifiedimpact.org .