Case Studies
See all of our higher education case studies below. Use the dropdown menus to filter the results. Have a case study you’d like to share? Submit it to us here.
Capacity Builder
University of Chicago (Child Care)
Chicago, IL
The University of Chicago and IFF, a CDFI with a history of lending to the child care sector, have worked together on multiple initiatives to create more childcare and education opportunities for Chicago’s communities.
Capital Aggregator
Howard University
Washington, D.C.
Howard University teamed up with the Washington, D.C. government, Fannie Mae, and corporate partners to transform 45 abandoned, university-owned properties in a neglected neighborhood into more than 300 housing units and $65 million in commercial development. The Howard University LeDroit Park Initiative had three themes: 1) celebrate the history of the area; 2) redefine the community; and 3) enhance the quality of life and safety.
LaSalle University
Philadelphia, PA
In 2004, La Salle University’s Office of Community and Economic Development worked with leadership and community members to craft a realistic plan to improve the quality of life for residents around the campus. The University’s findings led them to The Reinvestment Fund (TRF), a Philadelphia-based CDFI and leader in the financing of neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, community facilities, supermarkets, and commercial real estate.
Missouri State University
Springfield, MO
Using a $1.25M grant from the Economic Development Administration and matching local OZ funds, the University plans to expand its efactory business incubator in Springfield, MO. According to Missouri State, this investment is expected to create “360 jobs and spur $27 million in private investment.”
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
Northeastern launched the region’s first university-supported loan program for women- and minority-owned businesses. The initiative, called the Impact Lending program, enables local small-business owners to secure loans, at below-market interest rates, to acquire crucial resources to expand their businesses.
Ohio State
Columbus, OH
Working through Campus Partners, a nonprofit community development corporation, Ohio State invested $28 million of its endowment funds into the “South Campus Gateway” complex.
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
As Rowan began to increase its capital spending locally, the city of Glassboro saw a unique opportunity to leverage the Rowan investments by developing a plan for the transformation of the downtown area leading to the university. This plan ultimately became the $476 million, mixed-use development of Rowan Boulevard. In the city of Glassboro more than 30 percent of school-aged children qualified for the free lunch program and 20 percent of families earn under the poverty line.
Stillman College
Tuscaloosa, AL
As soon as it became clear that Stillman would be located in a Opportunity Zone, the school’s president seized the opportunity to enlist the support of potential private equity partners, the City of Tuscaloosa, and consultants to develop investment projects for the school’s vacant and unused property holdings.
The University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
The University of Cincinnati’s endowment was nearly $833 million in 2009. From 2003 through 2009, the University invested $148.6 million of this money (roughly 13.6 percent of the school’s entire endowment) to finance real estate development in the neighborhood of Uptown Cincinnati.
University of Chicago (Child Care)
Chicago, IL
The University of Chicago and IFF, a CDFI with a history of lending to the child care sector, have worked together on multiple initiatives to create more childcare and education opportunities for Chicago’s communities.
Community Convener
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
As Rowan began to increase its capital spending locally, the city of Glassboro saw a unique opportunity to leverage the Rowan investments by developing a plan for the transformation of the downtown area leading to the university. This plan ultimately became the $476 million, mixed-use development of Rowan Boulevard. In the city of Glassboro more than 30 percent of school-aged children qualified for the free lunch program and 20 percent of families earn under the poverty line.
Impact Driver
LaSalle University
Philadelphia, PA
In 2004, La Salle University’s Office of Community and Economic Development worked with leadership and community members to craft a realistic plan to improve the quality of life for residents around the campus. The University’s findings led them to The Reinvestment Fund (TRF), a Philadelphia-based CDFI and leader in the financing of neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, community facilities, supermarkets, and commercial real estate.
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
Northeastern launched the region’s first university-supported loan program for women- and minority-owned businesses. The initiative, called the Impact Lending program, enables local small-business owners to secure loans, at below-market interest rates, to acquire crucial resources to expand their businesses.
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
As Rowan began to increase its capital spending locally, the city of Glassboro saw a unique opportunity to leverage the Rowan investments by developing a plan for the transformation of the downtown area leading to the university. This plan ultimately became the $476 million, mixed-use development of Rowan Boulevard. In the city of Glassboro more than 30 percent of school-aged children qualified for the free lunch program and 20 percent of families earn under the poverty line.
Local Anchor
Howard University
Washington, D.C.
Howard University teamed up with the Washington, D.C. government, Fannie Mae, and corporate partners to transform 45 abandoned, university-owned properties in a neglected neighborhood into more than 300 housing units and $65 million in commercial development. The Howard University LeDroit Park Initiative had three themes: 1) celebrate the history of the area; 2) redefine the community; and 3) enhance the quality of life and safety.
LaSalle University
Philadelphia, PA
In 2004, La Salle University’s Office of Community and Economic Development worked with leadership and community members to craft a realistic plan to improve the quality of life for residents around the campus. The University’s findings led them to The Reinvestment Fund (TRF), a Philadelphia-based CDFI and leader in the financing of neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, community facilities, supermarkets, and commercial real estate.
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
As Rowan began to increase its capital spending locally, the city of Glassboro saw a unique opportunity to leverage the Rowan investments by developing a plan for the transformation of the downtown area leading to the university. This plan ultimately became the $476 million, mixed-use development of Rowan Boulevard. In the city of Glassboro more than 30 percent of school-aged children qualified for the free lunch program and 20 percent of families earn under the poverty line.
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
To encourage home ownership and help support stabilization and revitalization in and around the South Campus, the University at Buffalo offers the UB H.O.M.E. (Home Ownership Made Easy) program to full-time and part-time faculty and staff. This program is being funded by the University at Buffalo Foundation (UBF) in partnership with West Side Neighborhood Housing Services (West Side NHS), Inc., a NeighborWorks America Chartered Member with a proven track record of housing and community revitalization.
University of Dayton
Dayton, OH
The university serves as an anchor in The Dayton Arcade project which restored a 9-building complex in downtown Dayton. The projectincludes affordable and market-rate units, University of Dayton and the Entrepreneurs Center’s Arcade Innovation Hub, leasable office and retail space, and event space. The Arcade is part of a larger plan by the City of Dayton to bring residents, jobs, and visitors back to the downtown.
Opportunity Sponsor
Howard University
Washington, D.C.
Howard University teamed up with the Washington, D.C. government, Fannie Mae, and corporate partners to transform 45 abandoned, university-owned properties in a neglected neighborhood into more than 300 housing units and $65 million in commercial development. The Howard University LeDroit Park Initiative had three themes: 1) celebrate the history of the area; 2) redefine the community; and 3) enhance the quality of life and safety.
LaSalle University
Philadelphia, PA
In 2004, La Salle University’s Office of Community and Economic Development worked with leadership and community members to craft a realistic plan to improve the quality of life for residents around the campus. The University’s findings led them to The Reinvestment Fund (TRF), a Philadelphia-based CDFI and leader in the financing of neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing, community facilities, supermarkets, and commercial real estate.
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
Opportunity Zone equity was paired with Historic Tax Credits to support the transformation of an underutilized 125-year-old building on Lehigh University’s campus into 30 apartments and new retail space in South Bethlehem. Reinventing this space is part of Lehigh’s strategy to demonstrate their commitment to community, revitalize South Bethlehem, and continue campus expansion as the university grows.
Missouri State University
Springfield, MO
Using a $1.25M grant from the Economic Development Administration and matching local OZ funds, the University plans to expand its efactory business incubator in Springfield, MO. According to Missouri State, this investment is expected to create “360 jobs and spur $27 million in private investment.”
Ohio State
Columbus, OH
Working through Campus Partners, a nonprofit community development corporation, Ohio State invested $28 million of its endowment funds into the “South Campus Gateway” complex.
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
As Rowan began to increase its capital spending locally, the city of Glassboro saw a unique opportunity to leverage the Rowan investments by developing a plan for the transformation of the downtown area leading to the university. This plan ultimately became the $476 million, mixed-use development of Rowan Boulevard. In the city of Glassboro more than 30 percent of school-aged children qualified for the free lunch program and 20 percent of families earn under the poverty line.
Stillman College
Tuscaloosa, AL
As soon as it became clear that Stillman would be located in a Opportunity Zone, the school’s president seized the opportunity to enlist the support of potential private equity partners, the City of Tuscaloosa, and consultants to develop investment projects for the school’s vacant and unused property holdings.
University of Chicago (Child Care)
Chicago, IL
The University of Chicago and IFF, a CDFI with a history of lending to the child care sector, have worked together on multiple initiatives to create more childcare and education opportunities for Chicago’s communities.
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