Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Opportunity Zones Scholarship
A goodwill initiative to provide equal access to Opportunity Zone (OZ) education, resources, and capital to stakeholders WITHIN OZ communities.
The Challenge
Stakeholders in OZ communities are well-positioned to inform, advance, and benefit from OZ investments, however many are not aware of this opportunity or connected to the relevant capital and decision-maker networks.
The Initial Solution
This program is a first step for “Leveling the OZ playing field” for stakeholders in OZ communities, by giving them equal access to OZ education, resources, and capital. Read more about the next steps in our DEI statement.
How Are We Solving the Challenge?
OZworks Group has launched this DEI Scholarship program to promote, engage, and on-board the most promising OZ community stakeholders (who represent OZ communities across the country) into the OZworks Group network by removing any cost barriers associated with paid access.
Who Should Apply?
Anyone who represents an Opportunity Zone (OZ) community and is interested in learning more about the incentive, while connecting with resources that can support you in launching your own OZ strategy.
National Scholarships are Currently Available!
Thanks to our sponsor (CRE Development Capital), enrollment is now open for national scholarships. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee will review all of the applications on a rolling basis. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Want to Stay Conected?
Please provide your email below and you will be the first to know when more scholarships are made available, and get updates on upcoming events.
Why Apply?
Learn how an Opportunity Zone can benefit you.
Learn how to participate in the OZ incentive.
- Get introduced to resources and capital that support the scale and sustainability of your OZ strategy.
What Do Scholars Receive?
Scholarship recipients will receive 6-months of paid access to OZworks Group, which is a private network of Opportunity Zone leaders built to democratize access to OZ industry expertise & fuel scalable, sustainable projects. The retail cost of this membership is $299.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At OZworks Group our commitment to DEI goes beyond this Scholarship program. In March of 2021 our leadership team decided to make a commitment to fulfilling the true promise of the Opportunity Zone (OZ) incentive by launching a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee. The purpose of forming this group is to use our collective knowledge, resources, and networks to make the OZ incentive more accessible to the people that represent socio-economically challenged, Opportunity Zone areas across our country.
Our DEI committee is composed of members of OZworks Group who have made commitments to DEI in their past work, who represent the values of the OZworks Group community, and who deeply care about making a positive impact on the OZ industry by creating accessible resources that will reach a more diverse audience.
If you would like to read more about our DEI vision and statement please read our publicly available document.
Thank you to our DEI committee members who have made a bi-weekly commitment to meet and move the OZ/DEI conversation forward.
Would You Like To Be A Sponsor?
Thank you for your interest in supporting this cause! We are always looking to form collaborations with companies and private institutions that are willing to support the initiative. We are sourcing financial contributions to cover the operational, on-boarding, and management expenses (at cost) for OZworks Group DEI scholarships at $180 per scholarship.