Institutional Services
Build a Fundable Pipeline of Community Developers
Capital readiness systems for CDFIs, community lenders, impact funds, and foundations
Your small-scale developers have the vision, the community trust, and the projects that neighborhoods need—but they struggle to become fundable in the eyes of traditional capital sources. The gap isn't their commitment or capability; it's often a mismatch between how community developers and institutional funders communicate.
I help community capital institutions bridge that gap. Through systematic training, equitable underwriting frameworks, and capital readiness programs, I transform your pipeline from "promising but not ready" into closeable deals that move capital into communities. Whether you're a CDFI looking to expand your small developer lending, a community lender seeking better tools for risk assessment, or an impact fund building sustainable developer partnerships, I provide the systems and expertise that make your capital deployment goals achievable.
How I Work With Institutions
Rooted Capital Lab
Equitable underwriting + capital product design for your lending team
Developer Capital Engine
Systematic approach to making your developers fundable
Custom Consulting
Portfolio strategy and ecosystem partnerships
Speaking + Workshops
Keynotes and custom workshops on capital strategy
Rooted Capital Lab
Equitable Underwriting + Capital Product Design for Your Lending Team
Investment: $15K-$25K (workshop format) |
Custom curriculum: $35K-$50K
Your lending team knows that traditional underwriting frameworks weren't designed for small-scale community developers. Credit scores, liquidity requirements, and conventional debt service coverage ratios often screen out exactly the developers doing the most impactful community work.
The Rooted Capital Lab provides your team with alternative frameworks for evaluating risk, structuring deals, and designing capital products that match the realities of community development—without compromising financial prudence.
What You Get:
- 1-3 day intensive workshop for your lending or investment team
- Training on equitable underwriting practices that balance risk management with access
- Capital product design specifically for small-scale developers
- Tools and templates your team can implement immediately
- Optional ongoing implementation support to ensure frameworks stick
This Is For You If:
Your team wants to expand lending to small developers but needs new frameworks for risk assessment, deal structuring, and equitable evaluation that go beyond traditional banking metrics.
Developer Capital Engine Program
Build a Systematic Approach to Making Your Developers Fundable
Investment: $90K-$125K | 6-12 month implementation
If your institution is spending significant staff time coaching individual developers on basic capital readiness—or worse, watching promising projects stall because developers can't articulate their financial story—you need a systematic solution. The Developer Capital Engine creates a repeatable program that transforms your entire portfolio's fundability.
This isn't a one-off workshop. It's a complete program infrastructure that either your team facilitates or I deliver directly, designed to scale with your portfolio and reduce the burden on your lending staff. Developers move through a structured process that teaches them to speak the language of capital, build investor-ready materials, and navigate complex capital stacks with confidence.
What You Get:
1
Complete Program Design
Curriculum, templates, and tools ready for immediate deployment
2
Small Group Training
Structured learning for your developer portfolio with peer support
3
Custom Frameworks
Capital Stack Builder + Capital Story frameworks adapted to your market
4
Ecosystem Mapping
Funder database and warm introduction strategies specific to your region
5
Implementation Model
Train-the-trainer approach OR direct facilitation by me
6
Team Integration
Rooted Capital Lab training for your staff to support developers post training
Program Deliverables:
- Developer Capital Engine curriculum with session-by-session guides
- Capital readiness assessment tools for intake and progress tracking
- Funder database and outreach system customized to your market
- Program playbook for long-term sustainability and team transitions
This Is For You If:
You want to systematically increase the fundability of your developer portfolio and reduce the time your team spends on repetitive capital readiness coaching. You're ready to invest in infrastructure that scales.
Custom Consulting
Portfolio Strategy, Capital Product Design, and Ecosystem Partnerships
Investment: $20K-$50K | 8-12 week engagements
Not every organization is ready to overhaul their entire capital deployment system—and that's okay. Custom consulting lets you test targeted solutions to your most pressing challenge before committing to a full program build. Whether you're designing a new capital product, analyzing portfolio gaps, or building strategic partnerships, this engagement gives you quick wins and proof of concept for what's possible.
Common Engagements:
- Portfolio capital gap analysis: Identify where developers are falling out of your pipeline
- New capital product design: Pilot loan products or investment vehicles for small developers
- Strategic partnership structuring: Build relationships with co-lenders, funders, and ecosystem partners
- Ecosystem mapping and funder cultivation: Connect your developers to regional capital sources
- Developer support program design: Test training and technical assistance frameworks
This Is For You If:
You have a specific challenge that needs immediate attention, want to pilot a solution before full implementation, or need to build internal buy-in for a larger investment like the Developer Capital Engine.
Speaking + Workshops
Keynotes, Panels, and Custom Workshops on Capital Strategy and Equitable Finance
Investment: Starting at $5K (plus travel for in-person engagements)
Bring expert insights on equitable capital deployment to your conference, team retreat, or strategic planning session. I deliver keynotes and workshops that challenge conventional thinking about developer capacity and provide actionable frameworks your audience can immediately apply.
"The Capital Stack Decoded"
Making Community Developers Fundable
Breaking down complex financing into teachable, replicable frameworks
"Beyond Traditional Underwriting"
Equitable Evaluation Frameworks
Alternative risk assessment that expands access without compromising prudence
"Building Developer Pipelines"
That Actually Close
Systems thinking for institutions that want to scale impact
Ready to Build a Fundable Pipeline?
Let's talk about how to turn your developer portfolio into closeable deals.
Whether you're looking to train your lending team, build a systematic developer readiness program, or explore strategic consulting, the first step is a conversation about your specific goals and challenges.
