Experienced Local Economic Development
Leader Will Helm Nonprofit's Implementation of Clean Communities
Investment Accelerator Program
WASHINGTON, July 10,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Justice Climate Fund (JCF)
Board of Directors today announced Amir
Kirkwood as the organization's new CEO. Bringing more than
two decades of experience in local economic development investment,
Kirkwood will lead the nonprofit as it implements its Clean
Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) program, part of the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
(GGRF) program.
JCF is the first-of-its-kind coalition, with 28 diverse members
unified to ensure the most affected communities benefit from the
GGRF. By focusing on communities, JCF enables American families,
communities and businesses to save money and deliver a greener,
cleaner, safer and more inclusive future for all. JCF will rapidly
support the meeting of national targets for greenhouse gas
reductions, mobilizing private capital to ensure that we build not
only enduring capacity for community lenders, but enduring market
transformation in and for distressed communities.
"I share in the excitement of JCF's Board in Amir Kirkwood's appointment as CEO. This marks a
pivotal moment for JCF," said Lenwood V.
Long, Sr., Chair of the JCF Board and CEO of the African
American Alliance of CDFI CEOs. "His expansive expertise in
economic development investment not only aligns perfectly with
JCF's mission and values but also reaffirms his capability to lead
impactful change. We trust Amir to steer JCF towards transformative
solutions, advancing justice and resilience in the face of climate
challenges."
In April, the EPA selected JCF to receive $940 million through the CCIA program. The JCF
CCIA program will provide capital, technical assistance and
advocacy to low-income and distressed communities through a unique
partnership between the EPA, private investors, community lenders
and community-based organizations. JCF will equip Community
Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and Minority Depository
Institution (MDI) banks, CDFI loan funds and other investment
vehicles with new skills, tools and relationships to successfully
deploy green lending for households and businesses in low-income
and disadvantaged communities (LIDACs) across the country.
"I am humbled and excited to work with so many partners to
launch this next phase of JCF," said Kirkwood. "For over 20 years I
have been committed to investment in economic development at the
community level. Working with the team at JCF, I will bring those
experiences to our work of reducing negative environmental effects
from neglecting the impacts of climate change in low-income and
distressed communities. The ultimate measure of success for JCF
will be our ability to design and fund opportunities to generate
measurable environmental impacts in communities, return wealth to
those communities and share the knowledge gained from those
investments."
Before joining JCF, Kirkwood was President and CEO of Locus, a
leading CDFI. His extensive experience includes serving as the
Chief Lending and Investment Officer for the Opportunity Finance
Network (OFN); First Vice President for Commercial Banking at
Amalgamated Bank, where he was also Senior Advisor to the
Amalgamated Foundation; Partner at Next Street; and Director in
Citigroup's Municipal Securities Division. While at Citi, and in
partnership with OFN and Calvert Impact Capital, Kirkwood helped
create the Communities at Work Fund, LP, a national $200 million commitment to finance the general
operating needs of CDFIs.
Kirkwood joins a team at JCF that puts communities first,
enabling and deploying capital at the most local level — to the
community lenders that, for decades, have delivered financial
opportunity, security and prosperity to struggling Americans. The
JCF network of community lenders pioneered community-based lending.
The community lenders in the JCF Coalition serve 281 million
Americans — or almost 86% of the country; represent more than 1,000
CDFIs across every state in the nation and multiple territories;
and have a depth of experience and engagement in 85% of Justice40
communities, 88% of persistent poverty communities and 58% of
Tribal counties.
JCF will build the market by transforming a cadre of
new-to-green and new-to-LIDAC community lenders into a network that
is uniquely qualified to scale green lending in distressed
communities. The JCF model is to collaborate with partners on the
ground to design the products and tools that lead to holistic
positive outcomes for individuals, businesses and nonprofit
organizations at the local level. This not only ensures that JCF is
a responsible steward of federal support, but also leads the way in
attracting private capital that shares the same values and
vision.
Also today, the Board expressed deep appreciation for
Douglass Sims's leadership of JCF as
its Interim CEO from September 2023
through June 2024. A recognized
leader in the field, Sims's expertise was invaluable in the
application and selection phases.
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The Justice Climate Fund (JCF), founded by the Community
Builders of Color Coalition, is a purpose-built nonprofit created
by experienced mission-driven lenders and climate equity leaders
that represent Black, Latino/a, Asian and indigenous organizations.
JCF anchors and empowers a diverse coalition of community lenders
to more quickly, efficiently and successfully deploy affordable,
accessible financial assistance to enable families, communities and
businesses in low-income and disadvantaged areas to save money
while investing in a greener and safer future. JCF is committed to
meeting or exceeding GGRF objectives and to driving responsible,
impact-driven finance at scale, nationwide.
Press Contact press@justiceclimatefund.org
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SOURCE Justice Climate Fund