Croatan Institute – Racial Equity, Economics, Finance, and Sustainability (REEFS) Program
Croatan Institute is an independent, nonprofit research and action institute whose mission is to build social equity and ecological resilience by leveraging finance to create pathways to a just economy.
The Racial Equity, Economics, Finance, and Sustainability (REEFS) program is designed to encourage stakeholders in finance to think holistically about integrating racial equity across their investment portfolios, to advance opportunities for greater representation of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) in the field, and to support frameworks and approaches that support wealth-building in these communities. This multi-faceted approach seeks to acknowledge and address the persistent structural race-based discrimination in the US, which underpins the significant gaps in access to career and financial opportunities.
Funding purpose: Funds are used to support REEFS’ capacity to develop investment-readiness tools and services for BIPOC-led regenerative farms and food-system enterprises. Funding supports the three pillars of REEFS – 1) redirecting finance to tackle structural racism by providing tools for investors to incorporate racial equity across asset classes; 2) readying students of color to make finance careers more accessible; and 3) engaging with farmers, small businesses, and other stakeholders of color to build greater financial health and resilience.
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