Equity in Action: Bridging the Gaps
A CASE FOR SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING ALLIANCE
JANUARY 2025 – DECEMBER 2025
Why Support NFHA
Imagine a society in which everyone can live in a neighborhood with ample affordable and accessible housing options, fresh air, clean water, good public transportation, living wage jobs, quality healthcare, healthy foods, and safe, affordable credit.
Visualize the U.S. as a nation where every child can attend a well-resourced and high-performing school. Envision a society in which we are not judged by our immutable characteristics, or our religion, or the number of children we have – or don’t have. We do not yet have that society. Too many communities lack decent and affordable housing or the amenities that people need to thrive. Additionally, we need 7 million affordable housing units to meet market demand.
Where you live has a big impact on how your life unfolds. The Fair Housing Act holds the promise that all neighborhoods are good places to live, regardless of who—people of color, families with children, persons with disabilities, women, people of faith, or LGBTQ+ individuals—lives in the community. Yet, despite this truth the promises of the Fair Housing Act have yet to reach all people and millions still face housing and lending discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status.
Although legal protections exist, systemic barriers like the dual credit market, racial and economic inequality, appraisal bias, discriminatory algorithms, exclusionary zoning policies, and residential segregation stifle the ability of individuals and families to attain the American Dream and build wealth. Moreover, the nation’s fair and affordable housing crisis is forcing people to forgo life’s necessities and threatens overall economic well-being for everyone. There is hope. Meaningful actions taken today can propel the nation forward on a path to realizing the promises of the Fair Housing Act, so everyone and every community can flourish.
We hope you join us in this fight.
OUR LEADERSHIP
All communities are healthy, resilient, well-resourced, and free from discrimination so that everyone has the resources they need to thrive.
Lisa
Rice
PRESIDENT AND CEO
As President and CEO, Lisa Rice leads the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA)’s efforts to advance fair housing principles, improve neighborhoods and communities, and expand equal housing opportunities for millions of Americans. Under Lisa’s leadership NFHA launched two new initiatives, Responsible AI and Housing and Community Development, as well as secured millions through record-breaking settlements to restore communities hardest-hit by the Great Recession.
Vince Curry
CHAIR
Vincent Curry is the Executive Director of the Fair Housing Advocates, headquartered in Akron, OH which provides fair housing education, outreach, counseling, investment, and enforcement services throughout the state of Ohio.
Why home matters
Decades of research shows that the community you live in, and homeownership access, offers significant benefits such as improved educational outcomes for children, better health for all, increased financial security, and more civic engagement.
However, centuries of systemic housing and lending discrimination have created deep disparities in homeownership access, health outcomes, educational attainment, climate and environmental injustice, housing and financial security, quality of life, and longevity. These disparities are linked to persistent wealth gaps. White households have about 10 times the wealth of Native-American households, 6 times the wealth of Black households, 5 times the wealth of Latino households, and 5 times the wealth of Alaskan Native and Pacific Islander households.
WEALTH GAP COMPARISON BY RACE
6 5 5
Research also shows that by reducing these disparities, we would improve outcomes for marginalized groups, grow the U.S.’s GDP, and strengthen the American economy. In fact, reducing racial disparities between Blacks and Whites alone would increase the U.S.’s GDP by $5 trillion over a 5-year period.
Since 1988, NFHA has worked to close these gaps, but we cannot do it alone. Your support will provide access to fairer housing and homeownership resources for those who need it most and foster greater equity in our housing market.
Event Sponsorship Opportunities
NFHA’s events provide an opportunity for organizations to partner with us to advance fair housing principles that improve people’s lives and the communities in which they live for the better. They also provide an opportunity for supporters to highlight their work to solve some of our nation’s most pressing challenges. NFHA’s events consistently receive rave reviews because they feature key decisionmakers, thought leaders, and change agents. They have become the “go to” forum for insightful information sharing, networking, engagement, and impactful outcomes.
NFHA ’S 2025 EVENTS
RESPONSIBLE AI SYMPOSIUM APRIL 2025
Sunday, 04/27/2025 — Thursday, 05/01/2025
Back by popular demand, NFHA’s second Responsible AI Symposium will be a landmark event that brings together global and USA-based leaders, policymakers, civil rights experts, academics, and industry representatives to explore the future of artificial intelligence in public governance with a focus on housing and lending. This year, we are adding a special exhibition to highlight innovative solutions that enhance governance effectiveness and improve people’s lives.
Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA 22202
IN-SERVICE TRAINING JUNE 2025
The 2025 in-service training helps build the capacity of community-based leaders throughout the nation and underscores NFHA’s commitment to supporting innovative strategies and solutions that transform communities and ensure everyone has access to nondiscriminatory, safe, and affordable, housing. Sessions will focus on building skills of non-profit professionals, providing legal updates, improving the quality of educational materials, Responsible AI policy development for non-profits, and more.
Date and Location coming soon
HACKATHON JUNE 2025
Thursday, 06/26/2025 — Sunday, 06/29/2025
The 2025 Hackathon will empower participants from diverse fields, including computer science, statistics, and social sciences to develop impactful solutions to address two critical issues:
• Zoning reform to increase fair and affordable housing opportunities and mitigate climate challenges
• Improving accessibility in housing and lending for people with disabilities.
Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Richmond Highway, Arlington, VA 22202
SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS
RESPONSIBLE AI SYMPOSIUM
QUANTUM SPONSOR $100,000
• Complimentary registration for eight people
• Recognition/branding on event signage throughout conference and reception space
• Recognition on event registration site
• Special recognition by NFHA’s President & CEO during the event
• Recognition on NFHA’s website and social media platforms
• Opportunity to serve as a panelist or introduce a special segment
Special mention in press release announcement
• Full page ad in Symposium program and App
• Exhibition booth
DEEP LEARNING SPONSOR $75,000
• Complimentary registration for six people
• Recognition/branding on event signage throughout conference and reception space
• Recognition on event registration site
• Special recognition by NFHA’s President & CEO during the event
• Recognition on NFHA’s website and social media platforms
• Opportunity to serve as a panelist or introduce a special segment
• Special mention in press release announcement
• ½ page ad in Symposium program and App
NEURAL NETWORK SPONSOR $50,000
Complimentary registration for four people
• Recognition/Branding on event signage throughout conference and reception space
• Recognition on event registration site
• Recognition by NFHA’s President & CEO during the event
• Recognition on NFHA’s website and social media platforms
Opportunity to serve as a panelist or introduce a special segment
• Listing in press release announcement
• 1/4 page ad in Symposium program and App
ALGORITHM SPONSOR $25,000
• Complimentary registration for two people
• Listing on event signage throughout conference and reception space
• Listing on event registration site
• Recognition during the event
• Listing on NFHA’s website and social media platforms
• Listing in press release announcement
CODE SPONSOR $10,000
• Complimentary registration for two people
• Listing on NFHA’s website and social media platforms
• Listing in press release announcement
NFHA IN-SERVICE TRAINING RESPONSIBLE AI HACKATHON
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER $50,000
• Video message to training attendees
• Full-page ad in program
• Premium recognition/branding throughout conference and reception space
• Recognition on NFHA’s Website
• Premium recognition on NFHA’s social media platforms
• Premium recognition on event registration page and event app
• Special recognition by NFHA’s President & CEO during the event
HOUSING JUSTICE PARTNER $35,000
• Half-page ad in program
• Special recognition/branding throughout conference and reception space Recognition on NFHA’s Website
• Special recognition on NFHA’s social media platforms
• Special recognition on event registration page and event app
• Special recognition by NFHA’s President & CEO during the event
INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES PARTNER
$25,000
• Quarter-page ad in program Recognition/branding throughout conference and reception space
• Recognition on NFHA’s Website
• Recognition on NFHA’s social media platforms
• Recognition on event registration page and event app
• Recognition by NFHA’s President & CEO during the event
FAIR HOUSING ADVOCATE $15,000
• Eighth-page ad in program
• Recognition/branding throughout conference and reception space
• Recognition on NFHA’s social media platforms
• Recognition on event registration page
• Recognition by NFHA’s President & CEO during the event
PLATINUM $75,000 & ABOVE
• Attendance at opening and closing ceremonies
• Attendance at industry expert workshops
• Opportunity to provide real time feedback to students on the problem statements
• Team naming rights
• Premium on-site branding
• Remarks by company representative, including press access
• Video interview
• Merchandise placement
• Photo opps
• Judging seat
GOLD $25,000 – $74,999
Attendance at opening and closing ceremonies
• Attendance at industry expert workshops
• Opportunity to provide real time feedback to students on the problem statements
• Workshop presenter opportunity Premium on-site branding
• Merchandise placement
• Photo opps
SILVER $10,000 – $24,999
• Attendance at opening and closing ceremonies
• Attendance at industry expert workshops
• Opportunity to provide real time feedback to hackers
• On-site branding
• Photo opps
BRONZE $5,000–$9,999
• Attendance at opening and closing ceremonies
• Attendance at industry expert workshops
• On-site branding
• Photo opps
Program Support Opportunities
NFHA’s programs have resulted in broadening equitable housing opportunities for millions of people throughout the nation.
SUPPORT NFHA’S RESPONSIBLE AI INITIATIVE
AI USE CASE REGISTER INITIATIVE
Support for this initiative will enable NFHA to develop a public repository that showcases AI use cases across federal government agencies, highlighting their benefits, potential negative impacts, and providing a channel for contesting or promoting the use cases.
AI LITERACY PROGRAMS FOR NFHA MEMBERS INITIATIVE
This two-year initiative will support NFHA’s ability to build the capacity of our 170 fair housing members on AI products and use cases in the housing and lending sectors as well as train our membership on AI research, policy, and advocacy, with the goal of empowering them to advance responsible AI principles.
FAIRNESS AND PRIVACY RESEARCH IN MORTGAGE UNDERWRITING INITIATIVE
This is a two-year research project aimed at developing less discriminatory alternatives (LDA) to baseline AI mortgage underwriting models and exploring less privacy intrusive (LPI) techniques to balance fairness, accuracy, and privacy. The goal is to develop a framework that produces AI-based models that are both fair and privacypreserving without performance deterioration.
GEN AI RESEARCH ON GOVERNANCE GUARDRAILS FOR FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVE
This Initiative is a one-year project focused on developing and testing governance guardrails for Generative AI models, ensuring they are aligned with fair housing principles and promote responsible AI usage in the housing sector. In addition, several GenAI platforms and models will be tested and evaluated to identify those that can advance NFHA’s mission and programs such as public policy, enforcement, education and research.
SUPPORT NFHA’S POLICY AND ADVOCACY WORK
SPECIAL PURPOSE CREDIT PROGRAM INITIATIVE
NFHA’s work to expand Special Purpose Credit Programs (SPCPs) for people of color has been crucial in addressing longstanding credit disparities and closing the racial wealth gap. By investing in SPCPs, we will directly contribute to creating additional equitable financial opportunities, empowering underserved communities to achieve homeownership, build generational wealth, and access fair lending practices.
FIRST-GENERATION HOMEBUYERS INITIATIVE
First time homebuyers always face challenges, but first-generation homebuyers face additional barriers, often lacking the financial support that helps other buyers succeed in accessing homeownership opportunities.
The First-Generation Homebuyers initiative creates opportunities for people to be the first in their families to own a home.
Your support will help bridge gaps, providing access to homeownership resources for those who need it most and fostering greater equity in our housing market.
REFORMING BIASED APPRAISALS INITIATIVE
When appraisal bias occurs it most often happens in communities of color, leading to wealth disparities and limiting generational wealth-building opportunities. NFHA’s work to reform the home appraisal process helps create more accurate and equitable property valuations, ensuring all homeowners— regardless of race—receive fair value for their property.
Your investment strengthens communities but also contributes to closing the racial wealth gap and fostering broader economic equality.
CLIMATE JUSTICE AND INSURANCE REFORM INITIATIVE
Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental injustice. As our planet gets warmer, rising sea levels, increasing floods, bigger storms, more wildfires, and rising temperatures are impacting communities of color at an out-sized rate. In some instances, disparities are the result of racially discriminatory policies and practices such as redlining, exclusionary zoning, and unequal investments in infrastructure. Increased weather-related events and outdated infrastructure are also impacting people’s ability to get property insurance. Your support will help us collaborate with diverse stakeholders to develop workable solutions that create safe and resilient communities and increase the likelihood that insurance companies can offer their services in all communities.
ADVANCING THE AFFH RULE AND ZONING REFORM INITIATIVE
Support NFHA’s Policy and Advocacy team in advancing the Fair Housing Act’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) mandate, a vital tool for promoting racial equity, addressing the nation’s fair and affordable housing crisis, and creating well-resourced, resilient, healthy communities. AFFH focuses on addressing exclusionary zoning ordinances and other discriminatory barriers, by helping local jurisdictions use their housing and community development resources in a way that creates and expands opportunity for everyone, including people of color, women, families with children, single person headed households, and people with disabilities.
Your support will advance the AFFH framework to remove barriers that limit the development of multifamily or other low-cost housing options to expand housing choices, ensure everyone has access to the amenities they need to thrive, and create more equitable access to opportunity.
EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING INITIATIVE
NFHA is leading efforts to ensure that federal infrastructure investments promote equity by integrating the AFFH framework into the distribution of funds from initiatives such as the Inflation Reduction Act’s $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the CHIPS and Science Act. This approach emphasizes accountability and the use of racial equity as a critical lens for fairly distributing resources that affect underserved communities.
By investing in an equitable infrastructure, your support will ensure equity in decarbonization efforts, building resilient housing, revitalizing neighborhoods and creating healthier communities.
ENDING HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS DISCRIMINATION INITIATIVE
NFHA is committed to ending discrimination against Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) holders by advocating for crucial policy changes and partnerships. We are working with key organizations, including Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, to promote policies that prohibit Source of Income discrimination, ensuring that government-sponsored enterprises play a vital role in supporting our nation’s lowest-income renters.
Your support will ensure fairer housing opportunities for individuals and families with the lowest-incomes helping them to avoid homelessness.
SUPPORT NFHA’S LEGAL AND ENFORCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
STRENGTHENING THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE
NFHA’s enforcement and legal programs empower our member organizations to strategically tackle discriminatory policies and practices nationwide. Through enforcement of our nation’s fair housing and lending laws, we are able to address key issues impacting communities and individuals, including real estate steering practices, predatory lending in communities of color, discrimination against people with disabilities, algorithmic bias, and other impediments to fair housing.
Your generosity ensures we can continue this vital work, advancing justice and equity for all.
LEGAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
We invite you to provide the lead gift for our inaugural two-year Legal Fellows Program to help build the next generation of civil rights leaders dedicated to advancing fair housing and racial equity.
This naming opportunity will enable talented young attorneys to gain critical experience in fighting discriminatory practices, ensuring justice for underserved communities.
By investing in this program, you will play a pivotal role in shaping a more inclusive future through legal advocacy and systemic change.
LEGAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
By supporting legal interns at NFHA, your generosity helps cultivate the next generation of civil rights advocates dedicated to advancing housing justice. Legal interns play a crucial role in addressing discriminatory practices, conducting research, and supporting litigation that protects underserved communities. Your contribution provides aspiring attorneys with hands-on experience in fair housing law, equipping them with the tools to fight for equality and create lasting impact in communities across the nation.
SUPPORT NFHA’S HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK
INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES FUND
The Inclusive Communities Fund (ICF) empowers individuals and families throughout the country to access safe, sustainable housing and meaningful neighborhood choice. Through the ICF, NFHA provides direct grants to community-based organizations and works with them to implement programs to renovate blighted homes, mitigate toxic land and buildings, increase clean green spaces, provide downpayment and closing cost assistance, educate people on financial literacy and the homebuying process, and other activities. To date, NFHA has invested over $17 million in local communities helping over 1,200 people become homeowners, producing over 21,000 accessible housing units, renovating over 1,325 blighted homes, preventing over 1,245 foreclosures, providing financial education or housing counseling to over 10,000 people, and much more. Through this fund, NFHA is working to ensure every person, regardless of background, has a real opportunity to gain housing security and live in neighborhoods where they can thrive.
KEYS UNLOCK DREAMS INITIATIVE
NFHA’s Keys Unlock Dreams Initiative (KUDI) focuses on breaking down barriers to homeownership and creating pathways to stable, well-resourced, inclusive communities. Through this initiative, NFHA works collaboratively with national and local stakeholders to address systemic barriers to homeownership, housing, and neighborhood security. Through KUDI, we are building tools and products to build an equitable ecosystem by which people have fairer access to quality health, internet, credit, education, transportation, food, and other services people need to thrive. We work with stakeholders to empower individuals and families to unlock the doors to their dreams, fostering communities where equitable opportunities are accessible to all.
SUPPORT
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH INITIATIVE
Through its Education and Outreach Initiative, NFHA informs the public about a broad range of fair housing issues, such as appraisal bias, fair lending practices, and algorithmic discrimination. We also educate people about their rights and responsibilities under the law. By developing impactful Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and outreach campaigns, NFHA raises awareness, empowers communities with knowledge, and promotes fair practices in housing and lending. This initiative is an essential part of NFHA’s mission to create a fair, inclusive housing landscape where everyone has equal access to opportunity and resources.
MEMBERSHIP CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
Through its Membership Capacity Development Initiative, NFHA provides critical training, technical assistance, and capacity development for community-based organizations who provide direct services to people seeking fair housing opportunities. Private, non-profit fair housing organizations process over 75% of the nation’s fair housing complaints. These organizations address challenges, like redlining, climate change, environmental injustice, real estate steering, and other barriers to fair housing. NFHA works with our members throughout the nation to improve the efficiencies of these agencies and ensure people get the help they need.
BUILDING A LEGACY
Born and raised in Central Ohio, Shawquista Patrick’s life was marked by challenges from an early age. Growing up in foster care and becoming a young mother, she largely relied on public assistance and tenancy, never imagining homeownership could be in her future.
The turning point came when Shawquista realized the financial drain of renting. Paying $2,200 a month for a two-bedroom apartment, she faced the daunting prospect of continuing to pay her landlord an out-sized portion of her income over another year. This realization propelled her to explore homeownership. She attended a homeownership class and began working with a real estate agent.
Shawquista received the financial assistance to propel her over the homeownership finish line from the Maude Hill Growing Homeownership Fund, a Special Purpose Credit Program launched in 2023 to close Black and minority homeownership gaps through targeted down payment assistance, comprehensive housing counseling, and wrap-around supports for sustainable ownership. The Fund is administered by Homeport, a non-profit housing developer in Columbus, Ohio with 22 years of experience administering down payment assistance for low- and moderate-income households. For Shawquista, it provided the crucial financial assistance needed for closing costs, allowing her to transition into her new home without incurring debt. Shawquista is one among many who have realized the dream of homeownership thanks to support from the Maude Hill Growing Homeownership Fund. The National Fair Housing Alliance is proud to support Homeport’s dedication to provide race-conscious homeownership support for Black people and communities of color. Her story underscores the importance of equitable housing opportunities and the profound difference they can make in someone’s life.
“The Maude Hill Growing Ownership Fund tremendously helped me because I did not have all the monies that I needed to have for the closing costs.”
Our Past Success Leads to Future Success with YOUR SUPPORT
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, NFHA HAS, AMONG OTHER THINGS:
Assisted over 1,000,000 survivors of housing discrimination;
Invested more than $17 million in underserved communities;
Made 21,000 units of housing accessible to persons with disabilities;
Assisted 1,200 people gain homeownership;
Renovated 1,325 blighted homes;
Educated 10,000 people on financial literacy and/or the homebuying and lending process;
Assisted 1,245 homeowners avoid foreclosure;
Facilitated the improved maintenance of 750,000 foreclosed properties;
Helped write and pass federal laws and rules to stop predatory lending and discriminatory housing and lending practices;
Brought litigation that changed discriminatory underwriting in the homeowners insurance sector;
Brought precedent-setting cases that eliminated and/ or significantly reduced algorithmic bias;
Created hundreds of Public Service Announcements in 8 languages securing $165M in donated media and 5 billion audience impressions;
Created 9 new fair housing organizations;
Provided training through the Fair Housing School® program to more than 2,200 fair housing professionals;
Held conferences and training events attended by more than 46,000 persons.
How You Can Help Put Equity in Action and Bridge the Gap
By partnering with NFHA, together we can build a future where fair and affordable housing closes the wealth gap, strengthens communities, and ensures that everyone— regardless of background—has the opportunity to thrive.
SUPPORT SPECIAL EVENTS
Fund NFHA’s special events, which include the Responsible AI Symposium, In-Service Training for NFHA Members, and Responsible AI Hackathon, that spotlight critical advancements in fair housing, educate and train NFHA’s member organizations and the public, and engage communities around innovative solutions for a more equitable housing market.
STRENGTHEN NFHA’S PROGRAMS
Supporting NFHA’s programmatic work, which include special initiatives under our Public Policy, Responsible AI, Education & Outreach, Housing and Community Development, and Legal and Enforcement divisions, empowers NFHA to help protect people and communities from discrimination, expand housing opportunities for low-income households, ensure technologies are used for good, reduce the racial wealth and homeownership gaps, spur the development of fair and affordable housing, and reduce neighborhood blight. Support for our programs also helps NFHA develop and carry out policies and activities that ensure everyone can live in a community that is resilient with clean air, land, and water, and have access to quality internet, food, healthcare, transportation, educational, credit, and insurance services.
PROVIDE GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
Contribute to NFHA’s general operating fund, enabling us to remain agile, address urgent needs, be high-functioning, and pursue new opportunities as they arise. Unrestricted funding powers all our work toward an equitable future.
To learn more about how to partner with NFHA, please contact Stephanie Paauwe, SVP of Resource Development at Spaauwe@NationalFairHousing.org or visit nationalfairhousing.org
