CORI: Community Owner’s Representative Initiative

The Community Owner’s Representative Initiative (CORI) is building Detroit’s capacity for equitable real estate development, poised to model a new way forward to deliver impact through technical assistance while training leaders in the field. CORI is a long-term partnership between Proxy and CDAD driven by the belief that we all deserve access to beautiful, uplifting spaces — because good design is not a luxury, it is a decision. The current ecosystem of funding, training, and coalition-building has strengthened the capacity of organizations to expand their programming and overall footprint in their communities. However, we need a systems-level approach to develop and preserve the real estate projects that neighborhoods need to thrive, not just projects that the private market will support.

Creating the Infrastructure to Make **Equitable Projects** Possible

Just as there are incentives and structures that facilitate large-scale commercial development, we seek to build those same kinds of supports for the small-mid scale projects that create real impact in Detroit’s communities.

HOW WILL CORI CREATE **IMPACT?**

**Over the course of five years, CORI will provide affordable, high-quality services to make community-based real estate projects possible and empower leaders in the field**. Mid-career professionals will be engaged as CORI Fellows, who will receive a salary and benefits from the already existing and impactful intermediary partner CDAD, with supervision, training, and project-based work from Proxy. Separately, the initiative will host a Quick and Equitable Impact Fund to offer grants to support nonprofits with beautiful renovations that quickly refresh their existing spaces for improved programming.

CORI is the connective tissue that helps organizations equitably compete for resources and take community-based projects to the finish line.

APPLY TO THE QUICK + EQUITABLE IMPACT FUND HERE

This work is made possible through generous pilot funding from the Ford Foundation and the Gilbert Family Foundation.

The partners who make CORI possible