Novogradac Honors Sandra Moore with Robert E. Ibanez Award

Moore Receives Third Annual Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Development

SAN FRANCISCO, June 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandra Moore is the recipient of the 2026 Robert E. Ibanez Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Development as part of the 2026 Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits Awards.

Introduced in 2024, the Robert E. Ibanez Award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Development reflects the recipient's vision, leadership, innovation and impact in advancing the mission of community development. Moore is the third recipient of the award.

Moore is a managing director and chief impact officer at Advantage Capital, a firm that invests in small businesses, affordable housing in underserved communities nationwide, as well as clean energy developments. Moore began her career as a public service lawyer, representing low-income clients with a focus on housing and labor/employment cases. She later served as an administrative judge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where she heard federal employment discrimination cases. She is also the former director of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. She served as a member of the late Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan's cabinet. Before joining Advantage Capital, she served as president of national nonprofit corporation Urban Strategies.

"I am so greatly honored," said Moore. "I feel such a deep sense of responsibility to be part of the change effort. My partners at Advantage have given me unwavering support and the space to make an impact on communities and help them become a better place for people to live and work in. Ibanez did that in spades. I hope that the work I and Advantage Capital do inspires people, just as [Ibanez's] works did and continues to do."

Moore attended Washington University in St. Louis. She received her bachelor's degree in urban studies from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1976 and a juris doctor from the School of Law in 1979.

Novogradac will honor Moore at the Novogradac 2026 Spring New Markets Tax Credit Conference, June 4-5 in Washington, D.C.

"Moore has been a trailblazer from the beginning of her career. She has been an integral force in the community development sphere, reworking systems to expand opportunities in underserved areas," said Gregory Clements, CPA, a partner in Novogradac's Dover, Ohio, office, and chair of the Novogradac's 2026 Spring New Markets Tax Credit Conference. "We are honored to acknowledge her hard work with this year's Bob Ibanez award."

The award is named for the late Robert "Bob" Ibanez, who passed away in April 2023 after a long career in community development, including five years with Novogradac as a senior manager in the company's public policy group. At Novogradac, Ibanez helped clients in the NMTC and CDFI communities, in addition to being an essential contributor to the company's NMTC Working Group.

Prior to joining Novogradac, Ibanez spent 13 years with the CDFI Fund, including six as program manager of the NMTC and Bank Enterprise Award programs. Prior to that, Ibanez had a private consulting practice and also worked in the financial and community development industries, including as an associate director at Neighborhood Reinvestment

Additional details about the award winners and information on how to nominate a candidate for the 2027 award can be found at www.novoco.com/events/awards.

About Novogradac

Novogradac, which has been in business for 35 years, has grown to more than 850 employees and partners with offices in more than 25 cities. Tax, audit and consulting specialty practice areas for Novogradac include affordable housing, community development, historic rehabilitation and clean energy. For additional information on Novogradac's personnel and areas of expertise, visit www.novoco.com or call (415) 356-8000.

SOURCE Novogradac & Company LLP