Ours to Own Launches as Innovative Opportunity for Denver Residents to Invest in Their Communities

DENVER, June 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Urban Land Conservancy (ULC) and Calvert Foundation launched the Ours to Own Denver campaign at the Clinton Global Initiative yesterday, bringing a new source of capital for metro Denver community development and small business creation. 

For amounts as low as $20, metro Denver residents now have the opportunity to personally invest in community projects important to them, all while earning a return on their investment. The investments flow to projects such as nonprofit centers, schools, community centers and small businesses. The money raised will support local organizations, including ULC, Colorado Enterprise Fund, and the Community Reinvestment Fund, USA, who are already working in metro Denver to benefit communities through real estate, job creation and small business development.

"This initiative greatly compliments the on the ground work of ULC because it allows residents, stakeholders and neighborhoods we work in to invest in the future of their community," notes Aaron Miripol, President and CEO of ULC. "We are a growing region with growing challenges around quality schools, affordable housing, nonprofit office space and jobs; this new investment allows neighborhoods to have a direct role to support the health of their community."

The investment dollars raised will provide a much needed new source of private capital while bringing a unique approach to local community engagement.  Ours to Own is a national campaign inspired by the belief that citizens should be able to invest in building the future they want in their cities.

"It is hard to imagine a better place to launch this work than in Denver.  The local community and the region is unbelievably active, collaborative, and understands the need for investment in development and growth that is equitable and provides opportunity for all Front Range residents," said Beth Bafford, Senior Officer at Calvert Foundation. "We hope this campaign can help ignite new sources of private capital for organizations like the Urban Land Conservancy so they can expand their critical work." 

About:  
Urban Land Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that uses real estate as a tool to benefit urban communities in metro Denver. ULC acquires, preserves and develops real estate including affordable housing, nonprofit office space, community centers and schools.  www.urbanlandc.org

Calvert Foundation enables people to invest for social good. Through its flagship Community Investment Note, Calvert Foundation has raised $1 billion in investment from more than 13,000 investors to invest in hundreds of nonprofits and social enterprises worldwide. Investor dollars empower women, fund the construction of affordable housing, provide loans to small business owners, increase access to healthcare, and support fair trade and sustainable agriculture.  http://www.calvertfoundation.org and http://www.vested.org

Contact: 
Christi Craine, Communications Director 
Email 
(303) 907-1245

SOURCE Urban Land Conservancy