Project Destined, a social impact platform that provides training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and real estate, recently graduated the spring cohort of its REIT Bridge Program. The initiative was funded by a November 2023 grant from the Nareit Foundation’s Dividends Through Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DDEI) Giving Campaign and aims to provide participants with exposure to early career opportunities at REITs.
The REIT Bridge Program launched in late March with 23 students from more than 15 universities. Over a six-week period, the students, who entered the program with an average GPA of 3.6, completed a REIT course led by a graduate school professor, as well as a weekly speaker series featuring REIT industry leaders. The culminating event was a site visit at JBG SMITH ’s National Landing in Arlington, Va., where Project Destined was presented with a ceremonial check for its $100,000 grant.
Project Destined’s REIT Bridge Program strives to develop a pipeline of young talent to enter the REIT workforce; pipeline development and recruitment into the industry is the top priority identified by Nareit's DDEI CEO Council. Several participants of the spring session have been selected by Brixmor Property Group, Phillips Edison & Co. , and Regency Centers as summer 2024 interns or associates. The organization’s next REIT Bridge cohort will kick off in the fall of 2024.
The Nareit Foundation DDEI Giving Campaign was launched in 2022 under the leadership of Nareit’s DDEI CEO Council Philanthropy Committee, chaired by Thomas A. Bartlett, CEO of American Tower Corporation. The campaign was supported by Nareit and more than 40 Nareit member REITs or their philanthropic organizations. Lead founding donors for the campaign included American Tower and Prologis, Inc. To see the full donor list and learn more about Nareit’s DDEI campaign, visit nareitfoundation.org/ddei .