Join the Movement
Being an ambassador empowers you to support and uplift Black and brown families on their journey to homeownership. We thank our committed and hard-working Ambassadors who are leading the charge to bring racial justice to real estate. Join their ranks, or consider working with them when you buy or sell your home.
Howit works
With the Ambassador Program, real estate professionals can be part of the solution by contributing to the down payment fund — directly helping more Black and brown families achieve their dream of homeownership.
Become an Ambassador
Real estate professionals — including Realtors, Lenders, Appraisers, Insurance Agents, and Attorneys — can give back by contributing a portion of their earnings from each real estate transaction to the down payment fund. This helps Own It establish a sustainable funding model that supports more families on their path to homeownership.
In addition to individual real estate professionals, brokerages, banks, financial institutions, insurance agencies, and wealth management companies can also contribute based on revenue. If your company is interested in being a sustaining supporter, please email [email protected].
Meet ourambassadors
Real Estate Professionals
Kaylyn Geiger
Tim O’Brien Homes
Constance Miles
Keller Williams West
Banking Professionals
Why yoursupport matters
In Dane County, only about 13% of Black households own their homes, compared to about 64% of white households. Since the Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968, the wealth gap between Black and white families has only grown.
A key part of closing this gap is understanding how systemic racism is built into the real estate industry and how it impacts the wealth gap. Many of us have been taught to take a ‘colorblind’ approach, but that unintentionally causes harm and does little to address the deep-rooted discrimination in housing.
That’s why we created Own It — a program designed by real estate professionals who were tired of waiting for change. We decided to tackle one of the biggest barriers to homeownership for Black families: access to money. Down payment assistance has always been difficult to access, but with Own It, we’re making it easier. And we’re inviting real estate professionals who want to make a difference to join us in creating lasting change.
Own It isn’t just about helping families buy homes and build wealth. It’s also about the real estate and financial industries taking responsibility for the harm caused through racist policies and practices that have shut out people of color. By addressing these inequalities, we’re helping to close the wealth gap and create new opportunities for Black and brown families.
Waysto give
Financial contributions:
Some agents contribute 1% of their commission, while others contribute $20 per closing and others contribute 3% of their commission. You decide what is right for you! There is no minimum donation to become an ambassador of the program.
- If the Realtor’s net commission income is $150,000 and they commit to contributing 1% of their commissions annually, the total annual contribution is $1,500.
- If an agent averages 25 closings a year and commits to donating $50 per closing, the total donation would be $1,250/year.
A real estate brokerage can contribute financially in the following ways:
- Commit to contributing 1% of revenue quarterly.
- Match an amount or a percentage of agent contributions.
- Contribute based on the number of transactions or a set amount monthly or quarterly.