Commitment to Community
Executives at Deutsche Bank have developed an interest in the social impact of loan programs and awards that they provide for community development initiatives. Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations measure financial investments in neighborhoods, but do not measure the shortand longterm impacts of these investments. The Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation (DBAF) and the Community Development Finance Group have granted awards to NYC community based initiatives over the past decade. The programs have provided predevelopment funding for housing rehabilitation and development in New York City. In order to fully understand the social impacts associated with DBAF's investments, the Capstone team analyzed the financial impact of the awards on the developments, the social impact of the developments on the tenants, and the social impact of the project developments on the local communities. Utilizing community input, the team also provided suggestions on ways to enhance the award programs as well as how to include these findings in the due diligence process.