Company: Flock DC- Washington, DC
Company Description: Flock DC is a family of real estate management companies in Washington, DC laser focused on people & place. Flock is the unifying brand between Nest, Roost, Starling, birdSEED. All together, Flock manages over $2 billion in real estate. More than that is that our feathered brands are all tied together by a strong sense of purpose. Flock's unique and inspiring business model has gained recognition.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Social Change Maker of the Year - Race
 Nomination Title: Lisa wise, the CEO
- Outline the nominee's achievements since July 1 2020 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
In Fall of 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, Lisa’s philanthropic vision for Flock crystallized into a simple concept for reparative justice, birdSEED. Through birdSEED, BIPOC DC first-time homebuying residents with a household income of less than $150,000 are eligible for anywhere between $10,000 and $15,000 in cash grants to use towards the down payment of their home. The application process is low-barrier, and an advisory board conducts interviews with the top-scoring applicants. Since January 2021, 21 grants in the amount of $215,000 have been provisionally awarded and 10 families have closed on homes.
Flock has profited from the very industry that has kept homeownership, and therefore generational wealth, out of reach for Black and Brown Americans. Lisa could not disregard that racist history. By funding housing justice, Flock hopes to work towards a future we’d be proud to be a part of, and inspire others to do the same. In Fall 2022, birdSEED expands to Philadelphia, emphasizing the replicable nature of these grants. The birdSEED Foundation has been recognized by Fast Company as a World Changing Ideas finalist.
Flock also earned a WBJ citizenship award in 2021 for our partnership with La Clinica del Pueblo, a non-profit that provides healthcare to underserved communities. With her healthcare background, Lisa is especially passionate about ensuring access to safe & affordable services in DC. 2022 marks the 7th year that Flock will host a casino night fundraiser for LCDP and we aim to beat last year's $60k.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 121 words used.
The Fast Company World Changing Ideas award was one of the most exciting for our foundation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the first quarter of 2020, 44% of Black families owned their homes, as compared with 73.7% of white families. birdSEED was launched to combat this disparity, and it's working. With birdSEED, we have enjoyed quite a bit of press from larger publications, such as NPR, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Citizen, Forbes, and Fast Company. All of these pieces showcase the impact we hope to continue to have on our community, as we build a larger, race-conscious grant program to build equity amongst those who have been historically excluded from the wealth generation that homeownership provides.
- Briefly describe the nominated individual: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 200 words used.
Growing up throughout rural Idaho, Lisa was surrounded by love but short on resources and stability. She sought security by building businesses from a young age and like most passionate entrepreneurs, she moved onto many various endeavors throughout childhood and adolescence. Now, she is the Founder + CEO of Flock DC, a family of real estate management companies that oversees two billion dollars in property in Washington, DC proper. At Flock, we work to positively impact lives every single day. Lisa's role focuses on our strategic trajectory as a family of companies to ensure we are a socially responsible business with an eye toward bottom line results. Her work is anchored in building stronger communities, fighting for social justice, and creating forward-thinking, purpose driven businesses with a big community focus.
Lisa also has an extensive background in healthcare policy and access. She was a political field manager for the Planned Parenthood Federation for America. For five years, she designed grassroots campaigns and worked with local affiliates around the country to effectively engage community constituents. She later served as COO at Genetic Alliance, a national healthcare coalition in DC, where she oversaw operations and developed partnerships that led to new funding.
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2020 of the nominated woman, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the spaces below:
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the nominee's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
Lisa has uniquely built Flock on the principles of servant leadership and conscious capitalism, creating a values-based company that offers a new model in a world that will increasingly depend on companies to contribute to stronger, more sustainable communities.
She knew from the start that to take flight, we all need fuel. This core value is at the heart of Flock’s philanthropic giving initiatives that began 13 years ago. We helped build playgrounds, plant gardens, serve meals, and sort clothing. We have (and still) wander the streets with trash bags and lend our spaces to those who have needed to gather, plot, and plan for a better world.
Later, we added a micro-grant program (Flight Path) designed to support the activists and entrepreneurs among us so ideas could soar. We’ve provided funds with few strings and an indifference to credentials and tax status. We leaned into the passion and grit our incredible applicants brought to the table. We homed in on getting resources to people like us, the doers, makers, and disruptors among us. Flight Path has funded bold ideas like large-scale murals, veteran farmer supplies, funds for firefighters installing smoke detectors for seniors, and birthday parties for unhoused kiddos.
Still, this is not enough. By creating birdSEED, we hope to inspire other businesses, especially those in industries that have profited off discriminatory policies, to do the same. The ultimate goal: expand our program to the national level while inspiring not only donations but community action to implement housing justice.
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