Build Wealth
DonateAbout Us
What we do.
Build Wealth partners with local communities and businesses to provide families with supportive financial programs and services.
We project truth to make change and use education to improve lives. Our clients take control of their finances. Their knowledge is power.
Who we are.
Our mission is simple: We strengthen communities by empowering families to build sustainable social and economic wealth. We educate, coach and provide access to financial services.
Build Wealth Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with years of experience helping our clients embrace new approaches for giving, saving, banking, investing, homeownership and creating generational wealth.
Our latest initiative, 9000 Equities, is a collaboration of community partners aiming to reduce the wealth equity and homeownership gap by 15% by financing 9000 new black homeowners in 5 to 7 years. The disparity in homeownership between Minnesota’s African American and White households equals 52%. The 9000 Equities Fund will provide affordable first mortgages, or equivalent financing opportunities, to households struggling to access mortgages in historically underserved communities of color.
Get to know us.
We are seasoned professionals who treat our clients like family. Our number one priority is building caring, invested relationships with our clients and our communities.
Executive Director
“I’m here to change the lives of families and improve communities.”
Senior Program Director
“Helping families build generational wealth is my passion.”
Senior Loan Processor
“My core value is to help expand homeownership in our BIPOC community.”
Executive Administrator
“I am devoted to nurturing hope to families to empower them to build stability and achieve their financial goals.”
Youth Director
“We’re like a family here. We help youth gain financial independence.”
Senior Innovation and Expansion Director
“I stand at the crossroads of innovation and growth, shaping a future where every community has the opportunity to thrive.”
Communications Specialist
"Having a passion for making the best out of each experience and situation allows me to be dedicated to communications externally and internally."
Director of Communications
"I am truly passionate about empowering families through financial stability."
Underwriting Manager
"I am dedicated to assisting families to become sustainable homeowners and bridging the wealth gap for our communities."
Senior Financial Coach/ Certified HUD Counselor
"I aspire to change the narrative that homeownership is hard. With proper education and coaching, families can own homes, thrive, and build generational wealth."
Program Services Director
“We started this company because we care about people and their financial futures.”
Senior Financial Coach/ Certified HUD Counselor
"I am committed to empowering and serving underserved communities."
Financial Services Coordinator
“I’m passionate about our mission to help families build wealth.”
We transform families.
Each year, Build Wealth enrolls more than 1,000 new families into our collective financial programs and services. Together, we develop long-term, personal solutions that work.
Our stories
Build Wealth educational benefits last a lifetime and for generations to come. We are the catalyst that helps our clients overcome the disparities in their community.
I learned so much from the Family Stabilization Plan in my early twenties and have used the knowledge to build my own credit. Build Wealth also greatly supported my start-up business and gave me the tools to succeed as an entrepreneur. I am beyond grateful for this organization.
I have been working with Build Wealth since 2012. I have completed the Family Stabilization Plan, purchased a home and now have been working on business ventures with the team at Build Wealth. It has been a great experience. They gave me guidance on financial planning and small business moves. I will be referring my children to the program as soon as they are eligible to participate.
Build Wealth not only helped me to reach my personal goals but also my professional goals! Mr. Jeff had my best interest during my home buying process. Build wealth is an extension to my family. I appreciate the guidance and wisdom that the program offered. David and Regina are helping the community where there is a need.
Build Wealth offered me the exact resources I needed when it came to buying my first home. The team was great to work with and extremely supportive. Thank you Build Wealth for everything!
We started as the “A Team” when we were in the very first Family Stabilization class. Build Wealth did not give up on us and my family stuck with it. Now we are proud owners of a 5 bedroom 2 bath house with 4 acres 10 years later. Once again Thank You Build Wealth.
This program saved me. I was in a homeless program. I never thought I could buy a house and be out of debt in two years. This program is amazing and I will tell everyone about it. The staff are helpful and nice. I am blessed to be in this program.
I often thought of attending a homebuyers class before purchasing another house. I wanted some additional knowledge that I lacked with my first house purchase. Build Wealth gave me that knowledge I was seeking and more.
Our numbers
The average Build Wealth household creates $57,000 in equity.
The average Build Wealth client’s credit score increases by 125 points to nearly 700.
Every year, Build Wealth helps hundreds of families become homeowners.
On average, a Build Wealth client reduces past-due debt by $3,600.
Build Wealth has provided clients over $5,000,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance.
The average Build Wealth client increases savings by over $8,800.
Board of Directors
Monique Bulson-Bratton, Chair
Rochelle Washington, Secretary
Rene Isuk, Treasurer
Franklin Stovall, Director
Loretta Smith, Director
David McGee, Executive Director
Vision
Utilize public, private, and foundational resources to develop and provide programs and service that will empower individuals, families, and communities to embrace a new way of viewing their lives in the area of financial literacy, det reduction, minimizing the cost of money and wealth creation for generations to come.
Organizational Overview
Build Wealth Mn, Inc.’s (BWM) programs and services are targeted to low-to-moderate income families. The emphasis is placed on those in the “emerging markets” and underserved communities. Current market conditions have made it difficult and costly for these populations.
Circumstance caused by the housing industry crisis: credit restraints, sub-prime and predatory lending practices, as well as the rapidly increasing market of costly easily attainable credit (such as title and payday loans, check cashing centers, wire transfer services and various other products) have added to the onslaught of poverty on these communities.
Studies show that the number one cause of divorce and the weakening of the family structure are directly related to money and finances. This has resulted in the deterioration of many neighborhoods and in more and more cases the dismantling of family.
Although there are several existing and emerging programs, products, and services available to combat this, BWM has found that access to, marketing of, and the acknowledgment of the existence of these resources by its target group has been historically challenging.
BWM is taking a long-term holistic approach to providing support to families in these neighborhoods. The organization will directly provide and align resources and added access in four areas to help strengthen families an revitalize communities:
- Culturally Sensitive Financial Products & Services
- Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Counseling Programming
- Sustainable Affordable Housing
- Residential & Commercial Development