YWCA Opportunity Zones Map
The Opportunity Zones program has the potential to direct investments towards low-income communities nationwide and serve as a catalyst for economic revitalization, if done with the engagement and inclusion of key community stakeholders.
At YWCA USA, we are working on shaping the discussion, policy formulation, and investments made in Opportunity Zones. We are doing so in a manner that is inclusive and aims to uplift the voices and concerns of women, communities of color, and the nonprofit sector.
YWCAs are uniquely positioned to be a voice for communities in Opportunity Zones because they are a critical economic and social anchors. There are 85 YWCAs headquartered in Opportunity Zones across 33 states, including Alabama, Indiana, Montana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington. These YWCAs serve over 680,000 women, girls, and their families.
Check-out the YWCA Opportunity Zones map, which aims to connect Opportunity Zones stakeholders with YWCAs serving Opportunity Zones residents nationwide. The map provides key information about the 85 YWCAs headquartered in Opportunity Zones, including YWCA contact information, type of property, lot square footage, and census tract.
If you have any questions about YWCA USA’s work on Opportunity Zones, please contact Liz Lopez, Senior Director of Social Impact Investing & External Affairs.
About the Opportunity Zones Program
The Opportunity Zones program was enacted on December 20, 2017 as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to spur long-term investments in designated low-income communities nationwide.
The program provides investors with a tax incentive. Investors can roll unrealized capital gains into Opportunity Funds and temporarily defer taxes on profits. The capital gains tax relief increases by the years the investment is held by the Opportunity Fund.
In 2018, the Treasury Department designated over 8,700 census tracts as Opportunity Zones.
- 31.3 million people live in Opportunity Zones within the 50 states and Washington, D.C. 57% of residents are people of color.
- 7.9 million Opportunity Zones residents live in poverty. The average poverty rate across Opportunity Zones is 27%. The national poverty rate is 14.1%.
- $47,316 is the median family income in the average Opportunity Zone. The national average is $73,965.
- There are 1.6 million businesses in Opportunity Zones.
Opportunity Zones Resources
- Economic Innovation Group:
- Georgetown University’s Beeck Center, U.S. Impact Investing Alliance, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York: Opportunity Zones Reporting Framework.
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Opportunity Zones Playbook.
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) : Opportunity Zones Resources and List of Designated Opportunity Zones.
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Services (IRS): Opportunity Zones Frequently Asked Questions.