The ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative is pleased to announce the five winners of Urban Innovation Grants. Open to all district and national councils, the grant program intends to support the creation of innovative programs that raise the visibility and number of women in ULI and the real estate industry. With twelve applicants requesting a total of $48,000, a jury of WLI Steering Committee members selected five winning projects with grants ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 and totaling $10,500.

The grants were awarded to the district council chairs and staff on October 25, at 2016 ULI Fall Meeting in Dallas, TX.

The recipients of the FY17 Women’s Leadership Initiative Grants are:

ULI Atlanta: Own Your Story, Choose Your Path
ULI Atlanta plans to focus on the power of storytelling and the power of peers. The program will consist of a quarterly large group guided discussions where women share highs and lows of their career paths, as well as a peer-to-peer mentoring program. The small groups of mentor teams will consist of women at different points in their careers, with the philosophy that mentoring and leadership development flows in all directions (up, down, and across sector). ULI Atlanta conducted a survey of its female members to understand needs, and mentorship rose to the top.

ULI Baltimore: Focus on the Female Perspective: Support Baltimore Women in Design, Construction and Real Estate Education 
Up to 50 students enrolled at local community colleges in construction-related programs will be invited to participate in this one-day event, which will expose students to two active developments. They will go on a hard hat tour and hear from a various professional women involved in each project. The day will culminate with a panel discussion as well as an opportunity to connect with representatives from real estate related programs in Maryland’s four-year schools. WLI members will act as informal mentors, assisting the students in career decisions connecting them to job opportunities.

ULI North Florida: Women’s Leadership Development Institute
ULI North Florida launched the Women’s Leadership Development Institute in 2015, filling a void in the larger market. With 11 graduates in the first class, four have been promoted at work, one received a “Women of Influence” award, and three are current chairs of ULI North Florida committees. The grant will assist in producing the second class of this program, enrolling up to 15 women and focusing on topics including leadership styles, employee management, public speaking, negotiation skills, and others.

ULI Singapore: 2017 WLI Study Tour in Singapore
With the 2017 ULI Asia Pacific Summit in Singapore this coming June, WLI will organize a one‐and‐a‐half-day pre‐Summit study tour to showcase Singapore’s multi‐faceted urban landscape. The tour will be marketed to female industry players locally and overseas. Attendees will be provided with access to local women experts, presenting a unique opportunity to learn about Singapore’s diverse economies, cultural mix, and urban planning history. The tour will culminate in a WLI Networking Dinner where ten prominent women leaders would be invited to share their career and personal success stories to inspire women who are keen to progress within the real estate industry.

ULI Triangle: Engaging and Inspiring the Triangle’s Leaders of Tomorrow
In the Triangle, several major universities offer real estate business, architecture, and planning masters programs. The goal of the mentor program is to match each of these young women, along with a young professional already working in commercial real estate, to a seasoned professional mentor who can provide insight, guidance, support, and inspiration as these young women launch and grow their careers in real estate. ULI Triangle will facilitate regular meetings of these groups of three.