Answer extracted from the Commercially Speaking Podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How does the Black Foundation blend investing with career pathways for minorities?
The Black Foundation operates as a 501c3 private foundation that funds career pathways into commercial real estate for minorities and veterans, but it also operates its own investment arm—handling commercial real estate deals, crypto, private equity, and venture capital. This dual model of investing and educating allows the foundation to generate profits that fund its mission, embodying the principle that without profits, it cannot help people.
A self-sustaining model built on investment returns
Unlike traditional grant-funded nonprofits, the Black Foundation operates on an economics-first principle. Daymond Kirby built the foundation with an active investment portfolio—not just a fundraising arm—because sustainable impact requires revenue generation. The foundation invests directly in commercial real estate transactions, crypto assets, private equity opportunities, and venture capital startups. Those profits flow back into educational programs, job placement, and mentorship for the communities they serve.
This design reflects a hard truth: relying entirely on donor goodwill or grants caps growth. Self-sustainability through profits means the foundation can scale faster and commit to long-term career pathways without annual fundraising cycles. As Daymond Kirby explains in the episode, it is not either/or between doing good and doing business—it is both.
Career pathways and access as the core mission
The foundation's stated mission is to provide access to knowledge and opportunity in commercial real estate for minorities and veterans. This means structured mentorship, education about deal flow, licensing support (like CCIM designation pathways), and direct introductions to industry networks. Since Daymond Kirby launched the foundation after starting his own commercial real estate career in June 2020, he has built it on the model of breaking down barriers that kept minorities and veterans out of deal-making roles.
The foundation currently operates in Tennessee with expansion planned for Arizona within the next year, giving it regional grounding while maintaining scalability. More detail on how the foundation structures these pathways and the specific industries within commercial real estate it prioritizes is covered in the full episode discussion.
"Access knowledge and opportunity is really what we focus on at the Black Foundation."
Daymond Kirby — Founder, Black Foundation. Born on an Army post in Panama and later based in Phoenix, Kirby began his commercial real estate career in June 2020 and achieved his CCIM designation in 2023. He founded the Black Foundation as a 501c3 to directly address the underrepresentation of minorities and veterans in commercial real estate investing and deal-making roles.
Key takeaways
- The Black Foundation combines a 501c3 nonprofit structure with active investment operations in real estate, crypto, private equity, and venture capital to fund its mission.
- Profits from the foundation's own deals directly support career pathways, mentorship, and educational programs for minorities and veterans in commercial real estate.
- The foundation operates on a "people and profits" principle: sustainable impact requires revenue generation, not just donor dependency.
- Currently rooted in Tennessee with planned expansion to Arizona, the foundation builds regional networks while scaling access to commercial real estate careers.