Joe Evans will split time with OFN and bring a wealth of climate, social impact, and philanthropic expertise.

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), the nation’s leading network and intermediary focused on community development investment, announced during Climate Week a partnership with The Kresge Foundation to drive innovation in climate finance. Joe Evans – Social investment Officer for The Kresge Foundation’s Environment Program – is joining OFN as Senior Executive Fellow for Climate Finance.

“Delivering on the promise of generational investments like the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) will require innovative climate finance strategies,” said Amber Bell, OFN Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, and lead on climate programs. “Joe’s deep expertise in climate finance, and experience working with low-income and disadvantaged communities to deliver impact, will be a great asset to OFN and the community development finance industry as we mobilize financing to address the climate crisis and create opportunity in underserved communities.”

“I am thrilled to join the nation’s leading network of community-focused intermediary lenders,” said Joe Evans. “Having watched and supported OFN’s growth and development over the last 25 years, it is an honor to join them more directly in this role. Together, we will ensure that Justice40 communities reap the benefits of the new federal investments in ways that make meaningful differences in the lives of residents of those communities.”

The Senior Executive Fellow will have a key advisory role in developing OFN’s climate strategy to drive community development through long-term, sustainable climate finance. Evans will help identify and implement solutions to increase the efficiency of the mission-driven climate finance system.

“We are excited to partner with OFN on this fellowship,” said Aaron Seybert, Managing Director, Social Investment Practice at The Kresge Foundation. “Kresge’s commitment to expanding opportunity and equity in cities drives our investment in climate justice. OFN’s program to help low-income residents and business owners save on energy bills, create quality jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build resilience will foster healthier and happier communities that face the most severe impacts of climate change.”

Evans has spent more than a decade managing and originating social investments with the last four years aimed at ensuring that communities of color and communities of low wealth can keep pace with more affluent areas in the transition to a cleaner future. Previously, Evans worked in CDFI lending.

Evans will continue to provide origination and investment support to Kresge’s Environment Program throughout his fellowship. Portfolio management responsibilities will continue under Portfolio Manager Elizabeth Davidson and Analyst Julie Burlingame while the foundation works to fill the open role of Director of Portfolio Management. Tosha Tabron, formerly a social investment officer for the Detroit and American Cities Programs, has also been named the Director of Originations and will oversee all origination activity for the Social Investment Practice.

The fellowship will further position OFN as a leader in delivering opportunity in underinvested urban, rural, and Native communities nationwide. OFN is seeking mission-aligned leaders to join its team – learn more about current opportunities and submit your application today.