Owning the Ground You Stand On: Why Nonprofits and Small Businesses Are Buying Property and Land & How Investors and Funders Can Support Them

The decision to buy land and property isn’t just about financial security—it’s about power, permanence, and purpose. Across the nonprofit and small business sectors, a growing number of organizations we are working with (more than 50% of làmdi's 2024 clients) are choosing to own the spaces where they operate. This shift is more than a trend; it’s a movement rooted in sustainability, equity, and reclaiming agency in rapidly changing communities.

Why Now?

Several factors are driving this change:

1. Combatting Displacement Gentrification and rising rents have priced out countless organizations from the communities they serve. Ownership offers stability in volatile real estate markets, allowing nonprofits and small businesses to focus on their missions without the looming threat of eviction or untenable lease renewals.
2. Investing in Generational Wealth For many small businesses—especially those led by historically underinvested communities—buying property represents an opportunity to build generational wealth. It transforms their efforts into tangible, lasting assets that benefit their families, employees, and stakeholders for years to come.
3. Strengthening Community Roots Land ownership enables organizations to deepen their connection to the neighborhoods they serve. By owning their physical spaces, they’re able to create community hubs, foster trust, and ensure that the benefits of their work remain local.
4. Leveraging Assets for Growth Real estate isn’t just a cost—it’s an investment. Organizations that own their spaces can use them as collateral to secure funding, host revenue-generating activities, or develop partnerships. For nonprofits, this often means creating mission-aligned spaces like affordable housing, shared community spaces, or cultural hubs.

Examples in Action

• Nonprofits: Affordable housing developers and community service organizations are increasingly integrating land purchases into their strategies. These acquisitions ensure the long-term viability of their work and help resist the pressures of urban development. This includes nonprofits like K. Wyking Garrett at Africatown Community Land Trust and Lalita Uppala at Indian American Community Services providing essential services now and into the future through the ownership of properties.
• Small Businesses: From restaurants to tech startups, business owners are investing in property to secure their futures. They’re transforming commercial spaces into centers of innovation and collaboration, designed to support local economies. Organizations like Friends of Little Saigon are providing technical assistance for the small businesses this cultural economic development hub to endure through decades of disinvestment and failing infrastructure.
• Cooperative Models: Worker-owned cooperatives and collectives are pooling resources to buy land, emphasizing shared ownership and decision-making in spaces that prioritize collective prosperity. Businesses like Gardner Global 's Gardner Global are developing REIT structures for a broader range of investors to pool resources into historically underinvested neighborhoods. The future of farms are at the center of Melissa Campbell and Washington Farmland Trust 's mission. To date, Washington Farmland Trust has conserved 34 farm properties, totaling 3,747 acres. They conserve farmland to protect the environment, provide a livelihood for farmers, ensure access to local food, and support rural economies.

Barriers and Opportunities

While land ownership provides many benefits, it’s not without challenges. Access to capital remains a significant barrier, particularly for organizations led by BIPOC or women founders. Innovative financing models—such as community land trusts, crowdfunding, and mission-driven investors—are helping to bridge this gap.

Governments and philanthropies also have a role to play. Policies that prioritize land acquisition for nonprofits and small businesses, alongside grant funding for property purchases, can catalyze this movement.

How Can Government, Companies, Philanthropy, and Individual Donors Help?

Owning property is transformative but challenging. Organizations need robust support systems to overcome barriers like financing, expertise, and resources. Here’s how key stakeholders can help:

Government

• Policy Incentives: Tax breaks, grants, and low-interest loans can encourage land acquisition by nonprofits and small businesses.
• Public Land Allocation: Governments can set aside surplus public land for community use or affordable commercial spaces.
• Zoning Reform: Including provisions for affordable and community-driven spaces in urban planning supports long-term ownership.

Companies

• Corporate Partnerships: Businesses can co-invest in properties with nonprofits and small businesses to align with community goals.
• Funding Programs: Launching matching grants or impact investment funds can provide critical capital for property purchases. The leadership of 亚马逊 's Alice Shobe stewarding $2B into affordable housing is exemplary and I hope many more corporations join forces in this model.
• Pro Bono Expertise: Real estate, financial, and legal professionals can offer guidance and services to organizations navigating complex real estate processes.

Philanthropy

• Catalytic Capital: Foundations can provide grants or low-interest loans for property acquisition, reducing financial risk for nonprofits.
• Capacity Building: Supporting technical assistance programs ensures organizations have the tools and knowledge to acquire and manage property.
• Community Land Trusts: Philanthropies can fund or establish land trusts to secure affordable, mission-aligned spaces for generations.

Legacy Gifts and Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)

• Legacy Gifts: Individuals can include land or property in their wills, leaving a lasting impact on the causes they care about. Legacy gifts tied to land can help nonprofits create permanent spaces for their work.
• Donor-Advised Funds: DAFs are powerful vehicles for enabling property purchases. Donors can direct funds specifically for land acquisition, helping organizations build equity while achieving the donor’s philanthropic goals.

The Bigger Picture

Owning the land where you do business isn’t just about survival—it’s about transformation. It’s about reclaiming autonomy and building legacies that reflect the communities we want to see thrive.

As more organizations choose ownership, they’re flipping the script on how workspaces are valued. Land becomes not just a resource to occupy, but a foundation to grow from—a symbol of resilience and a tool for equity.

What steps is your organization taking to invest in its long-term future? Have you considered how owning your space could unlock new possibilities? Let’s continue the conversation. Share your thoughts below!

Resources

1. Addressing the Ownership Question: An Unspoken Gap in Economic Thinking - This article by my dear friend, Nairuti Shastry in Nonprofit Quarterly begs the question of the economics and land ownership. Worth a read for your end-of-year reflections: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/addressing-the-ownership-question-an-unspoken-gap-in-economic-thinking/
2. Africatown Community Land Trust: https://www.africatownlandtrust.org/
3. Indian American Community Services (announcing their community development project in 2025 at their 40th year anniversary): https://iacswa.org/
4. Friends of Little Saigon Landmark Project: https://flsseattle.org/what-we-do/economic-development/landmark-project/
5. Washington Farmland Trust: https://wafarmlandtrust.org/

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