“We know that diverse entrepreneurs are underrepresented in the market and our goal is to help really influence the operating environment and directly invest in entrepreneurs so that we can see the capital and help them be successful as others in the marketplace,” says Tyra Mariani, president, Schultz Family Foundation.

The organization just announced an initial allocation of $100 million to create the Entrepreneurs Equity Fund (EEF) – investing in diverse businesses to create a more inclusive economy, jobs, and wealth in historically underrepresented communities.

WorkingNation sat down with Mariani at Presented by JFF Horizons – See Beyond 2022 in New Orleans.

Mariani says diverse businesses often face barriers to funding, noting the EEF is “specifically to help unlock non-predatory capital.”

“There are many high-growth businesses that don’t have the capital that they need. They don’t have the working capital, for example, that they need to fulfill purchase orders. So, the more we understood that there were really exciting businesses and entrepreneurs out there who –with a little bit of support and a little bit of investment – could be a middle market company, then that seemed to us to be a bit of a no brainer,” explains Mariani.

Learn more about the Schultz Family Foundation.