Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The Women's Development Collaborative (WDC) is a network of women leaders who inspire, promote, and support women who lead transformative real estate developments. We envision a world where women developers receive the inspiration, collaborations, and resources they need to build successful projects and celebrate their achievements. Please refer to this map of featured developments by members of WDC’s community.
How does the Women's Development Collaborative (WDC) strive to achieve our mission of advancing women in real estate development?
WDC’s mission is to advance women's success, leadership, innovation, and collaboration in building developments that sustain and grow thriving communities. We focus on four dimensions of activities to achieve our mission:
- BUILD– Empower women developers
- INVEST– Expand access to capital
- INSPIRE– Promote economic opportunity
- TRANSFORM– Benefit women and communities
Why is it important to support women developers?
Supporting women leaders in real estate development is important to our economic growth and well-being.
- Opportunity: Strengthens our global economy by expanding economic opportunities for everyone.
- Leadership: Inspires and empowers women leaders in real estate development.
- Impact: Catalyzes transformative developments that sustain thriving communities.
- Diversity: Promotes success in development and investment through diverse experiences and perspectives.
What challenges do women face in the real estate industry?
Women continue to encounter significant challenges to operate as equals in the real estate sector.
- Property ownership: Until 1900, married women in the US could not own property in their name.
- Credit: Until 1974, US lenders could deny loans, credit lines or bank accounts based on gender.
- Workforce: While women represent the majority of the US population, only 37% of US commercial real estate jobs are held by women.
- Earnings: Only 2.8% of US real estate firms are women-owned, controlling just 1.7% of real estate assets under management, with women earning 34% less than men in similar roles.
- Leadership: Women hold only 9% of C-suite positions in real estate despite 32% of women indicating that they would like to be in these positions.
For further information and data references, see the WDC Fact Sheet.
How Do Women Contribute to the Economy and Real Estate?
Women stimulate economic growth and buying power in real estate and the broader economy
- Economic Contribution: Women-owned firms contribute nearly $3 trillion to the economy.
- Business Growth: The growth of women-owned businesses has outpaced men's in recent years.
- Successful Investments: Female-owned startups often generate higher revenues and returns on investment than their male-owned counterparts.
- Education: Women have consistently earned more degrees than men since the 1980s.
For further information and data references, see the WDC Fact Sheet.
What impact has WDC had since its inception in 2010?
Since its inception, the WDC has:
- Convened more than 2,200 women and forged collaborations among them to advance their success.
- Conducted over 70 educational programs that have featured 50+ women developers and women from across the real estate industry.
- Established a LinkedIn group with over 480 members for networking and support.
- Convened expert panels to help women developers overcome development challenges and capitalize on opportunities.
- Sponsored a peer advisory group to support emerging women developers
What are the WDC's Ten Principles of Transformative Development?
WDC has developed ten principles of transformative development based on an analysis of women-led projects and development goals advanced by the United Nations, Urban Land Institute and American Planning Association as described below. As every project and community is unique, some or all of these principles are distinctively reflected in each transformative development.
How does WDC promote economic opportunity and expand investment in women-led developments?
WDC promotes economic opportunity and access to capital for women-led developments:
- Provides scholarships and discounts to students and emerging leaders.
- Hosts educational programs that explore various aspects of real estate development and investment.
- Forges collaborations among the WDC community to advance our collective success
- Helps women learn how to raise capital for development and invest in real estate.
- Collaborates with organizations to promote the success and visibility of women in real estate. development such as the Urban Land Institute’s Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI), National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), and Women's Real Estate Investment Consortium (WREIC).
How can I get involved with WDC and Stay Updated?
We invite you to engage and collaborate with our WDC community:
- Participate in educational programs and events.
- Join WDC’s LinkedIn group for networking.
- Follow WDC’s LinkedIn company page to share events
- Apply for scholarships and program discounts as a student and emerging leader. Please email if interested in applying.
- Visit the WDC website regularly
How can I become a member or Sponsor of WDC?
We invite you to join our WDC community. Our growth and success are based on contributions by our members and sponsors who collaborate to advance our mission and collective capacity to champion and catalyze women-led developments.
To become a member or sponsor of WDC, or renew your commitment, you can:
- Join or renew your membership on the WDC website membership application form.
- Learn how to become or renew as a WDC sponsor.
- Join WDC’s LinkedIn group for networking.
- Follow WDC’s LinkedIn company page to share events
- Apply for scholarships and program discounts as a student and emerging leader by contacting WDC at wdc@seifel.com
Who can I contact at WDC for More Information?
For more information, please reach out to us via the contact form on our website and let us know if you would like to be added to WDC's email list.