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Steph Toler
Vice President of Operations, Birdwatch

Working in real-time competitive environments is where I soar. Pun intended. I spent the better part of a decade dribbling up and down the East coast, coaching women’s college basketball, and managing operations for teams. I hit the ground running when I joined Nest as a leasing specialist in 2015. Since then, I’m back in the coaching strategy game. As the CEO of Nest, I’m charged with overseeing all of our departments with an eye toward efficiency, elegant teamwork, and keeping our fans (residents AND clients) happy day in and day out.

I left coaching to work in a field where I knew I would make a difference in people’s everyday lives. Property management offers exactly that. With attention to detail, an empathic approach to the delivery of our work, and the true compassion we bring to our community every single day. We know we’re making an impact. When that’s the case, the wins are easy. When I’m not on the management court, you can find me in my happy place; a craftsman bungalow in historic Hyattsville that was once one of our very first rentals. Perks of the job never end!

 

About

Our housing justice program offers down payment grants to qualifying BIPOC first time home buying residents in the DC and Philadelphia areas. Awards range from $5,000 to $15,000 and grants are made multiple times per year until funds are expended.

The application/review process is straight forward and uncomplicated.

Our Board of Advisors reviews applications, interviews finalists and identifies grantees. This is a partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation who supports the administrative complexity so we can very simply help people buy homes. *

Applicants must identify as one of the following: American Indian, Indigenous, Alaska Native, Asian, Pacific Islander, Black, African American, Hispanic or Latinix birdSEED has made 29 provisional grants to date. The total grant pool available was $215,000. Additional funds have been raised from supportive community members who shared our vision of simple, no strings financial down payment grants that accelerate the home buying process. If you are positioned to give, please do. Needs are great, resources are limited and your help is essential.

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