Community development finance

Building the next generation of
community development
finance leaders.

Open Access places underrepresented professionals inside the banks, CDFIs, and syndicators financing American neighborhoods, with hands-on training and a host company from day one.

Host a fellow See the 2026 hosts

2026 applications are closed. Review the eligibility criteria now so you are ready when the 2027 cycle opens.

Next up

2027 fellowship applications open

Monday, January 4, 2027

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Six years of results

The record since the first cohort in 2021.

138

Fellows trained since 2021

Cohorts placed nationwide

76%

Placed or promoted after the program

Host organizations in the 2026 cohort

Three ways in

Whether you are starting a career or opening a door, there is a role for you.

Become a fellow

A paid fellowship of 160 hours over twelve weeks, with Novogradac coursework, a matched mentor, and a host company placement.

Review eligibility

Host a fellow

Bring a fellow onto your team for the program year. You get vetted talent and a real pipeline; they get the experience the industry keeps asking for.

See what hosting takes

Sponsor the program

Sponsorship funds stipends, coursework, and placement support across the full cohort, from Friends of Open Access up to the Legacy level.

See sponsorship levels

The fellowship

A program built on placement, not on promises.

Open Access launched in 2021 to close a gap the industry had named for decades and never fixed. Six cohorts later, the model is the same: real training, a real host company, and a career on the other side.

Open Access fellows and staff at an industry convening

Who we are

Representation that reaches the deal table.

The Open Access Fellowship increases diverse representation in community development finance by training underrepresented professionals and connecting them directly to the institutions doing the work.

Founded in 2021 and operating nationwide
Backed by national banks, CDFIs, and syndicators
Governed by an industry board of practitioners

More about Open Access

Fellows connecting at an Open Access program event

How it works

Education, workforce development, and mentorship.

Fellows take Novogradac-sponsored coursework in tax credit finance, complete 160 paid hours with a host company, and stay connected to mentors and past cohorts long after the program ends.

Certificate coursework in NMTCs, LIHTCs, and more
A matched host company for the program term
Placement support that continues after graduation

Read the program description

The impact we make

Six years of impact, 138 fellows, and counting.

Three in four fellows moved up or moved in after the program.

2025 Open Access impact report

Read the impact reports

In the news

Announcements from the cohort and the field.

All press

Open Access announces its 2026 fellowship cohort, bringing the program to 138 fellows in six years

The sixth cohort of 18 fellows joins host companies across the country this program year, bringing the total number of professionals trained since 2021 to 138.

Read the announcement