Treasury Counselor Daniel Kowalski to Keynote Marcum-Raffa Conference on Social Impact Investing in Opportunity Zones
New York City, NY – Daniel Kowalski, counselor to the Secretary of the Treasury, will be the keynote presenter at a special conference dedicated to impact investing in Opportunity Zones, on May 7 in Washington DC. “Demystifying Opportunity Zones for Good” is being presented by Raffa – Marcum LLP’s Nonprofit & Social Sector Group. The luncheon event will take place at the Hamilton LIVE from 11:00AM-2:30PM.
Mr. Kowalski, who spearheaded IRS guidelines and reporting for the Opportunity Zone program at the Treasury Department, will discuss just-issued regulations and provide insights on how to make Opportunity Zone investment work in struggling communities. His commentary will be followed by a moderated panel of leaders who will share concrete examples of how communities can collaborate to make Opportunity Zone investing transformative for social change.
The panel includes investor, legal, tax & accounting, and real estate development experts, as well as nonprofit and foundation leaders who will discuss the key themes and questions emerging as clarity develops around Opportunity Zones and Qualified Fund investments. Panelists include:
- Darius Baxter, Executive Director, Good Projects
- Michael D’Addio, Principal, Marcum LLP
- Frank Dickson, Director, Strategic Business Initiatives, Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development
- Elizabeth Garlow, Impact Investment Officer, Lumina Foundation
- Jill Homan, President, Javelin 19 Investments
Opportunity Zones were created by the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 to encourage capital investment in low income communities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This new federal incentive program is expected to attract $100 billion in investment toward low income communities over the next ten years.
“Opportunity Zones are set to drive impact investing in communities where the American Dream is nonexistent. It is one of the greatest bipartisan efforts to address poverty in modern times, enabling investors who are focused on both social impact and financial returns to play an essential role in alleviating poverty for those most at risk,” said Rich Tafel, a director in Marcum’s nonprofit group. Mr. Tafel will moderate the event.
About Marcum LLP
Marcum LLP is a top-ranked national accounting and advisory firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurial, middle-market companies and high net worth individuals achieve their goals. Marcum’s industry-focused practices offer deep insight and specialized services to privately held and publicly registered companies, and nonprofit and social sector organizations. The Firm also provides a full complement of technology, wealth management, and executive search and staffing services. Headquartered in New York City, Marcum has offices in major business markets across the U.S. and select international locations. #AskMarcum.
