Sewall Foundation Welcomes Thomas Mitchell
The Elmina B. Sewall Foundation is pleased to welcome Thomas Mitchell to the staff team on November 30, 2020. As our Finance and Community Investment Partner, Thomas will provide leadership for Sewall’s evolving impact investing work.
Thomas has focused his career on funding projects and initiatives that help build thriving, equitable, and sustainable neighborhoods in partnership with community organizations, nonprofits, state and local governments, and private sector firms. By bringing technical skills, a creative approach to financing, and a collaborative problem-solving attitude, he has been fortunate to participate in investments that support accessible living wage jobs, expand access to health services, deliver cultural and youth arts programming, and provide affordable homes, to name a few.
After graduating from Binghamton University with a degree in financial engineering and economics, Thomas began his career working on New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) transactions at SB Friedman, a boutique development advisory firm based in Chicago. During this time, he helped identify, structure, and close dozens of complex impact-driven real estate financings while also leading monitoring, compliance, and community impact measurement for a diverse portfolio of projects. Some favorites include: a LEED Platinum manufacturing facility with a rooftop greenhouse in Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood, a recreation center at the heart of a downtown revitalization effort in Salina, Kansas, a food business incubator in East Garfield Park, Chicago, and an affordable housing development anchored by a co-op grocery in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Thomas was also deeply involved in writing competitive federal applications that succeeded in securing significant new funding resources for historically underserved communities.
After 5 years in the NMTC industry, Thomas joined LISC NYC, the organization’s flagship New York City office, to lead their growing economic development lending platform. LISC is a national nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that connects communities with capital and technical resources through 36 local offices, a rural program, and tax credit syndication and small business lending affiliates. Working closely with community partners, Thomas helped craft tailored financing solutions to meet the needs of unique projects that preserved affordable manufacturing space in North Brooklyn, brought renewable energy to 19 affordable housing buildings, rehabilitated an historic performing arts venue, and created new office and service delivery space in the Bronx for a supportive housing provider. Thomas also helped manage LISC NYC’s Inclusive Creative Economy Fund, an initiative the connects new sources of impact investment to creative industries as a vehicle for economic opportunity. Recently, he participated in LISC’s nationwide emergency economic relief efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by helping to secure Paycheck Protection Program loans for minority- and women-owned small businesses and launching a small business relief grant program.
In joining the Sewall Foundation, Thomas will be returning to Maine where he lived for several years in his youth and is joined this time by his wife, Stacy.
We are delighted to welcome Thomas to our team and look forward to working together to build a healthier and more equitable Maine where people, animals and the environment thrive.