RateUniversity Grow for Good Partner Summit will bring together nonprofits, housing counselors, real estate professionals, and civic leaders for a practical conversation about helping more Chicago residents understand their mortgage options and take the next step toward buying a home
Rate, a leading fintech company, announces its 2026 RateUniversity Grow for Good Partner Summit in Chicago on May 20, bringing together more than 40 nonprofit organizations, referral partners, and civic leaders to discuss practical ways to expand access to homeownership in the local market.
The summit is an extension of Rate’s nationwide Community Engagement Initiative, which focuses on improving access to homeownership through education, technology, partnerships, and grassroots outreach. The initiative has already helped drive measurable progress: between 2010 and 2025, Rate increased its funded loan rate in diverse Chicagoland communities from 20% to 30%. Through the Chicago event, Rate is bringing that national strategy to life locally by convening organizations that work directly with aspiring homeowners and play a critical role in helping them understand their options, prepare financially, and navigate the mortgage process.
More than 40 organizations are expected to participate, including the Chicago Urban League, City of Chicago Treasurer’s Office, Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago Association of REALTORS®, The Neighbor Project, H.O.M.E., Spanish Coalition for Housing, and others*.
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“Homeownership access depends on the full housing ecosystem working together with clear information, consistent communication, and practical solutions,” said Arlyn Kalinski, Executive Director of Emerging Markets at Rate. “Rate is bringing partners together in Chicago to help more organizations understand the programs, resources, and support available to the communities they serve. Alignment across nonprofits, counselors, real estate professionals, civic leaders, and lenders means borrowers can get guidance earlier and move forward with greater confidence.”
The RateUniversity Grow for Good Partner Summit is designed as a working session and partnership accelerator for organizations serving first-time homebuyers, underserved borrowers, and multicultural communities across Chicago. The program will focus on:
- Discussing local housing and lending gaps, including affordability challenges, borrower readiness, and the need for more culturally fluent support
- Helping partners better understand Rate’s mortgage products, specialized programs, down-payment assistance strategies, and Language Access Program
- Strengthening referral, handoff, and communication processes among nonprofits, city leaders, housing counselors, real estate agents, and Rate loan officers
- Sharing real borrower success stories and examples of how stronger partnerships can help move residents from education to action
- Creating a local blueprint for collaboration that can be applied across additional markets
Chicago remains a critical market for this work, particularly across the South Side, West Side, and immigrant communities. With participation from nonprofits, city leaders, housing counselors, real estate professionals, lenders, and advocacy organizations, the summit is intended to align key partners around practical information, clearer roles, and shared next steps for helping more residents pursue sustainable homeownership.
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