In 2011, the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers began to explore an emerging enterprise development project, the Metropolitan Washington Community Wealth Building Initiative, and hired The Democracy Collaborative to conduct a feasibility study. After that study was completed, the association appointed The Community Foundation for National Capital Region as the leading funder to oversee implementation of a network of green, employee-owned businesses creating wealth-building jobs in low-income communities and connected to anchor demand, for which it retained CDFI City First Enterprises and business consultancy Next Street. The first business planned is an employee-owned clean water management company, for which New Markets Tax Credits and other funding is currently being sought.