There is a committee at the WRA that does wonderful and beneficial things that few members are familiar with: the WRA Cultural Diversity in Housing Committee. The committee ensures that the WRA membership is educated about fair housing issues. In addition, this committed, active bunch is always looking for ways to promote cultural diversity among membership and leadership and better enable REALTORS® to successfully work with culturally diverse clients and customers.
Members sometimes comment that they are not in need of such services because they have no minorities in their communities, but that is rarely the case. The face of America is changing. Minorities now make up roughly one-third of the U.S. population. The committee believes that real estate brokerage companies will become more profitable when the faces in their offices reflect the faces in their marketplaces. It simply is good business to increase minority participation in our companies and in our organizations.
One tool serving that goal is one of the “best-kept secrets” at the WRA: the WRA Partnership for Success Program, administered by the Cultural Diversity Committee.
What is the Partnership for Success Program?
Rather than taking a traditional scholarship approach, the WRA's Partnership for Success Program forges a partnership between the applicant, the sponsoring broker, the local or regional association, and the WRA. Applicants must be of a minority race, color or national origin, and must demonstrate a commitment to becoming successful real estate licensees. The sponsoring broker provides a mentor and in-house training for the program recipient to optimize the success of the new licensee. Ideally, the applicant is a new licensee who has not had a license for more than six months and who is aspiring to become a full-time agent. The program is intended to provide startup assistance to applicants who have not previously held a real estate license.
What is the purpose of the Partnership for Success Program?
The WRA Partnership for Success Program is designed to promote diversity within the REALTOR® membership based on race, color and national origin, in a manner designed to enhance the probability of long-term success in the real estate profession. Increased minority representation in our brokerages and in our organizations will contribute to future success in our increasingly global marketplace.
How does the Partnership for Success Program accomplish this?
The WRA Partnership for Success Program provides startup assistance for those new in the business who may be challenged financially to pay the various expenses involved in real estate when they do not have commissions coming in just yet. The program also provides supplementary education and networking opportunities through attending classes, conventions and other events.
What are some of the startup benefits available to a Partnership for Success recipient?
The WRA Partnership for Success Program offers the successful candidate the opportunity to have one year of REALTOR® dues and six months of MLS fees covered as well as the chance to attend additional courses and educational events. The WRA waives one year of WRA dues, the local association if participating in the program waives any initiation fee and one year of dues, and the WRA pays one year of NAR dues. This dues benefit applies to the current calendar year if the applicant has not yet paid REALTOR® dues, which includes new member and initiation fees, or to the following calendar year if REALTOR® dues have already been paid, which includes renewal dues.
Is the Partnership for Success Program a scholarship program?
The fees paid by the WRA must be repaid to the program in cash and/or by service hours for WRA or local REALTOR® association committees, or established § 501(c)(3) charities. Repayment is to be made no later than three years after the award is given so that awards may be made or “paid forward” to additional deserving recipients. One hour of committee or volunteer service repays $20.
Volunteer hours must be verified either with a signed letter from the REALTOR® association or charitable organization, preferably on the organization letterhead, or on the WRA Cultural Diversity in Housing Committee Volunteer Hours form, available on the Partnership for Success Web page at www.wra.org/Partnership.
The opportunity to repay benefits through hours of volunteer service coincides with the goal of the 2015 Wisconsin REALTOR® Foundation (WRF) in its “Make It Better — Helping Wisconsin Children in Need” initiative. The WRF will provide matching funds for local organizations nominated by members that help make children’s lives better, especially with regard to education, hunger, homelessness/abuse and serious illness. This may include school-related activities or housing-related activities and organizations like Habitat for Humanity or homeless shelters. Learn more about this endeavor at www.wra.org/childrenintiative.
Why is the WRA Partnership for Success Program important for the WRA?
The WRA benefits when the organization reflects the composition of the Wisconsin marketplace. The Partnership for Success Program contributes to the diversity of our membership.
Does the Partnership for Success Program play a role for the local REALTOR® associations in Wisconsin?
It is important that the local REALTOR® association memberships include agents who understand the ancestry and can relate to the heritage of the different groups in the area. That makes for more effective real estate professionals.
How is the WRA Partnership for Success Program a partnership?
The criteria for the program generates a partnership between the candidate’s sponsoring broker, the local association, and the WRA via the Cultural Diversity Committee. The committee interviews the candidates and sponsoring brokers to find promising candidates who are in a supportive environment. The brokers provide education, supervision and mentors for the candidates; the local association provides a dues waiver; and the WRA provides a dues waiver and funding for other startup benefits. In addition, the Cultural Diversity Committee assigns a committee member to act as a liaison for each award recipient. The liaison will check in periodically with the recipient and help answer questions.
Why is the Partnership for Success Program important to brokers?
The Partnership for Success Program enables brokers to welcome new minority agents who they believe will become successful agents and enhance the diversity of the broker’s office. The brokers are asked to choose wisely and “invest” in the new agent by providing mentorship and education for the new agent and coming to an interview before the WRA Cultural Diversity in Housing Committee.
How does the Partnership for Success Program help minority candidates?
The candidate is given a financial boost at the beginning of the their new real estate career as well as enrichment opportunities in the form of designation classes, seminars and REALTOR® events. The boost over the initial financial hurdles frees the new agent to study and learn the business — and become successful.
How does a candidate apply to the Partnership for Success Program?
Potential applicants can visit www.wra.org/Partnership. There they will find information about the program, application materials and the interview schedule. That page also includes a short application for the candidate and a one-page application for the sponsoring broker.
What happens after the Partnership for Success applications are submitted?
If the applications are complete, the next step is to select a time for an interview with the WRA Cultural Diversity in Housing Committee. Both the candidate and the sponsoring broker come to the interview. The committee offers interview times both in Madison and Milwaukee. The interview schedule is available online at www.wra.org/Partnership.
What is the Cultural Diversity Committee looking for in the interview?
The committee looks for an applicant who is a new licensee who has not had a license for more than six months and who is aspiring to become a full-time agent. The candidate will have considered what it will take to be a successful real estate agent and will have worked on a one-year, five-year and 10-year business plan. The ideal candidate also considers what can be done to further enhance his or her education and how he or she can best contribute to the real estate profession and the local community as a whole. The committee also looks for a sponsoring broker who will guide the new agent and ensure that the new agent has training and support.
What do you think is the most important thing to know about the WRA Partnership for Success Program?
The Partnership for Success Program works! The program enriches the office, is a fantastic tool to launch the new minority agent and creates success for all!
Program information is found on the WRA website at www.wra.org/Partnership, including the new video with firsthand accounts by brokers and successful program recipients speaking about the benefits they have enjoyed.
Use the resources, share the video and join in with these fellow members who are enhancing diversity and productivity in their companies.
Coming soon: a cultural diversity committee Facebook page providing news about the Partnership for Success Program and other committee happenings!
Learn more
Watch the new Partnership for Success Program video and hear from brokers and agents who have enjoyed the benefits of this exciting program. Visit www.wra.org/Partnership.
Debbi Conrad is Senior Attorney and Director of Legal Affairs for the WRA.