Michael Freedman-Schnapp

Advisors

Since 2015, Michael has worked in all of the firm’s practice areas, with particular emphasis on advising clients in the areas of impact investment, community development, and clean energy finance. Michael specializes in guiding clients through establishing new impact investment programs and social enterprises, leading neighborhood and site planning exercises, policy and data analyses, and project underwriting.

As part of this work, Michael leads the firm’s work with a wide variety of lending organizations focused on accelerating the deployment of clean energy solutions, with a special focus on low-to-moderate income communities. This work included helping guide the design and implementation of the Opportunity Finance Network’s $2.3b Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant, the Connecticut Green Bank’s spin-out of Inclusive Prosperity Capital, and the structuring of the New York Green Bank's Community Decarbonization Fund. He has also assisted the cities of Nashville and Baltimore as well as the leading housing organizations Habitat for Humanity International and Grounded Solutions Network in launching major affordable housing finance initiatives.

Prior to Forsyth, Michael served the New York City Council for five years, most recently as the Director of the Policy & Innovation Division. In this position, he directed the expansion of Participatory Budgeting to over half of New York City, the compilation of the Council’s platform to combat climate change, and the drafting of landmark legislation reforming the Council’s rules to make the body more democratic, effective, and transparent. Prior to that, he served as Director of Policy of the Office of Council Member Brad Lander, a nationally-recognized housing policy expert.

Michael was the founding Board Chair of the Riders Alliance for twelve years. He has served as Visiting Assistant Professor at the Pratt Institute’s Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Michael holds a Master of Urban Planning from the NYU Wagner School and a B.A. in Archaeology from the University of Virginia.