The Power Fund
Race is one of the strongest predictors of life outcomes in the United States; in our city, Black, Latino, and Asian New Yorkers are nearly twice as likely to live in poverty, compared to their white counterparts. This disparity is echoed in the nonprofit sector, where leaders of color have been historically overlooked and underfunded.
Founded in July 2020, Robin Hood’s Power Fund initiative invests in outstanding nonprofit leaders of color who bring unique perspectives and expertise to the fight against poverty.
Our Impact
$11
M
In new investments to 23 leaders of color at 22 organizations since the Power Fund's launch
$750
K
Granted for capacity-strengthening services to Power Fund organizations
Our Strategy
Driven by research on the barriers leaders of color are consistently faced with in accessing, securing, and sustaining philanthropic funding, the Power Fund aims to:
- Increase funding access: Work with communities that have been previously underrepresented in our grantmaking portfolios and expand the types of services we support to address the various facets of poverty.
- Strengthen organizations: Help organizations grow, thrive and succeed by investing in capacity building support through our Management Acceleration team, supporting leadership development, and providing access to our philanthropic, government, and community partner networks.
Meet the Power Fund Leaders
Sonia B. Sisodia, Executive Director, SAYA
Vanessa Leung and Anita Gundanna, Co-Executive Directors, Coalition for Asian American Children + Families
Gladys Jones, Founder and CEO, ECE on the Move
Doris Irizarry, Co-Founder, ECE on the Move
Kavita Mehra, Executive Director, Sakhi for South Asian Survivors
Khary Lazarre-White, Executive Director & Co-Founder, The Brotherhood Sister Sol
Farah Tanis, Co-founder, Black Women's Blueprint
Wenimo Okoya, Founder & Executive Director, Healing Schools Project
Kalilah Moon, Executive Director, Drive Change
Sevonna Brown, National Director, Black Women's Blueprint
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition
Terrence Winston, Executive Director, Coalition for Community Schools Excellence
Nancy Gutierrez, President & CEO, The Leadership Academy
Annetta Seecharran, Executive Director, Chhaya Community Development Corporation
Marjorie D. Parker, President & CEO, JobsFirstNYC
Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director, Workers' Justice Project
Michael D. Nieves, President & CEO, HITN
Marissa Martin, Former Executive Director, Advocacy Institute
Morgan Monaco, Former Executive Director, Red Hook Initiative
Dennis M. Walcott, President & CEO, Queens Public Library
Jocelynne Rainey, former CEO, Getting Out and Standing Out (GOSO)
Leslie-Bernard Joseph, CEO, Coney Island Prep
Ramon Peguero, President & CEO, Committee for Hispanic Children & Families (CHCF)
Edward Summers, Founder & Former CEO, The Thinkubator
Chelsey Roebuck, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Emerging Leaders in Technology and Engineering INC. (ELITE)
Amaha Kassa, Founder and Executive Director, African Communities Together (ACT)
Lina Lee, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Communities Resist (CoRe)
Gisele Castro, Executive Director, exalt
Jose Ortiz, Jr., former CEO, New York City Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC)
Jessica Santana, Co-Founder & CEO, America on Tech
Evin Robinson, Co-Founder & President, America on Tech
Barika X. Williams, Executive Director, The Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD)
Bernell K. Grier, Executive Director, IMPACCT Brooklyn
Jerelyn Rodriguez, Co-Founder & CEO, The Knowledge House
LaRay Brown, Former Executive Director & CEO, One Brooklyn Health System
Marco Conner DiAquoi, Executive Director, TakeRoot Justice
Chanel Porchia-Albert, Founder & Executive Director, Ancient Song Doula Services
