Tere Figueras Negrete

Meet the New Partners for Places Grantees: Five Communities + Five Community-led Sustainability Projects

BY TFN Staff

Fix a flood-prone pedestrian path so neighbors can safely walk home. Provide climate-emergency training for people living in prefabricated houses. Create a resilience plan to ensure one of the oldest Chinatowns in the country remains safe and vibrant for generations to come.

These are just a few of the projects that will be supported by the latest round of Partners for Places grants, which help fund efforts to create more equitable and resilient communities across the U.S.

In all, five U.S. communities will receive more than $1.3 million in Partners for Places matching grants to support sustainability efforts that bring together local governments, place-based funders, and frontline community groups.

The five communities receiving this latest round of Partners for Places grants are: Boston, Mass.; Boulder, Colo.; Bridgeport, Conn.; Oakland, Calif.; and San Francisco, Calif.

Successful Partners for Places projects advance much-needed climate planning and sustainable solutions in communities both large and small.

With the support of matching local funders, these projects also help build bridges between city officials and the communities that bear the brunt of environmental injustice but are often left out of decision-making processes.

Meet the new Grantees!

How will these Partners for Places grants help local sustainability efforts?

In Boston, the grants will support the community outreach and planning required to transform a one-acre vacant lot in East Boston into a vibrant agricultural and educational community center. The funds will also support efforts to improve a pedestrian greenway prone to severe flooding that submerges the path, rendering it impassable and depriving residents of safe passage through their neighborhood.

Bridgeport will use its Partners for Places funds to build community resilience through collaborative environmental education, including the co-creation of a climate resilience curriculum that can be used by community leaders throughout the city. Their goals include building trust and understanding between frontline community residents and local decision-makers, and to ultimately establish a training program where community leaders can share knowledge and empower their fellow residents to participate in climate-related policymaking.

In California, Partners for Places will support efforts to create thriving and climate-resilient urban areas that provide cultural and social resources for Indigenous and immigrant communities.

In Oakland, the grants will support the co-creation of a resilience plan for the city’s Chinatown, one of the oldest Chinatowns in the U.S. The project centers on developing the leadership of community members to advocate for local priorities that advance equitable climate and community resilience strategies. The grant will also help ensure that critical services and social connections remain intact while a local community center is converted into a resilience hub.

In San Francisco, Partners for Places will support efforts to develop a green cultural zone in the city’s Mission District, a plan that aims to transform more than a mile of sidewalks, streets, buildings and storefronts into a thriving, greened, biodiverse neighborhood community. The concept is part of a larger initiative to create a home of urban belonging in the heart of San Francisco where the city’s Native peoples can connect with services, with nature, with each other, and with their cultures.

In Boulder, the funds will strengthen partnerships with local governments and center the experience, wisdom, and voices of frontline community members. Efforts supported by these funds will include community-led preparedness training for climate emergencies, with a focus on manufactured home parks; ensuring impacted residents are educated and empowered to advocate for equitable cleanup of toxic coal ash; and supporting a grassroots group of Latina leaders working to address the impacts of climate change and improve the social and economic wellbeing of the community.

The Boulder project advances the work of the local Climate Justice Collaborative, created with the support of an earlier Partners for Places grant — one of the many examples of how these local relationships can lay the groundwork for even more action and collaboration at the grassroots level.

About Partners for Places

Partners for Places, led by The Funders Network (TFN) in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), will provide $718,000 in funding to these five communities through the grant program. With contributions from local matching funders, a total of $1,308,000 will be committed to fund sustainability projects in these selected communities. This grant cycle includes a total of $223,000 in Partners for Places grants and local matching funds awarded to the green stormwater infrastructure project in Boston.

To date, Partners for Places has awarded nearly $12 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to more than $23 million in investments.

The matching grant program brings national funder investors together with place-based funders to support equitable, sustainable climate action and green stormwater infrastructure projects. The program is currently supported by The JPB Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, The Kresge Foundation, and the Pisces Foundation. One or more local foundations are required to provide at least a 50% matching grant.

Matching Funders and Community Partners

The latest Partners for Places grant recipients, matching funders and frontline community-led groups are:

• Boston, Mass. ($118,000): To support community outreach and planning to improve stormwater infrastructure on a flood-prone pedestrian pathway and transform vacant lot in East Boston into a vibrant agricultural and educational community center. Frontline community group: Eastie Farm. Matching funders: The Boston Foundation and Heinemann Foundation ($105,000).
• City and County of Boulder, Colo. ($150,000): To strengthen partnerships with local governments and center the experience, wisdom, and voices of frontline community members to foster collaboration and equitable climate action projects. Frontline community group: Community-Led Preparedness Training for Climate Emergencies (CPT). Matching funder: Philanthropiece Foundation ($170,000).
• Bridgeport, Conn. ($150,000): To empower an environmental justice community with education on climate change, enhancing informed decision-making and self-advocacy for residents. The Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs will coordinate collaboration along with the city’s sustainability manager. Frontline community group: PT Partners. Matching funders: Barr Foundation and William Caspar Graustein Foundation ($90,000).
• Oakland, Calif. ($150,000): To co-create a Rooted and Resilient Oakland Chinatown Plan, in collaboration with the city's Sustainability and Resilience Division, centering its frontline anchor community to advance strategies for climate/community resilience for generations to come. Frontline community groups: Asian Pacific Environmental Network and Friends of Lincoln Square Park. Matching funder: The California Endowment ($75,000).
• San Francisco, Calif. ($150,000): To promote environmental justice and build an ecologically sustainable and supportive community for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Latino/a/es in San Francisco’s Mission District. Frontline community group: Friendship House’s Village SF Initiative. Matching funder: Future Allies ($150,000).

Partners for Places FAQ's

→ Where is Partners for Places making an impact?

Read previous grant announcements and explore the Partners for Places Grantee Map here.

→ Where can I learn about completed Partners for Places projects?

Visit the Partners for Places Idea Bank to explore what grantees are doing, learning and sharing.

→ When is the next round of Partners for Places matching grants?

Partners for Places will open a new round of funding in winter 2025.

For more information about Partners for Places, please reach out to Ashley Quintana, ashley@fundersnetwork.org.

by Tere Figueras Negrete

How are TFN board members selected? Read our Board of Directors FAQ's

BY TFN STAFF

TFN members recently elected a new slate of candidates to serve on the network's Board of Directors. An engaged and active board that represents the depth and diversity of our membership is critical to our mission-driven work, which centers on cultivating courageous philanthropic leaders who are engaged, emboldened and equipped to bring about a just society.

Curious to learn more about how candidates for TFN's Board of Directors are selected and elected?

Below are some frequently asked questions about this process.

How many members are on the full TFN Board of Directors?

The 2024-2026 election brings the total number of board members to 15.

Who gets to vote in TFN Board of Directors elections?

TFN's Board of Directors met in January to approve the slate of candidates. TFN member organizations in good standing received electronic ballots to cast their votes, which were due in April. Each member organization is entitled to one vote, with electronic ballots sent to the primary contact listed on TFN's membership roster.

The board also elects its officers at the January meeting.

How are prospective board members identified and recruited?

The board’s Organizational Development Committee oversees the
nomination process for directors and officers. Their goal is to identify a strong pool of candidates, and ensure the overall board composition reflects a diversity of backgrounds and experiences.

TFN also strives to cultivate a board that is reflective of the types of grantmaking institutions that make up our membership, from institutions with national and regional reach to place-based community foundations.

Factors for consideration include a candidate's: ctors for consideration include a candidate's:

• Level of engagement and leadership across TFN, such as participation in the PLACES Fellowship, working groups, or other programs
• Availability and willingness to devote time to board duties
• Issue/content areas of expertise
• Race and ethnicity
• Sexual orientation and gender identity/expression
• Type and asset size of their grantmaking institution
• Geographic location
• Ability to exercise sound judgement

Candidates are selected based on their unique capabilities and perspectives that will enhance the board’s effectiveness as a governing body.

➡️More information about the nomination process and criteria is available in the Election Information Guide.

How can I volunteer for TFN leadership opportunities?

TFN offers a wealth of volunteer leadership opportunities that not only give you a chance to support TFN and our broader mission, but also expand your own professional networks. These opportunities include serving on our board, as well as designing learning sessions, event planning committees and programmatic steering and advisory committees. If you or a member of your team is looking to deepen your engagement with our community of funders and partners, don't hesitate to reach out to our team at membership@fundersnetwork.org.

by Tere Figueras Negrete

Call for Proposals: TFN's 25th Anniversary Conference

BY TFN STAFF

Do you have an idea for a conference session or workshop that will deepen learning, foster collaboration and catalyze action?

We invite you to submit a proposal for The Funders Network’s 25th Annual Conference: Be Bold Together, March 17-19, 2025 in Baltimore, Md.

Our 25th Anniversary Conference theme — Be Bold Together — emphasizes the need for courageous action and meaningful collaboration to correct injustices and deploy resources where they are most needed.

We look forward to coming together in Baltimore to delve into work that addresses the wellbeing of people and places facing an escalating climate crisis, erosion of civil liberties and pervasive economic inequities  —  all of which disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color.

→ Read our #TFN25 Conference Proposal Guidelines for more information on the types of sessions and workshops we're planning for Baltimore.

→ Submit your proposal through our Online Proposal Form.

→ Questions? Please reach out to Lesmarie Nicholson at lesmarie@fundersnetwork.org.

The deadline to submit is May 24

ABOUT #TFN25

We'll gather at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel, located on the city's scenic Inner Harbor.

Save the date for TFN's 25th Anniversary Conference, which takes place March 17-19 in Baltimore, Md.!

Registration will launch in the winter. Stay tuned for more details!

→ Curious about what we learned and shared at our last conference? Check out the full agenda and speaker list for TFN's 2023 Annual Conference in New Orleans here. 

GROUNDED IN RACIAL EQUITY

Funders at #TFN2023 had the chance to stop by the YEP (Youth Empowerment Project) Bike Works to learn how the non-profit is helping train and support local kids in the historically Black neighborhood of Center City.

Our conference planning committee and TFN team are encouraging session ideas that are interdisciplinary, cross-cutting and grounded in racial equity.

TFN’s Strategic & Racial Equity Frameworks share key strategies, our racial equity framework and action plan, and program priorities. Download a copy here.

by Tere Figueras Negrete

Be Bold. Be Courageous: Final thoughts on my last day at TFN

BY Pat Smith, President & CEO

How will I measure the more than five years I’ve been with The Funders Network?

In months? (67.)
In days? (2,020.)
By Zoom meetings? (Too many to count.)

However you do the math, the truth is my time with TFN can’t be quantified by any simple calculation.

And this network — its members and partners, its team of staff and contractors, its mission-driven work — is so much more than the sum of its parts.

As I wrap up my final day at TFN, I’m grateful for what we’ve accomplished together in the last five years: The network is a thriving and robust community of funders and allies that has grown — both in size, scope and resources — since I joined its ranks on July 2, 2018.

We’ve worked to explicitly center racial equity in all of our many programs and partnerships. We’ve created space for funders, both at in-person events and virtual learning sessions, to better understand and explore the connection between their specific funding areas and the systemic inequities that stand in the way of true progress. We’ve deepened our engagement with experts and advocates in the social sector to share opportunities for action and collaboration.

But I’m also humbled by the work that still needs to be done.

The Road Ahead

While TFN’s commitment to racial equity is foundational and cross-cutting, we can’t ignore that the values of diversity, equity and inclusion — the very tools needed to build a just and liberated future — are under assault.

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn affirmative action in higher education, as well as legal and political broadsides attacking DEI programs in classrooms and boardrooms, worries me deeply.

I encourage you, as funders and allies deeply committed to the communities you serve, to use your collective voices — and institutional resources — to double down on the need to embed racial equity in your grantmaking.

Philanthropic decisions should include the voices of the people and communities most affected by structural racism, including those on the front lines of the climate crisis and those facing increasingly steep barriers to economic opportunity and mobility.

TFN member organizations have the power to advocate for policy change, fund research, convene changemakers, and amplify the lived experiences of those most impacted by systemic harm.

Together, you have the power to advance intersectional solutions that can help undo decades of disinvestment and under-resourcing in Black, Indigenous and other communities of color.

This work is critical to TFN’s mission, which is to leverage philanthropy’s unique potential to help create communities and regions that are sustainable, prosperous, healthy and just for all people.

That’s why it is essential that we, as a network and as a sector, must foster generations of courageous philanthropic leaders who are engaged, emboldened and equipped to bring about a just society.

I am honored to pass the baton to my colleague, TFN’s incoming President & CEO Dion Cartwright, who has proven herself to be both bold and courageous. Since my first day at TFN more than five years ago, I’ve known Dion to be an advocate for change in the philanthropic sector and one of the driving forces behind TFN’s explicit commitment to racial equity.

Heartfelt Thanks

I’m grateful to Dion and the rest of TFN’s talented team for their dedication and camaraderie over the past five years, including the challenges and disruptions we all faced at the height of the pandemic.

I’m also grateful for the counsel, support and leadership of TFN’s Board of Directors and our funder-led steering committees — and the countless other funders and partners who have volunteered their time in service of our mission.

And while I’ve promised myself (and my partner, Elbert) that I’ll try to embrace a Zoom-free future in my retirement, please know that you can always find me  on LinkedIn.

I’m excited and hopeful to see what the future has in store for TFN.

Wishing you all a wonderful Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a joyful and just 2024.

Visits TFN Instagram to see some of our favorite memories of Pat's tenure. 

by Tere Figueras Negrete

What's in store for 2024? Check out TFN events, professional development for funders & more!

BY TFN Staff

As we approach the New Year, we wanted to take a moment to thank our community of funders, partners and allies.

TFN is a diverse network of more than 130 foundations across the U.S., from small, rural community organizations to large urban foundations.

Our members reflect a broad spectrum of place-based philanthropic efforts — working to tackle the climate crisis, expand economic opportunity, improve health outcomes, reimagine built environments, safeguard civil liberties, and forge community power and collaboration.

But we’re connected by a common thread that runs through all of TFN’s many working groups, partnerships and learning cohorts: Our commitment to addressing the systemic racial inequities that stand in the way of building a more just and compassionate world.

This work can be complex and often frustrating, especially when we reflect on the many ways communities are challenged and marginalized people are oppressed —  both at home and across the globe.

We hope this season offers a chance to connect with the people and places that bring joyful purpose to your work, and to reflect on the opportunities for change in the year to come.

TFN will be closed Dec. 25 to Jan. 2, but we're ready to kick off 2024 with events and programs designed to amplify your grantmaking impact, hone your professional skills and deepen your engagement with other leaders in the sector.

We'll also share insights and reflections as we move forward with TFN's leadership transition, bidding a fond farewell to our outgoing President & CEO Pat Smith and welcoming our colleague Dion Cartwright as she steps into her new role as head of the network.

If you're new to our community, we hope you'll take a moment to explore our work and learn about the benefits of joining TFN's membership.

Read on to learn more about just a few of the things we have in store for 2024!

We’re excited for our Spring Convening of funders engaged in TFN working groups focused on climate and sustainability, urban water issues, and transportation, mobility and access.

Newcomers are welcome! Any funder interested in these focus areas is invited to attend the convening, which takes place March 27-28 in Austin, Texas. Click here for registration rates, lodging and other info.

Applications for the 2024 PLACES Cohort are now open! TFN’s PLACES Fellowship is an eight-month learning journey designed to help grantmakers embed the values and practices of environmental, economic and racial justice into their work. The deadline to apply is Jan. 5, 2024. Learn more and access the application here.

More PLACES news: 

• Mark your calendars for a three-part leadership coaching series March 8, 15 and 22 from 1-2:30 p.m. ET/ 10-11:30 a.m. PT with Bina M. Patel, PLACES alum and facilitator, and author of Say The Quiet Part Out Loud: Liberate Your Inner Changemaker. Keep an eye out for registration info in early January.
• PLACES is launching a virtual commuity of practice for PLACES alums in executive positions. Participants will meet bi-monthly starting in February. Please fill out this interest form if you’d like to participate and we'll get back to you with next steps.
• Save the date for the 2024 PLACES Alum Gathering, Aug. 8-9 in Chicago!

TFN, in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), has openned the latest round of the Partners for Places grant program.

The deadline to submit proposals is Feb. 27.

This matching grant program improves communities by supporting equitable sustainability projects that build partnerships between local government leaders, frontline community groups and place-based funders in the U.S. and Canada.

Learn more about the latest grant opportunity and application requirements.

More Partners for Places resources:

- Register for our Round 21 Informational Webinar designed to help potential applicants prepare proposals, Jan. 17 at 3 p.m. ET.

- Learn about Partners for Places grantmaking impact in 2023.

Smart Growth California’s Funder Summit takes place March 4-6 in Sacramento. The Summit is where California-focused funders share, learn and collaborate on work that advances a common vision – creating sustainable, equitable communities across California’s diverse landscape. Register here.

More Smart Growth California events:

- Smart Growth California's LA Funders' Collaborative meets Jan. 26, and the Climate Funders' Collaborative (Baja, Imperial, San Diego) meets Jan. 29. Reach out to Ron Milam for more information.

Coming soon!

Stay tuned for the premiere of Reel Change: A TFN Virtual Film Series — our first ever virtual film series showcasing documentaries and short films focused on racial, social and environmental justice.

The series kicks off in 2024 and will include virtual conversations with filmmakers, activists and funders focused on storytelling and narrative change.

Don't forget to sign up for TFN's Member Portal!

This password-protected, member-only portal is designed to support collaboration, deepen understanding and spark connections within our network and beyond.

Our peer-to-peer platform will allow TFN members to access a searchable database of funders and learning resources and recordings. You'll also be able to update your individual TFN profile and engage with our working groups.

How do you access TFN's Member Portal? Just fill out our simple sign-up form. You'll then receive a welcome email with your username and login instructions.

We look forward to staying connected in 2024!

"Holiday background with a sparkler" by wuestenigel is licensed under CC BY

by Tere Figueras Negrete

Want to increase your grantmaking impact and revitalize local news flows? Consider funding local media collaboratives

by Tere Figueras Negrete

New Grant Opportunities: Partners for Places Applications Now Open!

BY TFN Staff

The Funders Network (TFN), in partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), is pleased to announce the opening of the latest round of the Partners for Places grant program.

The deadline to submit proposals is Feb. 27.

The  Partners for Places  matching grant program improves communities by supporting equitable sustainability projects that build partnerships between local government leaders, frontline community groups and place-based funders in the U.S. and Canada.

National funders invest in local projects developed through these partnerships to promote a healthy environment, a strong economy and well-being for all residents.

Through these investments, Partners for Places fosters long-term relationships that make our communities more resilient, prosperous and equitable.

These matching awards provide partnership investments between $45,000 and $150,000 for one-year projects, or between $75,000 and $180,000 for two-year projects. One or more local foundations are required to provide at least a 50 percent matching grant for projects.

Interested in applying? 

Access the application and resource documents below. (These resources are also available on our Partners for Places home page.)

Round 21 Application and Resources

• Invitation to Apply
• Application Form 
• Budget Form
• Informational Webinar | 3 p.m. ET Jan. 17: Register here.

Partners for Places funds will help Chelsea, Mass. turn the Mill Creek waterfront into a vibrant and accessible area for passive and active recreation. Source: GreenRoots

About Partners for Places

Partners for Places is led by TFN in partnership with the USDN.

To date, Partners for Places has awarded $10.9 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to more than $21.6 million in investments.

The matching grant program brings national funder investors together with place-based funders to support equitable and sustainable climate action and green stormwater infrastructure projects. The program is currently supported by four investor foundations: The JPB Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, The Kresge Foundation, and the Pisces Foundation.

Read about the latest round of Partners for Places matching grant recipients here.

(All grant announcements can be found on the Partners for Places webpage.)

Read about previous rounds of grants under the Meet the Grantees section of the Partners for Places page.

Submitting a Successful Proposal

Round 21 general grant funds will support:

1. Spreading of local Equitable Climate Action (ECA) and/or Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) practices.
2. Advancing opportunities for local government, frontline communities, and place-based funders to build trusting partnerships and develop projects together.

The application deadline for Round 21 is Feb. 27 (by 11:59 p.m., any time zone).

Please visit the Partners for Places webpage for more information.

Hough community members gathered in Cuyahoga County to share their thoughts on plans to turn the site of a former primary school into a 2.6-acre park. Credit: Western Reserve Land Conservancy

Additional Resources

→ Register for our Round 21 Informational Webinar designed to help potential applicants prepare proposals, Jan. 17 at 3 p.m.ET. Register here.

→ Read this feature story about Partners for Places in Inside Philanthropy here.

→  If you have questions about the Partners for Places program, please feel free to reach out to Ashley Quintana at ashley@fundersnetwork.org.

→ Where is Partners for Places making an impact? Read previous grant announcements and explore the Partners for Places Grantee Map here.

→ Where can I learn about completed Partners for Places projects?
Visit the Partners for Places Idea Bank to explore what grantees are doing, learning and sharing.

by Tere Figueras Negrete

From PLACES Fellow to President & CEO: Dion Cartwright tapped to lead The Funders Network

BY Don Hickman, Chair, TFN Board of Directors

When TFN President and CEO Pat Smith announced her retirement this summer, we began the daunting but admittedly exciting work of finding a successor – one with the vision, values and strategic dexterity needed to lead our network of changemakers committed to environmental, economic and racial justice.

It turns out we didn’t have to look very far.

I’m thrilled to announce that Dion Cartwright – TFN’s senior director of equity initiatives and leadership development and head of our PLACES Fellowship program – will be the next president and CEO of TFN.

Dion brings to her new role more than two decades of experience in the social sector and a passion for centering marginalized and underserved communities.

She also offers a singular perspective as the soon-to-be leader of this incredible network: A former program officer for the Baltimore Community Foundation, Dion is herself a PLACES Alum who went on to serve as chair of the Fellowship’s Advisory Board before joining TFN’s team full time in 2016.

Her trajectory – from funder and PLACES Fellow to TFN president and CEO – embodies TFN’s vision to cultivate courageous philanthropic leaders who are engaged, emboldened and equipped to bring about a just society.

“As both a PLACES Alum and a member of TFN’s leadership team, I’ve witnessed the tremendous progress we’ve made in advocating for community-led solutions and equity-focused actions that address an escalating climate crisis, widening wealth gap and other issues critical to our collective wellbeing,” said Dion.

“The growth I’ve seen is amazing, and the opportunities I see ahead are inspiring," she said. "I am truly honored to lead TFN as we work to create a political home for philanthropic leadership that is boldly and unapologetically committed to advancing racial equity, inclusion and justice."

Passing the Baton   

Dion will take on her new role in January, following Pat’s official retirement. We are grateful for Pat’s service to TFN over the past five years, a tenure that included helping the network and its staff weather the most challenging period of the COVID pandemic. Under her leadership, TFN also established a new strategic framework and its first racial equity action plan, ensuring TFN remains a thriving and sustainable organization with an explicit, foundational and cross-cutting approach to addressing systemic racism and its impact on the people and places we serve.

Pat is quick to note that Dion played a key role in guiding the creation of TFN’s racial equity framework, and has been instrumental in supporting a culture of accountability and transparency as we work to implement those goals.

“I’m extraordinarily excited about the next chapter for TFN under Dion’s leadership,” said Pat, who announced her planned retirement in June. “It’s been a pleasure having the opportunity to work with Dion, and I’ve benefitted from her counsel on both a personal and professional level. I’m confident she is the right person to help guide TFN toward the future.”

Shortly after Pat shared her retirement plans with the board, we hired an executive search firm to launch a national recruitment effort that resulted in dozens of highly qualified and deeply passionate candidates from across the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.

I’d like to acknowledge my fellow TFN board members for their hard work and diligence during this process, including the board’s selection committee members.

TFN’s Board of Directors has created a transition task force that will work closely with Pat, Dion and the rest of the network’s leadership team to ensure a seamless changeover and the continued momentum of the PLACES Fellowship and Alumni Network. While we do not have immediate plans regarding who will replace Dion as head of the PLACES program, Talissa Lahaliyed, TFN’s equity programs manager, will serve as point person for PLACES during the transition period.

Power of PLACES 

The PLACES Fellowship is one of TFN’s most significant efforts to foster leadership in the philanthropic sector.

Established nearly 15 years ago, PLACES – which stands for Professionals Learning About Community, Equity and Sustainability – is designed to give grantmakers the tools and resources to understand, challenge and change systemic inequities.

More than 180 PLACES Fellows have completed this rigorous program over the years. PLACES Alums hail from all corners of the United States and Canada and represent national, regional and community foundations, intermediaries, and philanthropy serving organizations.

Their impact can be seen within their own institutions and across the broader philanthropic sector. PLACES Alums have also contributed to an impressive leadership pipeline within TFN, lending their talents and expertise to our working groups, steering committees and TFN’s Board of Directors, where they currently occupy five of 13 board seats.

“PLACES was created to help funders work through the systematic challenges of creating meaningful change for underserved and left-behind communities,” said Sheena Solomon, executive director of The Gifford Foundation and vice chair of TFN’s Board of Directors. “Through Dion’s leadership the program has become a true demonstration of what racial equity work can look like in the sector.”

A PLACES Alum and chair of the PLACES Advisory Board, Sheena also chaired the board’s leadership selection committee.

“Dion’s new role is an affirmation of her impressive skills as well as TFN’s investment in her and the PLACES program,” said Sheena. “This work requires a deep level of hope and enthusiasm for the future of philanthropy. Dion carries those qualities with her everywhere she goes and there is no one better to continue inspiring them in others.”

Leadership Journey 

Dion found her calling to lead at an early age, starting with the youth ministry at her church in Lynchburg, Va., where her late grandfather was pastor. She also honed her skills on the basketball court, playing forward and center in local sports leagues and eventually volunteering as a youth basketball coach in the Amateur Athletic Union.

A student-athlete at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina, where she studied computer science and business administration, Dion worked for the Baltimore Community Foundation’s Community Investment team for 15 years before joining TFN. In 2015, Dion was named one of the Daily Record’s Leading Women Under 40. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy and on the United Philanthropy Forum’s Racial Equity Committee. She previously served as the inaugural board chair of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund, a nonprofit organization created to support Baltimore’s youth, following the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody.

She’ll continue to be based in Baltimore, which coincidentally is the site of TFN’s 2025 Annual Conference. As a reminder, we decided not to hold our Annual Conference in 2024 in order to foster a smooth and productive transition for TFN’s incoming president and CEO.

But there will be ample opportunities to connect with Dion and the rest of TFN’s team – both virtually and in person – in the coming year, including the Smart Growth California Funder Summit in Sacramento and the joint Spring Convening of our GREEN, Urban Water and Mobility & Access Collaborative funders in Austin.

“I’ve been blessed to work alongside such a talented group of individuals at TFN for so many years,” said Dion. “And I look forward to supporting a culture of shared collaboration, growth and learning as we chart a new path forward, together.”

On behalf of TFN’s community, please join me in congratulating Dion as she takes on this new challenge.

About the Author

Don Hickman is chair of TFN's Board of Directors. He is vice president for community and workforce development at the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls, Minn.

TFN Leadership Transition: Resources & Further Reading

Moving Forward, With Gratitude | A Message from TFN President & CEO Pat Smith

Building Equity & Igniting Action | TFN’s Strategic and Racial Equity Frameworks

PLACES X: Stories of Impact – Dion Cartwright | PLACES 10th Anniversary (Access the full multimedia PLACES X archive here.)

TFN President & CEO: Position Details and Desired Qualifications | McCormack + Kristel

➡ Become a TFN Member! | Learn More About Membership Benefits & Eligibility

by Tere Figueras Negrete