Detroit

Driving innovative change for inclusive prosperity

An image of a young child and mother in a classroom reading a book, representing Springboard Collaborative.

Overview

Ready to build on community strengths and steer towards new possibilities

The Motor City, birthplace of the auto industry, helped shape the country’s middle class. Today, Detroit’s strength lies in the power of its entrepreneurship, collaboration, and civic engagement. Still, many residents, often due to economic and racial inequities, face barriers to quality education, housing, healthcare and employment opportunities. 

 

That’s where GreenLight comes in. Through our community-driven process, we bring together diverse leaders and advocates to launch effective programs locally and drive meaningful change. 



Portfolio

Investing in proven organizations to bring to Detroit to address community-identified needs

We identify, invite in and launch evidence-based organizations, providing support so they quickly become embedded in the community and deliver measurable change.

See All Organizations

Bottom Line logo.
The Springboard Collaborative logo in blue block letters with the I shaped as a green spring with a green circle bouncing off.
The New Teacher Center Logo with orange, purple, and tan block letters and three interlocking illustrations of faces.
A circular green CEO logo.

Making an Impact in Detroit

20,186

individuals and families reached in 2023-24

$6.8M

leveraged dollars raised by portfolio organizations

Through a community-centered process, GreenLight Fund identifies unmet needs and invites in proven programs to address them.

An image of a student sitting at their desk with a teacher sitting next to them working on a worksheet with a pencil in hand inside the classroom, representing New Teacher Center.
In Detroit
86%

of new teachers report their New Teacher Center mentors positively influenced their teaching practice

Read Teacher Feedback

An image of CEO participants wearing construction vests and hard hats, gathered together in front of a body of water with nature in the background.
In Detroit
74%

of program participants remain employed one year after graduating from a CEO transitional work crew to permanent employment

Read Ronnie's Story

Detroit Team & Partners

GreenLight Detroit is made up of a diverse group of changemakers from across the community, working together for positive impact.

Bottom Line

Bottom Line

Center for Employment Opportunities

Center for Employment Opportunities

New Teacher Center

New Teacher Center

Springboard Collaborative

Springboard Collaborative

Delivering measurable results in Detroit

We invest multiyear funding along with on-the-ground support to ensure portfolio organizations quickly take root in the local community and are positioned for growth, measurable impact and sustainability. We are proud to highlight the work, results and meaningful stories of our portfolio organizations locally.

Read our latest Impact Report

Detroit
An image of a young child and mother in a classroom reading a book, representing Springboard Collaborative.

Springboard Collaborative is closing the literacy gap for students with 82% reaching or exceeding their grade level in reading

Detroit
An image of a student sitting at their desk with a teacher sitting next to them working on a worksheet with a pencil in hand inside the classroom, representing New Teacher Center.

287 teachers involved in the New Teacher Center program in DPSCD has a positive impact for more than 21,000 students

Detroit
An image of CEO participants wearing construction vests and hard hats, gathered together in front of a body of water with nature in the background.

CEO is supporting participants on their journey toward personal growth and professional success with 74% one-year employment retention rate

Making an Impact in Detroit

20,186

individuals and families reached in 2023-24

$6.8M

leveraged dollars raised by portfolio organizations

Team

Jasahn Larsosa
A headshot of Jasahn Larsosa with a nature background.

Jasahn Larsosa

Executive Director, GreenLight Detroit

Renard “Boom” Wilson
A headshot of Boom Wilson with a nature background.

Renard “Boom” Wilson

Program Manager, GreenLight Detroit

Advisory Council

Tonya Adair

United Way for Southeastern Michigan

Commissioner Chair Alisha Bell

Wayne County

Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison

City of Detroit

Kenyetta Campbell

Cody Rouge Community Alliance

Ian Conyers

Amazon

Dessa Cosma

Detroit Disability Power

Brian Demkowicz

Huron Capital Partners

Josh Dobrowitsky

Strong Force Design

Ivy Ellington

GreenLight Fund Detroit Youth Advisor

Ryan Friedrichs

Related Companies

Sherry Gay-Dagnogo

Detroit Public School District

Ralph Godbee

Triumph

Stephen Grady Muhammad

Detroit Rescue Mission

Lina Harajli

ACCESS

Wytrice Harris

Detroit Regional Chamber (Detroit Promise)

Adam Hollier

Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency

Ashley Johnson

Kresge Foundation

Kofi Kenyatta

Kenyatta Consulting

Will Love

Ernst & Young

Theresa Mitchell

Community Builders Inc

Kiona Rousell

AAPTIV

Marcy Ryan-Hooker

GM Financial

Helda Saad

First Independence Bank

Senator Sylvia Santana

State Senate

Council President Mary Sheffield

City of Detroit

Dell Stubblefield

GreenLight Fund Detroit Senior Advisor

Erika Swilley

Detroit Pistons

Punita Thurman

The Skillman Foundation

Dontae Tucker

The Siegfried Group

Ashley Williams Clark

Detroit Future City

Silvan “Sco” Wright

GreenLight Fund Detroit Youth Advisor

Fund II Investors

American Axle Manufacturing

Anonymous

aptiv foundation logo with red circles on either side of the text.

Lizabeth Ardisana

bain capital logo with a blue box with red and light blue shapes interlocking inside.

Jim and Carolyn Bellinson

Bridgewater interiors logo with a thick blue line separating Bridgewater and interiors with a thin light blue swirling line inside.
CAAP Logo with three blocks with white star patterns inside extending from the left of the text.
Children's Foundation Logo with a green v and blue circle on top.

Kevin and Jeanine Clark

Matthew and Karen Cullen Family Foundation

Brian and Connie Demkowicz

Detroit Future City logo with the last T in Detroit extending down the length of the logo.

Walter E Douglas, Sr.

DTE Foundation logo with DTE in blue.
EY Logo with a yellow upward increasing stripe to the top right corner.
First independence bank logo with F and I to the left of the text in blue and red striped patterns.
Flagstar Foundation logo with two red waves below.
Ford Logo.
ford foundation logo with varying colored and thickness circles arranged next to each other in a circle.

Eric Fornell

gentherm logo with orange and purple lines shaped into a globe to the left of the text.

Carol and Tom Goss

Pat Greene

Neil and Annmarie Hawkins

Hudson Webber Foundation logo in grey with a thick grey line underneath.
The letter S in script inside a blue outlined circle.
Jabil logo with a green triangle coming out of the A.

Hans-Werner and Anke Kaas

Bill and Melissa Kozyra

kresge foundation logo in grey.
Detroit lions logo with blue lion icon outline in black and Lions below.

Fred and Michelle Minturn

Rishi Moudgil

MSX international logo with the m placed in a red circle.

The Paulateer Family

Detroit pistons logo with a circular shaped red basketball with a blue outline and white Detroit pistons in the middle.
PwC logo with orange, yellow, and pink graphics to the right overlapping one another.

Derron and Selam Sanders

MacKenzie Scott

John and Susan Simon

Matthew and Mona Simoncini

Skillman Foundation Logo with the top of a red rose extending out of a green box.

Shannon Smith

The Song Foundation

The Stebbins Family Foundation

Strategic Community partners logo with grey and green shapes arranged to the left in arrow patterns.

Alice Thompson

UWSEM Logo with circular logo with blue hand below an orange stick person and yellow sun rays.

Rick and Kathy Wagoner

walker miller logo with a hazy purple dot over the w and a purple oval separating walker and miller.

Monica Wheat

Ken Whipple

Founding Investors

aptiv foundation logo with red circles on either side of the text.

Lizabeth Ardisana

The Bank of America Logo with red and blue stripes positioned in a diamond shape over the text.
Children's Foundation Logo with green V attached to a blue circle.
Cooper standard logo with blue C and yellow S intertwined above.

The Brian and Connie Demkowicz Charitable Trust

Detroit Medical Center Logo in blue with DMC above blue line.
DTE Energy Logo with head illustration attached to a blue sun below.
ford foundation logo with varying colored and thickness circles arranged next to each other in a circle.

Eric Fornell

The Pat Greene Family Foundation

kresge foundation logo.
lear corporation logo with red circle with L cut out.
mcgregor fund logo in green.
msx international logo with msx in red letters and grey staggered stripes arranged in a cross formation.

Lisa A. Payne Family Fund

John and Susan Simon

Skillman Foundation Logo with the top of a red rose extending out of a green box.
strategic staffing solutions logo in green with large S to the left.
UWSEM Logo with circular logo with blue hand below an orange stick person and yellow sun rays.

Rick and Kathy Wagoner

Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation Logo with RW in a blue box.

Type

GreenLight Fund Detroit green lights Bottom Line
Bottom Line students gathered together wearing Bottom Line t shirts.

Announcement, Press Release

GreenLight Fund Detroit green lights Bottom Line

Oct 28, 2024

Detroit

GreenLight Fund Names Ali Knight as Chief Executive Officer
A headshot of Ali Knight with a window in the background.

Announcement, News, Press Release

GreenLight Fund Names Ali Knight as Chief Executive Officer

Apr 16, 2024

GreenLight Fund Announces Detroit Executive Director
A headshot of Jasahn Larsosa with a nature background.

Announcement, Press Release

GreenLight Fund Announces Detroit Executive Director

Nov 7, 2023

Detroit

GreenLight Fund Annual Impact Report July 2022 – June 2023
The cover photo of the annual impact report with a young woman wearing a yellow sweater standing outside with her arms crossed.

Insights

GreenLight Fund Annual Impact Report July 2022 – June 2023

Oct 20, 2023

Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Greater Newark, Kansas City, National, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Twin Cities

GreenLight Fund Raises Second Detroit Fund To Extend Coalition’s Social Impact

Announcement, News, Press Release

GreenLight Fund Raises Second Detroit Fund To Extend Coalition’s Social Impact

Jun 22, 2022

Detroit

Highlights of Our Work in Detroit

Insights, News

Highlights of Our Work in Detroit

Jun 15, 2022

Detroit

GreenLight Partners Come Together for SHIFT Series

Insights, News

GreenLight Partners Come Together for SHIFT Series

Feb 10, 2022

Detroit

2021 SHIFT Series Hosts Virtual Speakers

Announcement, News

2021 SHIFT Series Hosts Virtual Speakers

Sep 19, 2021

Detroit

Join our work in Detroit

We rely on champions and supporters who believe in the power and potential of community-driven change.