A Milestone Year: 20th Anniversary Impact Report

This year marks GreenLight Fund’s 20th Anniversary, a milestone celebrating two decades of community-driven change, innovation, and partnership across the country. What began in Boston in 2004 as a “what if” has grown into something much bigger, taking root in communities, amplifying local voices, and ensuring that unmet needs are met with meaningful solutions.  Reflecting on our first 20 years…

• During our first year, as our first portfolio organization investment, Friends of the Children-Boston, got started, they reached 16 children and families. 
• Revisiting our 5th Anniversary Report: a time before we reached communities nationwide, expanded our focus areas, and saw the ripple effects of our work, we reached 10,512 children and families. 
• Fast forward to this past year, and the growth has been exponential, with GreenLight portfolio organizations reaching more than 1.3 million individuals and families across 14 cities.

Each year, we report on measurable results from across the network. This year’s Impact Report features data from July 2024-June 2025, showcasing not only the scale of our reach but also the depth of our impact. Our 63 portfolio organization investments highlighted in this report were selected through our collaborative, annual process for their proven ability to meet unmet community needs with measurable results. 

For each of our portfolio organizations, we highlight a specific outcome, a measurable way participants have benefitted. Some examples include:

• In four ParentChild+ sites, 90% of children are kindergarten ready.
• Families in Kansas City accessed $3.8 million in SNAP benefits through mRelief. 
• Classrooms in Charlotte and Atlanta using Inner Explorer saw referrals fall by 50%. 

The report also captures the kind of impact that can’t be measured in numbers alone, featuring stories of real participants whose lives changed with one decision, one program, one opportunity. People like Stephen Pina, who was exonerated after decades of being wrongfully imprisoned, rebuilt his life and found support from The Fountain Fund, which helped him repair his car so he could continue his reentry advocacy. Or a young student struggling with reading, whose father gained confidence to support her through Springboard Collaborative workshops.

Across the network, more than 1.3 million people experienced meaningful change over the past year, each with their own story of opportunity and growth. Dive deeper into the 2024-25 Impact Report to discover what’s possible when communities have access to the resources they deserve.