Announcement, News, Press Release

GreenLight Fund Announces Multi-year Million Dollar Commitment from Deloitte

Oct 20, 2021

National

Strategic Sponsorship to Leverage Capabilities, Deepen Impact and Expand Reach Nationally

Boston – October 20, 2021 – The GreenLight Fund and Deloitte today announced a strategic national sponsorship bolstering GreenLight’s work in local communities to help address persistent barriers to economic opportunity and create more equitable prosperity for residents. Deloitte, one of the largest professional services organizations, will provide GreenLight with multi-year financial and pro bono support for GreenLight and its portfolio organizations. Deloitte’s total commitment is valued at more than $1 million over the next four years.

“Deloitte is thrilled to be announced as a GreenLight Fund national sponsor. We’re excited to work with GreenLight to help address the most pressing social issues facing our communities. Having supported GreenLight locally in Boston and other cities, we’ve seen first-hand the impact that their innovative, place-based model can have on the local community. We’re honored to sponsor their organization at the national level, and continue supporting John, Margaret, and the team’s vision of future growth,” shared Alicia Rose, Deputy CEO, Deloitte US.

GreenLight engages with community leaders and residents to identify unmet needs that if addressed could make a significant difference in the lives of residents facing systemic barriers to economic opportunity. The organization identifies innovative models from across the country with measurable results that address those needs, and, after a thorough due diligence process, selects a proven program that is the best fit for the city. This community-driven, collaborative approach is repeated each year in each GreenLight city in a process which ensures that one pressing issue is tackled annually in each location. To ensure long-term sustainability and local success, GreenLight facilitates corporate partnerships and sponsorships, provides start-up capital and hands-on support, and regularly assesses progress against targets.

With this national sponsorship, GreenLight sites, now in ten cities and growing, can collaborate with local Deloitte support. Monitor Institute by Deloitte recently delivered a strategic pro bono project, helping GreenLight develop its strategic roadmap and implementation plan for future growth. GreenLight’s portfolio organizations will also have the opportunity to engage with Deloitte professionals on strategic skills-based volunteerism initiatives. Deloitte volunteer teams have already made a significant impact by working with Everyone On in the San Francisco Bay Area on fundraising strategy and Springboard Collaborative in Philadelphia on a data and technology strategy plan – just to cite a couple of the many collaborative examples.

“This national sponsorship is a strategic milestone for GreenLight as we continue to make real progress on dismantling deep-rooted racial and economic disparities with innovative programs that are rooted at the local level,” said John Simon, GreenLight Co-founder and Board Chair. “We are so thankful for Deloitte’s support, which will help GreenLight expand our model to new cities AND help us deepen our impact in all of our existing cities.”

Since launching in Boston in 2004, GreenLight has expanded its network to nine other cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Twin Cities, with several other additional cities planned over the next few years as individuals reached by the programs the organization brings to communities continues to grow.

In the 12-month period ending in June 2021, GreenLight’s 37 portfolio organizations reached more than 384,000 children and families with innovative programs addressing issues which all too often stem from longstanding racial inequities including early childhood literacy, college access and persistence, community safety, teacher effectiveness, poor health outcomes, the digital divide, family economic mobility, food insecurity and youth aging out of foster care.

“As we continue to build a national network of sites and work closely with communities towards much needed change, we are grateful for Deloitte’s support. Their capabilities will help strengthen GreenLight and our portfolio organizations, deepening our ability to break down barriers and create opportunities for all children and families to thrive,” added Margaret Hall, GreenLight Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Deloitte brings a unique set of skills and capabilities to GreenLight as the organization joins a growing list of the organization’s national donors including Bain Capital, Bank of America, and iHeartMedia Inc., as well as a deep roster of local donors, for example Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, US Bank in the Twin Cities, T Rowe Price in Baltimore, Okta in the Bay Area, and Aptiv and Ford Motor Company in Detroit. To date, GreenLight has invested more than $26 million in local organizations in 10 cities across its network, and leveraged an additional $165 million in other contributions.