Matching the Greatest Need With the Greatest Opportunity

We facilitate a five-step, community-centered process designed to match the unmet needs local individuals and families identify as barriers to prosperity with proven organizations. In each of our locations, we partner with a Selection Advisory Council (SAC) made up of local leaders, residents and experts. Every year, we prioritize a pressing need and select an organization with a track record of success addressing that need elsewhere in the country. We invite them into the community and provide collaborative support so they quickly take root and deliver change.
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A blue illustration of a thought bubble with a map of the United States inside it and a magnifying glass intersecting the bubble, representing our search process.
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  1. 1

    We Discover

    Through hundreds of community conversations, we elevate and prioritize unmet needs often resulting from racial and economic disparities where an innovative program could make a significant difference locally.

  1. 1

    We Discover

    Through hundreds of community conversations, we elevate and prioritize unmet needs often resulting from racial and economic disparities where an innovative program could make a significant difference locally.

  2. 2

    We Scout

    Our local team searches the country and deeply vets evidence-based programs best suited to effectively tackle the identified unmet needs locally.

  3. 3

    We Select

    In partnership with the Selection Advisory Council, we select an innovative program with significant, measurable results and the best local fit.

  4. 4

    We Invest

    We help the selected organization reach and sustain impact locally with multiyear unrestricted funding, on-the-ground support and strategic partnership development.

  5. 5

    We Measure

    With each portfolio organization, we identify and set multiyear programmatic and financial targets and provide support to reach those targets. We report on those measures annually.

A green illustration of three people graphics sitting at a table with a thought bubble overhead.
A blue illustration of a thought bubble with a map of the United States inside it and a magnifying glass intersecting the bubble, representing our search process.
A purple illustration of three people graphics sitting at a table with a thought bubble overhead with a house inside.
An image of a green open hand with leaves above it, representing need.
A blue illustration of increasing in slope blocks stacked next to each other with an increasing line overhead, representing impact.

What Our Community is Saying

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“GreenLight’s innovative approach toward scaling what works is one of the keys to unlocking opportunity for so many. My partners and I are proud to support this critical mission.”

A headshot of John Connaughton with a blurred city skyline in the background.

John Connaughton

Co-Managing Partner, Bain Capital

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