Donate Search Close Search Menu Close Menu Our LocationsExpand About SubmenuWe actively engage with local communities to identify needs not being met and invite in best-in-class nonprofits uniquely suited to address them. See our portfolio of investments Find GreenLight in Your City Atlanta Baltimore Boston Charlotte Chicago Cincinnati Denver Detroit Greater Newark Miami Kansas City Philadelphia San Francisco Bay Area Twin Cities Our Approach Our ImpactExpand About Submenu Annual Impact Report Stories of Impact 20 Years of Change About UsExpand About Submenu Our Team Our Board National Investors Our Values Centering Racial Equity Our Portfolio News + Insights Careers Get In Touch Donate Search Search Close Our Portfolio News + Insights Careers Get In Touch Our LocationsWe actively engage with local communities to identify needs not being met and invite in best-in-class nonprofits uniquely suited to address them. See our portfolio of investments Find GreenLight in Your CityAtlantaBaltimoreBostonCharlotteChicagoCincinnatiDenverDetroitGreater NewarkMiamiKansas CityPhiladelphiaSan Francisco Bay AreaTwin CitiesOur ApproachOur ImpactAnnual Impact ReportStories of Impact20 Years of ChangeAbout UsOur TeamOur BoardNational InvestorsOur ValuesCentering Racial Equity Donate Search Close Charlotte Scaling innovation to advance economic mobility and racial equity CLT Portfolio Organizations Impact Team & Advisors Investors News & Insights Get In Touch Overview A community that moves forward together When ranked last among the 50 largest US cities for upward mobility, Charlotte created the Opportunity Task Force Report to address the history of racial and economic segregation that has deepened the opportunity gap. Despite progress toward a more inclusive community, many long standing barriers remain, exacerbating the divide in Charlotte. This is where GreenLight comes in. We facilitate our community-driven process to match the most pressing needs in Charlotte with the country’s best social innovations. Portfolio Investing in proven organizations to bring to Charlotte 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 Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte Making an Impact in Charlotte 18,479 individuals and families reached in 2023-24 $2.1M invested in portfolio organizations to date $8.1M additional leveraged dollars raised by portfolio organizations In Charlotte 90% of families enrolled in ParentChild+ improved in demonstrating school readiness Read Austin's Story In Charlotte 14% increase in CEO participants’ average job placement wage from 2021 to 2022. Jalisa shares her second chance story. Read the Story In Charlotte 3,234 key individuals engaged Read the Story Charlotte Team & Partners Team & Advisors Investors What Our Community is Saying “GreenLight provides a unique model for investing in innovative and sustainable solutions that address the conditions and systems that hinder economic mobility. Through their support in Charlotte we have seen outsized and measurable impact in our community.” Terik Tidwell Board Chair, Foundation for Black Philanthropy “GreenLight’s approach to addressing community-identified needs with the best programs in the country has brought an impressive group of organizations to Charlotte helping to increase economic mobility. With continued execution, GreenLight is poised to make a significant community impact.” Deborah Majewski Senior Program Officer, Human Services, The Leon Levine Foundation “GreenLight is able to key-in on the most significant issues in our community, identify innovative resources and engage partners that result in impactful outcomes. GreenLight is truly making a difference in the quality of life in the Charlotte community.” Howard S. Olshansky Executive Director, Jewish Family Services “The GreenLight Fund’s understanding of our local landscape, ability to assess our most pressing challenges and find the most appropriate, scalable solution for our context makes it a unique and necessary part of our community’s progress.” Frederico Rios Senior Vice President, Robinson Center for Civic Leadership, Foundation For The Carolinas Alternatives to Violence Alternatives to Violence Center for Employment Opportunities Center for Employment Opportunities Inner Explorer Inner Explorer ParentChild+ ParentChild+ Delivering measurable results in Charlotte 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 Charlotte With demonstrated impact, ATV plans expansion to two additional corridors to increase community safety across Charlotte. Charlotte CEO Charlotte has paid $306,000 in transitional work crew wages, providing immediate employment to people formerly incarcerated. Charlotte ParentChild+ is closing the achievement gap with 90% of enrolled families improving in demonstrating school readiness. Making an Impact in Charlotte 18,479 individuals and families reached in 2023-24 $2.1M invested in portfolio organizations to date $8.1M additional leveraged dollars raised by portfolio organizations Team Ashley Gibbons Ashley Gibbons Program Associate, GreenLight Charlotte Sam Smith, Jr. Sam Smith, Jr. Executive Director, GreenLight Charlotte Advisory Council Reginald Bean Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated Enovia Bedford Carolinas Small Business Development Fund Gemini Boyd Project BOLT Steve Bradway Enterprise Holdings Chris Byron Strategic Staffing Solutions Dena Diorio Mecklenburg County Bobby Drakeford The Drakeford Company Damiko Faulkner Community Leader Sil Ganzo ourBRIDGE for KIDS Jess George Google Fiber Jada Grandy-Mock Fifth Third Bank Lise Hain Community Leader LaTarzja Henry Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Kristin Hills Bradberry Community Leader Chris Jackson Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont Dominique Johnson Duke Energy Stephanie Kripa Cooper-Lewter Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust Deborah Majewski Leon Levine Foundation Wendy Mateo Crossways Consulting Linda Mendez Community Leader Howard Olshansky Jewish Family Services Pen Peery First Presbyterian Charlotte Anne Perper Perper Family Foundation Jack Purcell Ridgemont Equity Partners Phillip Redmond The Duke Endowment Terik Tidwell Foundation For Black Philanthropy Pamela Wideman City of Charlotte Founding Investors Anonymous Family Tim and Sarah Belk Doug and Laura Bollermann Steve and Athena Bradway Porter and Vicki Durham Rob and Leigh Edwards Lise and Travis Hain Cammie and Barnes Hauptfuhrer Jane and Tommy Hunter Kathy and Charlie Izard David Jones Howard R. Levine Foundation Fund – Howard and Julie Levine George McClendon and Carol Quillen Anne and Scott Perper Walker and Anne Poole Jack Purcell Drew and Beth Quartapella Sally and Russell Robinson Kevin and Peggy Roche Matt and Jeannie Salisbury Liz and Walker Simmons John and Susan Simon David and Barbara Singer Type Alternatives to Violence Charlotte: A Model for Community-Led Safety and Support Play Video 20 Stories of Change Alternatives to Violence Charlotte: A Model for Community-Led Safety and Support May 27, 2025 Charlotte More US schools are taking breaks for meditation. Teachers say it helps students’ mental health Media Mention Associated Press More US schools are taking breaks for meditation. Teachers say it helps students’ mental health Aug 5, 2024 Atlanta, Charlotte, National GreenLight Fund Names Ali Knight as Chief Executive Officer Announcement, News, Press Release GreenLight Fund Names Ali Knight as Chief Executive Officer Apr 16, 2024 Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Greater Newark, Kansas City, National, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Twin Cities GreenLight Fund Annual Impact Report July 2022 – June 2023 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 Brings Inner Explorer to Charlotte to Improve Youth Mental Well-being Announcement, Press Release GreenLight Fund Brings Inner Explorer to Charlotte to Improve Youth Mental Well-being Sep 7, 2023 Charlotte GreenLight Announces Charlotte Executive Director Announcement, News, Press Release GreenLight Announces Charlotte Executive Director Oct 10, 2022 Charlotte Building Enduring Partnerships for Regional Transformation Insights, News Building Enduring Partnerships for Regional Transformation Jul 15, 2022 Charlotte A Reflection: My GreenLight Fund Charlotte Internship News A Reflection: My GreenLight Fund Charlotte Internship Jun 30, 2021 Charlotte Join our work in Charlotte We rely on champions and supporters who believe in the power and potential of community-driven change. 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