Brilliant Futures Donor Spotlight: Alisha Griffey
About me and my role with the Greater Washington Community Foundation.
As an entrepreneur and business owner in the startup community, much of my work focuses on the national level. To gain an additional view of what’s happening locally, I pursued involvement with the Greater Washington Community Foundation—an organization that’s leading high-impact work in partnership with numerous nonprofits and helping our region effectively leverage resources against key issue areas like closing the racial wealth gap.
Now, over two years into my role as an advisory board member for The Community Foundation, I work at the intersection of the for-profit and non-profit worlds and often consider how we as a region can ensure there is enough prosperity and wealth in different communities so that no one experiences differences in quality of life based on gender or race.
It's an honor to invest in the Together, We Prosper campaign and advocate for this work alongside strong and dedicated leaders. I am in a unique position to be able to thoughtfully explore how to use the power of business to inspire, reshape communities, and ultimately help close the racial and gender wealth gap.
Why I choose to invest in and advocate for the Together, We Prosper Campaign—particularly Brilliant Futures.
Several children’s savings accounts and guaranteed income pilots exist across the country. I was intrigued when I found out about Brilliant Futures, the first children’s savings account pilot program in the Greater Washington region. A bold vision to close the racial wealth gap requires innovation and experimenting with new ways to combat specific problems.
When I think of these Brilliant Futures kindergartners, who are full of optimism for their dreams and their futures, I think about the many who are born into financial situations that may negatively impact their futures. As donors, when programs like Brilliant Futures are within our reach, we have a unique opportunity to help build a better world for those children, to change their trajectory, and to keep them from shrinking who they are due to a lack of financial security.
I want these kids to have the doors opened to them, and this pool of funds allows them to dream bigger and think in terms of “I can—” I can start my own business, I can go to college, I can become a chef… Who wouldn’t want to give to their dreams?
As a parent of school-aged children in Montgomery County, the public school shutdowns during the pandemic highlighted the harsh reality that thousands of kids in our region are without food security, internet access, or basic necessities. Providing financial prosperity that helps kids think less about getting their basic needs met and more about the endless possibilities and opportunities to pursue their dreams feels like a good use of money.
What you need to know about Brilliant Futures and the Together, We Prosper campaign.
Once you donate to Brilliant Futures, you are creating a snowball effect of opportunity that goes beyond just one child or one class. Looking into the future, we can change the trajectory of an entire elementary school. We’re going to have many children who may come from more difficult financial backgrounds and will have opportunities available to them as they turn 18 that children before them didn’t have. We’re investing in the future and optimism, and in many ways, I feel like we’re dream funders.
The reality of philanthropy and the benefits of working with The Community Foundation.
Even with the best intentions of supporting a specific cause, sometimes life gets in the way. Funding The Community Foundation’s Together, We Prosper campaign is a high-leverage way to impact our local community. The Community Foundation puts in the time for research and vetting of the nonprofits that are doing good work around very specific issue areas.
A key component of investing is trust, and by giving to The Community Foundation, I feel confident that my investment will go to high-quality, well-run programs with zero risk and a high likelihood of success. Joining Together, We Prosper provides a simple pathway to create lasting, visible change toward Greater Washington’s Future.
Alisha Griffey
Greater Washington Community Foundation, Montgomery County Advisory Board Member