Cleveland, OH | January 11, 2023 – Deaconess Foundation announces the addition of Danielle Crawford to its team, effective immediately, to lead all its grantmaking activities. Danielle Crawford will be responsible for nurturing relationships with non-profit organizations across greater Cleveland focused on playing critical roles in the workforce development ecosystem and leading the strategic deployment of Deaconess Foundation’s grant funding.
Danielle joins the Deaconess Foundation after a long history in grantmaking, community service, non-profit leadership, and philanthropy. Most recently, Danielle served as the Director of Grantmaking and Community Partnerships at United Way of Greater Cleveland. In that role, she managed United Way’s strategic framework for providing funding for non-profits in greater Cleveland who played critical roles in disrupting and addressing root causes and impacts of poverty. One of her signature projects at the United Way was the creation of Center for Excellence in Social Services, which enabled non-profits to build critical capacity and contributed to their resilience and growth.
Prior to her work at the United Way, Danielle served as a Grants Manager and Senior Program Analyst at The Skillman Foundation and as a Public Policy Fellow at the Council of Michigan Foundations, both in greater Detroit. Her experiences also include stints at the funding collaborative Living Cities and at the Surdna Foundation, both in New York City. Earlier in her career, Danielle taught high school students as an Apprentice Teacher.
“Danielle brings a unique combination of grantmaking, grants management, and non-profit experience across a variety of sectors to the Deaconess Foundation. Our Trustees and our staff know her interest in workforce development, her commitment to advancing equity, her demonstrated leadership in the philanthropic sector in Cleveland, and her empathy and understanding of our region’s non-profits will enable the Deaconess Foundation to fulfill its mission and increase its impact in greater Cleveland,” says President and CEO, Cathy Belk.
In her new role, Danielle will continue her philanthropic leadership in the Funders Collaborative on Covid Recovery, where she co-chairs the Non-Profit Resiliency sub-group.
Danielle was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland as a 2022 “Forty Under 40”. A native of Shaker Heights, Danielle received her BA in History and Classical Archaeology at University of Michigan and an MA in Teaching and Education from Bard College.
Deaconess Foundation will host an open house for those interested to get to know Danielle in spring 2023. More information will be forthcoming.
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About Deaconess Foundation
Established in 1997, Deaconess Foundation is a private foundation committed to helping people in need build careers that sustain them and their families. As part of fulfilling its mission, Deaconess makes grants to Cuyahoga