The following announcement is reposted with permission from GreenLight Fund. Read their original press release here. 

The strong philanthropic community in Dallas has made it possible for GreenLight Fund, a national nonprofit funder, to expand to the region, bringing an innovative approach to tackling some of the city’s most critical unmet needs tied to racial, social, and economic inequities.

Founded in Boston 20 years ago, with a track record of success in 14 other cities across the country, GreenLight Fund has secured a $5 million Fund from more than 100 local investors to establish its presence in Dallas, making it the 15th location in the nationwide network.  

GreenLight Dallas will take specific action each year to bring an evidence-based program to Dallas that breaks down barriers to prosperity. By engaging the community throughout the process, leveraging partnerships, providing ongoing collaborative support and complementing the work already happening locally, these programs will deliver measurable social impact in areas where it is needed and be sustainable for the long term. 

The official launch of GreenLight Fund Dallas included an event hosted by CFT recognizing the many investors and partners instrumental in making it possible.

“We are deeply grateful to the local investors and philanthropic organizations whose generosity and belief in our mission have made it possible to bring GreenLight to Dallas,” said John Simon, Co-Founder and Board Chair of GreenLight Fund. “Their commitment to tackling Dallas’s most pressing challenges ensures that together, we can drive measurable CHANGE and create new opportunities for individuals and families experiencing poverty.”         

GreenLight Dallas will form a Selection Advisory Council (SAC) comprised of a diverse and vested group of community leaders, residents and experts from businesses, nonprofits, philanthropic and community-based organizations and the public sector to serve as advisors throughout the annual selection process. 

“Bank of America has been a long-time supporter of GreenLight across their national network so I was thrilled to learn that GreenLight was expanding to Dallas,” said Jennifer Chandler, Bank of America Dallas President and Head of Philanthropic Solutions for Bank of America. “Their community-informed approach and track record of sustainable results addressing tough challenges is going to be transformative for our community. I look forward to working together to drive positive change in Dallas.” 

Each year, GreenLight Dallas will engage with the community and the SAC to prioritize a specific unmet need, find and assess programs with successful track records addressing that need and invest in scaling the proven program with the best local fit. The focus areas and investment decisions will be decided and implemented locally. The first selection is expected in late 2026. 

Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton President and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas shared, “United Way of Metropolitan Dallas is deeply committed to driving lasting, measurable change for North Texans. GreenLight Fund’s data-driven approach complements our focus on proven solutions that deliver real results for individuals and families, and we welcome their partnership in advancing opportunity across our region.” 

To lead the work, Shareea Woods was named GreenLight Dallas’s Founding Executive Director. She will direct its efforts to find proven, innovative solutions to address the community’s unmet needs. Woods is a strategic local leader with deep expertise in building networks, driving systems change and advancing equity in education. She brings more than 15 years of experience designing and leading high-impact initiatives focused on expanding opportunity for underserved communities. Most recently, Woods served as Director of the Texas College Access Network (TxCAN) at Educate Texas, where she partnered with state agencies, philanthropic leaders and regional coalitions to increase access to postsecondary education across Texas. Prior to that, she was Chief Program Officer at the Young Women’s Preparatory Network, supporting the development of public all-girls schools across Texas. She earned a B.A. in Psychology and Black Studies from the University of Southern California and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. 

“Dallas has given me incredible opportunities to grow my career and raise my family, and I want every family here to have that same chance to thrive,” said Shareea Woods, Founding Executive Director of GreenLight Fund Dallas. “Dallas embodies innovation, talent, and heart. Together with our investors and community, I look forward to building on that spirit by bringing innovative solutions that solve our most persistent challenges.” 

“When Dallas’ strong philanthropic community comes together to collaborate and co-invest, new and innovative opportunities emerge. We are thrilled that one of those opportunities is welcoming the GreenLight Fund to our Dallas community. GreenLight will work across sectors in Dallas to listen and then act, helping to align support where it’s most needed to build thriving communities,” said Wayne White, CFT President and CEO.

“Greenlight represents the alignment of broad community engagement and targeted community impact in a way we haven’t seen before in Dallas. By anchoring innovation on evidence and data, we increase the odds of achieving a positive return on investment and ensure a level of accountability that doesn’t usually exist in the social sector. This model could be a gamechanger, not just for the systems impacted by Greenlight but for the social sector itself,” said Nadine Dechausay, J.D. M.A., CFT’s Chief Strategy and Insights Officer.

“After learning about the track record GreenLight Fund has in other cities, I was immediately excited for the impact it could have in Dallas,” added Todd Platt, CEO Hillwood, a Perot company. “I have yet to find a more process and results driven philanthropic cause. We are thrilled to support the work they’ll do locally, finding effective social programs that fill gaps in our social sector and truly make a difference.” 

The official launch of GreenLight Fund Dallas included an event hosted by CFT recognizing the many investors and partners instrumental in making it possible. Please visit greenlightfund.org for more information.  

GreenLight Dallas investors and philanthropic organizations making this possible include:

Larry Anders, Chuck Anderson, Bain Capital, Bank of America, David Bettenhausen, Lindsay Billingsley, Henry & Lucy Billingsley, Tré Black / On-Target Supplies & Logistics, Christy & Adam Blumenfeld, Chuck & Kate Brizius, Lael & Peter Brodsky, Arthur & Hannah Brousseau, Victoria & Stuart Brown, Catholic Charities Dallas, Debra Caudy & Clay Heighten, The Chipman Family Foundation, Communities Foundation of Texas, Frank Mihalopoulos / Corinth Properties, Bill & Leslie Cornog, Robert & Josephine Covington, Mark Cuban, D. Lance Currie, Dallas College Foundation, The Dallas Foundation, Deloitte, MJD Starfish Foundation, Linda & Scott Davis, Christian Delzell, Mark & Debbie Denissen, John Diaz, Tony & Lillian Dona, Driven Brands, Tim & Samantha Durst, Eric & Steffanie Evans, Deborah & Lauren Gage, Chris & Lisa Gannett, Kent & Jennifer Gardner, Robert & Kathleen Gibson, Mark & Jane Gibson, Gilead Sciences, Goldman Sachs Gives, Shaun Gordon, Rob Graffum, Sachin & Ash Gupta, Mollie Hale Carter / Sunflower Bank, Christina Hanger & Lyndon Cakerice, Pilar & Jay Henry, The Hersh Foundation / Ken Hersh & Regen Horchow, Lee & Ann Hobson, Annabel & Joe Hoffman, iHeartMedia, ILE Homes, Jack Jacobsen, Anurag & Gunjan Jain, Gene & Jerry Jones Family Foundation, Robert S. Kaplan, Yoo Jin Kim & Nan Teele, Ashlee & Chris Kleinert, Ben Kohlmann, Sandy & Kent Laber, Ken Luce, LDWW, Libby & Murray McCabe, Wayne McCullough, Alana & Steven McIntyre / Braeside Capital, Mark & Lauren Melton, Lauren & Tommy Luallin, Annabel Morgan, Anne & Alan Motsenbocker, J. Marc Myers, Greg & Cheryl Nelson / RSA Security, Pamela Nelson, The NFL, Triet Nguyen, O’Melveny & Myers LLP, Carrie & Steven Parsons, Phillips Foundation, Laurie & Todd Platt Family, Anne & Rob Raymond, Trevor R. & Jenny Rees-Jones, Joanna & Eric Ridgway, John & Deborah Scott, Mackenzie Scott, Dupree Scovell / Woodbine Development, Boaz & Randi Sidikaro, John & Sue Simon, Mike Smith, Southern Methodist University, Molly & Craige Stout, Jill E. Tananbaum Family, Texas Capital Bank Foundation, Dan Thomas / Healthcare Highways, Lisa & Kenny Troutt, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, Collins & Julianna Ward, Bill & Beverly Warren, Sarah & Russell Weinberg, Mark & Alison Weinzierl, Williams Family Foundation, and Mackenzie Wong.