NEO Philanthropy Promotes Melinda Fine to Vice President

 

Melinda Fine, NEO Philanthropy's former Director of Education and Director of the Communities for Public Education Reform Fund (CPER), has been promoted to the position of Vice President. This newly-created leadership position will focus on strategic initiatives and partnerships, leveraging NEO's work in fostering social movements and strengthening NEO's role as an innovative thought leader and grantmaker in social justice philanthropy.

 

Melinda Fine's career in social justice, philanthropy and the non-profit sector spans three decades. In 2010, Fine joined NEO Philanthropy as Director of Education and Director of the Communities for Public Education Reform Fund (CPER).  A national funders' collaborative committed to advancing educational equity and opportunity, CPER invested $34 million in 140 grassroots groups and advocacy allies across the country over eight years, building local leadership, national coalitions and cross-issue alliances that helped to win more than 90 educational policy reforms. Under Fine's leadership, CPER launched a national capacity building program for organizing and advocacy groups, expanded grant options, built alliances with new partners such as teachers' unions and education scholars, and strengthened field knowledge of community organizing and social justice philanthropy through reports, evaluation, film and peer learning. CPER closed at the end of 2014, having substantially exceeded its anticipated life span and fundraising goals. Melinda Fine began work as Vice President on January 1, 2015.