Sachs Foundation Launches Alumni Board to Advance Black Leadership in Philanthropy

Former Sachs Scholars Become Decision-Makers in Community-Focused Grantmaking and Foundation Strategy

DENVER, July 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sachs Foundation has launched its inaugural Alumni Board, a bold initiative placing Black leadership at the center of philanthropic decision-making. Composed entirely of former Sachs Scholars, the Alumni Board will guide discretionary grantmaking and contribute to shaping the Foundation's strategic direction, marking a new chapter in alumni engagement and community-led impact.

The newly formed Board brings together a cohort of accomplished alumni, each with over eight years of experience in fields such as global marketing, education, STEM, counseling, finance, and nonprofit leadership, who previously received Sachs Foundation scholarships. These leaders will take on responsibilities well beyond advisory roles, from designing the grant application process to evaluating proposals and making funding decisions.

"This Board is transformative for the philanthropic space," says Ben Ralston, Sachs Foundation CEO. "By placing grantmaking decisions in the hands of Black alumni, we move our funding power into the hands of the community we serve. The goal is to dismantle the inherent gatekeeping that exists in philanthropy by empowering grantees to become grantors."

The initiative is part of the Foundation's broader commitment to equity and accountability by moving away from top-down philanthropy toward a reimagined community-driven model rooted in lived experience.

To ensure a meaningful experience, the Board members will receive training in nonprofit governance and long-term opportunities for professional development. This ensures that alumni are not only participants, but leaders at every level of organizational impact.

For Alumni Board Member Elisabeth Booze, the opportunity to lead and give back is deeply personal: "Serving on this Alumni Board has given me and my peers the opportunity to give back to the Black Colorado community, a community that has shaped each of our journeys in profound ways. I am thrilled to do this philanthropic work in community with such an incredible group of fellow alumni, and I am grateful for professional development, deep connections, and community impact we have access to through our alumni board work together."

The launch comes at a critical moment in philanthropy, as Black communities across the U.S. increasingly call for not only investment, but leadership, representation, and decision-making power. The Alumni Board answers that call by embracing a trust-based model that shares power with those who bring both lived experience and professional expertise, ensuring solutions are driven by communities most impacted.

"We're not just engaging alumni—we're following their lead to drive systems change. This Board demonstrates what it looks like when Black leadership is prioritized, not as a statement but as a practice," says Ruth Woldemichael, Director of Communications and Alumni Engagement, reflecting on the strategic alignment behind this initiative.

Through this new initiative, the Sachs Foundation reinforces its commitment to expanding opportunities for Black Coloradans by cultivating Black leaders who can influence long-term structural change. From guiding grant investments to shaping broader programming, the Alumni Board will play a central role in building a more just and representative philanthropic landscape.

This milestone affirms alumni are not just beneficiaries of the Foundation's mission—they are active collaborators, changemakers, and architects of its future.

To learn more about the Sachs Foundation, the Alumni Board, and this work, visit www.sachsfoundation.org.

About the Sachs Foundation
Founded by Pikes Peak resident Henry Sachs in 1931, the Sachs Foundation provides programming designed to help Black Coloradans overcome systemic inequity. Over the decades, the Foundation has helped thousands of talented Black students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees at universities throughout the United States, supported Black youth through mentoring programs and developed educator recruitment and retention programs to place more Black educators in Colorado classrooms. Learn more about the Sachs Foundation, student success stories and how to apply for scholarship grants at www.sachsfoundation.org.

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SOURCE Sachs Foundation