St. Louis has experienced some challenging times. Yet resilience, resistance, love and care for the people of St. Louis remains. Organizations supporting residents of the City of St. Louis continue to be creative and determined in their efforts to advance the quality of life through education, health, housing, employment, arts and culture, and more. For the reasons above, it is truly an honor to serve as the board president of the St. Louis Philanthropic Organization to work collectively with committed and community minded board members and improve the lives of the people of our city.
I have a solid and firm belief in the mission and resulting accomplishments of the St. Louis Philanthropic Organization, and for good reason.
As the leader of a youth leadership organization supporting City of St. Louis youth and families, I directly have experienced the support of the Philanthropic organization as a previous grantee. I later was invited and excitedly joined the board. I have served as treasurer, assistant treasurer and chair of the allocations committee to ensure a successful grant process.
In my new role as president, with the full commitment of veteran expert board members, we will continue to progress in alignment with our mission, and support dreams that build communities.
We recognize the importance of the times, the necessary shifts in thinking and action related to racial equity in our city, and the magnitude of any positive contributions the St. Louis Philanthropic Organization can have by providing organizations with capacity building workshops, and responsive and impact grants to move our city forward. We are here to do the work!
Sincerely,
Dionne Ferguson
Board President of St. Louis Philanthropic Organization, Inc.
St. Louis Philanthropic Organization provides funding and capacity building to non profit organizations whose programs and services advance the quality of life for St. Louis City residents.
The organization brings together resources and expertise to drive sustainable change, empower individuals, and strengthen the community fabric.
We fund local nonprofits working on our specific focus areas.
We provide training, resources, and support to strengthen leadership, boost efficiency, and expand impact.
Through our funding and capacity building, we invest in the future of St. Louis City.
We rigorously evaluate the outcomes of their initiatives, ensuring that every grant and project delivers measurable, positive change in the community.
We involve local stakeholders in the decision-making process, ensuring that the programs and services we support are rooted in the actual needs and aspirations of the St. Louis community.
We consistently follow through on long-term partnerships, providing sustained support that helps organizations grow and thrive over time.
We maintain transparency in our operations, regularly reporting on the outcomes of our investments and the effectiveness of our programs.
We prioritize funding and support for underserved and marginalized groups, ensuring that all members of the community have access to the resources they need to succeed.
We work closely with local organizations and leaders, valuing their insights and expertise, and fostering a collaborative, respectful environment in all interactions.
The St. Louis Philanthropic Organization (SLPO) was established in 1984 following a civil lawsuit won by the City of St. Louis against cable companies.
SLPO was organized as a nonprofit to distribute charitable dollars to organizations whose programs enhance health, education, and social welfare in St. Louis.
In 2015, the Board held a strategic planning retreat that resulted in the development of Guiding Principles. The Board also revised the mission statement to better reflect the evolution of the organization's grantmaking and future direction. Additionally, the Board expanded the grantmaking priorities to include Responsive Grants, Capacity Building, and Multi-Year Initiatives.
The year 2019 marked the 35th anniversary of annual grant awards, with a total of $300,000 granted to nonprofit organizations. In October of that year, four organizations each received a special one-time grant of $2,500, totaling $10,000, to support their efforts in helping St. Louis City residents navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, the Board launched the SLPO's Capacity Building activities, which included a workshop series provided at no cost to participants, and a website dedicated to providing resources to nonprofits to support their organizational development needs.
In 2021, the Board established SLPO's social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. An internship program was initiated to manage the social media and website activities.
Good Journey Development Foundation, Founder & Executive Director
Boeing Company, Sr. Project Engineer
City of St. Louis - License Collector, Field Service Manager
JW Investment Group, LLC, Managing Partner and Project Manager
Attorney
Healthcare Advisor, Anthem
Owner, Beauty to Beauty
Community Volunteer
Community Volunteer
Community Volunteer
Dentons US LLP, St. Louis Managing Partner
Community Volunteer
R & M Investment and Holdings Group, LLC., Chief Executive Officer
