As the Foundation tackles its commitment to solving some of Cambridge’s most pressing problems, we’ve built a dedicated team to take on our ambitious strategic plan in partnership with our community.
This summer, we welcomed Jennie Woo, CCF’s first director of development, who will work with our generous donor community. We sat down with Jennie to learn what collective giving at CCF means to her.
Director of development is a new role at the Foundation, working alongside our vice president of philanthropic partnerships. What are your goals?
As CCF narrows its focus under the strategic plan, we’ve expanded our development department to widen our efforts as a philanthropic partner. My role is to connect with long-term and new supporters of CCF, so more folks have an opportunity to make a personal connection to our work and learn about the impact that their support empowers. Through these conversations, I’m finding that our supporters share our belief and vision in making Cambridge a city that works for everyone. I love hearing what’s important to our donors, what they’re passionate about, and oftentimes, finding those commonalities with CCF’s civic leadership work.
How do you help donors do good?
I’m here to listen to what our supporters care about. And I share what CCF is up to. A lot of people hear about us, maybe through a neighbor or their employer, and are just curious to learn more. We might talk about CCF’s work to holistically bolster the nonprofit ecosystem, our role as a civic leader in the city, or new strategic partnerships like the Food Access and Security Initiative. These are just a few recent examples of how investing in and with the Foundation can really help improve the Cambridge ecosystem.
Why are donors choosing to support CCF now?
Our supporters are folks who want Cambridge to stay the vibrant place that draws people here and keeps people here. You support us if you believe in equitable access to opportunity and resources and believe in this city, its people, and its nonprofits.
Any favorite spots to meet with donors?
The local coffee shops. I love getting out in the community in Central, Harvard – all the squares! There’s so much diversity in the local cafes, restaurants, businesses, and it speaks to the diverse fabric of Cambridge and what makes it so special.
