a year ago
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Posted On: August 20th 2025, 11:31 am
Tagged Users:
“Honored to be highlighted in BLK ED Network’s Member Spotlight — a space truly uplifting Black leaders.”
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Question: What inspired you to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector, and how did you get started in your current role as an Executive Director?
Corey: I started Charm City Impact after repeatedly watching talented Black founders with solid ideas get stuck—not because the work lacked value, but because they didn’t have a 501(c)(3), back‑office support, or anyone walking them through compliance and funder expectations. The fiscal sponsorship landscape I saw was thin on representation and culturally aware coaching. I saw the need for deeper support, and folks kept encouraging me to keep going. Formalizing that support into Charm City Impact and stepping in as Executive Director was the obvious next step.
Question: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a Black Nonprofit Executive Director, and how have you overcome them?
Corey: Access is the hurdle. A lot of philanthropic and strategic opportunities still flow through closed or legacy networks, and as a Black founder leading a newer fiscal sponsorship organization, I don’t always start with those built‑in pathways. I wouldn’t claim I’ve overcome it. Instead, I treat visibility like a discipline: saying yes to speaking slots, following up after every event, intentionally asking for warm intros, sharing progress updates publicly, and consistently refining how I tell Charm City Impact’s story. The goal is to shorten the distance between our work and the people who can resource it. Bit by bit, repeated, authentic presence is opening doors that a single cold email never would.
#BLKEDNetwork #MemberSpotlight #EducationLeadership #CommunityImpact #BlackExcellence
___________________________________
Question: What inspired you to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector, and how did you get started in your current role as an Executive Director?
Corey: I started Charm City Impact after repeatedly watching talented Black founders with solid ideas get stuck—not because the work lacked value, but because they didn’t have a 501(c)(3), back‑office support, or anyone walking them through compliance and funder expectations. The fiscal sponsorship landscape I saw was thin on representation and culturally aware coaching. I saw the need for deeper support, and folks kept encouraging me to keep going. Formalizing that support into Charm City Impact and stepping in as Executive Director was the obvious next step.
Question: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a Black Nonprofit Executive Director, and how have you overcome them?
Corey: Access is the hurdle. A lot of philanthropic and strategic opportunities still flow through closed or legacy networks, and as a Black founder leading a newer fiscal sponsorship organization, I don’t always start with those built‑in pathways. I wouldn’t claim I’ve overcome it. Instead, I treat visibility like a discipline: saying yes to speaking slots, following up after every event, intentionally asking for warm intros, sharing progress updates publicly, and consistently refining how I tell Charm City Impact’s story. The goal is to shorten the distance between our work and the people who can resource it. Bit by bit, repeated, authentic presence is opening doors that a single cold email never would.
#BLKEDNetwork #MemberSpotlight #EducationLeadership #CommunityImpact #BlackExcellence
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