Ramona Dallum

Ramona Dallum is the Senior Vice President of Community Leadership at the Community Foundation of Louisville. She leads a dedicated team that helps low-wealth communities of strength and potential access resources to build self-sufficient futures. Ramona joined the Foundation in July 2017 as a program coordinator. Her team builds trusted partnerships that unite communities and disrupt oppressive systems. Ramona believes there’s a shift in community power and aims to support it by inspiring change and action.

She manages the Foundation’s Fund for Louisville, applying trust-based philanthropy principles to foster relationships that drive community change. Ramona is also working on innovative strategies to increase philanthropic capital for local projects, responding to calls for $250 million in philanthropic loans and grants, which could unlock an additional $1 billion in public and private investments. Under Ramona’s leadership, discretionary funding for Louisville nonprofits has increased by 60%.

In July 2024, she successfully launched Invest Louisville, giving Community Foundation of Louisville fundholders an opportunity to invest in local projects, particularly in affordable housing, job creation, and land development. This initiative has the potential to raise $100 million for loans and financial tools, prioritizing projects in low-wealth communities led by individuals representing those communities. Ramona’s team is set to deploy approximately $10 million in discretionary funding and financing by December 2025, marking a 54% increase compared to previous years.

Beyond her philanthropic work, Ramona is an artist and storyteller. She uses her creativity to challenge traditional approaches to philanthropy. What Ramona enjoys most about her philanthropic work is the opportunity to bring communities together, fostering a world where everyone is nurtured and valued.