Here at Elevate, we have a lot to be proud of, and we aim to celebrate wins large and small. Our hardworking team – 80+ talented grant strategists, writers, and data specialists – work side by side with approximately 100 nonprofits nationwide to secure the resources needed to make a difference across a wide spectrum of issues. We’re proud of each win – from the $10,000 grant from a new partner to the seven-figure award that catapults an organization to the next level of impact. But sometimes, the numbers are so staggering we have to take a minute to pause, reflect, and celebrate! 

To that end, we are incredibly proud to share the news with you that:

Elevate has raised a combined $1,000,000,000 in grant funding for our nonprofit partners since our founding in 2013!!! 

Let’s pause for a minute and let this all sink in. If you, like me, lose count past a few zeros, here are a few ways to conceptualize just what a large sum one BILLION is…

• One billion stars equals 1/100 of the Milky Way 
• One billion people is one eighth of the world’s population 
• One billion seconds is almost 32 years 
• One billion steps would result in 15 trips around the equator

Obviously a lot has gone into achieving this milestone over the last 10+ years. Our 2023 Elevate by the Numbers post  will give you some idea of the impressive metrics it takes just to win over $100 million annually (which we have succeeded in doing for the last three years). We’re also proud that this cumulative figure includes $11 million in funding our clients won as part of Mackenzie Scott’s highly competitive 2023 Yield Giving Open Call. 

Executive Director Sonja Allen offers powerful testimony of how working with Elevate has benefited one such client, Yield Giving winner Friends of Guest House, a Northern Virginia nonprofit that provides housing and reentry services for women who have experienced incarceration: “Elevate’s service model ensures we can raise the funds we need to make a difference in the lives of the women we serve. We are fortunate to have such a strong partner in our mission.” 

I’m certain that I speak for all of our staff when I say that it is immensely rewarding to know that this money is going to support the delivery of vital direct services as well as systems change and advocacy efforts in communities across the nation.

Interested in learning more about the clients we serve? Check out this 2023 Meaningful Wins blog. You can also learn more about working with Elevate and our services here. 

About the Author:

Johnisha Levi