Alison Gerardot, Chief Impact Officer, joined the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne in February 2017. She is responsible for collaborating with individuals on their personal philanthropy, developing and implementing strategies for growth and connectivity, and helping elevate philanthropy and impact throughout the community. In 2020, Alison helped to launch the first Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne held at the Community Foundation.
Alison has her BA in English from IPFW and her Certificate in Fundraising Management from the IU School of Philanthropy. Alison has an extensive nonprofit background, through social work, arts nonprofit administration, and education, and came to the Community Foundation after serving as the Director of Programming and Events for Riverfront Fort Wayne. In 2016, she was honored as a Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly “Forty Under 40” recipient, in 2019 she became a Leadership Fort Wayne graduate, and in 2020 she was named one of Fort Wayne Magazine’s “People of the Year” for her work in helping to establish the Women’s Fund. In 2022, Alison was named a “Champion of Change” and honored with an award from Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. for her mentorship of young women throughout the community and her work on the Women’s Fund. That same year, she also became a graduate of Indiana Philanthropy Alliance’s Mutz Leadership Institute. In 2023 she became a graduate of CFLeads’ Executive Leadership Institute for VPs at Community Foundations.
In her free time, Alison volunteers on the school board of her children’s school, likes to read, cook, garden, and spend time with her family, friends, and little dog, Theo.
