Anne Perper has worn many hats throughout her life, from a commercial lender to a management consultant to a middle-school math teacher. Now, as Grants chair, Anne is steering the Grants team through a process that adjusted to respond to COVID-19 challenges. Along with an MBA from Wharton, Anne also has a Master’s in Education from UNCC, so it fits that she is particularly passionate about education-related causes.
She joined WIF in 2014 and has served on the Education team four times, twice as co-lead. Anne has also served on the boards of Youth Homes, Charlotte Repertory Theater, and Communities in Schools, and at one time led Charlotte Country Day’s Parent Association. She currently serves on The Queens University Learning Society’s Executive Committee and GreenLight Charlotte’s Advisory Board.
Three years ago, Anne and her husband, Scott, started a small family foundation that she manages. Its mission is to “Lift up our neighbors with less opportunity by providing support in the areas of Education, Health and Human Services” and they have donated to organizations such as Safe Alliance, Teach for America, Charlotte Rescue Mission, and recently, the FFTC- COVID Fund. “Even before the pandemic, there was so much need in our community, and it has always weighed heavily on me,” Anne says. “Now, there’s more need than ever before and philanthropy plays an important role in the solution.”
This year, to address the current economic challenges facing nonprofits, WIF focus areas will now accept requests for unrestricted operating funds instead of just funding for specific projects. “We’ve also streamlined the LOI and RFP to make them easier for the nonprofits to navigate,” Anne says. “And we’ve added two new questions for the nonprofits. How have they pivoted or adapted to the new COVID environment? Second, how have they responded to racial injustice in the community?”
Anne, who has three grown children, has the diversity of experience needed to lead the Grants Team through a year like no other. On a personal note, she recently took on another brand-new role—grandmother. Baby Brooks Samuel Perper was born in June.
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