Sharon Greene is the senior program officer for the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, a grant making organization which helps support educational, religious and nonprofit entities.
WHAT DOES SHE DO?
“I’m one of three program officers. I oversee grant making to the educational institutions. As for my specific part, I work with my counterparts in the educational institutions — the presidents or vice presidents of development for an institution — to identify their highest priority to move them forward.”
HOW DOES SHE HELP THESE GROUPS?
“We see a special niche in helping organizations build their internal capacity to do their work better. We also have a special focus on strengthening the independent sector, that’s the private, non-profit sector. We have a special emphasis on building the assets of people and the communities in which they reside. For religious organizations, it could be serving their congregation better or solving a social problem.”
TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOLS
“For independent schools, it could be technology, teacher training or launching new programs [that they need]. In the case of our liberal arts colleges, we’ve put a lot of money into developing environmental studies and diversity efforts to bring guest lecturers to campus that otherwise would not come. For the major research institutions, we really encourage them to use their expertise for the benefit of the community. For the large, Ph.D granting institutions, we require that they are directly involved in community service. They have an incredible capacity to share.”
EDUCATION
Emory University is where Greene earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a doctorate in liberal arts. Urban studies was her major at Georgia State University.
HOMETOWN
Atlanta.
WHAT BROUGHT HER TO JACKSONVILLE?
“This [job] was just an incredible opportunity. I missed working with faculty to develop good ideas and seeing the money come in as a result.”
WHERE ELSE HAS
SHE WORKED?
Greene left her post as director of information services at Ben Franklin Academy to join the duPont Fund. Previously, she worked as a consultant on development and proposal activities for Georgetown University and Georgia State University. She also spent two years on a capital campaign for Berry College, a private school in Georgia. “Before, I was on the fundraising side at a number of institutions as a professional development officer. I was the one who wrote the proposals to foundations. Now, I’m on the other side of the desk.”
WHAT IS MOST REWARDING ABOUT HER POSITION?
“We are working with institutions that are trying to make a difference and we can help them make that difference. With the work we do, you can see results that make people’s lives better. Even though the fund is limited in the institutions we support, we will always have a permanent relationship with that institution because we’re in it for the long haul.”
WHAT IS HER
GREATEST CHALLENGE?
“Most challenging is the times in which we’re operating. Our endowment is down due to the economy while the needs have gone up. Our ability to respond positively is restricted at a time when the needs are great. It makes it difficult to make decisions [on who gets money].”
WHY GO INTO
THIS PROFESSION?
“It was really by accident. My first job, I was a caseworker at a public housing project. After starting graduate school, I got to the point where I was not able to attend school full-time. I needed a job, so I went to the dean of the school. Ironically, he had just received the resignation of a woman who was overseeing a federal grant to train case workers in rural Georgia. He asked if I would like to administer it. It gave me my first taste of grantsmanship.”
CURRENT READS
An avid reader, particularly of modern fiction, Greene’s current choices are “The Hours” by Michael Cunningham and “Atonement” by Ian McEwan. Generally, she enjoys good Indian food, music and art. She also likes inventing her own recipes, scouring yard sales and e-Bay for bargains and tuning into “Antiques Road Show.” Walks on the beach are her favorite way to unwind. She is a resident of Baymeadows.
WHAT IS HER PET PEEVE?
“We all need more civility. I can be impatient at times. It’s natural to see in other people what you don’t like about yourself. However, I’ve found Jacksonville to be quite welcoming.”
WHAT HISTORIC FIGURE WOULD SHE LIKE TO MEET?
“Someone I admire from a distance is Queen Elizabeth I of England. She was an extraordinary individual. Her decision not to marry, despite mounting political pressure, I think it was gutsy.”
— by Monica Chamness