Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, Brooklyn Community Foundation

After an extensive search by the board, Brooklyn Community Foundation now has a new president and CEO.
I have spent much of my career working on behalf of New York City families, and specifically Brooklynites,” said Dr. Jocelynne Rainey after it was announced she would lead the organization. “Joining Brooklyn Community Foundation at this moment in the history of Brooklyn and New York City is truly the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Brooklyn Community Foundation is the first and only public foundation solely dedicated to Brooklyn’s charitable community, working in partnership with generous donors and community leaders to invest in racial justice and community-led change.
Since its founding in 2009, the foundation has provided over $60 million in grants to nonprofits throughout the borough.
“I am excited to collaborate with the Foundation’s staff, board of directors, donors, incredible grantees, and Brooklyn communities to advance racial justice and community-led change in the borough,” Rainey said.
Rainey brings extensive experience in nonprofit leadership to the Foundation, having served previously as president and CEO of Getting Out & Staying Out (GOSO) and executive vice president and chief administrative officer of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC). She is a long-time Brooklyn resident.
As CEO of GOSO, a nonprofit that empowers young people to avoid involvement in the criminal justice system through educational achievement, meaningful employment, and financial independence, Rainey increased the budget from under $5 million to over $7 million as she led the strategy, finances, fundraising, and operations of the organization.
Rainey already has a connection to Brooklyn Community Foundation. She served on the Spark Prize Committee, attended and contributed to numerous annual events, and is a donor advisor of a scholarship fund administered by the foundation.
I am humbled to be taking the helm of this iconic institution that serves my beloved Brooklyn through a racial justice lens,” she said. “This is my life’s work.”