Community Foundation of the Lowcountry Names Smith as Vice President for Grantmaking and Community Leadership

Kevin S. Smith has been named vice president
for grantmaking and community leadership for Community Foundation of the Lowcountry. In this position, Smith will lead the Community Foundation ’s extensive grant process, work to achieve community goals, lead efforts to connect our community ’s needs with available resources and direct special initiatives.

Smith brings a wealth of relevant experience to the position, including grant portfolio development and management, program evaluation, research and data analysis, nonprofit leadership administration and volunteer corps program development.

Most recently, Smith has been consulting with nonprofit organizations in the Savannah area. Prior to that, he served as program director for AARP Foundation – Experience Corps in Chicago. There, he directed program and budget activities for a literacy intervention program in Chicago Public Schools; designed and monitored program services; ensured guidelines were achieved and outcomes were met; and analyzed volunteer and community needs to determine program direction and goals.

Smith has also served as assistant vice president for corporate responsibility for New York Life Insurance Company in New York City, where he developed the foundation ’s grant portfolios, defined program goals and budgets, conducted site visits and financial evaluations and created a national volunteer service program for over 15,000 employees.

His current and previous professional and volunteer activity is extensive and includes Association of Fundraising Professionals, Coastal Empire Council of Volunteer Administrators, Greater Savannah Coalition on Aging, Chatham-Savannah Youth Futures Authority Collaborative, Humane Society of Greater Savannah, Chicago Literacy Alliance, Coalition of African, Arab, Asian, European, and Latino Immigrants of Illinois, Chicago Cares, Philanthropy New York, Corporate Volunteers of New York and Minority Interchange @ NYL. Additionally Smith spent time in Cameroon as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Originally from Michigan, Smith earned a bachelor ’s degree in management, business management and accounting from the University of Massachusetts and a master ’s degree in educational policy from Columbia University. Currently residing in Savannah, Smith plans to relocate to the Lowcountry.