About
OUR MISSION
Democratizing Philanthropy Project shifts power to chronically underfunded, historically excluded frontline organizations by helping them build long-term, reliable small donor revenue and a dynamic, engaged base.
WHAT WE DO
​We help organizations addressing systemic challenges develop sustainable revenue streams and a dynamic network of supporters.
Specifically, we:
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Support organizations in testing and growing new fundraising approaches.
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Increase organizational flexibility so groups can respond quickly to community needs.
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Expand access to small-donor fundraising tools and strategies for grassroots and frontline nonprofits.
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Strengthen long-term financial resilience for underfunded organizations.
WHY WE DO IT
Many nonprofits rely heavily on grant funding, which can limit flexibility. By helping organizations build diversified and sustainable small-donor revenue, we increase their independence and ability to respond to evolving community needs.
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Our work focuses on helping nonprofits:
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Grow and maintain supporter lists.
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Convert supporters into active, long-term contributors to the mission.
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Build organizational capacity to sustain programs and advocacy over time.
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This approach allows organizations to deepen their impact, serve their communities more effectively, and focus on mission-driven work rather than being constrained by limited funding sources.
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Team
Vivian Chang
Executive Director
Executive Director| Vivian Chang she/her/hers
​Vivian Chang leads the Democratizing Philanthropy Project, which helps movement organizations build durable, grassroots donor support.
As the daughter of immigrants, Vivian brings a deeply personal understanding of the barriers facing low-income communities of color. She has spent her career building progressive power to change those systems—leading campaigns that won landmark community benefits and protections for immigrant workers, and directing millions in philanthropic support to strengthen democratic participation.
Her work has been recognized by Community Change (Catalyst of Change), featured in Eco Amazons: 20 Women Who Are Transforming the World, and honored with Oakland’s Women of Greatness Award.
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Iara Peng
Board Chair and Founder
Board Chair & Founder | Iara Peng she/her/hers
Iara Peng is deeply committed to ensuring chronically underfunded organizations thrive through sustainable revenue. She has worked in nonprofits for over 25 years, building new programs and organizations within the sector and supporting emerging leaders. She recently also launched JustFund.us, an innovative online portal that connects grantmakers directly to organizations to help move resources more quickly while facilitating greater trust, transparency, and accountability across funder communities. She is also the founder of Prism, an independent and nonprofit newsroom led by journalists of color that tells stories from the ground up to disrupt harmful narratives and to inform movements for justice.
Early in her career, Iara worked to build the progressive leadership pipeline and started Young People For, a national progressive leadership development program that has identified and trained thousands of leaders across the country. She holds a Masters Degree from Columbia University, where she studied public administration and nonprofit management. She has served as a strategic consultant and on the boards of dozens of nonprofits and is currently a board member of Donors of Color Network and on the advisory board of She the People and Girls Crushing It.
Keegan Goudiss
Senior Strategist of Small Dollar Digital & Innovation
Senior Strategist of Small Dollar Digital & Innovation | Keegan Goudiss he/him/his
Keegan comes to Democratizing Philanthropy Project as a media executive with over two decades of experience innovating political advertising and fundraising. He’s most known for his leadership in orchestrating Bernie Sanders’ 2016 digital campaign, raising over $61M, driving historic turnout, and earning a spot on Ad Age’s 40 under 40. He built an almost 100-person agency, achieving over $10M in annual revenue and has served as advisor to hundreds of political campaigns and non-profits across the world.
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Keegan lives outside Washington, D.C with his wife, four kids and two dogs. In his spare time he runs The Forecast- a print/digital newsletter & podcast offering radical hope for a country in crisis.
Jessie Hankins
Partnerships Director
Partnerships Director| Jessie Hankins she/her/hers
Jessie Hankins is passionate about systems change and brings heart, technical skills, and a balanced approach to all that she does. Jessie has ten years of experience managing frontline, social justice organizations in the North Bay Area of California. For the past five years she co-led a complex, multi-county program for underserved LGBTQ youth, as part of a larger initiative to reduce mental health disparities throughout the state. Prior to that she spent five years building and implementing restorative justice programs for school districts and justice-involved youth and adults in Sonoma County.
Jessie holds a Master’s degree from Sonoma State University in public administration and non-profit management. She currently lives in Savannah, GA with her wife and dog.