Sherrill B.

Background

About Sherrill B.

I am a mission-driven strategist helping organizations unlock capital and cross-sector collaboration to fuel economic inclusion, community well-being, and generational wealth-building. As a FUSE Executive Fellow embedded in the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Commerce—Office of Neighborhood Economic Development, I’m leading a citywide initiative to support immigrant and historically disadvantaged small business owners. My work focuses on building a digital education and technical support toolkit that helps entrepreneurs navigate business succession and commercial property acquisition—preserving cultural identity while expanding intergenerational opportunity across Philadelphia’s vibrant commercial corridors. This initiative—aligned with Mayor Parker’s economic equity agenda—brings together city departments, corridor-based organizations, and community nonprofits to solve systemic barriers that prevent small business continuity and ownership. The goal is to keep businesses strong, neighborhoods vibrant, and ownership local, ensuring that legacy enterprises remain anchors of wealth, stability, and culture in Philadelphia and beyond. Before my fellowship, I spent over 25 years leading fundraising and business development efforts for mission-driven organizations nationwide, raising more than $40 million across 80+ campaigns. I’ve secured major gifts, built corporate and foundation partnerships, and advanced financial resilience for nonprofits serving low- to moderate-income communities—including the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and the SCORE Foundation. I combine a collaborative, equity-first approach with sharp data analysis and operational strategy. My work bridges philanthropy, public innovation, and entrepreneurship to design systems that sustain opportunity. I’m also exploring how generative AI can enhance learning, research, and advisory services across these fields. MBA – Northeastern University | BA – Boston College | CAP® Candidate – The American College Core Competencies • Strategic Planning & Interim Leadership • Fundraising & Major Gifts • Grants & Institutional Partnerships • Donor & Philanthropic Advisory Services • Small Business Succession & Ownership Models • Cross-Sector Ecosystem Collaboration • Generative AI Integration for Research & Strategy