The Prosperity Foundation

What The Prosperity Foundation does

The Prosperity Foundation (TPF) is a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2010 by Howard K. Hill as an outgrowth of the Urban Prosperity Fund at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. The organization operates as a participatory philanthropy vehicle focused exclusively on supporting Black communities throughout Connecticut, with a stated mission of addressing health, education, and economic disparities through Black-led, Black-funded philanthropy. It is structured as a permanent endowment vehicle offering community members the ability to create their own philanthropic funds.

TPF's product surface consists of seven fund types — Organization Fund, Permanent Organization Endowment Fund, Donor-Advised Fund, Designated Fund, Preference Fund, Scholarship Fund, and Unrestricted Fund — each providing different tax and giving structures, from immediate tax-deductible contributions with donor-directed grants to long-term endowment vehicles for nonprofits. Beyond fund administration, TPF offers an Incubator Program and inaugural Pitch Competition for Black-led nonprofits, and serves as a pass-through distribution channel for state social equity grants. The technology stack is minimal: the public-facing website is hosted on Wix with no proprietary platform, no API, and no disclosed digital infrastructure. Operations are community- and relationship-driven rather than technology-mediated.

The business model is donation-based philanthropy with three observable revenue streams: individual and institutional charitable contributions (e.g., a $10,000 donor-advised fund from Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity in 2024), pass-through state grant distribution (a $1 million allocation from the Connecticut Social Equity Council's cannabis tax revenue program in 2023), and endowment and investment stewardship services. TPF does not charge fees for its services; its financial model relies on sustained donor engagement, endowment growth, and state-level grant partnerships. The organization employs 1-10 staff and is led by Interim CEO Donna Lecky (appointed September 1, 2025), with Howard K. Hill serving as Founder and Board Chair. In August 2025, TPF received a federal grand jury subpoena in connection with an investigation into Connecticut public grants; the organization states it is not a target and is cooperating.

Name

The Prosperity Foundation

Legal name

The Prosperity Foundation

Website

https://tpfct.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Prosperity Foundation is a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) community foundation that operates Black-led philanthropy in the state, offering seven fund products, an incubator program, and state grant distribution to support health, education, and economic equity for Black communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)

Keywords

• Black community philanthropy
• Community foundation services
• Donor-advised funds
• Grantmaking services
• Endowment management

Headquarters

HQ city

New Haven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations and Contributions: The foundation receives charitable contributions, donations, and gifts from individuals, organizations, and partners such as Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity's $10,000 donation. These contributions are managed through various fund structures including donor-advised funds.
2. Grant Management and Distribution: TPF serves as a pass-through entity for state grants, including distributing $1 million from Connecticut's Social Equity Council's $6 million cannabis tax revenue grant program for youth and reentry programs in disadvantaged communities.
3. Endowment and Investment Management: TPF manages charitable assets through long-term investment models, permanent endowments, and organization endowment funds. They offer investment stewardship and endowment management services to nonprofit organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Prosperity Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that operates Connecticut's only Black-focused community foundation. It enables individual donors and community members to establish charitable funds (donor-advised funds, organization endowments, designated, preference, scholarship, and unrestricted funds), provides investment stewardship and endowment management, and distributes grants to Black-led nonprofits addressing health, education, and economic disparities in Connecticut. It also runs an Incubator Program and annual Pitch Competition to build nonprofit capacity.

Product overview

The Prosperity Foundation operates as a multi-product philanthropy platform offering seven distinct fund types (Organization Fund, Permanent Organization Endowment Fund, Donor Advised Fund, Designated Funds, Preference Fund, Scholarship Fund, and Unrestricted Fund) that enable community members to engage in Black philanthropy. The organization also runs an Incubator Program and Pitch Competition for nonprofit capacity building, and serves as a distribution channel for state grant programs. The fund products range from donor-directed vehicles (Donor Advised, Designated, Preference, Scholarship) to organization-managed endowments, all unified by TPF's investment stewardship and mission to address health, education, and economic disparities in Connecticut's Black communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Donor Advised Fund A charitable investment account allowing contributors to take an immediate tax deduction, invest funds for tax-free growth, and recommend grants to IRS-qualified charities; offered to individual donors and community members.
• Organization Fund An investment vehicle that enables nonprofit organizations to manage their charitable assets alongside TPF's established endowment through a commingled fund model with industry-standard practices.
• Permanent Organization Endowment Fund A permanent component fund established through donor gifts or irrevocable asset transfers for the benefit of an organization of the donor's choosing, supporting planned gifts and appreciated assets.
• Designated Fund A fund allowing donors to support one or more specific nonprofit organizations while benefiting from TPF's investment stewardship and endowment management services.
• Preference Fund A flexible giving vehicle where donors direct the charitable purpose while TPF manages maintenance and monitors changing community needs for maximum impact.
• Scholarship Fund An education-focused fund supporting students from preschool through postgraduate levels, typically created as a memorial or to express educational values, covering tuition, room and board, and books.
• Unrestricted Fund A flexible giving vehicle with no restrictions, enabling TPF to assess community needs, respond to emergencies, and support long-term solutions in health, education, and economic development.
• Incubator Program A cohort-based program for nonprofit leaders providing training, pitch deck instruction, and support for developing sustainable community-led initiatives serving Black communities in Connecticut.
• Pitch Competition An annual competition inviting Connecticut nonprofits to present proposals themed on reimagining Black philanthropy for sustainability and independence from traditional funding systems.
• Social Equity Council Grant Distribution A grant distribution channel administering Connecticut's Social Equity Council cannabis tax revenue grants (a $1 million designated portion) to grassroots organizations serving communities affected by the war on drugs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Distributed $1 million in grants from Connecticut's Social Equity Council for youth and reentry programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Community Foundation for Greater New HavenfoundationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010The Prosperity Foundation originated as the Urban Prosperity Fund, established as a component of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. This partnership established TPF's foundation to promote philanthropy, prosperity, and self-empowerment within the Black community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• East Bay Community Foundation: Regional community foundation offering donor-advised funds, scholarship funds, and designated funds with investment stewardship — closely mirroring TPF's product suite, though without TPF's race-specific mission focus.
• The Chicago Community Trust: A large metropolitan community foundation offering donor-advised funds, endowments, and grantmaking services. Comparable operating model to TPF's multi-fund platform, but operates at much greater scale and serves a broader beneficiary population.
• Connecticut Community Foundation: Statewide Connecticut community foundation offering donor-advised funds, scholarship funds, and competitive grants. Operates in the same Connecticut geography as TPF and shares core community foundation services, though without TPF's race-specific mission focus.
• Community Foundation for Greater New Haven: TPF originated as the Urban Prosperity Fund within this foundation; they share the same geographic base (Greater New Haven) and operate as community foundations, though CFGNH is a broad multi-cause incumbent while TPF is focused exclusively on Black communities.

Direct peers

• National Black United Fund: National Black-led grantmaking organization supporting Black communities through donor-advised funds and pass-through grant programs. Shares TPF's mission focus on Black philanthropy, though operates at a multi-state scale.
• Hispanics in Philanthropy: National Latino-focused philanthropy intermediary that mobilizes resources for Latino communities through grantmaking and donor engagement. Comparable race/ethnicity-focused community philanthropy structure to TPF.
• Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy: A community philanthropy organization advancing giving within AAPI communities through donor-advised funds and grantmaking. Analogous race/ethnicity-focused community foundation model to TPF's focus on Black communities in Connecticut.
• Black United Fund of Illinois: Black-led community foundation providing grantmaking and donor-advised fund services for Black communities in Illinois. Directly comparable in mission and product model to TPF, but operates in a different state.

Others

• Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE): Membership association for Black foundation and philanthropy leaders. Not a direct competitor, but a peer ecosystem organization that connects TPF to the broader Black philanthropy community and influences funder practices.

Regional players

• Schott Foundation for Public Education: Black-led national foundation focused on education equity with grantmaking and advocacy programs. Shares TPF's Black-focused mission and grantmaking model, though with a narrower education focus and national scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theprosperityfoundation6583
• Facebookfacebook.com/wix
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-prosperity-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/prosperitytpf
• Xx.com/prosperitytpf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Prosperity Foundation