Vanessa Priya Daniel

Vanessa Priya Daniel has worked in social justice movements for twenty-five years as a labor and community organizer and funder. She founded and served for 17 years as executive director of Groundswell Fund, a leading funder of women of color-led grassroots and electoral organizing that is known for having supermajorities of women of color movement leaders and organizers on its staff and board.

She is a recipient of the Smith College Medal, was featured by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as one of fifteen “Influencers” who are changing the non-profit world, and by Inside Philanthropy as one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Players in Philanthropy.” Daniel has written for The New York Times and other publications.

A queer, biracial (Sri Lankan and white), feminist and mother of two, Vanessa's core work is supporting movement leaders and philanthropists who are building/resourcing grassroots power towards a multiracial feminist democracy.