Spotlight on 25 Years of Grantmaking: Notes from SNF Program Officer Kira Pritchard

What was the first grant you followed for the Foundation?
One of my first partnerships was with The Laundromat Project, “an arts organization that advances artists and neighbors as change agents in their own communities.”1 It could not have been a better way to start my journey, working with the visionary Kemi Ilesanmi and her stellar team. To this day, I am still inspired by The LP’s values, especially “Be Propelled by Love.” I mean, how cool is that?

What’s a site visit that stands out in your memory?
There are so many, but one that continues to stand out is Carnegie Hall’s Lullaby Project. It is an incredible program, “pairing pregnant women and new mothers and fathers with professional artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies, supporting maternal health, aiding childhood development, and strengthening the bond between parent and child.”2 I had the opportunity to attend the Lullaby Project’s 2019 Celebration Concert, a truly joyous occasion filled with color, sound, and connections among teaching artists, parents, their little ones, and the audience.

What’s your favorite part of working at SNF?
Our partners, of course! It is a true privilege to work with and to learn from some of the brightest, most daring and innovative thinkers and dreamers of our time, all seeking change for good. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Kira Pritchard, Program Officer
Retired rower, champion of the arts, SNF family member six years and counting