Video: Building a Foundation From Social Work

For Gabriela Smith, starting her own foundation was a natural step. The founder and president of the Crimsonbridge Foundation starter her career in social work, held positions with Catholic Charities and the World Bank, and spent years giving through donor-advised funds. Those experiences of service and philanthropy gave her the impetus to put more effort into connecting organizations with each other.

Ms. Smith’s grant-making foundation and its social-investment arm, the Crimsonbridge Group, aim to build public-private partnerships to promote education, develop leaders, and foster social ventures. In the latest weekly installment of our Philanthropy NEXT interview series, she talks about her evolution from social worker to foundation head, and how her background shapes Crimsonbridge’s programs and priorities.