Emerging Donor Alliance was created by and for young professionals who want to make an impact but often don’t know where to start. EDA makes philanthropy accessible and engaging by taking the guesswork out of giving: we connect members with vetted local nonprofits, host social, skill-building events, and organize collective giving circles where pooled donations go further.
Our goal is twofold: proactive giving, lifelong impact. We want young people to get engaged in our communities now, and create frameworks to support sustained giving and volunteering for decades to come.
Meet Our Team
Harriet Spears, Founder
Harriet founded Emerging Donor Alliance after spending 8 years in nonprofit fundraising and communications. She pursued her MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business to accelerate her career in social impact. Before EDA, she launched Trust Chicago, a giving circle that helped young professionals become more connected to their communities through collective grantmaking, for which she was awarded a scholarship from the Obama Foundation. Harriet holds a B.S. from Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy.
Email Harriet at harriet@emergingdonors.org
Samriti Chandi, Partnerships Lead
Samriti joined the Emerging Donor Alliance founding team with a background in ESG and social impact. She is pursuing her MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business to deepen her work at the intersection of business and impact, and has worked across impact investing, philanthropy, and climate policy. Prior to Booth, Samriti was the Senior Manager of ESG at Realstar Corp, and brings her strategic partnerships expertise to connect with EDA employer partners. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Toronto.
Email Samriti at samriti@emergingdonors.org