Investors in America Award
Janet W. Thompson is honored for her expertise in community development, engagement, and reinvestment in nonprofit and financial management. As Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, community consultant to Morgan Stanley, and former Corporate Directorof Community Reinvestment at Citibank, her spirit and leadership has propelled public and private community engagement for more than 35 years.
Janet Thompson is a leading figure in defining and developing meaningful responses to the community reinvestment issues of our time. As an Investorin America, her spirit, focus, and leadership have propelled public and private community engagement for more than 35 years. Her expertise in community development and her engagement and reinvestment in nonprofit and financial management have led to the advance of creative solutions in our dynamic financial system.
Starting in the 70s, Thompson served with Citibank leading a team of community organizersand community development specialists to build and grow community development corporationsacross New York City. Integrating the efforts of branch banks, local merchants associations,and committed community residents, the community development corporations served as localhousing developers, crime-stopping catalysts, and community amenity builders to rebuild theCity of New York after a generation of disinvestment. During this same period, Thompson alsochaired the boards of two major nonprofits while each made significant real estate investmentson the Upper West Side of Manhattan: Hosteling International-USA’s $15 million investment toconvert the 100-year-old Association Nursing Home designed by Richard Morris Hunt to a 600-bed hostel to ensure that young people around the world find a great and affordable place to stay while visiting New York City; and Ballet Hispanico’s conversion of a riding stable to ballet studios to explore and preserve Latino culture through dance.
Based on her early work and learning in the rebuilding of New York, Thompson continued her work in community reinvestment by building and managing community reinvestment programs for Citi’s 13 banks throughout the United States during the 1990s. Simultaneously, she developed national programs for working with community advocates across the country. Thompson was also an early supporter of the development and institutionalization of Community Development Financial Institutions, work for which she was honored by the Clinton White House. Her recent work has included a yearlong assignment with Morgan Stanley to develop its new community reinvestment program; and subsequently a nine month role as Interim CEO of the Nonprofit Finance Fund.
Today, Thompson continues to serve in support of communities through her work as chair of the board of ACCIÓN USA, a major microfinance provider in the United States, and as a current member and former Chair of the Nonprofit Finance Fund. She has also served as Board Chair of the Community Service Society and as a member of the boards of the Grameen Foundation and the Corporation for Enterprise Development.
Throughout her career in both professional and volunteer assignments, Thompson has been guided by her abiding commitment to expanding opportunities for others by building strong institutions and strong communities.