Philanthropy Fellow Spotlight: Fiona Lu

Why were you interested in becoming a Philanthropy Fellow with Crimsonbridge?  

As someone who previously has only worked in the nonprofit management and policymaking sides of social change work, philanthropy has always been an untapped space for me. Particularly, I serve as the Co-Executive Director for a youth policy organization I co-founded with a fellow youth organizer, and after stepping into this role, I got my first taste of the fundraising world. I immediately became interested in the way foundations and corporate sponsors function, asking questions about how they decide what types of on-the-ground initiatives to invest in and how. I realized that philanthropy is the intermediary that shifts capital for social good, and I was very keen on exploring this as a Philanthropy Fellow for The Crimsonbridge Foundation.  

Tell us about your experience as a Crimsonbridge Philanthropy Fellow. Did you learn anything new about philanthropy? 

At Crimsonbridge, with the intimacy of a small team and an amazing supervisor who provided me with the utmost guidance and mentorship, I was able to contribute and lead many projects. For example, I published two articles: one about the importance of mentor relationships for youth, and another about Crimsonbridge’s 2024 funding priorities in the Women’s and Girls’ Leadership and Civic Engagement portfolio. I strengthened my writing skills by learning how to deliver messages in a consolidated, yet impactful manner. I also worked on the grantmaking side. I sat in on partner meetings to see how Crimsonbridge, as a funder, can support them in innovative ways, and I also reviewed grantee reports to assess program progress.  

Part of Crimsonbridge’s philanthropic approach is to participate, engage, listen, and learn with the communities we support. Did you have the opportunity to meet any community partners?   

I had the opportunity to meet with Crimsonbridge’s partners from both the nonprofit and the funder sides. For example, I sat in a meeting with Community College Research Center to discuss their research report on first-generation college student success at community colleges, and also with She Should Run, where I was able to also talk a bit about my personal experiences as a civically engaged young woman policy advocate.  

I connected with professionals from ECMC and Imaginable Futures from the Grantmakers for Education membership, who are peer funders also involved in supporting postsecondary. During these one-on-ones, I received a wealth of insight about how these talented and strategic funders ended up in their current roles and what motivates them to continue their work.  

What’s next for you?  

As I wrap up my Philanthropy Fellowship with Crimsonbridge this week, I’m looking forward to using the skills I’ve garnered and the relationships I’ve built into my next endeavors and beyond. This upcoming summer, I’ll be working as a Legal Intern for a large online classifieds marketplace platform based in Berlin, Germany. After that, I plan on finishing up my next two years at UCLA and then eventually getting a JD/MPP to work towards my dreams of creating change at the intersection of policymaking and the law.