The McGregor Fund is honored to welcome Jonathan Pulley as the Fund’s new Director of Grant Development.

Jonathan is a respected voice in the philanthropic ecosystem and is a champion of authentic community engagement and collaborative ecosystems. Most recently, he led efforts at Rocket Community Fund (RCF) to connect young adults to family-sustaining employment by aligning corporate hiring practices with community needs. Prior to RCF, he began his career in philanthropy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Earlier this year, the McGregor Fund board voted to double the Fund’s payout rate, which necessitated increasing staff capacity for grant and relationship development. Jonathan was a top contender in an earlier search process, given his aligned work history and deep community relationships. In this newly created position, his extensive experience, passionate advocacy for Detroit residents, and unapologetic commitment to racial justice promise to bring immeasurable value to the Fund’s work with existing and future grant partners.

From Terry Whitfield, Executive Director, Black Executive Director Alliance of Detroit:

“Jonathan has been a trusted partner in Detroit’s nonprofit ecosystem. His passion for community is evident in everything he does, and his work consistently reflects a deeper purpose: to harness the power of philanthropy in service of those with the most to gain. Jonathan is not only a skilled professional — he’s a true friend of the community. His transition to the McGregor Fund is an opportunity to amplify the Foundation’s reach, relevance, and impact across the city.”

In 2023, Jonathan was recognized as an Emerging Leader in Philanthropy by the Council of Michigan Foundations. He is also an alumnus of the Change Collective, an initiative of Civic Action focused on training and connecting a nationwide network of local leaders as they develop and launch a civic action plan tailored to their communities’ needs.

From Courtney Smith, Founder and CEO, Detroit Phoenix Center:

“I cannot think of a more perfect person to join the team at the McGregor Fund. Jonathan’s deep passion for the city, our youth, and Detroiters is undeniable and infectious. This is particularly important right now when we need leaders like Jonathan — leaders that hold both a keen understanding of the real challenges at hand and the endless possibilities for our future — to represent us at tables not everyone can access.”

Jonathan will join the Fund’s four-person program team and work closely with Heidi Alcock, now the Vice President of Strategy & Grants Portfolio. He will help develop grant opportunities consistent with program strategies, priorities, and grant portfolio plans, collaborating closely and engaging with the broader community, system leaders, peers, and the Fund President and Trustees.

From Kate Levin Markel, President, McGregor Fund:

“Increasing our payout this year was a moral imperative and growing our program team will be essential to doing it well. Adding Jonathan to the team will strengthen our capacity to build deep relationships with our community partners and to meet this moment with the urgency it demands.”

Jonathan will start in this role on May 30, 2025.

A few words from Jonathan:

“I am thrilled to step into the role of Director of Grant Development, and I don’t take this position — or this moment in time — lightly. I believe deeply in the power of community and leverage my role to build meaningful bridges between complex systems, local partners, and community members. At the heart of my work is a commitment to centering community-driven solutions while ensuring that the voices closest to the problem shape lasting, equitable change.

I’m grateful for the Board’s swift action in increasing its payout — a bold commitment to our partners that made my decision to join the team an easy one. In a time when many feel hopeless, funding is unstable, and political turbulence is high, I am encouraged by the Fund’s leadership. Their boldness in this moment is paving the way for our collective resilience as we move through these times together with our partners, unified and determined.”