SchoolSeed President and CEO Tapped to Participate in Distinguished National Cohort of Non-Profit Executives

New Profit inc., a venture philanthropy fund headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts selected Vincent J. McCaskill, SchoolSeed Foundation president and CEO, as one of 8 non-profit leaders in Tennessee to receive unrestricted operational support to advance the work of SchoolSeed. New Profit is awarding a $200,000 unrestricted grant to support the operations of the Memphis based organization.

“We are deeply humbled that our work in Memphis is being recognized nationally,” said Vincent J. McCaskill. “I am proud to be a member of this prestigious group of social entrepreneurs across the country selected by New Profit, Inc. There is so much we can learn from this Equitable Education Recovery Initiative (EERI) cohort,” McCaskill said.

SchoolSeed Foundation was founded in 2009 and is led by Vincent J. McCaskill, president and CEO. McCaskill is the founding executive of the organization and has served in the lead role since its inception. The steady leadership of McCaskill and its Board of Directors has embedded the organization in the community as one that is tested, proven and trusted. SchoolSeed serves as the independent education foundation for public schools in Memphis managing more than $200 million since its inception. SchoolSeed is a connector in the education non-profit sector working in support of public school system initiatives and community efforts to support Memphis Shelby County Schools from the system level to individual schools.

“We received nearly 100 submissions and it was a highly competitive selection process,” said Bhavana Chilukuri, Associate Partner, Catalyze Investments. “Vincent J. McCaskill, the leader of SchoolSeed Foundation, is one of 24 social entrepreneurs selected overall, and one of 8 selected for the Tennessee regional cohort, which includes organizations working in Memphis and Nashville. We are deeply inspired by Vincent J. McCaskill’s leadership and SchoolSeed’s work and hope that the EERI cohort can be catalytic in helping the organization deepen and scale its impact.”  

New Profit is a nonprofit venture philanthropy organization that backs breakthrough social entrepreneurs who are advancing equity and opportunity in America. New Profit's investment strategy focuses on building a breakthrough portfolio to take on entrenched systemic challenges in America, particularly by driving resources and support to Black, Indigenous, and Latino/a/x social entrepreneurs who have unique proximity to solutions, but face stark racial funding disparities in philanthropy; investing in social entrepreneurs with new systems change models across a range of issues; and creating jobs and opportunity by funding Future of Work innovation.

“We have always believed that the foundation of a successful organization begins with visionary and stable leadership that is committed to the mission, vision and guiding principles of our organization,” said William Mitchell, SchoolSeed Board Chairman. “We know we have a leader

in Mr. McCaskill, a visionary who truly embraces building authentic relationships across sectors, humility and service to others,” he said.