our mission

Empowering real people to have an impact on the places they love.

Born in Detroit.

It began with the idea that crowdfunding could be used to help source funds for community improvement projects. Our founders then had the idea that would differentiate us from every other crowdfunding platform: the matching grant. We call it "crowdgranting."

Turning bold ideas into impactful realities.

Have a great idea for your community or neighborhood, but don't have the funding or a solid plan? Our hands-on coaching and robust crowdfunding platform help you tap into your community to get financial support and make it happen.

Dedicated Project Coaching & Vetting

Robust Crowdfunding Platform

Matching Grant Program Management

Placemaking Consulting & Expertise

Community Engagement

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We're passionate about placemaking.

As a small team, spread across the United States, we bring diverse interests, experiences and passions to our roles. One thing that unites and motivates us is our desire to build better, more diverse and vibrant communities.

Meet the Team

Bridget Anderson

Vice President

Bridget Anderson, Vice President she/her

Solsberry, IN

Bridget Anderson is Vice President at Patronicity. Since joining the team in 2018, she has led the CreatINg Places crowdgranting program and supported our work aimed at stabilizing and supporting small businesses. Bridget brings a passion for organization and structure to the leadership team to help manage team execution and personnel. As a ruralite, Bridget brings a service-oriented mindset and a get-it-done attitude that improves Patronicity's effectiveness and customer support.

Bridget has over six years experience working with statewide and national non-profits including civil justice and educational organizations, as well as six years serving elected officials and political campaigns. She graduated from Indiana University with a degree in political science and is inspired by civic engagement as a means to improve lives.

Why do you love where you live?

"I love where I live because I'm surrounded by hills and trees that connect me to nature and provides me room to explore, to rest, to play, to grow things, and to be inspired."

Mahala Clayton

Michigan Director

Mahala Clayton, Michigan Director she/her

Detroit, MI

Mahala is Patronicity’s Michigan Director, leading the Public Spaces, Community Places crowdgranting program. Mahala is a major asset to the Patronicity team, humanizing the crowdfunding and crowdgranting process, which could otherwise be intimidating and technical. Mahala works one-on-one with project creators to ensure they understand program parameters, what tools we offer and how to use them, and what strategies make a successful campaign. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mahala coached small business owners from around the State of Michigan. She helped those small business owners develop successful campaigns that resulted in a program supporting over 113 businesses and raising over $500,000 within a two-month period. Mahala is an amatuer hiker, yogi, farmer, and cook.

Why do you love where you live?

"I love where I live because the architecture reminds me that people used to put great care into their surroundings and effort into the finer details, making things unique and respectful."

Jonathan Berk

Vice President

Jonathan Berk, Vice President he/him

Boston, MA

With over five years experience at Patronicity, Jonathan Berk not only brings his skills as a trained attorney, but continues to serve as a leader in the forefront of Patronicity’s innovation. Jonathan is a placemaker and New Urbanist in every sense of the word with a voracious appetite for studying and learning about new methods of community and economic development from around the world. Jonathan spearheads our consulting efforts under bench Consulting and is a consistent advocate for improved transportation, housing, and open street improvements. Be sure to follow him on Twitter for his thought leadership. As Vice President, Jonathan helps to identify opportunities to expand our reach and keep Patronicity focused on emerging trends. His focus remains on building vibrant communities that foster connectivity and creativity and support a thriving, healthy downtown, small business ecosystem and community.

Jonathan holds a JD from New England Law | Boston and a BA in Communications from Quinnipiac University and currently sits on the local advisory board of Leading Cities, a global leader in Smart City solutions and Abundant Housing Massachusetts, advocating for access to more housing for all across the region.

Why do you love where you live?

"I love where I live because I can walk to the ocean, walk along the river, take in a play or concert at one of a dozen local venues, enjoy good food at one of dozens of fantastic, locally owned, neighborhood restaurants, bars and cafés, and appreciate the beautiful architecture and public spaces Boston's lucky enough to have."

Camryn Greer

Community Programs Director

Camryn Greer, Community Programs Director she/her

Bloomington, IN

Passionate about how arts and culture, creative placemaking, and skill-building can shape quality of life for communities of all shapes and sizes, Camryn serves as the Community Programs Director at Patronicity and supports exciting projects happening around the country. Her work is primarily focused on coaching communities across the northeast through planning and funding projects through our crowdgranting programs Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund, Better Places Vermont, and Biz-M-Power. In addition to her crowdfunding work, Camryn also utilizes a background in visual communication to increase the effectiveness of the platform for all programs and to support project creators in a more personalized way.

Why do you love where you live?

"I love where I live because there is such a diversity of things to do - from the intimate arts scene to lovely local hikes - and so many interesting and passionate people committed to making the world a more beautiful place. What a gift!"

Ebrahim Varachia

President & Co-Founder

Ebrahim Varachia, President & Co-Founder he/him

Oakland, CA

Ebrahim is the President & Co-Founder of Patronicity. He believes the cornerstone between a great idea, and it coming to life, is oftentimes the funding, and started Patronicity as a civic and community crowdfunding platform built to inspire growth and change in placemaking throughout cities and towns, both urban and rural, across the country. Growing Patronicity to be more than just a civic crowdfunding platform, he has led Patronicity to change the way grants are administered and how communities come together to envision, build, and create more sustainable and impactful projects meaningful to them.

Why do you love where you live?

Where I live is a special place; there is always a ray of sun in the sky, I can walk to my favorite bakery and bike to my favorite market, and wander down to the bay to look out into the ocean blue, with a new hike to conquer each week, my puppy and I are always adventure bound!

Maddie Miller

Digital Marketing Manager

Maddie Miller, Digital Marketing Manager she/her

Fort Wayne, IN

Maddie manages Patronicity's digital marketing and communications. She is passionate about sharing the company's purpose-driven mission to build vibrant communities. She has over five years' experience leading digital marketing strategy for nonprofit arts organizations and design firms and recently joined the team at Patronicity. Outside of her work at Patronicity, she is a visual artist, arts advocate, and avid disc golfer. Maddie regularly serves on grant panels for her regional and state arts agencies, Arts United and the Indiana Arts Commission.

Why do you love where you live?

"I love where I live, because my city is growing and pushing to be better. We have beautiful outdoor spaces with over 100 miles of paved walking and biking trails, and an incredible park system built around our three rivers."

Kate Rosenbarger

Project Coach

Kate Rosenbarger, Project Coach she/her

Bloomington, IN

Kate is a Project Coach at Patronicity and works with communities to help them drive sustainable, equitable development and community impact. She is civically active in her own city and currently holds public office as a Council Member for the city of Bloomington. Kate spent most of her career with NeighborWorks America, a national nonprofit focused on community development and housing. There, she worked with non-profits in 240 communities across the country to measure the impact of programs in neighborhoods they serve. Before that, Kate worked as the Communications Director for the AFL-CIO in Colorado and has worked on nine political campaigns in fundraising and volunteer engagement. Kate loves trail running, growing her own food, and spending time in the sun with her Russell Terrier, Gary.

Why do you love where you live?

"I love where I live because I can bike or walk almost anywhere I want to go; there are wooded, hilly running trails within 15 minutes of my front door; and my favorite people live here!"

Tim Heaphy

Web & UX Development

Tim Heaphy, Web & UX Development he/him

Los Angeles, CA

Tim manages Patronicity’s Web & UX Development and is an experienced developer and product specialist with expertise in designing and developing high-quality website features and user experiences. He is especially adept at understanding various stakeholder needs and translating those into effective solutions while simplifying technology for users of different and diverse populations.

Why do you love where you live?

"I love Los Angeles for the diversity of cultures and experiences you get on a daily basis, the natural landscape, and of course the weather."

Chris Blauvelt

Founder

Ryan Steadman

Web Developer

Ryan Martell

Web Developer

Want more?

Read our placemaking blog and listen to our team interview industry leaders on our podcast

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