Imago Dei Fund

In 2025, Imago Dei Fund partnered with the Trust Based Philanthropy Project through their “Meet the moment” initiative. This initiative seeks to bring its supporters together “in solidarity with nonprofits.” The group claims that the political climate could pose risks to nonprofits through reductions in funding, legal concerns, and lack of staff. ²

Grant Selection Criteria

The fund focuses its philanthropic agenda in the following areas: supporting women and girls to thrive and flourish, church as an agent, and being a good neighbor to Boston. Grantee organizations are not expected to meet each of these categories though the fund does have a three-lens approach to its decision-making process: gender balance, faith/inspiration, and community-driven development. The fund does not accept unsolicited proposals or applications. Many of the fund’s grantee recipients are from the Boston area, though it also contributes to national and multiple international organizations focused on humanitarian relief and other purposes. ^{3 4}

Leadership

Imago Dei Fund’s leadership team consists primarily of trustees and partners, as opposed to a standard chain-of-command leadership structure. In 2018, Imago Dei Fund’s tax returns listed founding trustees Ross M. Jones and his wife Emily Nielsen Jones under the category of officers, directors, trustees, and managers. ^{5 6}

Ross Jones has been a managing director with Berkshire Partners since 2000. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. ⁷ Ross Jones of is a frequent donor to Republican campaigns; according to Federal Election Commission records, of the last thirteen reported federal campaign contributions donations Jones made, only one of them was made to a Democratic campaign. ⁸

Emily Nielsen Jones is a frequent speaker at women’s events, an advocate for gender equality, and a contributor to the left-progressive Christian group Sojourners. ⁹ She also contributes to Philanthropy Women and has been critical of President Donald Trump, his rhetoric, and his political agenda. ¹⁰ Emily holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and a Master’s degree from Boston University School of Education. ¹¹

The form also listed only two members of the leadership team who receive compensation. Managing partner Lisa Richardson Jackson received $203,592 in 2018 and program partner Jennifer Oakley received $92,000 in 2018. ⁵

Grantmaking

Imago Dei Fund supports numerous left-progressive organizations, including Sojourners, Global Fund for Women, and the Boston Foundation. In total, Imago Dei Fund made $7.3 million in grants in 2018. ¹²

Finances

2018⁵

Revenue:          $21,693,380

Expenses:         $9,270,397

Assets:              $56,733,510

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007