For Jon Ingram, joining Westside Future Fund (WFF) as Chief Development Officer is more than a professional milestone—it’s a homecoming. Raised with deep roots in Atlanta’s Westside, Ingram brings both a wealth of experience in nonprofit development and an intrinsic understanding of the community WFF serves.
A Career Built on Service and Community Engagement
Ingram’s career began with the Boy Scouts of America, where he spent years developing and expanding youth programs, fostering community partnerships, and managing fundraising initiatives. Over time, his role grew to oversee five counties in metro Atlanta and lead a team of eight executives. He later transitioned to a development-focused role, managing special events and the annual fund campaign.
From there, he joined the Woodruff Arts Center as Director of Corporate Relations, where he specialized in strategic partnerships, aligning corporate objectives with meaningful community impact. It was here that Ingram honed his ability to connect organizations in ways that create lasting value—not just for stakeholders, but for the broader community.
Now, as WFF’s Chief Development Officer, he is bringing that expertise back to the place that shaped him.
A Personal Connection to the Westside
Ingram’s bond with Atlanta’s Westside runs deep. He grew up surrounded by leaders and mentors from neighborhoods like Vine City and Collier Heights—people who instilled in him the values of education, service, and resilience. His mother and grandmother, both proud Spelman College alumni, instilled in him a deep appreciation for education and community empowerment. His grandmother, a devoted educator, taught at several Westside schools, leaving a lasting impact on generations of students. His grandmother, a dedicated educator, taught at several Westside schools, and his parents were intentional about ensuring he remained connected to the community’s history and opportunities.
“My parents made an intentional choice of making sure my brother and I were involved in afterschool and summer programs in the Westside,” Ingram shared. “These were the people who believed in me when I was just a child. Not giving back to those people would be a disservice to who I am as a person.”
His faith has also played a central role in his journey. Growing up, he participated in youth development programs through local churches, including those in the Atlanta University Center (AUC). That foundation of service, faith, and education continues to guide his work today.
A Vision for the Future
As WFF looks ahead, Ingram is committed to helping the organization further its mission through sustainable fundraising and strategic partnerships. He is drawn to WFF’s approach of working with the community, ensuring that residents have a seat at the table when it comes to shaping their own future.
“I love the phrasing about doing with the community and not to the community,” he said. “I’ve always believed in that mentality when working with people. Communities like this are filled with families looking to build better futures, and if I can provide something to help them achieve that, I’m going to do it.”
For Ingram, a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. serves as a guiding principle as he enters into WFF’s mission: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” By strengthening the Westside, he believes, WFF is not just uplifting one community but fostering a ripple effect of positive change throughout Atlanta and beyond.
With Ingram at the helm of development, WFF is poised to continue its transformative work—ensuring that Atlanta’s historic Westside becomes not only one of the most sought-after communities in the city but a place where legacy residents can thrive.