Atlanta Neighborhood Collective Launches to Expand Opportunity
The new nonprofit will advance the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative across seven founding neighborhood areas in Atlanta.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in People
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The City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Committee for Progress announced the launch of the Atlanta Neighborhood Collective, a nonprofit founded to advance the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative. Donovan Lee-Sin was appointed its inaugural Executive Director.
Why it matters
The Collective was founded to expand economic mobility and improve outcomes for children and families in Atlanta, where officials said too many families face barriers to opportunity based on their neighborhood. It aligns investments, partnerships and community priorities across Atlanta neighborhoods under shared accountability.
The Collective covers seven founding NRI neighborhood areas and is led locally by five Neighborhood Partner Organizations. Blue Meridian Partners, with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, is considering an additional investment, which has not yet been finalized.
The players
Donovan Lee-Sin
Lee-Sin was appointed inaugural Executive Director of the Atlanta Neighborhood Collective after a local search committee selected him following a national search conducted with BoardWalk Consulting. He most recently served as Senior Director of Community Impact for Augusta National Golf Club and has more than two decades of leadership experience.
Atlanta Committee for Progress
The Atlanta Committee for Progress is a coalition of business leaders in Atlanta that co-announced the Collective and provides foundational support for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative.
Blue Meridian Partners
Blue Meridian Partners is a philanthropic organization that is considering an additional investment in the Collective alongside the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.
The details
The Collective implements a collective strategic plan developed by a coalition of nonprofit Neighborhood Partner Organizations, the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Committee for Progress. Foundational support comes from the Atlanta Committee for Progress, the City of Atlanta and Purpose Built Communities.
Timeline
Donovan Lee-Sin's first day as Executive Director is scheduled for October 12, 2026.
The Atlanta Neighborhood Collective launch was announced on November 10, 2026.
Market Landscape
The Collective extends the Neighborhood Reinvestment Initiative by giving its work a dedicated nonprofit structure. It brings together city government, business leaders and local nonprofits in a model that aligns investments around shared neighborhood priorities.
Residents in the seven founding neighborhood areas may see the Collective's investments and programs take shape as the work moves forward under its new Executive Director. The effort aims to expand economic mobility for local children and families.
The takeaway
Neighborhood-based opportunity depends on coordinated investment, shared accountability and sustained resident engagement across organizations. The Collective's model shows how city, business and nonprofit partners can align their efforts.
What happens next
Donovan Lee-Sin's first day as Executive Director is scheduled for October 12, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Atlanta People coverage of leaders shaping the city's economic future.
More information
Learn more on the Atlanta Neighborhood Collective information site.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Atlanta Daily World.
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