Rishard Allen is an emerging philanthropic professional and creative consultant with a proven track record in grants management and administration, program and project management, and racial equity initiatives. As the Grants & Community Manager at the Pop Culture Collaborative (PCC), he spearheads an innovative grantmaking strategy that harnesses the influential force of popular culture to reshape narratives for marginalized communities, working towards a more just and pluralist future.
Throughout his esteemed career, Rishard has been unwavering in his dedication to preserving and fortifying the arts, culture, and creative economy, particularly for marginalized populations. His journey began at Arts for Learning Indiana, where he championed arts-in-education opportunities led by professional teaching artists in schools, community centers, and juvenile detention facilities. Subsequently, he directed a $1.8 million grantmaking portfolio benefiting individual artists and arts nonprofits at the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Later, Rishard joined The Indianapolis Foundation to drive the implementation of a nationwide community foundation framework aimed at dismantling systemic racism.
Rishard’s expertise and thought leadership has been sought after by numerous local, regional, and national working groups and committees, including IndyHub, Americans for the Arts, Arts Midwest, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Indiana Arts Commission, the Community Foundation Opportunity Network, and the NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee. He was also a contributing author to the Giving Institute’s Giving USA 2021 publication.
Rishard holds a B.S. in Arts Management from Indiana University Bloomington and an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. His outstanding achievements and unwavering commitment to transformative social change continue to make a profound impact on the philanthropic landscape.