The first fundraiser that Erin Foley ever led wasn’t for a client. It was for animals. Sixth grade. A birthday party. Six hundred dollars. She and her best friend gave it all to their local Animal Refuge League. That early act of generosity shaped how she views giving as something built on trust.
Erin was raised in a family deeply involved in community life. Her mother contributed to local education, land conservation, and youth sports fundraising, while her father coached her teams through high school and now serves on the Finance Authority of Maine and CU Insurance Solutions boards. His credit union career introduced her early to the connection between finance and community well-being. “Being savvy with money from a young age,” she says, “has always been relevant to the work I do today.”
At Mount Holyoke College, Erin studied politics and anthropology while organizing a student labor union, an experience that taught her how collaboration drives progress. Through family friend and mentor Laura Young, she discovered Demont Associates, where she now helps organizations “recognize the power of philanthropy to strengthen their mission, affirm their agency, and support the communities they serve.”
Her first campaign, for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vermont, revealed how volunteers can surprise themselves through shared effort. “You see people find their stride,” she reflects, “and realize their ability to influence change.”
Erin is recognized within Demont Associates for her sharp analysis and wide perspective. “What I really appreciate about Erin is her thoughtful approach to project assessment and analytics,” says Bev Shadley, Vice President of Demont Associates. “She is a big thinker, able to make intelligent and insightful connections to the great benefit of our clients.”