Sherill Berk
City of Philadelphia – Office of the Mayor
SHERILL BERK is a business development and strategic fundraising executive with 25 years of experience in business and nonprofit leadership, advancing financial health, education, and mental health initiatives nationwide. She has secured over $40M in philanthropic funding and led strategic partnerships at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and SCORE mentors. As Principal of Berk Fundraising and a passionate civic leader, Berk is committed to building stronger, more equitable communities. She holds an MBA from Northeastern University and a BA from Boston College.
Project
Philadelphia is developing a comprehensive business succession and commercial real estate acquisition program to support immigrant-owned small businesses, which make up 36% of the city’s 41,000 small businesses in commercial corridors. This initiative will create strategic tools and partnerships to help immigrant business owners build generational wealth and transition to commercial property ownership. By addressing barriers to business succession planning and property acquisition, Philadelphia aims to prevent displacement, preserve cultural assets, and reduce wealth disparities while sustaining the vibrancy of diverse commercial corridors.