Amardeep Singh has been named the new president and CEO of Proteus Fund and Proteus Action League. He will officially assume the role in September. The Proteus Fund Board of Directors selected Amar following a rigorous national search supported by the nonprofit executive search firm NPAG.
“On behalf of the entire Board, I am thrilled to welcome Amar as Proteus Fund’s next leader,” said Board Chair A. Nicole Campell. “Amar’s contributions to Proteus and to the field of social change philanthropy more broadly have been significant. The Board is excited to see the strong vision and committed leadership that he will bring to this role as he guides Proteus through its next chapter.”
Amar is a seasoned grassroots activist, civil rights attorney, nonprofit founder, and philanthropic leader. For the past five years, he has served as Proteus Fund’s vice president of programs, managing its donor collaborative portfolio and building its donor organizing infrastructure. Amar’s deep understanding of Proteus Fund informed by his experience as a leader of a grantee organization, a donor partner, and as a member of its senior leadership team uniquely positions him to step into this role. His leadership will build upon a period of significant growth, transformation, and momentum for Proteus Fund, now a $60 million progressive philanthropic organization supporting 23 funds and initiatives.
“I am incredibly humbled and energized by this opportunity to lead Proteus Fund and Proteus Action League,” said Amar Singh. “Over 17 years, I have fully experienced all sides of Proteus – as a grantee, donor partner, and today, as a proud member of its senior leadership team. I have directly seen and experienced the true difference Proteus makes through the authentic bridging role we play between philanthropy and the frontlines of social justice. Now, as I assume this role, I am more committed than ever to deepening our impact by continuing to walk side-by-side with movement builders and bold donors as we all work towards a democracy in the United States that is just, representative, and inclusive.”
“Amardeep joined the Proteus team just months before I wrapped up over a decade on the Proteus board and six years as chair,” said Jason Franklin, former chair of the Proteus Fund Board of Directors. “In the last five years, he has repeatedly proven himself to be a great addition to Proteus’ leadership team. His selection to serve as Proteus’ next president and CEO is both wholly deserved and a wonderful win for both the organization and the field. At a time when civil society and social justice values face incredible attacks, having someone with such clarity and experience step up to keep building Proteus into the most dynamic funder and fiscal sponsor possible is exactly what these times demand.”
Amar’s entire career has been rooted in advancing inclusive democracy and the rights of Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and Sikh communities in the United States. He co-founded the Sikh Coalition and served as its executive director from 2003 to 2011, supporting its growth from a single staff member to a team of twelve. He then led the Sikh Coalition’s programs through 2014, achieving landmark civil rights policy wins at the federal and local levels. The Coalition remains the largest Sikh nonprofit in the U.S. Amar joined Open Society Foundations (OSF) in 2014 as a program officer on the National Security and Human Rights Team, and ultimately serving on its Equality Team as a Senior Program Officer. At OSF, he managed a $2.5 million annual portfolio focused on Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities and supporting multiracial solidarity, partnering with the Proteus Fund on both initiatives.
Since joining Proteus Fund in 2020, Amar has supported the evolution of its donor collaborative model to one that goes far beyond transactional grantmaking to provide deeper programmatic support and capacity for grantee partners. He accelerated and expanded the scope of Proteus’ Grantee Safety and Security Fund (GSSF), one of the first funds in philanthropy dedicated to addressing the urgent safety and security and health and wellness needs of frontline movement organizations. Amar also launched the Solidarity Collaborative, an innovative donor collaborative focused on advancing cross-movement solidarity. Additionally, he is overseeing the growth and expansion of the Proteus Action League, Proteus Fund’s 501(c)(4) sister organization.
“This is a critical time for the democracy we seek to defend and for the movements we support,” said Proteus Action League Board Chair Quanita Toffie. “Having a leader like Amar who is highly respected, relationship-driven, and passionate about the organization’s mission and work will further strengthen our ability to meet this moment.”
Amar is a proud New Jersey native, son of immigrants, and father of three. When he’s not supporting Proteus Fund, Amar enjoys gardening, karaoke, and, of late, hosting New York Knicks watch parties.
Amar will be the third president and CEO of Proteus Fund, following the retirement of longtime leader Paul Di Donato this past April. Proteus was founded by Meg Gage in 1994.
