Dallas Woman Takes Pride in Sharing Wealth of Resources
Ally Dodoo is the creative genius of “Funding with Ally,” and makes it a practice to share her wealth of information with startup nonprofit organizations.
Image provided by Ally Dodoo
When she was just 14 years old, Ally Dodoo worked a summer internship program called, “Good Samaritan” at a food pantry. Within the walls of the small facility, the young and curious teenager, along with several other teens would box up food and load up cars that frequently pulled up.
It was working at that food pantry that inspired Dodoo to live a life of service. She was fascinated by the limitless resources around her and ever so impressed by people who would utilize such resources instead of resolving to struggle.
Today, Dodoo purposefully serves Black Women and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) with startup nonprofit organizations.
“The lady who ran that food pantry when I was 14 reminded me of my mom,” recalls Dodoo. “They were both such quiet, yet great heroes.”
“That summer taught me so many valuable lessons,” insists Dodoo. “Just because you don’t have everything you think you need, that doesn’t mean you can’t help, give back and show up for other people. There are so many opportunities to show love to people and change their circumstances.”
The Dallas native didn’t always think she would go to college after high school, after all she struggled with ADHD and her grades were less than stellar. At some point, however, she told her advisor that she needed to do something that would allow her to help people.
“All the careers I saw in leadership and relative professions required some sort of degree, so I knew what I had to do,” Dodoo says.
After high school, Dodoo first attended Southern University. Hurricane Katrina, unfortunately, would limit her time at the Historically Black University. Soon Dodoo found herself back in Dallas, the Oak Cliff area to be exact. She enrolled in El Centro Community College, before attending the University of North Texas at Dallas, via a Dallas Housing Scholarship.
Receiving that scholarship speaks tremendous volumes to Dodoo’s story. Her single mother Demetris, mom to three - used available resources very wisely, affording a young Ally and her sisters opportunities to live in safe neighborhoods and to attend good schools.
“My mom was a hairstylist of 30 years,” Dodoo shares. “She didn’t take no for an answer, instead believing no to mean not right now. I am a product of available resources being used very well.”
Dodoo graduated from the University of North Texas – Dallas, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Non-profit Leadership.
About six years ago, Dodoo started an organization called Help Us Give Back. The organization raised money by selling African-print backpacks. The objective was to create boreholes (clean water systems) in Africa, where her husband is from. Eventually the pandemic would make receiving the backpacks very difficult, so Dodoo and her husband had to restructure.
“We had to pivot,” Dodoo explains. “We didn’t give up, but we had to adjust our efforts. I remember thinking to myself - why can’t people do this on their own? If they had the knowledge, they could sustain themselves.”
Equipped with the mindset to teach, Dodoo began teaching people philanthropic entrepreneurship. She utilized both online resources and fundraising tools. The students learned quickly.
“We were able to completely turn everything over to them,” explains Dodoo. “We just stayed on the board.”
In 2023, the Help Us Give Back Foundation will launch a new program to teach children (ages 13-17) about philanthropic entrepreneurship through agriculture. This program will be set for 48 hours, with mentors partnering throughout the community.
For quite some time, Dodoo dedicated her efforts to the nonprofit sector via various companies. Eventually she decided she was going to do nonprofit the way she wanted to do nonprofit.
“Once I made that decision - it opened a lot of doors for me,” explains Dodoo. “The nonprofit world is a very old, white male, elitist industry. I don’t tip toe around and do it the way they want anymore. I show up as I am and do what I want the way I want.”
It was that assertiveness that inspired “Funding with Ally.” Dodoo did the leg work for the greater part of a year: planning mode, brand awareness mode and now the never-ending work of networking.
While “Funding with Ally” has a growing following on both Instagram and Tik Tok and a great email list of subscribers, Dodoo will also soon launch an affordable membership program called “Fully Funded Academy.” This program will be complete with self-paced e-courses, one-on-one coaching and a private community of brilliant fundraisers.
There will be no mistaking her target audience. Ally Dodoo is working hard for Black and Indigenous People of Color Startup Nonprofit Organizations.
“Our objective is very intentional,” Dodoo explains. “We’re making sure we’re speaking to our audience and letting them know they don’t have to fumble around for information. We aren’t keeping secrets, but instead launching consistent courses. We will be in your face, with advice that people need to get the funding they desire.”
Today, the 35-year-old wife and mother of two is networking with the Small Business Administration, Black Chamber of Commerce and Mesquite Chamber of Commerce, among other entities. She is plugged in with the city and determined to maintain her credibility.
“People are waiting for me to give them something that they can use,” Dodoo offers proudly. “At first, I was looking for them, and now it seems people are looking for me.”
