Charity Hallman serves as the Senior Vice President of Community and Economic Development at HOPE, and is based in Little Rock, Arkansas. HOPE, comprised of Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union, and Hope Policy Institute, is dedicated to providing financial services, aggregating resources, and engaging in advocacy to mitigate the extent to which factors such as race, gender, birthplace, and wealth limit one’s ability to prosper. As a women and Black-led organization, HOPE has made significant strides since its inception in 1994, generating more than $3.9 billion in financing that has benefitted more than 2.7 million people in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
At HOPE, Charity leads asset-building strategies for economic development and inclusion across the Deep South, spearheading initiatives that empower communities and catalyze growth among businesses and nonprofits. She oversees a portfolio of $32 million in U.S. Department of Education Public Charter School Facilities Credit Enhancements, providing crucial support to public schools in highly distressed communities. Her work extends to identifying New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) eligible projects, promoting food security initiatives, and enhancing health outcomes through innovative projects, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engines Development Award.
Charity has over 16 years of experience in strategic planning, public policy, and non-profit and financial management. In 2022, she was honored as a LISC Rubinger Fellow and previously served as a Capital City Fellow in Washington D.C. Before joining HOPE, she served as the Chief Operating Officer and Finance Director at KIPP Delta Public Schools, where she played a crucial role in enhancing educational opportunities for underserved youth while bolstering the school system’s financial and operational infrastructure.
Charity holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Delaware and is a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with degrees in Psychology and Marketing. She is a native Arkansan, an AmeriCorps VISTA Alumni, and serves on the Lower Mississippi River Foundation board. Charity, her husband, Nathan, and their four dogs share a profound love for the natural state and proudly call central Arkansas home.