About COI Ladder Institute
Building economic pathways through connection, capital, and community.
COI Ladder Institute is a mission-driven organization focused on expanding access to opportunity, capital, and ecosystem relationships. Through strategic programming and convenings, we work to strengthen economic mobility and empower underrepresented leaders.
Our Mission
We exist to address gaps in access to capital, networks, and opportunity. COI Ladder Institute brings together founders, funders, institutions, and community leaders in environments designed to foster trust, collaboration, and long-term value creation.
Access to Capital
Structured introductions between founders and investors, fund managers, and institutional capital partners — creating pathways to funding that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
Ecosystem Connectivity
Strategic connections between founders, corporate procurement leaders, and ecosystem builders — bridging the gap between innovation and institutional scale.
Economic Mobility
Programming and infrastructure that create sustained visibility, commerce opportunities, and professional development for underrepresented communities.
How We Work
Our programs and initiatives are structured to create measurable outcomes across education, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic development.
STRIVE Youth
STEM education, leadership development, and entrepreneurial training for young people in underserved communities — equipping the next generation with skills, confidence, and pathways to lead.
Learn MorekW for Good™
Connecting corporate energy savings to community need, creating a sustainable pathway toward energy equity for underserved households through clean energy innovation.
Learn MoreFounders & Funders Programming
A structured platform of convenings, introductions, coaching, and community-building designed to connect founders with funders and unlock the 3Cs: Connections, Contracts, and Checks.
Learn MoreOur Approach
We believe in partnership over transaction, alignment over optics, and long-term ecosystem building over short-term outcomes. Every initiative is designed to produce measurable results — the Connections, Contracts, and Checks that define our platform — while strengthening the relationships and infrastructure required to sustain them.
Leadership
SaLisa L. Berrien
Founder & Executive Director
SaLisa L. Berrien founded COI Ladder Institute in 1995 with a commitment to building assets and creating lasting change in underserved communities. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and an Executive MBA from Saint Joseph’s University, she brings over 30 years of experience spanning nonprofit leadership, clean energy, and corporate strategy.
Under her leadership, the Institute has launched flagship programs including STRIVE Youth, kW for Good™, the SEE Index, and the annual Martha’s Vineyard Founders & Funders Retreat — now in its 13th year and the longest-standing gathering of its kind on Martha’s Vineyard.
Get Involved
Whether you are a founder seeking opportunity, an investor exploring alignment, or an organization committed to impact, there is a place for you within the COI Ladder Institute ecosystem.