Rebecca Raposo is the founder of two initiatives: Ousare, a private consultancy firm focused on supporting companies operating in Brazil to implement, improve or expand their corporate philanthropy programs; and Ceos, a not-for-profit organization established to support the institutional building of other social enterprises by means of a long term consultancy process funded by a corporate fund structured by Ceos.
Prior to these initiatives, Ms. Raposo had been in the development sector for over twenty years. During this time, she managed social projects for the public, private and nonprofit sectors, including the National Economic and Social Development Bank, the main governmental development agency in Brazil. In the private sector, Ms. Raposo developed feasibility studies for social interventions of companies advancing their corporate social responsibility initiatives. In the nonprofit sector, Ms. Raposo worked as the officer for the social community development program for Vitae, a private grantmaking organization.
From 1999 to 2004, Ms. Raposo led GIFE - Group of Institutes, Foundations and Enterprises, the Brazilian association of corporate grantmakers. She led the expansion process of this nonprofit and its positioning in the social sector, tripling the organization's budget and doubling its membership base.
From 2004 to 2007, Ms. Raposo rendered consulting services to all players in the social development field who were committed to working collaboratively across sectors. Ms. Raposo strongly believes that social transformation takes places when a synergy of interests, competencies and values are in place.
Ms. Raposo is also a visiting professor at the University of São Paulo's Master of Business Administration program for social entrepreneurship, and has taught many short-term courses and workshops on project development and evaluation. She is also a member of the Avina Network for Social Entrepreneurs and sits on various boards of nonprofit organizations.
Ms. Raposo is a trained sociologist, having graduated from George Washington University in Washington, DC.