The Community Foundation is excited to announce the 2024 VoicesDMV Community Action Awards. The awards are part of The Community Foundation’s VoicesDMV community engagement initiative, which unveiled its most recent Community Insights Report earlier this year.
“VoicesDMV is about more than just gathering and sharing information,” Darius Graham, The Community Foundation’s Managing Director of Community Investment shared. “It’s about turning information into action and making sure our work and that of our partners is directly informed by residents.”
“That’s why we’re excited to announce these Community Action Awards to support nonprofits in our community that are doing the work to address the issues and challenges outlined in the VoicesDMV report.”
First introduced in 2020, the VoicesDMV Community Action Awards provide grants of $5,000 to nonprofits who are working on projects to make our region more equitable and inclusive.
Projects ranged from initiatives addressing civic engagement and job readiness to others focused on rental assistance and housing security. All of the projects address one or more issues highlighted in the 2024 VoicesDMV Community Insights Report.
This year’s Community Action Award Recipients include:
Anti-Racist DC will train and engage DC residents about housing insecurity and the inequitable distribution of wealth through the lens of equity and racial justice.
Guerilla Gardeners of DC will provide a 4-week groundskeeping training program for young people facing housing insecurity.
Beloved Community Incubator will partner with local organizations to engage with residents to promote workplace democracy and worker ownership.
Centers for Opportunity will address barriers to employment for those living in the Richmond Highway corridor – with a special focus on those who have not worked for an extended period of time (ex. those experiencing homelessness, formerly incarcerated, and those without a high school diploma).
Living Classrooms Foundation will train Ward 7 residents in how to operate and maintain “green infrastructure” through their Kingman Rangers program.
Story Tapestries will hold trainings for early childhood educators in Montgomery County so they can earn higher wages and teach more effectively.
Child Care Counts will provide emergency funds for families in Ward 7 & 8
Bethesda Cares will provide rent relief to low-income individuals in Montgomery County
Youth Activism Project will focus on youth civic empowerment and get-out-the-vote efforts in DC Wards 7 & 8 and East County, Montgomery County to help residents become more involved and aware of their role in local government.
Many Languages, One Voice will hold four listening sessions with immigrants and refugee residents of Washington, DC to gather additional insights and reactions to the VoicesDMV Report. Data from these sessions will be used to create deeper awareness of the needs and situation of immigrants of color in DC.
Click here to learn more about our 2024 Community Action Award Recipients!