Greater Washington Community Foundation Announces Community Action Awards Winners

$100,000 in funds awarded to actionable ideas aimed to benefit Greater Washington neighborhoods and the public good

Washington, DC – February 11, 2021 – The Greater Washington Community Foundation is pleased to announce the full slate of community projects selected to receive Community Action Awards, presented by Comcast—cash awards up to $2,000 to help residents take action to make their communities safer, stronger, and more dynamic. In all, $100,000 was awarded to 50 projects working to make our region a more equitable and inclusive place for everyone to live, work, and thrive.

The Community Action Awards, presented by Comcast, are part of VoicesDMV, a powerful community engagement initiative launched in 2017 to explore the region’s challenges and opportunities related to housing, transportation, safety, economic security, race relations, and community well-being. VoicesDMV celebrates and intentionally listens to the voices of those in our community that often go unheard. To learn more about the initiative, visit voicesdmv.org. 

In 2020, VoicesDMV tapped into Community Insights through a regional survey captured in the weeks immediately preceding the COVID-19 crisis. Even before the pandemic, the survey found that our Black and African American neighbors were experiencing economic inequality and expressing deep concerns about access to quality education, jobs, and medical care. View the findings here.

On the Table then brought together thousands of DMV residents for virtual community conversations to engage in meaningful dialogue around the challenges presented by the survey findings, to work to develop solutions together, and to inspire action to make a difference in our communities.  

Finally, the Community Action Awards program, presented by Comcast, is providing support to help participants move ideas discussed at the table into action. These awards are intended to support neighborhood-based projects and individual leaders who may encounter challenges in accessing traditional foundation funding.

“VoicesDMV presents a powerful platform to engage residents to do good for their communities — in fact, 90 percent of On the Table survey respondents said they were likely to take action on an issue discussed at their conversation,” said Benton Murphy, Senior Advisor for Impact at the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “The Community Action Awards were designed to support these ideas and help community members to take action to better their communities. We are looking forward to seeing these projects come to life in communities across the region.”

Selected projects come from across the Washington, DC metro area – including DC, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, and Northern Virginia. The projects address a wide range of issues, including education and youth development, community engagement, health and wellness, arts and culture, food access and more. All projects receiving awards can be viewed here.

Over 200 individuals and nonprofit organizations submitted ideas through an online application with the option to share a two-minute video clip describing their project. A team of Community Foundation staff and individuals representing a variety of backgrounds, neighborhoods, and expertise evaluated the entries. Winners were selected based on creativity of idea, level of community engagement, and potential impact of the project. 

Community Action Award Winners

• Action Research for Community Change, a partnership between American University’s Community-Based Research Scholars and E.L. Haynes Public Charter School to facilitate an Action Research 101 class for students and pilot a student-led action research project on a community issue important to them.

• Advancing Equity and Inclusion through Entrepreneurship, SEEK SPOT’s 2-Day Launch Camp, to support 10 DC-area entrepreneurs to accelerate business ideas that solve local problems.

• Kids in COVID Book Project, from Bee the Change, to support an opportunity for Montgomery Country children to reflect and write on their experience during the pandemic.

• Baños de Bosque and Defensores de la Cuenca to engage Spanish-speaking immigrant communities in “forest bathing,” a form of therapy that uses nature to teach mindfulness.

• Black on the Block, a collaboration between Creative Suitland Arts Center and Joe’s Movement Emporium, to support a Black wellness festival offering health and business booths, workshops, and performances by local artists.

• Black Chamber Business Tour, an initiative of the PFC Black Chamber, to host a socially distant, caravan-style tour to provide exposure and increase visibility of 10 Black owned businesses in Prince George’s County.

• The Book Club for Kids to support expansion of its podcast program into Anacostia schools.

• Brighter Bites to purchase food for its produce boxes that help underserved families gain access to healthy foods.

• Brightwood Park Unity Mural, a project commissioned by Uptown Main Street, to support creation of a mural that fosters unity, inclusion, neighborhood peace, and youth involvement in the Brightwood Park neighborhood of DC.

• Briya Voices for All, a program of Briya Public Charter School, to support student-led advocacy efforts in 2021.

• B-Roll Media & Arts to help transition its teaching model to online learning and virtual classes.

• Helping Older Adults Weather the COVID Winter through Walking from Capitol Hill Village to create and promote a Year-Round Walking Program designed to bring neighbors together, reduce social isolation, increase social support, and encourage physical activity.

• Civic Saturday Prince George’s County, part of Civic University, to create a program aimed to increase civic engagement in local communities.

• The Coming Home Coop to offer stipends to local business owners for participation in its workshop program.

• Dance Place Accessibility Project to expand Dance Place’s accessibility of its programming and facilities to people with disabilities.

• DC South Asian Food Walking Tour, an initiative of South Asian Rapid Response Initiative (SARRI), to create a walking tour that highlights Asian immigrant restaurant owners.

• DC KinCare Alliance Relative Caregiver Community Board Outreach and Education Project, a DC KinCare Alliance project, to develop an oral history video focused on the everyday life experiences of relative caregivers who’ve stepped up to raise DC's at-risk children in times of crisis.

• Empowered Healing, an initiative of Support Hopeful Youth (SHY), to host three mental health workshops for unstably housed youth in DC.

• Fill the Fridge to offer nutritious meals to underserved communities by purchasing, installing, and filling refrigerators in area schools, libraries, and departments of recreation.

• FreeState to support the second edition of its Maryland LGBTQIA+ community needs assessment.

• Fort Dupont Park Clean-Up Project, an initiative of Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena, to offer positive youth development opportunities during the pandemic.

• Food Landscape Photovoice, a collaboration between Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) and the Prince George’s County Food Equity Council (FEC), to capture personal stories from community members about their food environments to communicate their needs and potential solutions. 

• Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild to purchase farming materials for its urban farm that grows and distributes fresh food to area food banks.

• Got You Covered Diaper Bag Project, a program of Seed of Faith, to distribute diapers, clothing, and other essentials to economically disadvantaged new parents.

• Health and Hope on Wheels, a program by Rainbow Community Development Center, to hire unemployed drivers to pick up donations for its partner agencies.

• Impacto LGBT, a Spanish-language mental health program for persons living with HIV, to expand its bilingual services of LGBT Latinx gay men.

• Invest in the Future, a program by Youth for You, to support a 12-month, academic and college and career readiness program for underserved students in the DC area.

• Kinder(Garden), a program of the Community Educational Research Group, to purchase garden materials and supplies for a youth gardening project with instruction on healthy eating habits and environmental stewardship.

• Live It Learn It to provide two 5th grade classes at Drew Elementary School with access to fun, engaging, hands-on lessons and experiences, such as Sheroes, a social studies lesson focused on women in history and activism.

• Mamas Together Mutual Aid Community Survey Project, an initiative of Mothers Outreach Network, to conduct a digital survey to create awareness and measure the need for a food and supplies bank for the most marginalized moms of several neighborhoods in dire need.

• Maple Avenue Parent Support Group, part of Community Health and Empowerment in the Takoma Park and Long Branch neighborhoods, to create a new weekly parent support group for immigrant families with elementary school age children.

• Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a program of Just Neighbors, to provide stipends to former clients to continue engagement around discussing, advocating, and volunteering on issues that will help make their community a more welcoming place for immigrants.

• No Safe Place to Call Home, a collaborative reporting project that would give one of Street Sense Media’s formerly homeless vendor-writers the chance to produce an investigative story about his experience in partnership with a seasoned professional journalist.

• Overcoming Gentrification in Chinatown to support AALEAD's Youth Council, a group of high and middle-school AAPI youth who advocate for diversity and racial equity concerns in their own lives and their community, to raise awareness of gentrification concerns and give a voice to Chinese residents of DC’s Chinatown neighborhood.

• Potomac Triangle Parks Project, part of the volunteer-run nonprofit Guerilla Gardeners of Washington, DC, to help the residents of Potomac Gardens and Hopkins to reclaim two adjacent public parks from disuse and neglect.

• Raising Las Voces to involve Prince George's County Youth Poet Ambassadors in creating a series of posters to promote and foster awareness of various issues affecting the Latinx community and how to access related resources.

• School Supplies for Students from the Sequoyah Elementary School PTA to prepare and distribute school supply boxes to support the physical, material, and social-emotional needs of students during distance learning.

• Sewing Academy for Latina Women, a partnership between IMPACT Silver Spring and local Latina residents, to launch a 20-week sewing academy for 25 Latina women.

• Sonn Cosita Seria’s Langley Park Project to support a collective music workshop program that teaches and promotes Son Jarocho music in the DC area.

• Surviving a Global Pandemic: Recipes from ROC-DC to help print, publish, and distribute a cookbook that aims to build, strengthen, and maintain community across cultures and languages during the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Takoma Education Campus Community Garden, led by the TEC Parent Teacher Organization, to rehabilitate and expand an unused garden space to bring freshly grown, nutritious vegetables to the local community.

• Total Wellness to support its Bold Beautiful Brilliant Girls Empowerment Group by offering yoga supplies and online yoga classes that help middle school girls take better care of their minds and bodies.

• Ward 3 Mutual Aid, a volunteer-run network of neighbors, to provide groceries, cleaning products and household supplies directly to neighbors affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Wellness Together project at Thomas G Pullen Creative Arts Academy to create a wellness initiative for students in grades 3-5 with a twice weekly virtual afterschool program including yoga, meditation, and art therapy.

• Wheels for Women, a partnership between Lyft and the Brem Foundation, to offer cost-free ride-sharing service to breast screenings and diagnostic appointments for women in need.

• Woks for Washington COVID-19 Meal Donation Project and Players Philanthropy Fund to purchase meals from local Asian restaurants and donate those meals to local homeless shelters and medical staff.

• Young Royalty, a program of Royalty LLC, to offer daily and menstrual hygiene products and self-esteem workshops to young ladies 12-17 years of age.

• Young, Black & Working from Home Community and Young, Black & Giving Back Institute to support an online community of Black nonprofit professionals to share ideas, network, dialogue, and have a space to experience Black joy despite current societal crises.

• Youth in Support of Police Reform, a project of Prince George’s People’s Coalition, to educate high school youth on the Maryland state legislative process and support their advocacy efforts around police reform legislation.

• ZOOM PALS to support greater social connection for those aging in place in Hyattsville, Maryland by offering technology training taught by youth and high school students.

'What Does Being African American Today Mean To You?' 3 New Board and Staff Members Share

We are excited to welcome several new staff and board members to The Community Foundation family! And, this month, we’re also excited to celebrate them for Black History Month.

Get to know some of our new Community Foundation community members members, and learn what, to them, being African American means in today’s current climate.

Denielle Pemberton-Heard

Denielle Pemberton-Heard, Community Foundation board member, is a seasoned executive search, talent development, and legal professional. She’s currently Chief Legal Officer and a shareholding Managing Director with Diversified Search Group, a woman-founded search firm that recruits leadership through a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens.

Denielle feels that now, more than ever, she has the opportunity to showcase overlooked leaders - and to improve opportunity and equity in the workforce.

In honor of Black History Month, we asked Denielle to reflect on what, in this moment, being African American means to her - and how this shapes her work at The Community Foundation, and beyond. 

“The Washington DC metro area is now my adopted home and I am honored to support organizations serving the people who are the heart and soul of this greater community. I never forget the enslaved people who were by law not permitted to learn to read or vote but nevertheless they are responsible for building by hand many of the landmarks we admire. We can’t forget them and that keeps me and my family focused on trying to do our best every day. “

Marcus Braxton

For Marcus Braxton, our new Managing Director of Operations, systems change is second nature. Marcus has over 15 years of experience helping nonprofits and philanthropic organizations enhance internal operations to elevate their success and impact. 

He’s passionate about using his operational skills to create fair and equitable internal systems, a mission he says “ultimately influences how organizations show up in society.” In honor of Black History Month, we asked Marcus to reflect on his work, at The Community Foundation, and beyond.

“I’m motivated by a desire to not only help others, but really to be of service to others, which I believe is more impactful than just seeking to ‘help.’ In doing so, I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of several high-impact organizations who have really worked to change systems that create inequities. I’m excited to bring that experience here to The Community Foundation to support the organization and community overall.”

Eliana Barnett

Eliana Barnett, Executive Assistant, joined The Community Foundation in December of 2020 to support President and CEO Tonia Wellons. She’s always been passionate about working with mission driven organizations, and hopes to continue serving those in need.

In honor of Black History Month, we asked Eliana to reflect on what, in this moment, being African American means to her - and how this shapes his work at The Community Foundation, and beyond.

“Being an African American in this moment means having to negotiate for our humanity. Although we’ve seen attacks against the African American community in the past, it’s blatantly being shown now. It’s been hard and demoralizing watching people who look like me constantly being attacked. 

Even with all of this going on, it has shown me just how strong the African American community is and I’m proud to be a part of it. Seeing a powerful and well respected woman of color lead The Community Foundation gives me hope that I too can have a seat at the table.”

Also Welcoming…

Rachel Goslins, Director of the Arts & Industries Building at the Smithsonian Institution; Catherine Pino, CEO of D&P Creative Strategies; and Archie Smart, Founder of DKR Insights. Keep a look out for some special spotlights on these other new board members coming up!

Black History: Past, Present, Future

By Ronnie Galvin, Managing Director of Community Investment

Ronnie Galvin

Black history is a living and breathing story of struggle and overcoming. It is both ancient and in process now. It is the summation and multiplication of Black people’s capacity for innovation and the will to survive and thrive in the face of relentless violence against our humanity. Our story is chronicled over thousands of years of Black existence—beginning with the bones of Dinknesh, the great Mousian library, and the civilizations of Mali, Songhai, Kush, and Aksum. It has been likewise expressed in the untold revolts by those who were enslaved, and Black people’s persistent march toward liberation and freedom.

And, we are making history right now. The largest protest movement in the history of the world was birthed on these shores by our people who have declared that Black lives matter. Black people, and Black women in particular, saving the best prospects for democracy in the last election cycle is yet another testament to this fact.

Placing Black history in this context of past and present affirms that it does not begin with slavery (as this country is wanton to do all too often). This point of departure is also a reminder that history should not be merely relegated to the past; but that in this very moment we are making history in a way that will impact the kind of future we will have together.

With this level-setting as a backdrop, I’d like to draw your attention to a set of questions that I’ve been reflecting on in the advent of this new year. They are questions that invite us to courageously reflect on our history, to be informed and intentional about the decisions before us today, and to embrace the idea that what we do now will impact the future we have together.

Looking back at generations past, what if:

• African civilizations never encountered the European invaders and colonialism?

• Black people actually received their 40 acres and a mule?

• Slavery or Jim Crow never happened?

• Race riots in places like Tulsa, Memphis, Atlanta, and Chicago never happened? FDR made stronger and more explicit provisions for Black folks in the New Deal?

• The wars on crime and drugs—and the resulting rise of mass incarceration never happened

• There was a way to revitalize our neighborhoods without gentrifying them and displacing Black people?

• The murders of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, Emmitt Till, Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor, Felycya Harris, Mia Green, George Floyd, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and Trayvon Martin never happened—and they were still alive?

Asking these questions in this way not only opens our imagination for what might have happened if people living during these times had chosen to do otherwise.  It also invites those of us who are living in the present to consider the critical choices that are before us now—what they will require of us, their impact, and how people 100 years from now will reflect on what we do in this present moment.  Given this, we are left to consider the ‘what if’s’ of our time. 

What if we:

• Became a democracy that leads with racial equity and racial justice?

• Closed racial income and wealth gaps?

• See poverty (particularly Black poverty) as a systemic and societal failure rather than an indictment on individuals?

• Embrace a comprehensive reparations program for Black people that redresses America’s history of racism and allows us (and the entire nation) to heal?

• Convened truth and reconciliation commissions at the national and local levels?

• Design interlocking systems of education, health, civic participation, and economy that produce racial equity and racial justice?

• Established a new paradigm for wealth-starting with Black wealth?

• ALL Black lives really mattered?

At the Greater Washington Community Foundation, we are working to turn these ‘what if’s’ into ‘right now’s’; and right now’s into a just and equitable future for Black people—and for all of us.  We are doubling down on our obligation to make our organization, and the entire Greater Washington region, a more equitable and inclusive place for everyone to live, work, and thrive. As we speak, we are mobilizing every aspect of The Community Foundation family to rise to this aspiration. 

Through our internal REI Working Group, we are engaged in our own learning journey and work to build a community of support and accountability that will advance these efforts.  We are also in the midst of retooling our strategic framework so that every aspect of our work is aligned with what the past has taught us, what the present is revealing to us, and what the future is demanding of us.  We look forward to sharing more—and doing more with each of you—soon! 

“How we engage history will determine the solutions we will choose to pursue with each other.” -Nicol Turner Lee

Pumoja Tutashinde (Together We Will Win)

Down Payment Grants for a More Just Future

By Lisa Wise, CEO and Founder of Nest DC

Home ownership is simply life changing. Homeowners enjoy stability and security, appreciation and wealth generation and fixed costs vs. year over year increases in rent. They unlock tax perks, appreciation and agency. A home of one’s own should not be a privilege enjoyed by some and left out of reach for the rest - particularly when those excluded are often Black, indegenous, and/or people of color. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the first quarter of 2020, 44% of Black families owned their homes, as compared with 73.7% of white families. And while DC enjoys the highest rate of homeownership among Black households at 50%, it’s still far less than white households, 70% of whom are homeowners.

This wealth gap, inequity and (by design) power imbalance needs to be challenged mightily. And those of us in the real estate industry should be called upon to contribute meaningfully to a more just and equitable future. Indeed, many who have benefited the most from these discriminatory policies have indirectly done so at the expense of many.

Nest DC, our family of real estate management companies, launched the birdSEED Fund in partnership with The Community Foundation to start a new narrative. The fund is seeded with $215,000 for down payment grants - money never to be repaid and earmarked - for first-time Black and Brown home buyers. Grants will range from $5,000 to $15,000 at a time, for those who have been historically excluded from the wealth generating acquisition of homes.  

We want to acknowledge just how much we have to repair in this industry - and we’re initiating this conversation by first investing in our community. 

I have been managing homes for over 30 years. I experienced housing insecurity growing up and have always been drawn to this work. Managing property with empathy and kindness has been my North Star from the start. 

At Nest DC, we’ve chosen to honor people and place over profit. We embrace the communities and neighborhoods that knit together our portfolio. birdSEED and our housing justice work aligns with our values system, and gives us a very specific pathway to helping people with our profits and passion. 

To get there, we are thrilled to partner with the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Their support and commitment to justice, local investments and dignified housing offer a powerful alignment that will help accelerate our impact. With their sophisticated fund management, they allow us to stay focused on grantmaking while they help manage the administrative complexity of the work and reach the right partners. This partnership allows our 100% volunteer-led program to be effective and accessible.  

<— Our birdSEED logo is an homage to the peace and love the dove represents.  We’ll continue to fly high for justice - and hope you will join us in this important work.  

MORE ON BIRDSEED AND HOW TO APPLY

birdSEED is now open to Black and Brown first-time home buying residents in the DC area. The application/review process is deliberately uncomplicated. A board of advisors will review applications and we will match funds with qualified applicants. Grantees can have a combined household income up to $150,000 and must be first-time home buyers and plan to occupy the home. We offer 120 days to use the funds, which are released at closing and are compliant with mortgage lending guidelines. Apply at https://birdseedfoundation.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Wise, CEO and Founder of Nest DC, describes herself as a serial entrepreneur with a social justice lens. Over the last 30 years, all of her professional experiences have been cause-driven, community-based and geared towards improving the lives of others. Lisa leads Nest, with a focus on giving back to communities and populations that are underserved or underrepresented. 

Day to day, Lisa oversees the strategic direction of Nest DC. In particular, she manages strategic partnerships for long term growth and sustainability, leads philanthropic efforts, partners with the heads of sales and client experience managers at all business units to make sure they continue to deliver on their commitment to exceptional customer service and instills a company culture that has led to an industry low turnover rate and a team that is committed for the long haul.

Quarterly Update to the Community

Dear friends of The Community Foundation,

I hope this finds you enjoying a happy and healthy start to your new year. Thanks to the continued care for our community, last quarter our community of givers awarded more than $23+ million in grants to organizations serving our region and beyond.

The Community Foundation remains focused on meeting our community’s evolving needs through leading critical community impact initiatives. Last quarter, our activities included:

• Issuing an additional $2 million in grants from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, for a total of $10 million to address the public health and economic crisis.

• Funding equity hub scholarships through the Children’s Opportunity Fund for low-income families in Montgomery County to receive childcare and remote learning support in a safe environment.

• In partnership with FSC First, distributing more than $1 million in emergency relief to support 173 small businesses in Prince George’s County through the Legacy Fund.

• Celebrating the Power of Our Community with virtual convenings reflecting on the heart and spirit of our communities in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

• Welcoming experts on racial equity and community building to our board and staff, including new Trustee Dr. Rashawn Ray and new Managing Director of Community Investment Ronnie Galvin.

Our collective efforts have been recognized with several notable awards. I was proud to represent all of you when accepting the Washington Business Journal’s Nonprofit Leader of the Year award and I was humbled to be named a Hero of the Crisis by Washingtonian Magazine. And, our partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield received the Washington Business Journal's 2020 Citizenship Award for our efforts to distribute thousands of PPE units to frontline workers at qualified health clinics across the region.

As our community continues to recover from this crisis, we are working to build a more equitable and resilient future for our region. With this in mind, we have embarked on a strategic planning process to identify ways to develop a fresh roadmap for the organization and how we serve this community.

Over the next several months, we will examine and fine-tune our organizational processes to serve our fundholders and our community with strengthened excellence and efficiency. We will also get crystal clear about our strategy, how to best center racial equity, and what it means to be a regional organization with the need for local, jurisdictional, and community nuance. And we will look at how we partner with our donors and fundholders so that we can fully and thoughtfully leverage your philanthropic passions into lasting community impact. 

I look forward to sharing an update with you soon. Thank you for being our partner in strengthening our communities now and for the future.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

Phase Two of the DC CARES Program Will Provide Over $8M for Excluded Workers Relief

Critical Funding Represents Continuing Efforts to Support the DC Community and Invest in City’s Future

Washington, DC – January 25, 2021 – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Events DC, Washington DC’s official convention and sports authority, announced the launch of Phase 2 of the DC CARES Program, which will provide over $8 million in relief funding to eligible excluded workers in the District of Columbia. They include people who have been omitted from federal stimulus efforts and are experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The additional aid comes from the District of Columbia’s budget and supplements the $5 million in relief for Phase 1 of the program provided by Events DC in June. 

“In funding this initiative for excluded workers, Mayor Bowser and her partners on the DC Council are proud to collaborate with Events DC to make this investment in our DC values of hope, love, diversity and inclusiveness,” said John Falcicchio, deputy mayor for planning and economic development. 

DC Cares is a continuing partnership among Events DC, the Executive Office of the Mayor, the Greater Washington Community Foundation and key partnering community-based organizations (CBO’s). To implement Phase 2 Events DC has provided the Greater Washington Community Foundation with $8.1 million to purchase pre-paid debit cards of $1,000 per card. In collaboration with the Executive Office of the Mayor, The Community Foundation will facilitate the outreach, processing and distribution of the pre-paid debit cards through the CBOs. 

“This program remains a core part of our mission to serve and give back to our communities which will help to continue to propel our city forward,” stated Greg A. O’Dell, president and chief executive officer of Events DC. “We thank Mayor Bowser and her executive team for their tireless efforts in supporting the excluded worker community and the DC Council for funding this important relief package.” 

The identified community-based organizations will issue the pre-paid debit cards to eligible workers based on certain criteria. The relief funding will be targeted to those families who live in the District, have experienced loss of income due to the public health emergency, and are ineligible for unemployment insurance or federal COVID-19 relief, to include returning citizens and cash economy workers.

The Community Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity that manages hundreds of charitable giving funds on behalf of generous individuals, families, and businesses in the Washington, DC metro area. The community-based organization currently designated to help implement the DC CARES program include the following:

• Bread for the City

• The Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)

• CentroNía

• Latin American Youth Center (LAYC)

• Mary’s Center

• Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative

• DC Jobs with Justice

“We are proud of our continued partnership with Events DC, the Executive Office of the Mayor, and the following community-based organizations — Bread for the City, The Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), CentroNía, Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), Mary’s Center, Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative, and DC Jobs with Justice — to provide over $8 million in relief funding to workers who have been excluded from federal stimulus efforts,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

“As the pandemic continues, so does the urgent need to support our excluded workers who are struggling financially. Building on our Phase I efforts, our goal is to provide this essential relief funding so these individuals may cover their food, rent, medical care, and other critical needs.”

Applicants who may be eligible for the program can access it through the centralized intake process at www.DCCARES2021.org or 202-332-1264. Any applicant who believes they may be eligible is encouraged to apply.

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About Events DC 
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the nation's capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District's hospitality and tourism economy that hosts more than 1.7 million visitors and generates more than $400 million annually in total economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the RFK Stadium-Armory Campus (RFK Campus), including Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, The Fields at RFK Campus, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and the Skate Park at RFK Stadium. Stay current on the 190-acre RFK Campus Redevelopment Project at www.RFKCampus.com. Events DC also built and serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. Events DC manages Gateway DC, R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and the Entertainment and Sports Arena (www.ESAontheRise.com), all conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Statement on Assault on our democracy

Statement from Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation

Yesterday was a sad day in America.

Our democracy has never been perfect. In fact, a healthy democracy thrives on debate and the productive exchange of ideas in the public square – sometimes vigorously. However, what we just witnessed yesterday in our Nation’s Capital is far from the kind of democracy that our founders fought for and so many of us aspire to uphold.

I have spent the better part of my career working in developing and transitional countries where democracy was fledgling and tenuous at best, and never once witnessed the attempted overthrow of government that we experienced at the seat of our democracy yesterday. On behalf of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, I want to strongly condemn the violent attack on the U.S. Congress and Capitol complex, the beacon of our nation and its democratic systems.

The brazen actions of these rioters were a blatant attempt to reverse the results of a free and fair democratic election. Those who seek to wreak havoc in our city and to desecrate our democratic institutions cannot and will not prevail. It is no longer sufficient to say, ‘this isn’t our America.’ It is, unfortunately!

And yet, the chaos of the day in our Nation’s Capital offered a stark contradiction to the victories hard won in Georgia. Victories obtained through grassroots organizing and through participatory governance; a cornerstone of our democracy. This too, is our America.

Many are resigned to view Washington, DC as a federal city and the seat of our democracy, and too often forget that this area is also home to thousands of people who chose to live, work, and raise their families in a prosperous region. As the CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, which serves DC and its surrounding suburban communities, I know the DC region to be a place with a strong sense of community and a passion for social justice and philanthropy.

In our local community, I have been heartened to see momentum building for an equitable recovery and a move toward a deeper experience of our humanity and the manifestation of justice. But as the civil unrest that unfolded earlier this summer and the racial inequities exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis have shown us, we still have a long way to go until we truly realize the principles and ideals that “all men [and women] are created equal” and entitled to “certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

While we are concerned and abhorred by yesterday’s events, and all the circumstances leading up to it, the Greater Washington Community Foundation family will not be deterred from our work to ensure a future where we all have an equal opportunity to thrive. At The Community Foundation, we understand the needs and challenges facing our local community and will continue to focus our energy and resources on addressing inequities in housing, education, employment, medical care, and more. We are resolute in our commitment to creating an equitable, just, and thriving region, and will not fall prey to the distraction and disruption others would seek to create.

Those working to undermine our democracy want chaos. We choose community.

Partnership to End Homelessness Update: A Year in Review

This year, our work to end homelessness in DC has been more critical than ever, as our neighbors without housing were at greater risk of contracting COVID-19, on top of the risks people experiencing homelessness face every day. Throughout 2020, and always, our focus has been on working with our partners to look at the efforts happening across the city and to identify strategic opportunities for investment.

So, this holiday season, as we reflect on our first full calendar year of the Partnership to End Homelessness, we want to say thank you. Thank you to our donors who trusted us to stay informed and to make strategic investments that will result in fewer people experiencing homelessness and more people maintaining safe and affordable housing. Thank you to our nonprofit partners on the frontlines working to make sure our neighbors have food, shelter, medical care, and other basic necessities, in such a scary and uncertain time. And finally, thank you to our government partners who are working tirelessly to respond and direct resources where they are needed most.

Volunteers for Church of the Epiphany, a COVID-19 Response Fund partner, hand out food and supplies topeople experiencing homelessness

a year in review

With your help, this year we have provided over $1.25 million in grants to organizations supporting individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability during the pandemic. These grants included COVID-19 response partners Mi Casa Inc., which provides long-term support and critical housing resources; the Church of the Epiphany, which provides food to people experiencing homelessness in the community; and Bethesda Cares, which provides case management and counseling services. You can learn more about these partners and others here.

In addition to our grantmaking, since 2019 we have supported the development and preservation of over 530 affordable homes through our partnership with Enterprise Community Loan Fund. These investments will create long-term housing options for our neighbors and help to preserve and increase the supply of deeply affordable housing in DC.

Together, we have continued to invest in the strength of our system and helped to provide our neighbors without housing access to healthy meals and medical care when they needed it most. Even in uncertain times, we remain committed to supporting the creation of processes and systems that will help people exit homelessness more quickly or avoid homelessness altogether.

As we head into the new year, we know that tens of thousands of our neighbors are behind on rent and at risk of eviction. We know we must continue our emergency response, while also investing in long-term solutions and systems change that will mean less people experiencing homelessness and a more equitable response for those that do.

COVID-19 Response Fund partner Mi Casa Inc. works with Girard House Co-op to preserve affordable housing

Ways to join us

Next year, keep an eye out as we ramp up our advocacy work and continue to coordinate with our public and private sector partners. As Congress appears to be moving forward on a new COVID-19 relief package, join us in sending a message to your Members of Congress to let them know that now, more than ever, we must make investments that ensure everyone has housing where they can isolate to stay healthy, continue their education, and work to address other needs.

We hope this year, in addition to supporting the amazing frontline providers in our community, we can count on you to support our work as we continue to identify strategic investments to ensure everyone has safe and stable housing.

So once again, thank you. Thank you for all you have done this year and for joining us in our efforts to make sure that no one in DC experiences homelessness and that everyone has housing they can afford.

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About the Partnership to End Homelessness

The Partnership to End Homelessness, led by the Greater Washington Community Foundation and the District Government’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), brings together the public and private sectors to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring in DC. We believe that all DC residents deserve a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

By joining together, we will increase the supply of deeply affordable housing, help everyone find a home they can afford, and help more people access housing and exit homelessness more quickly.

Get Involved

Every action, whether large or small, can make a difference in ending homelessness. Visit EndHomelessnessDC.org to learn more.

This blog post is from the Partnership to End Homelessness newsletter. Sign up here to receive these quarterly updates.

Celebrating Our Collective Impact

Dear Friends of the Community Foundation,

I believe the holidays are a time to give thanks and give back—and they’re also a time to celebrate. As we look towards the new year, I want to acknowledge and celebrate our collective impact. It has been a challenging year—and, with your partnership, we were able to respond to the needs of our community with urgency and with care.

Top 10 Impact Stories of 2020
To help us celebrate, we have put together a collection of our Top 10 Impact Stories of 2020. From our COVID-19 response work, to our community engagement through the VoicesDMV initiative, these stories offer a chance to reflect on our collective impact, and the difference we've made together.

Celebrating the Power of Our Community
Earlier this month, our community came together to reflect on and share powerful stories that encapsulate the spirit and heart of our community. The Power of Our Community virtual convenings featured local leaders from across sectors to explore the impact of our community’s COVID-19 response and examine what’s next as we rebuild from this crisis.

If you missed either event in this series, you can watch the recordings and read our recap of key take-aways from these discussions. And below, get a preview with our short impact video updates.

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This Local WDVM segment discusses the FFCYF awards and our partners.

New Investments in Children, Youth, and Families
We are proud to celebrate two new investments to support our community’s disadvantaged children, youth, and families. The Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF), through a participatory grantmaking process, invested up to $100,000 in 4 literacy-focused nonprofits in Montgomery County; and the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families (FFCYF) invested $1.99 million in 49 nonprofits helping people experiencing homelessness, youth in foster care, and to close the achievement gap. You can meet the COF awardees here and FFCYF awardees here.

Meet Our New Team Members
We have also invested in strengthening our organization to better serve this region. We are thrilled to welcome Ronnie Galvin as our new Managing Director for Community Investment, a leading voice in our region and country on issues of racial equity and reparative justice. You can “meet” Ronnie here, as well as get to know several other staff members who recently joined our team or were promoted into new roles.

An Incredible Recognition by the Washington Business Journal
I was proud to represent all of you, when accepting the Washington Business Journal’s 2020 Nonprofit Leader of the Year award. What an honor for our effort to be recognized alongside champions of the local business community and community heroes like Howard University President Dr. Wayne Frederick, and José Andrés!

This recognition would not have been possible without my hardworking staff, our nonprofit partners and donors, and my family for their unwavering support. Thank you for your commitment to deep community impact and partnership with us throughout 2020 and beyond.

Thank you. I wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and I look forward to seeing you in the new year.

With gratitude,

Tonia Wellons
President & CEO

A Year of Impact: Top 10 Stories of 2020

#1: Tonia Wellons Named Hero of the Crisis, Nonprofit Leader of the Year

It’s been a busy year for Community Foundation staff—especially for Tonia Wellons, who was named permanent President and CEO just weeks after the pandemic hit. Tonia was recently named Washington Business Journal’s 2020 Nonprofit Leader of the Year for her role and leadership in our region’s COVID-19 Response efforts; and “Hero of the Crisis” from Washingtonian Magazine. We are so proud of Tonia, and the incredible leadership she’s provided throughout this crisis. 

#2: COVID Impact Stories: Bringing Partner Voices to Life 

This special video highlights our COVID-19 nonprofit partners’ impact —and thanks donors for their incredible generosity and support throughout this crisis. 

Highlights are pulled from our individual, 2-minute COVID impact story videos, including local organizations like Black Swan, Generation Hope and Montgomery Hospice. Click here to access a full list of videos—and hear more of our nonprofit partner’s stories first-hand. 

 #3 Your Voices Matters: VoicesDMV On the Table Conversations

This WDVM segment highlights how VoicesDMV On the Table conversations brought together residents throughout the DMV area to talk about ideas for improving their communities.

On October 1, we hosted our inaugural VoicesDMV On the Table conversations, bringing together hundreds of residents from across the region for small-group conversations, remotely. Groups discussed and reimagined the future of our community, offering meaningful, action-oriented perspective on how to improve the lives of our neighbors in the DMV. Read more from Benton Murphy, Senior Advisor for Impact, who led the initiative.

#4: Arts Forward Fund Announces $1 Million in Grants to Local Arts Groups Impacted by COVID-19

This fall, together with the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and 16 other foundations and individual donors, we launched the Arts Forward Fund, an initiative to help local arts and culture organizations weather the impact of COVID-19. We were so excited to announce $1 million in grants from the fund, helping arts and culture nonprofits make essential shifts needed to sustain their work—and respond to the national movement for racial justice. 

 #5: Back to School Means Facing the Digital Divide

As remote learning continues, schools still don’t have enough devices for every student, and too many homes in DC lack access to high-speed internet. Together with the DC Public Education Fund and Education Forward DC, we established the DC Education Equity Fund, which has provided 4,000+ students with internet access. and 3,000+ students with personal devices. Read more in “Back to School Means Facing the Digital Divide,” by our partner Erin Sheehy of Education Forward DC. 

#6: #MakeADifference Mondays

This bi-weekly blog series features our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund partners’ stories, grouped by funding priority: housing and homelessness, medical care and access, education and youth, domestic and community violence, and workforce and small business. Take our #MakeADifference Monday: Housing and Homelessness blog, for example, which includes a feature on Mi-Casa, Inc.:

Through its Emergency Rental Assistance and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance programs, [Mi Casa] helped more than 15 residents access critical housing resources. More than 400 households received virtual trainings around financial education, food banks, unemployment benefits, and the financial effects of the pandemic.

Read our blog for a full list of our #MakeADifference Monday posts, sharing the difference your support has made for our community.

#7: How to Reconstruct an Equitable Future for Our Region

In this opinion piece for the Washington Post, our President and CEO Tonia Wellons and Ursula Wright, Managing Director for FSG, explore a new framework for reconstructing a more equitable future for our region. In the article, they refer to our country’s current situation as a “trifecta of crises” that threatens our nation’s public health, economic security, and democracy. 

Though this pandemic is new, racism and economic injustice are not. The pandemic has served to further reveal preexisting inequities in housing, education, health care, food security, policing and criminal justice, income and employment.

 #8: Celebrating Three Leadership Legacies

Richard Bynum, board member and President of PNC in Greater Washington and Virginia, was honored by the Washington Business Journal with the Minority Business Leader Award—an honor that coincided with two other major board member milestones. Dr. Charlene Dukes, Secretary of our Board, retired as President of Prince George’s Community College after 13 years of service. And Artis Hampshire-Cowan, Vice Chair of our Board, was honored by Leadership Greater Washington as the 2020 Leader of the Year.

Read more about their achievements and success stories. 

#9: Legacy Fund Supports Small Businesses in Prince George’s County

This fall, we were proud to launch The Legacy Fund for Small Business Development, seeded with a $1 million gift directed by Sam Brin and support from Meridiam, to provide critically needed access to capital for small businesses in Prince George’s County—one of the hardest hit groups in the County. We have disseminated $1 million in relief funds to 173 small Prince George’s County small businesses, helping them minimize vulnerability to closure and enabling them to thrive. 

#10: Celebrating the Power of Our Community

It’s been challenging year, but our community stepped up in amazing, awe-inspiring ways. Our community recently came together to celebrate these efforts at the Power of Our Community, Montgomery County and Power of Our Community, Prince George’s County, two virtual convenings that applauded the cooperative spirit of these communities and the collective impact of our work.

Read our Power of Our Community recap to watch the event recordings and view our key-takeaways and impact video updates.

Celebrating the Power of Our Community

This has been a challenging year, but our community stepped up in amazing, awe-inspiring ways. Our community came together to celebrate these efforts at the Power of Our Community, Montgomery County and Power of Our Community, Prince George’s County, two virtual convenings that applauded the cooperative spirit of these communities and the collective impact of our work.

If you missed these inspiring events, read on to access each event recording, our key take-aways and our Montgomery County and Prince George’s County impact reports.

Recap: Power of Our Community, Montgomery County

On December 8, a panel of philanthropic leaders—known for thinking creatively and working in close partnership with the communities they serve—discussed giving and leading boldly, creating a culture of “yes,” and how to embed a framework of social justice in philanthropy to create deeper change.

For a preview of the event, check out our short Montgomery County impact video.

• “I think we have to be less afraid of failure,” said Mieka Wick, executive director of The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. “There’s a lot of learning in failure. And if we’re not ever failing as funders, we aren’t being brave and bold enough.”

• Crystal Carr Townsend, president and CEO of Healthcare Initiative Foundation, encouraged donors to be humble and flexible while working with communities to change systemic inequities. “If we’re going to change the future, we need to get to the root causes and invest in innovative approaches that align with other sectors and other funders to ensure holistic approaches that engage the community.”

• Alise Marshall, director of strategy and new ventures at the Public Welfare Foundation stressed the importance of self-reflection for funders. “The call to action is work inside out. Really examine your internal practices, your hiring practices, the contractors you work with. Look within your organization and be super intentional about the work you’re doing.”

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Recap: Power of Our Community, Prince George’s County

Hosted on December 10, Power of Our Community, Prince George’s County welcomed a panel of government, education and philanthropic leaders who discussed the importance of eliminating silos and embracing partnerships, going beyond what’s required to what is expected to get the job done, and the need for restoration so we can bring our best selves to our work.

For a preview of the event, check out our short Prince George’s County impact video.

• Diana Léon-Brown, director of strategic partnerships for Prince George’s County, outlined the County's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing food, medical care and supplies to frontline workers and raising $4 million from their partners. “This community has really come together. And I think crisis, as difficult as it can be, can also bring out the best in people. We had to really think about long-term impact and sustainability”

• Dr. Falecia Williams, president of Prince George’s Community College, encouraged us all to NOT “stay in our lanes.” “What I’ve seen in this community is a willingness to redefine the boundaries, as we think about how to build communities through partnership.”

• This event helped us focus not on the negative, but, rather, the power of our community. “It is moments like this where it’s often the case that, not only do we see the worst of what humanity can be, but we also see the best of it,” said Ronnie Galvin, The Community Foundation’s new managing director of community investment and moderator of the Prince George’s County panel.

Community Foundation Welcomes ‘Community Builder’ to Leadership Team, Celebrates New Staff and Staff Promotions

We are thrilled to welcome Ronnie Galvin as our new Managing Director for Community Investment. Ronnie oversees The Community Foundation team responsible for community leadership and discretionary funding programs, leading with his experience in and passion for racial equity and reparative justice. Below, hear from Ronnie on his dedication to community building and inspiration for joining The Community Foundation.

I am a community builder. This is the case in my personal and professional life. This essential part of my identity emerges from growing up in a tightly knit, self-determined, mutually supportive and accountable Black community in Miami, Florida. It was a place where elders were revered; every child was cherished; there was no such thing as hunger or homelessness; and every Black life not only mattered, but was celebrated and exalted.

I was birthed and raised in a Black working class family. My father professionally served 22 years as an enlisted airman in the United States Air Force. My mother was a domestic worker—herself coming from a long line of Black women deemed as the 'helping class.' They are now in the realm of the ancestors among many who provide counsel, inspiration, and protection for me as I come to this work. 

I do this work in a space that has already been opened by my partner, soulmate, and collaborator—Dr. Yanique Redwood, President and CEO of the Consumer Health Foundation. She is the fiercest, most tenacious, and consistent freedom fighter, lover of our people and lover of me that I know. We co-parent two young-adult children, Alana and Darren, who are both finding their way in the world.  

This feeling and experience of community is what inspires me.  It has enriched my life beyond my wildest dreams and deepest longings. I am compelled to build and share this same experience with the Greater Washington Community Foundation Family, across the DMV region, and wherever our work takes us in this country and on the planet.

New Operations and Accounting Staff

Over the past few months, we’ve welcomed several new staff members to The Community Foundation family! We are excited to work with…  

• Marcus Braxton, Managing Director for Operations. Marcus joined the organization in December 2020, and leads The Community Foundation’s work to enhance its internal operations, systems, and processes to ensure the organization has the infrastructure needed to continue its success and impact. We’ll feature more on Marcus in the new year, so stay tuned!

• Akista Haywood, Staff Accountant. Akista is responsible for the payroll and supporting the Accounting staff. She has over 20 years of Accounting and Payroll experience, coming to The Community Foundation from JSI where she was Payroll Manager. 

Celebrating New Staff Roles

Several Community Foundation staff have also been promoted to new roles in the organization! Please join us in congratulating:

• Melen Hagos, Senior Manager for External Affairs. In her new role, Melen helps build partnerships in the community, leading a variety of initiatives, including programs and grantmaking initiatives, and identifying key community alliances that will move The Community Foundation's work forward. Melen joined The Community Foundation in 2017 as a Community Investment Associate where she coordinated all competitive and discretionary grantmaking across the region.

• Kathy Matthews, Director, Grants Management. In her new role as Director, she oversees all financial and administrative operations and functions of grant awards–and is responsible for financial reporting, budget oversight and grants compliance. She has held several prior positions within The Community Foundation that include Receptionist, Grants Management Associate, and Grants Manager.

• Benton Murphy, Senior Advisor for Impact. Previously as AVP for Community Investment, Benton led The Community Foundation’s VoicesDMV initiative and managed a set of endowed funds, including the Spring Creek Fund, Joshua Community Fund, Catalyst Fund and LGBTQ+ Fund for Philanthropy. With more than a dozen years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, he also provides advisory services to donors and staff on effective grantmaking practices.

•  Brittany Owens, Community Impact Associate. Brittany is the Technical Lead for grant applications, co-leads our racial equity and inclusion work, and provides support for fundraising with foundations. In previous roles, Brittany has gained experience lobbying and being a case manager with nonprofit organizations. 

• Danielle Yates, Managing Director of Marketing and Communications. Danielle joined The Community Foundation in 2017 and brings more than 15 years experience leading marketing and communications programs for nonprofit associations. She leads the strategic vision and oversees tactical implementation of all communications and marketing programs across the organization. 

Learn more about our staff and their backgrounds here.

In this Together—In Any Season

By Rebecca Rothey, Vice President of Development and Senior Philanthropic Advisor

Rebecca Rothey

At this time of year, I am particularly grateful for my job. Philanthropy is my passion, and helping others discover opportunities to be philanthropic is a great joy. The Greater Washington Community Foundation provides the perfect context for this work, thanks to the collective knowledge of our donors, volunteers, and staff. That is knowledge not only of effective giving practices, but also of the issues affecting our region. 

This year, the killing of George Floyd, among far too many other Black men and women, led to widespread civil unrest and calls for racial and social justice as urgent issues for our community and our nation to take action on. Many community members—especially our Black and brown neighbors—were struggling before this pandemic and now find themselves standing in line for boxes of food or eking out their savings to make the rent or mortgage payment. On top of that, nonprofit organizations across the region, many of whom endeavor to help our lowest-income neighbors, are facing sudden losses of expected revenue, and increased but unfunded operational costs. Many have already folded. 

The Community Foundation has closely tracked regional needs throughout this year of turmoil and served as our region’s philanthropic first responder. Since the start of this crisis, our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund has addressed the public health and economic needs of our communities, with a particular focus on those disproportionately affected—typically low-income households and communities of color. 

Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of individuals, as well as corporate and foundation donors, we have been able to distribute over $10 million to meet the extraordinary needs of our community. And, with 50% of COVID-19 nonprofit partners led by people of color, we’ve continued to prioritize racial equity in our grantmaking.   

And the work is not over yet. 

Each year, particularly during this season, donors turn to The Community Foundation to help them identify where their philanthropy will have the greatest impact. In a year like 2020, this can be particularly crucial. We stand ready to listen to your particular interests and concerns—whether those be in environmental justice, human services, or elsewhere—and offer guidance or support. 

Rufus Lusk, III and Jessica Damen

Let me tell you about a couple who are very clear about their priorities and have partnered with The Community Foundation for over 15 years to maximize their impact. Social justice is at the core of Rufus Lusk, III. and Jessica Damen’s giving. “Everything has a social justice component to it. There’s not a single charity we contribute to that doesn’t have this factor,” said Rufus.

Through their donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation, Rufus and Jessica support a wide range of social justice-focused organizations, including The Sierra Club, American Friends Service Committee, Doctors Without Borders, Southern Poverty Law Center, and many others. 

They are committed to advancing equity—especially at the local level, in the Prince George’s County community. The couple credits The Community Foundation with connecting them to local organizations that are committed to social and racial justice, and advising them about giving  opportunities like the Legacy Fund, established by The Community Foundation to provide relief to small Prince George’s County businesses suffering as a result of COVID-19.  

“Giving to small businesses—especially minority-owned—is absolutely crucial,” said Jessica. “They’re the backbone of our economy.” Rufus agreed, and added, “To develop greater social equity, you need strong organizations. And you need local strong organizations. That’s what The Community Foundation is all about.”

I started this blog post by saying that philanthropy is my passion. I’m dedicated to working with donors to invest in organizations fostering real change in our society—and helping people discover their passions along the way. I’d be delighted to partner with you in this process and help to further develop your giving priorities.   

One easy place to start is this Washington Post piece, featuring giving tips from our Montgomery County office Executive Director Anna Hargrave. Some other resources I recommend include:

• Bethesda Magazine’s annual Guide To Giving, to which we contribute, with a vetted list of nonprofit partners in Montgomery County addressing a range of issues.

• The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington, which we mail to all of our donors in November. This year, it features 80+ nonprofit partners focused on COVID-19 response work.

• Our own list of more than 200 nonprofits selected over the past six months to receive grants from our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund—all worthy of consideration for additional gifts. 

• Become a Community Champion with a contribution to the Fund for Greater Washington, and help us provide vital resources to civic and community organizations, incubate new ideas, and remain flexible and vigilant in leading the response to today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges. 

“We’re all in this together” is a familiar refrain in this pandemic. But it could be the motto of The Community Foundation in any year. We’re glad to have you with us.

The Children’s Opportunity Fund Awards up to $100,000 to Literacy-Focused Montgomery County Nonprofits

Nonprofits Selected Through A Participatory Grantmaking Process

The Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF), a community impact initiative of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, is pleased to announce up to $100,000 in grants to 4 nonprofit organizations working to improve educational outcomes for Montgomery County’s children, youth, and families.

Each organization will receive funding up to $25,000 for project/program support providing direct service, advocating for, or researching literacy skills for children ages birth to 8 and their families.

 The Community Foundation recognizes that now, more than ever, it is critical to engage with and empower community voices to advance more equitable solutions. In particular, those that often remain unheard are our Black, brown, and low-income neighbors—and they need a platform to share their views. 

 To that end, the Children’s Opportunity Fund used a participatory grantmaking framework for its grant review process. Participatory grantmaking drastically alters the traditional funding model by ceding decision-making power over funding to local community members. 

Our Participatory Grants Committee included Montgomery County community members, educators, students and parents. This offered a diverse mixture of perspectives and experience, which we hope will promote more equitable decision-making. The review process began with several group discussions on the importance of equity in education, and the opportunity and achievement gaps present in Montgomery County. Committee members then focused on these issues, and insights from their group discussions, when reviewing applications and making final funding recommendations.  

Below, meet our new COF grantees and learn how their projects will support and empower students and families in Montgomery County. 

Advancing Black Lives in Education 

Advancing Black Lives in Education (ABLE) will use this funding to address learning loss for Black students by providing tutoring services, family support, critical learning tools and educational supplies.

 “The philosophy behind this impact initiative matches our vision: to provide support to Black children who attend Montgomery County Public Schools in grades pre-K through 5. We’ve seen many parents in the Black community request academic support for their children, as well as assistance in understanding the recovery plan and making informed decisions about their children's return to school. 

It is widely known that Black families are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, economically and with respect to education. This work is important because our children and families need additional support from the community to thrive in the virtual learning environment and after they return to school.” -Natalie Thomas, President

ABLE expects to see a positive impact on children's academic achievement and families' social-emotional stability. ABLE hopes that, by reaching Black parents and providing them with a voice, they will become more actively engaged with their childrens’ school and related activities, such as PTA and school reform. 

Story Tapestries 

This grant will help fund Story Tapestries’ Discover the Power of the Written Word (DPWW) program, which offers high-impact literacy programs to 1300+ economically disadvantaged youth, educators and caregivers in Montgomery County. This includes professional development for educators, family supports through interactive events, and monthly arts and literacy kits for families. 

“Young children in Montgomery County are struggling to adapt to health and safety measures required in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The hardest hit are those who were already experiencing economic hardship. Many of those children were already behind their peers in learning how to read and write. 

Story Tapestries has the tools and community connections to reach these children, their educators and their families - online - with a unique set of resources and services that boost their learning, overcoming barriers such as language, while also increasing an important ingredient in their daily lives - JOY!” -Arianna Ross, Executive Director

Story Tapestries will help bridge the learning gap for children who are behind their peers in learning targets, and generate a feeling of connectedness in 5 school communities, helping promote joy and hope. They will help reconnect educators with their passion for teaching by connect them with Teaching Artist mentors. And, they will help mentor parents on how to support their children more effectively from home.

GapBuster, Inc.

This grant will allow GapBuster, Inc., to offer a Cross-Tutorial Mentoring program to address the widening academic gap for students that have been impacted by COVID-19. It will also help students continue to move from in-person instruction to a virtual learning environment.

“Studies have reported that the digital divide disproportionately impacts students living in poverty and students of color--and COVID-19 has only magnified this problem. Right now communities are suffering, requiring innovative, creative, and aggressive programs that can lead to positive outcomes.” -Yvette Butler-Yeboah, MD, Executive Director 

GapBuster, Inc. hopes to positively impact students with our one-on-one and group Cross-Tutorial Mentoring program, resulting in at least 75% of participants improving at least one grade level in math and ELA by June 30, 2020; and, at least 75% of participants reporting reduced stress as it relates to COVID-19

Loud Voices Together 

Loud Voices Together will use this grant to fund the Harriet Tubman Scholars program, which supports Black and brown students in Montgomery County, MD, in the areas of literacy and math.

“Loud Voices Together was inspired to apply for this grant because of our commitment to equity and education for all students. We are particularly focused on Black and brown students with disabilities, due to the disparities and inequities experienced historically by this community. This funding opportunity will provide these students with the same opportunities as their economically advantaged peers who can secure literacy and numeracy direct services privately.” -Ronnetta Stanley, M.Ed., Executive Director

Loud Voices Together endeavors to help all students develop adequate reading and math skills, to support their long-term academic and professional success. The hope is that all students will make measurable growth in literacy and numeracy skills through this project. 

About the Children’s Opportunity Fund

The Children’s Opportunity Fund is a public-private partnership funded jointly by the Montgomery County Government and Public Schools to leverage public funds to attract private investment. COF champions, plans, and funds strategic investments that improve the lives of low-income children and families in the county. With a focus on innovative, evidence-informed efforts targeted at closing the opportunity gap, COF identifies priority areas for investment based on unmet need, aligns resources toward effective multi-sector collaborations serving the county’s most vulnerable youth and their families, and seeks new funding sources. COF has invested $2 million to expand opportunities for out of school time programs, internships and career prep programs, and early childhood care and education for low-income families. 

Fund for Children, Youth And Families Awards $1.99 Million to Greater Washington Region Nonprofits

The Fund for Children, Youth, and Families (FFCYF) at the Greater Washington Community Foundation is pleased to announce $1.99 million in grants to 49 nonprofit organizations serving disadvantaged children, youth, and families across the Greater Washington region. The organizations will receive grants of up to $50,000 for project/program support or general operating support.

These grants support organizations that are:

• Helping families experiencing homelessness, and those participating in housing-based service programs

• Closing the achievement gap for students from various racial and ethnic backgrounds

• Closing the achievement gap between low-income and high-income families by investing in early childhood education, academic achievement for school-aged children, and college preparation and career training

• Supporting children in the foster care system by promoting permanency and helping youth leaving the system achieve self-sufficiency

Watch coverage of our FFCYF grants in this Local WDVM segment

Take the Wesley Housing Development Corporation, for instance, awarded funding to help low-income households avoid eviction. The grant will help 139 households in DC to maintain their housing. Of these households, nearly 50 residents will participate in one-on-one career coaching to attain unemployment benefits or re-enter the workforce. And, they will receive material assistance, such as grocery store gift cards, hygiene items, and youth “Study & Snack Packs,” at no additional cost.

Or, CollegeTracks, a Montgomery County nonprofit that that helps prepare high school students for higher education. Our grant will help fund their College Access Program, focusing on college admissions and counseling. Of the 784 students who were enrolled in the program in Spring 2020, nearly 630 will enroll in college within a year of their high school graduation.

Our grant to Prince George’s Child Resource Center will provide child development and parent/child learning activities for 95 participants, with the goal of improved language and cognitive abilities. Within one year, we also anticipate participating parents to demonstrate an improved understanding of nurturing parenting techniques.

These are just a couple organizations and projects that we’re proud to support. Below, read on for a full list of our FFCYF grantees and their projects.

• Adoption Together
  To host informational meetings on foster care and adoption with 250 prospective families

• AHC, Inc.
  To support the development of literacy and social engagement skills for 112 students in its afterschool program

• Aspire Afterschool Learning
  To support 80 children in its LearningROCKS! afterschool program

• Center for Adoption Support and Education
  To provide therapy sessions for 33 children who are moving from the foster care system into permanent, loving families

• Central American Resource Center
  To provide housing counseling services to help 50 participants maintain stable housing

• Children’s Law Center
  To provide legal support and other service to help children grow up in permanent, stable, loving families

• Collaborative Solutions for Communities
  To help 12 families transition to permanent housing

• CollegeTracks
  To help almost 800 high school seniors enroll in college or vocational programs

• Community of Hope
  To help 14 families in remain stably housed or transition to another positive housing situation

• Cornerstones
  To help 25 families move into stable, permanent housing

• Court Appointed Special Advocate - Montgomery County, MD
  To recruit and train 100 additional CASA volunteers

• Court Appointed Special Advocate - Prince George's County, MD
  To increase capacity for its Transitioning Youth program

• Court Appointed Special Advocates – Fairfax County, VA
  To provide the services of a CASA volunteer to 292 children

• DC Bilingual Public Charter School
  To enroll 34 children in PK-3

• DC Volunteer Lawyers Project
  To train 38 volunteer lawyers to offer 140 victims legal and/or advocacy assistance

• District Alliance for Safe Housing
  To assist families through its Cornerstone Program, Empowerment Project and Survivor Resilience Fund

• District of Columbia Appleseed Center for Law and Justice
  To improve the capacity of the District's 2,300 early childhood educators to identify children at risk for developmental disabilities

• Doorways for Women & Families
  To provide safe housing, life skills and employment services to 30 households experiencing homelessness

• Edgewood Brookland Family Support Collaborative
  To help 80 families and individuals obtain or retain stable housing

• Family and Youth Initiative
  To match four teens with an adoptive family

• Friends of the National Arboretum
  To provide career awareness workshops to youth from low-income communities

• Generation Hope
  To offer college readiness workshops, application and enrollment services, and ongoing support throughout college for 170 teen parents

• Good Shepherd Housing & Family Services, Inc.
  To place 90 vulnerable and homeless participant families in affordable housing

• Healthy Babies Project
  To help pregnant/parenting youth find stable housing and create educational or job readiness plans

• Homeless Children's Playtime Project
  To increase the number of advocacy coalition partners and expand support services for children in families experiencing homelessness

• Homestretch
  To provide debt and financial services and help four homeless adults transition to stable housing

• Hope House
  To provide college preparation services to high school students and ongoing support to students while in college

• Housing Up
  To help 686 families obtain and/or maintain stable housing

• Identity, Inc.
  To help 50 students demonstrate improvement or achieve their grade-level target in key literacy skills

• International Rescue Committee
  To help 70 refugees increase their incomes through public benefits and securing entry-level jobs

• Legal Aid Justice Center
  To provide housing-related legal services to more than 300 households

• Main Street Child Development Center
  To help children achieve or make progress toward school readiness goals

• Mental Health Association of Frederick County
  To close 15 cases and place foster children in permanent homes

• Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless
  To help 126 families maintain stable, permanent housing through its Partnership for Permanent Housing (PPH) program

• Neighborhood Legal Services Program of The District of Columbia
  To provide low-income DC residents and homeless families with legal and housing services

• Northern Virginia Family Service
  To help 130 households transition from homelessness into temporary housing or from temporary into permanent housing

• Prince George's Child Resource Center
  To provide child development and parent/child learning activities that improve language and cognitive abilities for 95 participants

• Reach Education
  To help high school and elementary students develop and grow their literacy skills

• Rising for Justice
  To help 1,500 tenants and their families avoid eviction

• Sasha Bruce Youthwork
  To support homeless youth and runaways with housing and family strengthening services

• Stop Child Abuse Now of Northern Virginia
  To help 75 children served by the CASA program achieve permanency in their family placements

• Shelter House
  To help 19 families achieve housing, public benefits and income stability through its RISE program

• Stepping Stones Shelter
  To help 30 families move into stable housing and increase their income

• Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment (DC SAFE)
  To assist 300 participants in successfully moving to safe transitional or permanent housing

• The Arc Prince George's County
  To support more than 40 participants with training and employment services through its Project SEARCH and Ready@21 programs

• The Barker Adoption Foundation
  To provide clients with lifelong services and advocate for ethical, respectful and child-centered adoption practices

• The Platform of Hope
  To help 60 low-income families develop life goals, increase their resource networks and participate in programs that help achieve their goals

• Voices for Virginia's Children
  To collect and distribute data-driven information to policy makers and support 1,000 children in the foster care system

• Wesley Housing Development Corporation
  To help 139 low-income households avoid eviction and maintain housing

About the Fund for Children, Youth And Families

The Fund for Children, Youth and Families (FFCYF) was established to invest in the betterment of underserved children, youth, and families across the greater Washington region - specifically, to invest in organizations achieving significant impact providing services and programming across the following program areas: Stable Homes Stable Families, Foster Care and Adoption, and Academic and Career Success. Through its grantmaking, the fund supports effective organizations working to make the community healthy and stable. Please visit www.fund4cyf.org for more information.

Tonia Wellons Named Nonprofit Leader of the Year by Washington Business Journal

Dear Friends of The Community Foundation,

Photo by EMAN MOHAMMED/WBJ
Courtesy of Washington Business Journal

What a year it has been! In light of the ongoing crisis and continuing cycle of bad news, I wanted to share the exciting news that Tonia Wellons, our fearless CEO, has been named Nonprofit Leader of the Year by The Washington Business Journal.

Tonia could not have taken over as The Community Foundation's permanent President and CEO at a tougher time. Tonia has proven to be the exact right leader for this moment and for our community. Under Tonia’s leadership and with the tireless work of our amazing staff, together with the generosity of all of you and many others in our community, we have raised over $10 million to date for our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

As we continue to respond to the ongoing crisis and move forward with other critical initiatives, I hope you will join me in congratulating Tonia by making a gift to support The Community Foundation's work.

Congratulations to Tonia for this well-deserved recognition of your hard work!

Yours,
Katharine Weymouth
Chair, Board of Trustees
Greater Washington Community Foundation

Community Foundation Awards $1 million in Relief Funds to Prince George’s County Small Businesses

The small business sector is a key economic driver in Prince George’s County; it makes up 95% of all businesses in the County. Unfortunately, Prince George’s County was hit hard by the pandemic.

50% of the jobs created over the past five years were lost in the first two weeks of COVID-19.

Many businesses have shuttered and far too many have closed for good, taking the jobs they’ve created with them. These losses have left individuals, families and communities struggling to survive and gain an economic foothold.

Helping residents improve their social and economic status is an important yet complex goal—and that’s exactly what the Greater Washington Community Foundation is doing as part of its new focus on equity and economic mobility in Prince George’s County.

The Legacy Fund, seeded with a $1 million gift directed by Sam Brin and a $10,000 gift from Meridiam, provides critically needed access to capital for small businesses in Prince George’s County. It provides direct relief to small businesses in Prince George’s County impacted by COVID-19 to help minimize vulnerability to closure and to enable small businesses thrive.

The Legacy Fund is helping blunt the impact of business closure and job loss with grants ranging from $2,000-$10,000 to 173 small businesses. These investments resulted in the retention of more than 650 full time jobs and provided the funding that businesses need for technology and other business enhancements. Additionally, through our partnership with FSC First, these companies can access technical assistance to help them better navigate new business and economic realities and ensure long-term development.

Grants were awarded to companies in all nine Councilmanic Districts in the County and across multiple industries including retail, IT, business services, restaurants, and health, beauty and fitness. While each of the companies we’ve invested in supply critical goods and services, they’re also community gathering spaces and are important institutions in the County.

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Below are a few examples of small businesses that received grants and how they play a critical role in our community.

Spiritual Essence Yoga, in Upper Marlboro, has supported the mental, physical, and emotional health of the Prince George's County community since 2008. While the stress of the pandemic has increased the community’s need for these services, the company was required to close for several months. This grant helped them reopen and begin offering virtual and in-person classes.

BLE Executive and Virtual Office Suites, in Largo, provides individual offices and virtual services to hundreds of entrepreneurs and small businesses in the County through a flexible office space business model. With more people working from home, and in-person meetings no longer an option, BLE has had to contend with reduced demand for its services. This grant will enable BLE to maintain critical staffing levels and continue to provide the high quality business to business services that are important for the growth and sustainability of small businesses and entrepreneurship.

Minimizing business closure and reducing job loss are important goals of the Legacy Fund, but we also recognize that in order to work families need childcare. The staff at Loving Hands Enrichment Center, a childcare facility in Clinton have cared for children in the community for 14 years. Like most companies, they’ve been forced to scale back due to the pandemic. Funding is helping the center retain staff and improve their operating systems. They are, once again, providing a strong educational and nurturing environment for child development in Prince George’s.

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2020 Legacy Fund Grant Awardees

21st Century Expo Group

4EVER 2012 Corporation

Acbles Adrian Wilcox Agency, Inc.

Adventure Tours Aga Group

Aggie Family Child Care

Airport Metro Connection Inc.

Angarai Management Services

Appreciation Moments

Around the Clark Trucking

Ayers Natural Aztlan, Inc.

BC Tours & Travel, Inc.

Bea's Hive Assisted Living

Behind The Scenes Production

Belmont Executives, Inc.

Beltway Trophy Co.

Best Sweet Frog

Biruk Chewaka

BizyBee Professional Staffing & Biz'Ness Solutions

BLE Executive & Virtual Office Suites

Bright Horizon Ventures

Bruce T. Blake Insurance Agency, Inc.

Cameau Enterpises dba Camp Space

Centered Support

Charlene Mitchell

Cheerful Speech Therapy

Choice Clinical Services

Chung & Oh

Cipher Logix, Inc.

Clearview Optics dba Sterling Optical

CN Accounting & Management Consulting

College Park Yoga dba Numi Yoga

Colors by Tangie

Corporate Wheels

C-Pup Pet Walks

Cursor Logistics

Custom Plumbing and HVAC

Cuts Unlimited, Inc.

Cybersoft Technologies Corporation

Cynthia Cephas Photography

DAPO Group

DC Vegan

DCG Construction

Deanna Robinson Fitness

Defined by Design Events

Dickey & Associates

DMV Healthy Insurance

DNA Fitness, Inc. dba Curves of Glenn Dale

DSSP Consulting, Inc.

DXT Therapeutic Services

DY Food Wholesalers

Dynamic 3, Inc.

Dynamic Technical Solutions One

Eby Health Services, Inc.

Elites Care

Emmanuel Management Enterprise, Inc.

Envisage Management Solutions

Eric Kruszewski

Essentially Everything Events

Exact Financial Services

Executive Electrolysis, Inc.

Expressions of Faith

Extra Mile Logistics

Felicia C. Everett Insurance Company, Inc.

Femsterimages Productions

First Lady

Fitness Martial Arts

Flavors Culinary Group

Forty Winks

Front Street Management

G&D Construction

Garcia's Investments

Goins Worldwide, Inc.

Goldleaf Academy

Green Ivy, Benefit

Greenbelt Barber and Beauty Shop

Greenbelt Foods

GS Consulting and Communications, Inc.

Hair + Space Blowdry and Beauty Company

Harbor Wines

Hawkeye Medical

Higher Ground Transportation Services, Inc.

Hutchinson Design Group

Innovations 2000

Intuitive Group

Iwynn Productions

J and A Transport

J.D Clark Professional Services

Jiivana-LIFE Yoga & Wellness LLC dba Spiritual Essence Yoga

K&W Plumbing

KBM Realtors

KC Enterprise

Kery's dba Christina O Salon & Spa

KIK, Inc.

Kimi Nails & Spa

Kinetic Solutions

Klub Kid

Lamaha Hospitality

Laugh House

Law Offices of Sharon Theodore-Lewis & Associates

Legacy Partners Distribution

LG Total Fitness/Triple Delight Aquatics

LLF Handyman Services

Lord & Mitchell, Inc.

Lovi Family Daycare, Inc.

Loving Hands Enrichment Daycare

Maryland Carpet Repair & Cleaning

Maryland Physical Therapy and Wellness Center

Melton Digital

MF Communications Trade, Inc.

Min Wireless, Inc.

Mixin' Mimi Mixology

My Wealth Store

Neshama, Inc.

NITDOT

N'Style Hair Grooming Barber and Salon

Old Town Hospitality

Oni Family Day Care

Own Your Own DMV

PG Family Dentistry

Physical and Sports Rahab, Inc.

Premier Eye Care Center

Prince of Peace Homes for Seniors, Inc.

Printing Express & Designs

Pro Spex, Inc.

Prominent Solutions, Inc.

Quality Time

QW, Inc.

R.A. Investments

Regina Robinson Enterprises

Rickenbacker's Preparation Services

Roman Mechanical

Salon 809

Seeram Enterprises

SELA Hair and Nails

Shan's Jumping Gymnasium

Sidnea Global Enterprises, Inc.

Silver Canady & Associates

Sky Nails

SLDB

SNR Holdings dba Misfit Winery

Something Vintage Rentals

SRC Eldercare Services

Sutter Design, Inc.

Tajick Dental Clinic PC

TCH Enterprize

Team Power Linx

TechOpps, Inc.

Temple Hills Swim Club, Inc.

The Face Paint Ladyn Inc.

The Groom Room

The Joseph Company

The Mercy Law Firm

The Mobile Experience

The SEMCAS Group

The WaterHole

Total Interior

Toth Distribution Service, Inc.

Transcend Solutions

Tucker Moor Law Group

Turning Point Solutions

University for Tots-Suitland Child Care Center, Inc.

viaJ Entertainment Services

Vino 301 Wine Concierge

VIP Financial Services

Visage Dermatology and Aesthetic Center

Way To Live Initiative

Wills Trucking & Excavating, Inc.

World View Early Learning Center, Inc.

Youth Avenue Solutions

About the Legacy Fund

The Legacy Fund made a big difference for 173 businesses on the brink of closure. It’s a key part of our effort to build thriving communities and help individuals and families in Prince George’s County build wealth and leave a legacy for generations to come.

For more information about our work in Prince George’s County, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/princegeorges.

Continue the Workforce Justice Conversation

Since the pandemic hit, Greater Washington’s unemployment rate has grown from 3.5% in to 8.5%. Our Black and brown neighbors have been amongst the hardest hit, especially immigrant workers and women of color. These populations are also disproportionately employed in low-wage, essential jobs, exposing them to COVID-19 at much higher rates than those working at home.

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve stayed in conversation with our community about how we can care for our region’s workforce in the short-term—and how we can create greater equity in the long-term.

Tune in below for several recent events we hosted or participated in, which examine urgent workforce justice issues in our region.

VoicesDMV Social Justice Town Hall

Ensuring Equity for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

In our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey, we found that more than 1 in 6 of our Black and African American neighbors rated the availability of good jobs in the area where they live as poor. As part of our VoicesDMV Social Justice Town Hall series, we invited local thought leaders to discuss how small business and entrepreneurship can be tools for addressing unemployment and ensuring economic equity.

The Urban Institute’s Evidence to Action Series

Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis: Providing Direct Cash Assistance to DC Residents

In this Urban Institute virtual event, our President and CEO Tonia Wellons joined a panel of Urban Institute and local nonprofit experts to discuss the THRIVE East of the River program. THRIVE provides direct cash and food assistance to help DC residents weather the pandemic.

This conversation explored what people living on low incomes in Ward 8 are experiencing amid the pandemic, and provided context for those experiences, especially the history of structural racism and segregation in Washington, DC.

WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi Show

Low wage workers: the pandemic’s forgotten

Our local economy depends on thousands of low-wage workers, but many lost their job when the coronavirus pandemic shut the region down, and they were unable to pay their rent. Rent protection has expired in Virginia, and it is set to expire in D.C. and Maryland.

Are we at the cusp of seeing a massive increase in evictions and homelessness, and food insecurity for low-wage workers?

Join Kojo Nnamdi, along with our President and CEO Tonia Wellons; Radha Muthiah, President and CEO of Capital Area food Bank; Dipti Pidikiti-Smith, Deputy Director of Advocacy, Legal Services of Northern Virginia; and William “Sandy” Darity, Samuel DuBois Cook Distinguished Professor of Public Policy, Duke University to discuss.

Magnifying Our Power for Change

By Karla Bruce, Chief Equity Officer for Fairfax County

Nationally and locally, there has been a growing understanding of the role of federal, state, and local government in creating and maintaining inequity—specifically racial inequity—through policy and practice. While overtly discriminatory acts based on race are now illegal, the effects of policies from previous generations, often considered “race neutral,” that regulated features of communities, including who could live where and how wealth could be built, still linger. 

Reports from the Urban Institute, and the Northern Virginia Health Foundation have documented this variance in opportunity and vulnerability within Fairfax County and across the region. The Equitable Growth Profile, produced for Fairfax County by PolicyLink in 2015, established that people of color are driving Fairfax County’s population growth, and their ability to participate and thrive is central to the county’s continued economic success. 

Adopting an Equity Lens

Fairfax County, as a local government and a community of committed service providers, has exerted considerable effort and resources to meet the basic needs of our most vulnerable residents, yet our work has not produced improvements in life outcomes at the scale desired.  The efforts, while well-intended, have focused primarily on the delivery of programs and services to individuals and families, often missing the root causes of these differences in outcomes.  

Through an “equity lens” however, the focus is shifting from centering on addressing perceived "lack” in people, to tackling the situations and conditions that are driving the inequities people face.

One Fairfax

November 2020 marks three years since the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board adopted the One Fairfax Policy, committing the county government and Fairfax County Public Schools to intentionally consider equity when making policies and delivering programs and services.

We are now gaining a better understanding of how opportunity varies, depending on who you are and where you live in the county. Our Countywide Strategic Plan is connecting our jurisdiction’s success to our ability to address the structural barriers to opportunity that exist—and build the productive capacities of all neighborhoods and residents. The plan is grounded in the concepts of Targeted Universalism and building Communities of Opportunity, which abandon a one-size-fits-all policy formula, in favor of an approach that is more place and population focused. 

Ultimately, inequities must be challenged and dismantled through the collective action of government and all aspects of community. The transformative institutional work happening inside government is informed, enhanced, and emboldened by the outside work happening with residents, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, business, and philanthropy.

Inclusive Prosperity  

The cornerstone of Fairfax County’s approach to advancing equity is addressing the wide gaps in income, employment, entrepreneurship, and other wealth-building opportunities by race and geography. With the Greater Washington Workforce Collaborative (an initiative of the Greater Washington Community Foundation) and support from Capital One, we are working with an expanding group of stakeholders, representing county agencies and nonprofits, to align efforts and fill gaps through the formation of an Inclusive Prosperity Network.  

This network will align, leverage, and develop strategies to create an ecosystem that will support the full integration of people of color into the economy, putting more residents on the path toward reaching their full potential. Initially focused on the Richmond Highway Corridor, but with a goal of applying successes and lessons learned to other lower opportunity areas across the county, the Inclusive Prosperity Network is positioned to inform the county’s future economic growth. And now, in the context of COVID-19, the Network is also positioned to foster sustained economic prosperity in Fairfax County in the county’s equitable recovery.

I appreciate having The Greater Washington Workforce Collaborative as a partner in the work of becoming One Fairfax.  

When we come together as institutions, government and philanthropy, and live into our unique roles, we are able to magnify our power to disrupt the status quo and dismantle the deeply rooted inequities that plague us and hinder our community’s progress.  Working together, we can bolster connections to the region’s assets and resources and facilitate full participation in and contribution to the region’s economic and social vitality and readiness for the future.

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About Karla Bruce

Karla Bruce has over 20 years of local government management experience and is known as a driver of innovation in public service delivery, bridging the efforts of local government with the collective action of residents and broad networks of partners to strategically address issues facing vulnerable populations and neighborhoods.  Karla currently serves as the Chief Equity Officer for Fairfax County, Virginia where she successfully championed the adoption of the One Fairfax Racial and Social Equity Resolution and Policy and provides overall management of the One Fairfax strategic framework, advising and supporting the Board of Supervisors and Executive Leadership in shaping and directing policy and practice to foster equitable opportunity for all Fairfax County residents.

Forging Workforce Equity and Inclusive Prosperity during COVID-19

Dawnn Leary

By Dawnn Leary, Senior Community Investment Officer

COVID-19 has disrupted how we work, play, and connect with one another. It has challenged both our view of work and how we value and support the individuals who make up our workforce, especially our frontline essential workers. The pandemic has worsened community members’ ability to find sustainable work, whether at former jobs or in new jobs, pushing more people into the informal and “gig” economy which will have implications for our region’s health and prosperity. 

In seven short months, our region’s unemployment rate has more than doubled, growing from 3.5% in February 2020, to today’s 8.5%. This has not been experienced evenly, however, as COVID-19 has alsoelevated long-standing, structural racial inequities for our black and brown neighbors. As stated in Policy Link and Burning Glass Technologies’ report Race, Risk and Workforce Equity in the Coronavirus Economy: 

“While the pain (of the pandemic) has been widespread, it has not been equally shared: workers of color and immigrant workers, especially women, are being hardest hit by the loss of jobs and income and are disproportionately employed in the lowest-wage, essential jobs that place them at risk of contracting the virus.”

 The challenges in the world of work are many and require multifaceted solutions, handled with patience, persistence, and intention. We need the leadership of residents with lived experiences working in partnership with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, grantmaking institutions, philanthropists and business owners to develop, test, and implement solutions.  

Investing in the Future of Work

In 2008, the Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative was born as a philanthropic response to the Great Recession. For more than a decade, The Collaborative has pooled resources from individuals and institutions to support both innovative job training approaches, such as career pathways and sector partnerships, and critical advocacy and organizing efforts for quality legislation, centering on policies such as paid family leave. There was an early recognition that philanthropy needed to invest in more than just job training. We needed to invest in systems change—efforts that address the root causes, components and structures, which prevent our neighbors from realizing economic security and mobility. 

Now, in the face of the current economic crisis brought on by COVID-19, the Collaborative is exploring how we, as investors in systems change, engage in the fight for an equitable and comprehensive recovery and reconstruction in the world of work, in partnership with our black and brown workers. This moment is calling us to adapt again—to listen to new voices, learn about different approaches, cultivate new partnerships, and then invest in those new approaches and efforts. 

An Equitable Road Ahead

The Collaborative seeks to expand its investments this year and support efforts that center those with lived experience and engages them as leaders in both discussing our current challenges and creating and implementing the solutions.

“These voices (those with lived experience) are a critical missing piece of the puzzle, and listening to their perspectives should be a key part of unlocking solutions for the present and future of work.” -New America’s report Worker Voices: A Guide to Solutions

As a starting point, with a group of our partners, (DC Jobs with Justice, Many Languages One Voice, One DC, Restaurant Opportunities Center-DC and Movement Matters) the Collaborative is supporting a community participatory research action project that seeks to engage community about their work-related experiences since the beginning of COVID-19. Workers themselves will be engaged in developing the research questions, paid a living wage as researchers, and will help analyze the results of that research to develop solutions.   

In Fairfax County, the Collaborative has developed a new partnership with the Fairfax County government’s One Fairfax Office. We’re working with them to develop approaches, alongside residents, to help residents living in the route one corridor build assets that enable them to support their basic needs, invest in themselves and their families and contribute to a strong and growing economy.

Reconstruction will not be easy nor quick. It requires us to listen to new voices, learn about different approaches, cultivate new partnerships and invest in new efforts. The future of work depends on it. We hope you will join us in this fight.