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.

Burness and Business Leaders Fighting Hunger Launch $100,000 Food for Montgomery Challenge Match

With 1 in 10 Montgomery County residents at risk of going to bed hungry, it’s not just governments and individuals who are stepping up to help feed our neighbors in need due to the pandemic. With a $100,000 challenge match grant focused on corporations, Burness and Business Leaders Fighting Hunger aim to inspire businesses to help meet the challenge of providing food to 114,000 food insecure residents in Montgomery County.

Andy Burness, a longtime Community Foundation donor said

“This innovative coalition of businesses is taking on hunger in the time of Covid to help raise $5 million, but we were dedicated to fighting hunger before the pandemic. Everyone has to step up – nonprofits do the work on ground, and government certainly has a large role to play, but businesses need to step up and make a real, significant contribution to help alleviate this unprecedented level of hunger.”

Volunteers prepare boxes of food to distribute in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Each contribution will be matched, dollar for dollar, for Food for Montgomery, a coordinated public-private partnership between the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Montgomery County government, and more than 125 nonprofits, faith communities, small businesses, and farmers working to address the rise in food insecurity.  The Food for Montgomery Fund is raising $5 million to meet the staggering increase in food insecure Montgomery County residents today and ensure the county’s food relief system is ready for the future. 

Already the Food for Montgomery fund has raised more than $1 million to meet the urgent need for food now, support our small businesses and farmers, and strengthen our hunger relief system to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s crises. Since the start of the pandemic, Food for Montgomery has:

• Supported local restaurants which prepared thousands of culturally-appropriate meals to deliver to home-bound seniors 

• Purchased produce from local farmers that food providers distributed 

• Stocked food providers’ shelves with nutritious food

• Built capacity with grants to food providers for refrigerators, trucks, and other essential items

• Helped more people sign up for food benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

• Leveraged technology to efficiently scale services, intake, and food delivery 

• Expanded the number of food distribution sites and hubs to reach every part of the county

Yet because of COVID-19, the number of people wondering where their next meal will come from continues to grow; only with the support of the community will every Montgomery County resident have the nutritious food they need to work, learn, and live.

If you’d like to learn more about the Burness Challenge Match or Food for Montgomery, contact Anna Hargrave at [email protected].

about burness

Burness is a mission-driven communications firm based in Montgomery County, Maryland. For the past 35 years, Burness has helped promote ideas that inspire and drive social change worldwide.

about BUSINESS LEADERS FIGHTING HUNGER

Co-founded by Sodexo and Burness, Business Leaders Fighting Hunger is a coalition of Montgomery County employers committed to doing their part to reduce hunger. Its strategic giving and leadership have been essential to strengthening Montgomery County’s food security system in recent years. To learn more, check out the Business Leaders Fighting Hunger 2020 Progress Report to read about the businesses behind this effort and how their philanthropic investments enabled partners to respond quickly when the pandemic struck Montgomery County.

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.

Deciding which charity to support doesn’t have to be hard. These tips will help.

Giving Tuesday is a global movement that’s more important now than ever - and every act of generosity counts.

Not sure where to begin? In her interview with The Washington Post, Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for our Montgomery County office, offers giving tips to get you started - beginning with what moves you.

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.

---

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.

#MakeADifference Monday: Workforce Development

These past several months, while exceptionally challenging at times, have also been inspiring. We’ve seen our community come together to care for our neighbors in need, springing into action to support those most adversely affected by the pandemic.

Through our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, were able to invest $10 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more. This would not be possible without our compassionate donors – a diverse group of individuals and businesses who helped us mobilize $10 million for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us to make a difference.

You can read about our impact here – and, below, learn more about how our nonprofit partners helped create this impact. Their stories of kindness and courage are truly inspiring.

CareerCatchers

With funding received from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, CareerCatchers hired additional staff and part-time contractors so that the organization could expand its reach and serve more clients during the pandemic.

Notable milestones include:

• Working with 355 clients to help them with upward mobility and stable employment

• Increasing the number of clients participating in work skills and trainings programs by 200 percent

• Helping more than 100 clients with unemployment insurance claims—through both one-on-one support and Zoom workshops

• Acting as a processing agency for Montgomery County Government’s Emergency Assistance Relief Payment (EARP) program, providing immediate financial assistance to households not eligible for federal or state COVID-19 aid

CareerCatchers will continue to fulfill its critical mission—providing personalized and individualized career counseling for survivors of domestic violence, people experiencing homelessness, immigrants, people with disabilities, returning citizens, youth aging out of foster care, and disconnected youth.

Future Harvest

Future Harvest advances agriculture that sustains farmers, communities, and the environment through mini-cash grants to farmer entrepreneurs who do not qualify for federal stimulus programs.

Future Harvest combined its Greater Washington Community Foundation grant funds with other sources to create the “Feed the Need” Fund, which awarded more than $60,000 to 22 small-to mid-sized, financially struggling family farm operations—14 of whom were BIPOC farmers.

One grant recipient, Owl’s Nest Farm in Upper Marlboro, MD, grows a diverse array of vegetables on 4 ½ acres of land. “Last year, we made a commitment to see how we can share our produce with people who otherwise couldn't afford it.” Each week, Owl’s Nest Farm provides CSA shares to families at the Richardson Dwellings public housing complex.

Funding from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will allow Future Harvest to continue advancing agriculture that sustains farmers, communities, and the environment.

New Futures

New Futures supports under-resourced young people who are pursuing community college as the launching point to further education and rewarding careers—young people who also provide in some way for their families or are their household’s primary financial provider.

In the earliest weeks of the COVID-19 crisis, many were laid off suddenly from part- or full-time jobs in the most vulnerable industries of food service, hospitality and retail, among others.

New Futures established a Scholar Emergency Fund to play a role in preventing Scholars’ sudden, short-term financial disruptions from cascading to devastating challenges that impacted their ability to persist in and complete their credentials. This fund is saving lives and preventing financial disaster.

“My family is so happy because of this support. Please, let all the New Futures personnel know that we are so grateful with this unconditional love and support.”

People for Change Coalition

Small businesses have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and pivoting business strategies has proven critical to staying afloat.

That’s why People for Change Coalition used its funding to create a COVID-19 Small Business Rescue (SBR) program—a program that ultimately helped 10 Prince George’s County small businesses and entrepreneurs develop a digital strategy to adjust to the new norms caused by Covid-19.

“Businesses were caught unexpectedly by Covid-19 and needed a rescue plan to keep their doors open, retain existing customers and clients, as well as secure new ones.”

The businesses who participated in SBR are using their new brand, look, and marketing materials to promote their business, get new clients and contracts, and increase their sales.

Washington Business Journal Recognizes Community Foundation with 2020 Citizenship Award

We are proud to share that the Greater Washington Community Foundation and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield are recipients of the 2020 Citizenship Award, part of the Washington Business Journal's annual Philanthropy Awards program. The award recognizes our partnership on the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield PPE Response Fund to distribute thousands of PPE units to frontline workers at health clinics across the region.

Pathways to Housing staff receive a shipment of PPE

Mission of Mercy provided free medical and dental care during COVID-19 using the gift of PPE from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield PPE Response Fund.

COVID-19 Response Fund Issues Over $10 Million in Emergency Grants

300+ Critical Nonprofits Across the Region Received Support to Weather Pandemic

The Greater Washington Community Foundation today announced an additional $2.04 million in phase three grants from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, reaching a combined total of more than $10 million in emergency support distributed to address the public health and economic crisis. The Fund’s rapid response grantmaking helped local nonprofits to expand critical services, ensure continuity of operations, transition to virtual service delivery, and counteract lost revenue due to closures or event cancellations. 

In total, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund’s impact includes: 

• Over $10 million raised and invested in regional response efforts

• 300+ social service and health nonprofits funded

• Grants range from $1,000 to $250,000

• 50% of nonprofit partners led by people of color

Phase three funding was spurred in part by a $1 million dollar commitment from IKEA to support COVID-19 relief efforts in Maryland where some of its facilities are located. IKEA calculated unemployment claims submitted by its employees and donated that money back to the state through a partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to disperse the resources to communities in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. 

Phase 3 Grant Highlights

Improving Food Security

$250,000 to Capital Area Food Bank and its partners to address the dramatic increase in food insecurity among Northern Virginia residents in Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun counties and the City of Alexandria. CAFB’s goal is to provide an additional 9 million pounds of food in these areas, including to many disproportionately impacted communities of color.

A $200,000 investment in Dreaming Out Loud to address DC’s food security crisis by connecting fresh and nutritious food offerings from local Black-owned farms in our region to food insecure residents, including 1,300 weekly CSA shares and 150,000 prepared meals.

$188,000 allocated to help Food for Montgomery meet the urgent need for food, support restaurants and farmers by purchasing meals and fresh produce, and to strengthen our hunger relief system.

$200,000 to help resource Get Shift Done for DMV operations through the end of the year. The initiative is paying displaced hospitality workers to help local nonprofit providers prepare food and meals for neighbors facing hardship due to COVID-19.

$214,000 to support food assistance providers in Prince George’s County to make and/or deliver prepared meals, produce, and shelf-stable foods, and to connect food insecure households to additional food resources.

Support for Childcare

$188,000 allocated to the Children’s Opportunity Fund to expand affordable childcare and distance learning support options for up to 1,000 low-income families in Montgomery County.

$150,000 allocated to the D.C. Childcare Reopening Fund, in partnership with Mary’s Center, to invest in a network of local family childcare providers to ensure that low-income children and youth remain in licensed childcare programs that support healthy and safe development.

$50,000 investment in the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative, led by the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, supporting advocacy efforts to improve early childhood systems infrastructure, expand access to high quality early education programs, and help early educators effectively meet the needs of all children.

$100,000 invested alongside the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia to support local family-based early care providers through the Infant Toddler Family Day Care, a high-impact local provider that will directly support 85 Northern Virginia-based family childcare providers, all of which are led by women of color.

$50,000 to Prince George’s Child Resource Center to provide support and technical assistance to childcare providers to ensure their sustainability and ability to create healthy and nurturing environments for children by helping families and educating caregivers.

Expanding Employment Opportunities

$300,000 allocated to the Equity Fund in Prince George’s County to support programs selected through an open call for applications that are preparing workers for meaningful employment and ensuring that people facing barriers to employment can access high-quality education and job opportunities which pay a family-sustaining wage.

Eviction Prevention and Housing Stability

$150,000 allocated to The Partnership to End Homelessness for work with DC Bar Foundation and other funders to prevent evictions and help low-income residents maintain stable housing. Initial investments will focus on building the capacity of the system to make sure tenants are aware of their rights and can access the rental assistance and other resources that are available.

Previous Funding and Priorities

The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund was established on March 12, 2020 and administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, which also was a donor to the effort. Community Foundation staff in collaboration with a steering committee and working groups, comprised of regional philanthropic leaders, subject matter experts, and local government advisors, met regularly to discuss needs, vet proposals, and coordinate efforts.

The Fund received contributions from nearly 800 foundations, corporations, and individuals. A list of the major contributors to the Fund can be found here.  

More than 1,600 nonprofits across the region applied for approximately $60 million in grants. Priority was given to direct service providers with deep roots in the community and the ability to both address urgent needs and reach historically underserved populations.

Phases 1 and 2 (March-August) investments were made across five issue areas:

• To provide cash assistance to impacted workers, including hourly and gig economy workers, contractors, and workers excluded from unemployment or stimulus funds.

• To bridge the digital divide and expand resources for low-income families, youth disconnected from school or work, and students with special education needs. 

• To provide PPE and other equipment for frontline workers, expand medical care for marginalized communities, and increase access to mental health support services.

• To support individuals, families, and youth experiencing homelessness by expanding access to housing/shelter, health care, and other emergency services.

• To help stabilize nonprofits, expand emergency food assistance, address the uptick in domestic violence, and support the civil legal aid needs of individuals and families.

Phase two investments also included funding for advocacy and community organizing projects focused on improving systems for food security, violence prevention, medical care access, affordable housing, childcare, and more.

A full list of the Fund’s grantees can be found here. To learn more about the unique stories of the organizations supported by the Fund, click here for impact videos.

Quarterly Community Update

Dear Community Foundation fundholder,

I hope this note finds you enjoying a happy and healthy start to your holiday season. Thanks to your continued care for our community, last quarter our community of givers awarded more than $17.6 million in grants to organizations serving our region and beyond.

At The Community Foundation, we remain focused on meeting our community’s evolving needs through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. Last quarter, our work coordinating the region’s philanthropic response to this ongoing crisis included:

• Joining The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and eight other funders to launch the Arts Forward Fund, providing $1 million in relief to arts and culture organizations across the region.

• Distributing more than $2 million from the DC Education Equity Fund to ensure students have the resources and materials they need to continue their education.

• Raising over $500,000 through the Children’s Opportunity Fund to support learning hub scholarships for low-income students in Montgomery County to receive supervision and help with remote learning.

• Partnering with FSC First and a generous donor to launch a $1 million grants program to provide emergency relief to small businesses in Prince George’s County.

• Partnering with Ikea to distribute over $1 million in funding to address childcare, unemployment, and food security in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

As our community continues to recover from this crisis, our goal is to work together to build a more equitable future for our region. We are approaching this work by listening to and learning from our community.

This summer, through our VoicesDMV initiative, we released new data from our Community Insights survey of residents conducted by Gallup, and launched a series of Social Justice Town Halls to unpack findings related to inequities in housing, education, employment, food access, and entrepreneurship. Earlier this month, we brought together residents from across the region for On the Table conversations to discuss and reimagine the future of our communities. Now, we are offering Community Action Awards – small grants to help individuals and nonprofits implement ideas to improve their neighborhoods.

In September, we partnered on the national launch of the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund. This innovative new fund is supporting Black leaders on the frontlines of shaping the urgent movement to build a fair, equitable, and anti-racist America. As a local partner to this national philanthropic initiative, we are proud to provide support for local Black leaders who are grassroots advocates, organizers, and emerging voices in the Greater Washington region.

With the end of year approaching, our staff can assist you with carrying out your philanthropic goals for 2020. Please be mindful of our December 18 deadline for your year-end grantmaking activities to ensure your recommended grantees receive their funds by December 31.

Your continued partnership and support are crucial as we seek to build thriving communities now and for generations to come. Thank you for standing with us!

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons,
President and CEO

P.S. In case you missed our 2020 Annual Meeting or the release of our 2020 Annual Report, you can find the recording and resources here.

BLACK VOICES FOR BLACK JUSTICE FUND (DMV) TO INVEST IN TEN COMMUNITY CATALYSTS

A commitment to support the activists, artists, and organizers working locally to build an anti-racist America

Washington, D.C. -- The Greater Washington Community Foundation today announced the launch of The Black Voices for Black Justice Fund DMV and has partnered with the DC-based nonprofit, GOODProjects, to bring its mission to life with the Black Justice Fellowship. Ten Black Leaders representing the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia will be selected to receive monetary and meaningful support to scale their activism. They will each receive a personal grant of $30,000 to support their work and living expenses for a year. Nominations for the first cohort can be submitted via an online form at www.blackjusticefellows.org.

Led by visionary committee leaders Angela Rye, Linda Wilson, Tonia Wellons, Cherrelle Swain, and Darius Baxter, The Black Justice Fellows is redefining the way philanthropy identifies and invests in Black leaders.

“Black Leaders have been actively working for years to create a more just America, yet too many are underestimated, underfunded, and underrepresented,” says fund co-chair Baxter. “We declare the success of Black Leaders will not be determined by how much they can fundraise or their proximity to whiteness.”

The Racial Equity in Philanthropy Report states that white-led organizations had budgets that were 24 percent larger than those led by people of color. It also found that groups led by Black Women received less money than those led by Black Men or White Women. Further, disparities by the race of the leader repeatedly persist even when taking into account factors like issue area and education levels.

Co-Chair Tonia Wellons explains, “Historically, we know that there has been an underinvestment in Black leaders who are on the frontlines of fighting for justice and equality. We are excited to help scale the work of emerging leaders in the Greater Washington region by providing financial support so they can continue to live while they lead. This initiative will help elevate the voices of Black leaders and invest in solutions led by Black leaders to fuel their efforts to address structural and systemic racism.”

The Black Voices for Black Justice Fund (DMV) was seeded by the Bridge Alliance Education Fund and Greater Washington Community Foundation. This local initiative stemmed from the national Black Voices for Black Justice Fund which was launched from a partnership between many philanthropic organizations across the country.

"We are pleased to support communities and leaders in the Washington, DC area by partnering with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to provide resources to Black leaders at the forefront of community work that is strengthening our communities and our nation,” says David Nevins, Chairman of the Board of Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

For more information or to nominate a local leader for the fellowship, please visit www.blackjusticefellows.org or @blackjusticefellows on all social media platforms.

Arts Forward Fund Announces More Than $1 Million in Grants to Local Arts Groups Impacted by COVID-19

Arts Forward Fund, a partnership between the Greater Washington Community Foundation, The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, and 16 other foundations and individual donors, announces grants totaling $1,048,500 to 43 arts and culture organizations in the DC region.

These grants will help organizations make essential shifts needed to sustain their work through the COVID-19 pandemic and to respond to the national movement for racial justice. A majority of the grants will be used to support expanded digital and online programming. More than 60 percent of grants and grant funding will go to organizations that are BIPOC-led and predominantly BIPOC-serving.

In response to a call for applications released in early August 2020, Arts Forward Fund received 227 applications totaling nearly $8 million.

“The volume of applications illustrates the devastating impact of the pandemic on arts and culture organizations in our region,” says Calvin Cafritz, President and CEO of The Cafritz Foundation, which made a lead grant of $500,000 to establish Arts Forward Fund. “The pandemic has exacerbated challenges for groups that have historically had inequitable access to philanthropic capital, and these grants reflect the collective commitment of our funding collaborative to prioritize those organizations.”

“Arts and culture organizations are a critical economic engine for the region and they contribute immeasurably to our sense of community and our well-being,” says Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We are proud to partner on the Arts Forward Fund to bring much needed relief to these organizations that enrich our communities and touch our lives.”

Following is a list of Arts Forward Fund grant recipients, grant amounts, and a brief description of how grant funds will be used.

• 826DC
  $25,000 to support the shift to online and small group programming, including increased training for volunteers

• Anacostia Playhouse
  $25,000 to support the shift to digital content

• Arch Development Corporation
  $30,000 to support transition to online programs

• Art Enables
  $25,000 to implement an enhanced digital marketing plan

• Art Works Now
  $25,000 to support the shift to virtual programming, including an expansion of the Creative Aging program

• ARTSFAIRFAX
  $25,000 to support the WORK-SMART training series for Fairfax County arts organizations

• Arts on the Block
  $25,000 to upgrade IT and HR capacity with a focus on equity and human-centered design

• ArtStream
  $25,000 to hire a virtual programming manager and develop a new evaluation system for online programs

• Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA)
  $25,000 to support the shift to virtual programming

• Critical Exposure
  $20,000 to support the shift to digital curriculum

• Dance Institute of Washington
  $30,000 to support facility renovation and program evaluation with a focus on racial equity

• Dance Place
  $30,000 to support diversity, equity, and inclusion training

• DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative
  $50,000 to support a distance-learning database and virtual projects

• DC Jazz Festival
  $30,000 to support a new digital content initiative

• Foundation for the Advancement of Music and Education (FAME)
  $25,000 to support an online learning platform

• Gala Hispanic Theatre
  $30,000 to build fundraising capacity and create online programming

• Greater Reston Arts Center
  $20,000 to support digital content

• Heritage Signature Chorale
  $20,000 to support digital content

• InterAct Story Theatre
  $10,000 to support the shift to virtual and blended programs

• Joe's Movement Emporium
  $30,000 to support the transition to a new online teaching platform

• Kalanidhi Dance

  $10,000 to support website development

• Life Pieces to Masterpieces
  $30,000 to support outdoor programming, PPE and safety precautions

• Live It Learn It
  $25,000 to support equipment and curriculum to adapt to distance learning

• Museum of the Palestinian People
  $20,000 to strengthen the museum’s online presence and create a new online exhibition

• Music for Life
  $10,000 to support the shift to online programs

• One Common Unity
  $20,000 to support software and training for a digital platform

• P0STB1NARY
  $15,000 to support online content platforms and web development

• PEN/Faulkner
  $50,000 to support online accessibility (joint proposal with Split This Rock, The Writer's Center, 826 DC)

• Prince George's African American Museum and Cultural Center
  $25,000 to support virtual programming

• Project Create
  $17,500 to support rebranding and marketing

• Restoration Stage
  $25,000 to support the transition to digital programs

• Shout Mouse Press
  $20,000 to increase digital and print sales and engage a DEI consultant

• Step Afrika!
  $30,000 to support the shift to virtual programs

• Synetic Theater
  $25,000 to support the shift to online content

• Teatro de la Luna
  $20,000 to support the shift to online content

• The Essential Theatre
  $25,000 to support capacity-building

• Theatre Alliance
  $25,000 to support the shift to online programs

• Urbanarias
  $16,000 to support expanded digital marketing and improved ticketing and production for digital content

• Washington Jazz Arts Institute
  $20,000 to support an online music collaboration project

• Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
  $25,000 to support innovative online productions, anti-racism training, marketing

• Words Beats And Life
  $25,000 to support the shift to online programs

• Young Playwrights Theater
  $25,000 to support the shift to online programs

• Zora Neale Hurston Richard Wright Foundation
  $20,000 to support the shift to online programs

About Arts Forward Fund

Launched in July 2020 with lead grants from The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Harman Family Foundation, and the Weissberg Foundation, Arts Forward Fund is a funder collaborative housed at and administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Additional supporters include Linowitz Family Fund, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, S & R Foundation, Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation, Lois and Richard England Family Foundation, Philip L. Graham Fund, Greater Washington Community Foundation, Share Fund, Walter Brownley Trust, Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation, and other individual contributors.

Transformative Approaches to Justice: DC Fund for Just and Peaceful Neighborhoods

By Alise Marshall, Director of Strategy and New Ventures, Public Welfare Foundation

Alise Marshall, Public Welfare Foundation

The best ideas bubble up from communities. It’s a philosophy that Public Welfare Foundation feels so strongly about that we recently shifted our grantmaking strategy to get closer to the communities where transformative approaches to justice are happening. This on-the-ground approach allows us to partner with proximate, community-rooted organizations that are working on promising solutions to systemic problems.

We began this work in our hometown of Washington, DC. The District has many governance and structural traits that make it unique nationally, but it is these same traits that make it particularly challenging when it comes to the administration of justice. Yet the city is ripe for reform, offering leaders and policymakers with a willingness to test new solutions and practices. Some of our early insights were captured in this analysis we published last year on DC's justice systems.

As we met with, and learned from, DC’s community leaders, it became clear that community-rooted work at the intersection of race, criminal justice, and violence required greater investment. Part of our grantmaking strategy was the creation of the DC Fund for Just & Peaceful Neighborhoods with the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

Launched in the Summer of 2019, the Fund provides targeted, immediate support to neighborhood-based groups responding to the interconnected challenges of violence and incarceration. The DC Fund for Just and Peaceful Neighborhoods is fueled by the urgency to shift how our community and its systems respond to justice-involved youth and young adults, principally young people of color who bear the brunt of the nation’s gun violence and incarceration crisis.  

DC has long been a city divided, but that divide has grown more pronounced over the past two decades. DC is one of the heaviest policed cities in the country, with police interactions disproportionately taking place “East of the River” in Wards 7 and 8; racial disparities permeate every point of the system; and there is a growing need to address the intersection of violence and incarceration among DC’s young adult population.

There have been over 100 homicides in DC so far this year, an 18 percent increase from this same time in 2019. To change course and transform lives, we must reimagine what is possible for youth and young adults who experience violence or come in contact with the criminal justice system by investing in community-centered models of support that reflect the needs of young people; and building capacity among proximate organizations in the most affected neighborhoods.  

The DC Fund provides supports for select frontline organizations working to respond to violence through:

• Violence prevention, intervention, and building community cohesion

• Development and implementation of alternatives to incarceration and restorative justice practices

• Building voice and power across the justice-impacted youth and young adult community

• Concentrated efforts to repair the harm perpetuated by cycles of violence and incarceration in impacted communities

In January 2020, the DC Fund made awards to eight nonprofit organizations which are working to engage and mobilize individuals who have been impacted by violence and the criminal justice system through programs including job training and reentry supports, access to trauma informed services, policy education sessions, and the creation of safe spaces for youth and young adults.

The DC Fund for Just and Peaceful Neighborhoods is directing support to organizations working to interrupt violence in some of the most impacted parts of the city. Groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Returning Citizens and The TraRon Center – two DC Fund recipients founded by native DC residents who have answered the call of service in their communities and are helping those affected by gun violence address harm through the principles of conflict management, healing, and restorative justice.

Public Welfare Foundation is committed to advancing more transformative approaches to justice that are community-led, restorative, and racially just. And above all else, we believe in going where the need is greatest and where investment in bold responses to fractures in the local justice and safety context are lacking. We know, and research demonstrates, that true healing and restoration of those most impacted by incarceration and violence must take place in community-based settings-not in the punitive, restrictive settings that continue to define the American justice and public safety systems.  

Need Inspiration? These Nonprofit Stories Will Move You

These past several months, while exceptionally challenging at times, have also been inspiring. We’ve seen our community come together to care for our neighbors in need, springing into action to support those most adversely affected by the pandemic.

Through our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, were able to invest $7 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more. This would not be possible without our compassionate donors – a diverse group of individuals and businesses who helped us mobilize $8 million for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us to make a difference. 

You can read about our impact here – and, below, learn more about how our nonprofit partners helped create this impact. Their stories of kindness and courage are truly inspiring. 

DC Rape Crisis Center

It’s not just a crisis line – it’s a lifeline” - Indira Henard, Executive Director 

The DC Rape Crisis Center is dedicated to creating a world free of sexual violence. It is the oldest Rape Crisis Center in the country—and the only in Washington, DC—providing mental health counseling, a 24-hour crisis hotline, and community education and outreach, among other services. 

Requests for its services have doubled since the start of the pandemic. With Community Foundation support, it was able to expand a 24/7 crisis hotline to serve an additional 80 clients a month. 

“Our advocates bear witness and hold space to the unimaginable. They let survivors know that they are not alone and it is not their fault,” said Henard. She shares more of her story above in her 2-minute #COVIDImpactStories video.

DC Central Kitchen

DC Central Kitchen, whose mission is to use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities, has doubled its weekly food production in response to our community’s needs. As a COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund partner, DCCK was able to increase the amount served from 36,000 to 92,000 meals each week.

In the process, it was also able to help hospitality workers who lost their jobs and local farmers. DCCK also:

• Employed 10 Culinary Job Training graduates, who were laid off from their hospitality industry jobs. Each were hired full-time with benefits. 

• Partnered with local farmers to produce fresh, healthy ingredients. Since March 31, DCCK has purchased an estimated 286,000 pounds of local produce. Currently, 90% of fruits and vegetables are sourced locally.

• Implemented thorough safety protocols to ensure workers stayed healthy, including securing three commercial kitchens to properly space, and additional PPE. 

Mary’s Center

In Prince George’s County, the surge in demand for low-cost prenatal care has been tremendous. Many women have found themselves suddenly uninsured – one devastating bi-product of the pandemic. 

In response, Mary’s Center’s Adelphi site enhanced their telemedicine services with a COVID-19 Response grant, reaching nearly 570 expecting mothers. Their telemedicine outreach was especially impactful for one postpartum patient:

“If she hadn’t stayed on me and hadn’t kept calling and texting – I could have died with a newborn.”

Mary’s Center also expanded their general healthcare capacity, serving nearly 3,000 patients, in-person and virtually. And, they hosted public COVID-19 testing, with 45% of tests coming back positive.

Community crisis services, inc

Since its inception in 1970, Community Crisis Services, Inc (CCSI) has been a 24/7 resource for anyone facing personal turmoil in our community. CCSI’s mental health hotline provides immediate, compassionate assistance to those in need. Additionally, their emergency shelter services offer a safe place to stay.  

Through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, CCSI expanded their crisis hotline and emergency shelter services in Prince George’s County. So far, CCSI has answered nearly 14,000 COVID-related calls—covering topics from government regulation of COVID, to personal anxiety.  

They also increased their shelter beds from 50 to 250, and moved into a new space that accommodates 2 beds per room, versus dormitory-style.  

COMMUNITY YOUTH ADVANCE

Community Youth Advance, an educational nonprofit offering services for K-12 students, transitioned to virtual tutoring and instruction for 85 middle school students in Prince George’s County. Students received JLA GoVirtual reading and math instruction, personal tutoring and enrichment courses.

“Distance learning has been a fun experience. We learned and got rewarded for being there and participating. If I had a choice, I would probably do this rather than going to school. Thank you for having me!”

On average, participants increased their Math pretest scores from 69% to 81%. In reading, students reported they read 80% more material weekly while participating in the GoVirtual program.  

You can unlock matching dollars to help our neighbors in dire need

In times of crisis, The Community Foundation is our region’s philanthropic first responder. I first witnessed this when The Community Foundation’s donors came together 12 years ago to launch the Neighbors in Need Montgomery Fund. In response to the 2008 economic crisis, that effort galvanized support for a coordinated response to reach people who would otherwise have fallen through the cracks. By working together, donors could pool their resources to invest in trusted nonprofits addressing urgent needs in a smart, strategic way that maximized their collective impact. (The effort was so innovative, it was highlighted as best practice in a Brookings study about the suburbanization of poverty.)

When our Neighbors in Need Montgomery steering committee convened this spring to discuss the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we realized there was a need to reboot that collaborative approach. We quickly launched the Neighbors in DIRE Need campaign and are partnering with four nonprofits which have strong track records of providing relief to people in dire need: Family Services, Identity, Inc., IMPACT Silver Spring, and Interfaith Works. This effort is working in complement to Montgomery County’s relief programs by helping organizations coordinate, prevent the duplication of resources, and maximize the impact of every dollar to reach deeply into the community.

To propel this work even further, The Community Foundation’s past Montgomery County Philanthropists of the Year honorees and their families teamed up to offer a challenge match to double the impact of contributions (up to $340,000). Each contribution will be matched $1 for $1 to generate $680,000 in funds to support our neighbors impacted by the public health and economic crisis. (Click here to read a message from the philanthropists about what compelled them to put up this match!)

Thanks to many generous donations received in support of this initiative, we’ve been able to release the first round of relief grants which our nonprofit partners redeployed directly to help families in need. We’ve been so deeply touched to hear those grants have made a difference:

• Martha and her husband both contracted COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic and lost their jobs. With an emergency relief grant from Neighbors in Need Montgomery, they had the breathing room and peace of mind of one month’s rent paid for themselves and their three kids. Now Martha is paying that kindness forward as a volunteer community outreach worker by partnering with Identity and the Manna Food Center to bring food and resources to even more neighbors who are struggling in isolation.

• Daysi is a mother of two from Gaithersburg who lost all her house cleaning jobs once stay at home orders began. With a grant from Neighbors in Need Montgomery supporting her rent, Daysi has been able to focus her energy on building mutual support networks within her community. She organized mothers in her apartment complex to take turns grocery shopping for each other to decrease exposure to COVID-19 while ensuring families have the food staples they need. Daysi also uses her own vehicle to pick up 70+ hot meals from Gethsemane Church in Ashton every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for neighbors struggling with food insecurity.

Even while celebrating the impact thus far, I realize that we just passed another first of the month rent deadline, leaving thousands more families wondering how they are going to survive.

Please give now to help us unlock additional matching funds that will help families in dire need to weather this crisis.

Your Generosity Made a Difference

A lot has changed over these past five months. The one thing that has not changed is our shared commitment to support and strengthen our community.  

In times of crisis, The Community Foundation serves as our region’s philanthropic first responder. As our region faces a trifecta of crises that threatens our health, economic security, and racial justice, The Community Foundation has galvanized people and resources in response to these challenges and supported high-impact nonprofits serving our communities. With one-third of nonprofits in our region potentially closing or merging before the economy recovers – we knew this partnership was crucial.

On March 12, we launched the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to deploy critical resources to meet the urgent health and economic needs of this region. Our community responded with a strong statement about the power of generosity in the face of hardship and tragedy. 

You and a diverse group of businesses, foundations, individuals, and families stepped up to help us mobilize $8 million - with gifts ranging from $5 to $1 million - for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us during our community’s time of need.

Caring for Our Neighbors in Need

These funds were quickly deployed to care for our neighbors directly impacted by the pandemic, and to provide aid to low-income families and communities of color who have been disproportionately affected due to pre-existing inequities exacerbated by this crisis. 

Our staff led working groups which reviewed more than 1,600 requests for funding totaling more than $60 million - a figure nearly seven times the amount raised to date. We were able to invest $7 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, equip frontline workers and clinics, address the digital divide, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more.

Take Generation Hope for example, a nonprofit helping teen parents earn their college degrees while preparing their children for kindergarten. With support from our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, Generation Hope moved its services online, providing student parents with virtual education, career readiness programming, and mental health support. 

“Our families are among the hardest hit by COVID-19," said Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO. "With this support, we've been able to really provide [our clients] with the critical services they need to weather this storm.” Hear more from Nicole in her two-minute COVID-19 Impact Story video. 

In It Together

We have witnessed some inspiring examples of our community coming together to meet this unprecedented moment with unprecedented generosity and creativity.

The Community Foundation was proud to team up with our donors and partners to advance educational equity for DC students, increase food security in Montgomery County, support small businesses in Prince George’s County, and help displaced workers earn an income by filling gaps in volunteer shifts at local nonprofits. These are just a few examples of the many ways in which our community has stepped up to meet this challenge. It is proof that we are all in this together!

Our newest initiative, the Arts Forward Fund, aims to help small and mid-sized arts and culture organizations make the shifts needed to successfully navigate this crisis and continue their essential role in our communities and lives. It is a collaborative partnership with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Harman Family Foundation, the Weissberg Foundation, and many other individual and institutional contributors. 

Partnering for the Future

As we prepare for what comes next, our goal is not to go back to the way things were before, but to work together to build a more equitable future for our region. Your continued partnership and care for our community inspires hope for what we can accomplish together.  

This is the final message in our COVID-19 response series, and we are using this opportunity to give you an inside look at what your support has made possible. Click here to view our Interim COVID-19 Impact Report with stories from our coordinated regional response efforts. A more detailed impact report is in the works and will be released later this fall. 

Thank you for supporting our efforts to ensure our region comes out of this crisis stronger and more resilient. We are so grateful for your support and partnership.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation and Cafritz Foundation Launch $1 million Arts Forward Fund

Grants Will Address Impact of COVID-19 on the DC Region’s Arts and Culture Sector

Recognizing the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on arts and culture organizations throughout the region, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has joined with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and eight other grantmakers to launch the Arts Forward Fund, a million-dollar initiative to provide critical support to help arts and culture organizations in the DC region to stabilize, adapt, and thrive despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Arts Forward Fund will award grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to help arts and culture organizations make the urgent changes needed to continue their work through the pandemic and beyond. The Arts Forward Fund also recognizes the need to address systemic inequities in arts and culture organizations and in our communities that have amplified the impact of the pandemic for Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, and will prioritize support for organizations founded and led by people of color and organizations that primarily serve communities of color.

The Arts Forward Fund was launched in July with a lead grant of $500,000 from The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, with additional support from the Harman Family Foundation, Weissberg Foundation, Linowitz Family Fund, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, S & R Foundation, Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation, Lois and Richard England Family Foundation, and Philip L. Graham Fund. The Fund will be housed at and administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has altered the programs and finances of the region’s nonprofit sector in ways that even the most forward-thinking organizations could not have anticipated,” says Cafritz Foundation President and CEO Calvin Cafritz. “In helping to launch the Arts Forward Fund, we want to ensure that arts and culture nonprofits continue to carry out their missions, serve their communities, and pursue new paths during this crisis. We are happy to work with the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Harman Family and Weissberg foundations, and many of our colleagues, to help our local arts institutions continue their work and find opportunity in this moment.”

“The Greater Washington Community Foundation and our donors have a long history of investing across the arts ecosystem – from supporting anchor institutions to small theaters, visual arts programs, arts education, and individual artists. In order for our communities to truly thrive, we must continue to cultivate a broad-based arts sector where creativity can flourish and foster diverse and inclusive spaces for human connection and understanding,” says Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We are proud to partner on the Arts Forward Fund to bring much needed relief to organizations that enrich our communities and touch our lives.”

According to a 2017 Americans for the Arts study (using 2015 data), the Greater Washington region’s arts and culture organizations contribute at least $3.75 billion in economic activity and nearly 60,000 jobs to the region’s economy on an annual basis.

Nationally, a white paper released in May by SMU DataArts estimated that the impact of COVID-19 on arts and culture organizations across the United States will be a net loss of $6.8 billion between February 2020 and March 2021—the equivalent of a 25 percent operating deficit for the average organization, even after significant reductions in expenses.

Interviews with dozens of small and mid-sized arts organizations in the DC region by the Cafritz Foundation in May found groups struggling with the financial and programmatic impact of shuttered facilities and the cancellation of performances and in-person fundraising events. More than a third had already laid off staff, with more layoffs anticipated as federal Payroll Protection Program funds run out.

All the organizations interviewed reported challenges with making the transition to online and digital programming. These challenges included production limitations that impact the artistic quality of online offerings, contractual and intellectual property barriers, and barriers to online participation as a result of inequitable access to the internet and technology -- particularly among youth-serving organizations. Generating revenue from online content is especially challenging.

Arts Forward Fund aims to help organizations address these challenges by providing grants to support short-term capacity-building, training, and innovation. Arts and culture organizations with annual revenue of less than $10 million in their most recently completed fiscal year are eligible to apply, provided they serve the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, and Arlington and Fairfax counties and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax in Virginia. More details and the call for applications are available here.

Funders and individual donors interested in joining Arts Forward Fund should contact Rick Moyers.

Community Foundation Announces $1 million Fund to Support Small Businesses in Prince George’s County

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of a $1 million Legacy Fund for Small Business Development (Legacy Fund). Eligible small businesses may now apply for grants up to $10,000 between August 4-28, 2020.

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. The fund is part of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County’s equity and economic mobility initiative. The overall goal of the initiative is to eliminate social and economic disparities and help individuals, families, and collective groups improve their social and economic status.

The Legacy Fund will be administered by FSC First (FSC), the county’s Community Development Financial Institution, which serves more than two thousand businesses each year. The Legacy Fund will provide relief from the impact of COVID-19 to help minimize business vulnerability to closure and bridge the gap to viability. Funds can be used to support operating expenses including payroll, suppliers, rent, and other business critical costs.

Additionally, companies approved for funding will be eligible to apply for FSC’s technical assistance program to help them better navigate new business and economic realities and ensure their long-term development.

“Ninety-five percent of all businesses in the county are small businesses and they contribute nearly half of all jobs in the county. These companies are a critical part of our economic engine and a key driver of economic mobility for county residents,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “Through the Legacy Fund we hope to preserve the small business infrastructure, ensure job retention, drive economic development, and enable the transfer of wealth from one generation to the next, leaving a lasting legacy for families and Prince George’s County.”

“We want to thank the Greater Washington Community Foundation and Sam Brin for helping provide another critical resource for our small business community during these unprecedented times,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “Prince George’s County is the economic engine of our State, and the Legacy Fund will be another way we can ensure County businesses recover from this pandemic stronger than they’ve ever been before.”

“We are excited to work in collaboration with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to administer this critically needed fund. We have successfully served the small business community in Prince George’s County for more than 40 years providing grants, technical assistance and other financial services to ensure the growth of the county’s small business sector,” say Shelly Gross Wade, President and CEO, FSC First.

“This grant is one of several initiatives to provide relief to a community I called home. Small business is a major driver of the local economy, and I stand behind small business owners and workers of Prince George’s County,” said Sam Brin.

Meridiam, a development and engineering firm, was keen to support Prince George’s County’s COVID-19 response efforts by investing in the small business community. Meridiam, together with its partners, delivers sustainable infrastructure that improves the quality of people’s lives.

For more information on the Legacy Fund eligibility and application, visit fscfirst.com/legacy-fund. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the pre-qualification checklist prior to submitting an application.

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About the Greater Washington Community Foundation

The Greater Washington Community Foundation exists to Build Thriving Communities by guiding strategic philanthropy, providing leadership on critical issues, promoting civic engagement, and inspiring local giving. Founded in 1973, The Community Foundation is a public charity made up of hundreds of charitable giving funds established by generous individuals, families, and businesses. We work with donors and partners to enhance the quality of life in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County. As the region’s largest local funder, we manage $350 million in assets and have invested nearly $1.3 billion to build more equitable, just, and enriching communities where all residents can thrive.

The Community Foundation’s efforts in Prince George’s County have led to $50 million invested in education, workforce development, health, and safety net services that helped improve lives and build thriving communities. Our new Initiative for Equity and Economic Mobility in the county seeks to partner with Prince George’s County residents and others to increase philanthropy, convene key stakeholders, provide grants to innovative nonprofits and small businesses, and engage new audiences to help ensure that each and every Prince Georgian is afforded the chance to reach their full potential unencumbered by race or ethnicity. For more information, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/princegeorges.

About FSC First

FSC First was founded in 1978 in Prince George’s County to serve small businesses through the implementation of a specialized financial program. FSC currently offers more than 12 unique programs to an array of businesses, industries and professions seeking to develop within the county and locations with Maryland. These services include portfolio management, loan servicing expertise, wealth management, financial education, a diverse range of financing programs and revolving loan funds. FSC’s commitment to excellence has generated over $100 million dollars in direct loans to small and minority-owned businesses in Prince George’s County and spurred more than 400 jobs in our local community. We are proud to contribute to the ongoing successes of our economy and encourage new strategic partnerships.