Moving the Needle in the Fight Against Food Insecurity

By Anna Hargrave

In 2019, a study by the USDA estimated 1 in 8 Americans were “food insecure”. In Montgomery County, one of the wealthiest counties in the country, that number was closer to 1 in 12 (about 8%).

Within six month, both of those numbers nearly doubled, as thousands of families found themselves struggling with the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response, donors across Montgomery County sprang into action, pouring their time and resources into Food for Montgomery – a strategic public-private response effort spearheaded by The Community Foundation, County Government, and the Montgomery County Food Council to address urgent needs within our food security system.

To date, Food for Montgomery has deployed over $2.6 million to support nonprofits in our food system. This work is increasingly vital – as studies suggest that food insecurity may have more to do with an already broken food system than the impact of a global pandemic. 

Even as COVID infection rates continue to decline, food insecurity rates remain high -- the latest report by the Capital Area Food Bank says that 46% of households with children in Montgomery County have experienced food insecurity at some point in 2022.

As we continue work with our amazing nonprofit grantees to lower these rates and build a more just and equitable food system, here are three key lessons that we have learned:

Go for the “Triple Win”

The pandemic forced nonprofits and government to collaborate more strategically and efficiently to meet ever-changing needs. In time, many found ways to innovate a single creative solution/partnership to solve multiple problems facing the community. By seeking a “triple win” they were able to leverage both philanthropic and public dollars to make a deeper impact.

For example, the leaders of the Mid-County Hub, led by Hughes United Methodist Church, realized they needed to provide hot meals for frail seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable residents facing food insecurity.  Food for Montgomery’s grant enabled Mid-County Hub to team up with So What Else which provided donated and recovered food. They then partnered with IMPACT Silver Spring, which led a culinary class to teach residents new skills while they prepared the weekly meals for their neighbors.  Ultimately, this effort rescued perfectly good food that might have ended up in a landfill, turned it into delicious meals, and empowered people with meaningful skills that helped them get jobs in local restaurants.

Community Members take notes during a Culinary Class offered by IMPACT Silver Spring

To make a deep impact, racial equity must be top of mind (not an afterthought)

The tragedy of food insecurity is inevitably tied to racial inequity. According to the USDA and Feeding America, nearly 1 in 5 Black people and 1 in 6 Latinx people live in households facing food insecurity due to a wide range of social, economic, and environmental challenges. That’s 2-3 times higher than the rate of food insecurity experienced by white individuals.

In order to create lasting, meaningful change in our food system, we need to lead with racial equity at the forefront. This means not just serving people with dignity, but also creating space so that low-income residents can lead the change they want to see for their communities.

For example:

Early on, leaders at the Manna Food Center realized that many families – especially in immigrant communities -- were fearful of asking for help from unfamiliar organizations. In addition, given the incredible diversity of our community, it was difficult to provide all the culturally specific foods that our many immigrant communities need to prepare traditional meals at home.

Community Member poses with produce grown at an AfriThrive Community Garden. AfriThrive partnered with the local immigrant community to grow culturally appropriate produce for residents.

To address both issues, Manna teamed up with several grassroots nonprofits that employed resident leaders who already had established relationships within their communities. Thanks to this partnership, those neighborhood leaders were able to enroll more than 4,000 households to receive food through Manna and provide 1,500 households with vouchers to purchase supplemental food from ethnic grocery stores. 

Systems either amplify or undermine your philanthropy—there is no in between!

Policy decisions at the federal, state, and local levels have a major impact on what we all eat—and how much it costs us.  Those decisions can also undermine our philanthropy by making it harder and costlier for nonprofits to help people.  That is why it is vital we invest in strategic partners advocating for a healthier, more equitable food system. 

One fantastic example is the Montgomery County Food Council which created a food security response plan in partnership with over 100 nonprofits, local businesses, and government partners. Working closely with Montgomery County Government and The Community Foundation, the Food Council’s leadership was vital to maximizing public and private resources to meet community needs. Building on that important work, the Food Council is now galvanizing partners and gathering insights from families who are experiencing food insecurity right now.  Together, they are identifying barriers and developing strategies to reduce food insecurity across all childhood age groups in Montgomery County.

As we continue our efforts to fight hunger and build a more just and equitable food system, we would like to thank our donors and partners for their consistent and ongoing support.  Creating meaningful, lasting systems change requires an incredible amount of time, resources, and patience. We have witnessed all of this, and more from our incredibly generous community.

With your support, we continue to move this work forward and build a Montgomery County where food is plentiful for all.

For more information about Food for Montgomery and it’s incredible impact, visit https://www.thecommunityfoundation.org/food-for-montgomery-fund

Investing in the Future of Homeless Services: How Medicaid is Driving Systemic Change in DC’s Fight to End Homelessness

This year, the Partnership has been working to support nonprofit PSH providers as they transition to Medicaid billing. Our partnership with nonprofit providers, advocates, and government agencies makes us uniquely positioned to identify and support projects like this. In addition to support for individual organizations, investing in the system as a whole is an essential piece of our work to end homelessness. To learn more about the project, check out our previous blog post Investing in Nonprofit Capacity to Leverage Federal Funds to End Homelessness.

This year, DC launched a new Medicaid benefit that will fund permanent supportive housing (PSH) services for people experiencing homelessness -- allowing the city to leverage an estimated $20+ million in new, annual federal resources through Medicaid. The move also frees up local funding to be reinvested towards other human services programs in DC.

The new funding could be a breakthrough in our region’s fight against homelessness; specifically for our PSH programs -- one of the leading nationally-recognized solutions to chronic homelessness.  

However, this exciting funding unfortunately does come with a slight catch. In order to access it, DC’s nonprofit PSH providers must first make significant changes to the ways they’ve traditionally worked, adopting new policies and practices to ensure they can successfully bill and provide services under the new Medicaid model. Providers also need to improve their infrastructure to support the expanded human resources, accounting, evaluation, and compliance functions that come with this funding.

“It was scary at the start,” said Chandra Dawson, the Chief Permanent Supportive Housing Officer of Friendship Place. “As the person responsible for PSH at Friendship Place, I asked myself can I do this? How do I help my team do this?”

Recognizing the challenges that nonprofits – particularly smaller, BIPOC-led organizations – might face in making this transition, the Partnership to End Homelessness made a grant to provide technical assistance for twenty-six PSH providers through The Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), a national leader in supportive housing.

PSH providers were enrolled in CSH’s Supportive Housing Medicaid Academy, a six-week series of two-hour trainings where they learned how to enroll themselves as Medicaid providers. Topics included the how to enroll clients, how to supervise, budget, and bill under the Medicaid model, and how to comply with Medicaid regulations. In addition to group sessions, CSH also provided individual, one-on-one technical assistance to each organization.

Chandra Dawson, Chief Permanent Supportive Housing Officer of Friendship Place participated in CSH’s Supportive Housing Medicaid Academy.

Another benefit of the Medicaid Academy was that it allowed providers to meet and learn from each other. “Before this project, we had few opportunities for interaction and conversation with each other,” Dawson added. “It was great to have a dedicated space to exchange ideas, ask questions, and collaborate. I have experienced increased opportunities to meet and strengthen my relationship with other providers”

CSH also conducted individual assessments to assess providers’ readiness, identify remaining organizational capacity gaps, and make recommendations for improving organizational capacity. Even after completing the Academy, graduates continue to receive one-on-one technical assistance from CSH as they begin the process.

“CSH continues to give us feedback on our performance as we work on completing this transition,” Dawson added. “They are also really good about soliciting feedback from us to pass on to DHS; which is important while DHS develops policies at the agency-level that will impact us and other providers on the front lines.”

However, Dawson says the Medicaid transition isn’t just about changing billing procedures. It’s about changing the way that service providers operate.

“Our clients can often feel overwhelmed by all the systems they have to interact with,” Dawson explains. “They can feel invisible or unable to advocate effectively for themselves. As their service provider, we have a responsibility to lift that burden.”

“As a result of this Medicaid transition, there are additional “eyes” both within and outside of Friendship Place looking at our performance. Moving forward, we’re increasing our expectations for our case managers, as well as for our supervisory staff and program leaders. We hope this higher level of accountability will translate into a higher standard for service delivery, which should correlate with better housing and well-being outcomes for the people we serve.”

The process has also inspired Friendship Place to look at ways to improve all their programs, not just PSH: “In the past, program design has been primarily led by our program staff. However, Medicaid requires us to work collaboratively with team members from finance, evaluation, compliance, and human resources to develop strong quality assurance practices.”

“As we’ve documented workflows and updated policies and procedures in preparation for this transition, we’ve identified ways that we can work more efficiently across the organization.”

As a Partnership, we’re excited to share that many of the city’s PSH providers have already successfully enrolled in the Medicaid benefit and most providers should be billing Medicaid by early 2023.

The Community Foundation Applauds Housing Investments in DC Budget; Urges Continued Action

Dear Councilmembers, 

As we begin the new fiscal year, the Greater Washington Community Foundation and its Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council thank you for the substantial progress made toward ending homelessness through the FY 2023 DC budget. Thanks to your efforts, hundreds of individuals and families facing chronic homelessness will have the dignity and security of a permanent home, putting DC on a path to ending chronic homelessness. That is a truly amazing accomplishment that should be celebrated.  

The Partnership to End Homelessness (PTEH) is a collective effort of private sector business leaders, philanthropists, and national and local nonprofits working to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring. The Partnership members engage directly to end homelessness in DC, but we know that public-sector investment, aligned with private sector resources, is the only way to ensure that everyone in our community has the stability that housing provides.

The progress made in the FY 2023 budget is laudable. We thank you for adopting a budget that provides permanent supportive housing to 500 individuals and 260 families, funding to help 400 families facing expiring Rapid Rehousing subsidies, and $51 million for badly needed repairs to public housing.  We also applaud the provision of $444 million for the Housing Production Trust Fund, with a commitment to meeting the target that 50 percent is used to serve households with incomes below 30 percent of Median Family Income.

The budget is the necessary first step of the process toward ending homelessness, but not the end. It will be critically important to take steps to ensure that funds are put to use effectively, with assertive steps to implement them and with active Council oversight. In particular, we urge you to work with the DC Housing Authority to ensure that new vouchers are made available quickly and that public housing repair funds are used well. We appreciate the legislation adopted by the Council, that allows voucher holders to self-certify their identity, and other efforts to remove barriers to leasing up a unit. We urge you to do even more to ensure that residents can use their voucher quickly and easily to get into a home of their choice.  And we fervently ask you to meet the HPTF requirement to target households with extremely low incomes, which has not been met for years.

Beyond that, maintaining the progress in the FY 2023 budget is critically important and will require greater future investments in deeply affordable housing and eviction prevention, places where the FY 2023 budget fell short.  As we start looking toward the FY 2024 budget – it is never too early – we are concerned that the District’s budget did not provide enough funding for all families with expiring Rapid Rehousing subsidies, and did not create a plan for fixing that program’s serious problems. We urge the Council to pass pending Rapid ReHousing reforms, and for the mayor and Council to fund them in the next budget cycle. The 2023 budget also seriously underfunded emergency rental assistance and provided a very small number of LRSP vouchers compared with the need. These must be priorities as we continue to work toward our shared goal of ending homelessness in DC.

Thank you again for your leadership and commitment to ending homelessness in our city. We look forward to continuing to work with you to ensure everyone in DC has a safe and stable place to call home.

Sincerely,

Tonia Wellons

President & CEO
Greater Washington Community Foundation

Co-Chair Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council 

Health Equity Fund Celebrates Inaugural Cohort of Nonprofit Partners

From Left to Right: Lucinda Babers (Deputy Mayor for Operations & Infrastructure), Lester Davis, (VP & Chief of Staff, CareFirst), George Jones (CEO, Bread for the City), Tonia Wellons (President & CEO, The Community Foundation), Commissioner Karima Woods, (DC Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking), Dr. Marla Dean (Senior Director, Health Equity Fund).

Just days after the historic announcement of its inaugural $9.2 million grant round, the Greater Washington Community Foundation, partners from CareFirst and DISB, and members of the Health Equity Committee hosted a special breakfast to celebrate and network with Health Equity Fund nonprofit partners.

“You all here today, are a part of history,” Dr. Nnemdi Elias, Chair of the Health Equity Committee shared with the audience of nonprofit and community partners. “Thinking about health as it relates to socio-economic mobility is something that’s been talked about for at least 50 years. However, now – at this place, in this time, with all of you – now is the time to bring this idea to life.”

In addition to networking, the event also reinforced the fund’s commitment to a transformative vision for economic mobility in the region.

“We’re laser focused on increasing economic mobility and closing our region’s glaring racial wealth gap,” Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation added. “I’m so proud of our Health Equity Committee for taking the bold decision to make the strategic link between health and wealth.”

Given that 80 percent of DC’s health outcomes are driven by social, economic, and other factors, compared to just 20 percent by clinical care, the Health Equity Fund has adopted an economic mobility frame to address the root causes of our region’s glaring racial health and wealth gap.

Grantees such as Bread for the City’s CEO George Jones echoed their commitment to the Health Equity Fund’s vision.

“If we don’t deal with the racial wealth gap on a systemic level, organizations like ours will be around forever – doing great work, but not able to solve the larger problems that continue to plague our communities,” George observed. “We are excited to be a part of this bold approach to transform our community.”

Click here to see pictures from the event! For more information about the Health Equity Fund, including the complete list of nonprofit partners from the inaugural HEF grant round, visit our website!

Exploring Economic Mobility at the 2022 Annual Meeting

On Tuesday, October 11, the Greater Washington Community Foundation hosted its 2022 Annual Meeting at The National Press Club and via livestream. The event capped off a record-breaking year of growth and community impact for The Community Foundation and its donors and partners – which recently surpassed $1.5 billion in grantmaking (with approximately $93 million given in FY22, alone).

“It is an exciting time to be a part of The Community Foundation,” President & CEO Tonia Wellons shared. “We are so glad to have you as a member of our philanthropic family during this important milestone in our history.”

Tonia kicked off the meeting by outlining some of The Community Foundation’s and our donors biggest achievements over the past year – including the incubation of the Children’s Opportunity Alliance, the creation of a Faith & Philanthropy forum, and the launch of the historic $95 million Health Equity Fund.

She also reiterated The Community Foundation’s commitment to closing our region’s racial wealth gap – with a particular focus on community wealth-building within Black and Brown neighborhoods.

“For nearly 50 years, our fundholders have responded to the everyday needs of people in our region,” Tonia stated. “We invite you to envision a region where the families we support during times of crisis are able to manage their daily emergencies with more agency – because their basic needs are met.”

“Our history has shown that we must move beyond simply addressing the symptoms of generational poverty,” Tonia concluded. “We must double down on investments in people in communities who are struggling to most and set up conditions for them and their families to flourish.”

Tonia outlined several projects that The Community Foundation has supported to promote economic mobility including guaranteed income projects such as Let’s Go DMV! and Arlington’s Guarantee – part of a growing movement of more than 100 Guaranteed Income pilots happening across the country.

She also discussed our intent to invest in and launch Children’s Savings Accounts pilots in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties – another growing economic mobility initiative that was lauded by our expert panel as having the potential to close the racial wealth gap. Researchers with the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that children’s savings accounts could close the racial wealth gap in a community by as much as 28 percent.

The program then transitioned to a panel discussion with two nationally recognized experts on economic mobility - Nisha Patel, co-author of the study Restoring the American Dream, and Gary Cunningham, President & CEO of Prosperity Now.

The panel touched a wide range of topics, including entrepreneurship, the need for more investment in social safety nets, shifting policies and practices to advance economic mobility, and the need to center these policies on lived-in experiences.

“Here’s the thing about poverty,” Nisha shared, quoting a fellow expert, John Powell. “It’s not just about a lack of money; it’s also about a lack of power.”

“What you do is important; but how you go about it is perhaps even more important. Your programs need to promote a sense of agency, a sense of belonging, and a sense of community.”

Gary concurred, sharing a number of studies about the impact of trust amongst Black-owned businesses and the positive impact of entrepreneurship among women of color. He also emphasized the importance of continuing to push the momentum of economic mobility work.

“The work that we do is a continuation of the Civil Rights movement in this country,” Gary shared “Towards the end of [Dr. King’s] life, he spent most of his energies fighting for economic justice in this country.

“The work that each of you are doing to make this country a better place through your investments in the community matter. We need to take it to the next level so that everyone – no matter what their race, no matter what their color -- can actually thrive in this country of plenty.”

Click here for a complete recording of our annual meeting! You can click here to see more photos of the event!

Greater Washington Community Foundation Announces $9.2 Million in Health Equity Fund Grants

The Greater Washington Community Foundation today announced $9.2 million in grants funded by the historic Health Equity Fund (HEF). Grants will support 32 DC nonprofit organizations (see full list of partners below) engaged in economic mobility to help close the glaring and intolerable racial health and wealth gap.

The $95 million Health Equity Fund has the potential to reshape the way DC addresses its long-standing health inequities. Given that 80 percent of DC’s health outcomes are driven by social, economic, and other factors, compared to just 20 percent by clinical care, the strategy for this fund is to use an economic mobility frame to address the root causes that are causing these challenges in the first place.

“Mindful that health and wealth are inextricably linked, the HEF’s first round of grants is boldly investing in economic mobility and wealth building in DC’s historically underinvested communities,” said Greater Washington Community Foundation President and CEO Tonia Wellons. “Achieving this vision puts our city on a trajectory to improve and achieve optimal health outcomes for all DC residents.”

“The Health Equity Fund represents an important opportunity to advance DC HOPE—health, opportunity, prosperity, and equity,” said DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. “We know that by addressing the social determinants of health, we can attack disparities in health outcomes, empower families, and transform communities.”

“At CareFirst, we recognize that social and environmental factors have a greater impact on health outcomes than factors within our healthcare system,” said Brian D. Pieninck, President and CEO of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst). “By supporting community-based efforts to improve the economic mobility of District residents, this first round of funding aligns with our mission to advance accessible, affordable, equitable, and quality healthcare for people and communities in the District.”

Nonprofit Partners

A committee composed of Community Foundation staff, community members, and representatives of local foundations and think tanks reviewed proposals from 101 eligible applicants. The 32 selected grant recipients include diverse organizations and projects, including:

• Bread for the City will pilot their CashRx program, a direct cash assistance program that focuses on the social determinants of health to reach those most impacted by poverty.

• Capital Area Asset Builders will address the social determinants of health by providing BIPOC individuals living in DC’s lowest-income neighborhoods emergency savings and access to mainstream financial resources.

• First Shift Justice Project will support working mothers and Latinx and BIPOC people in low-wage jobs to assert their rights to reasonable workplace accommodations and accessing paid leave benefits leading to job retention and stability that increases economic mobility.

• The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens will support the creation of a new holistic wellness and wealth creation program for women of color returning from incarceration. The program will also feature an innovative matched savings accounts program to enable financial security and wealth creation, and access to housing and job readiness training.

• Mothers Outreach Network will pilot Mother Up, a guaranteed income cash transfer initiative for low-income mothers who are at risk of involvement with the child welfare system. The goal of the pilot is to provide evidence of whether additional money reduces the likelihood of involvement with the child welfare system.

• Tzedek DC will support advocacy to change the way medical debt is collected, educate the community, and litigate high-impact and individual medical debt cases.

• Yachad will support its Healthy Housing Remediation Program to preserve and rehabilitate existing homes for low-income Black and Brown multi-generational households in Wards 7 and 8, so that families can remain in their homes and benefit from increased property value.

About the Health Equity Fund

The Health Equity Fund was created to improve the health outcomes and health equity of DC residents. One of the largest funds of any kind focused on community-based nonprofits that serve District residents, the Health Equity Fund is also the largest in The Community Foundation’s nearly 50-year history. Over five years, the fund will support and advance a sustainable network of people, organizations, and projects that will ensure equitable health outcomes for Black, Brown, Indigenous, People of Color and other marginalized populations in Washington, DC.

The Community Foundation was independently selected to manage the Health Equity Fund because of its track record of working with individual donors, businesses, and local government to manage effective community investments and create tangible, lasting change in the region. Health Equity Fund goals align with The Community Foundation’s ongoing work and 10-year strategic vision to close the racial wealth gap by eliminating the historic, racialized disparities in our region.

The Community Foundation is working in partnership with a Health Equity Committee mandated by the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the District of Columbia and GHMSI. The seven-member committee includes Nnemdi Elias, MD, MPH; Dr. Tollie Elliott; Wendell L. Johns; Lori Kaplan; Juan M. Jara; Dr. Djinge Lindsay, MD, MPH; and Courtney R. Snowden. Together, The Community Foundation and Health Equity Committee are ensuring the Health Equity Fund is managed according to guidelines outlined in the Memorandum. 

About the Greater Washington Community Foundation

The Greater Washington Community Foundation ignites the power of philanthropy, catalyzes community impact, and responds to critical needs. For five decades, The Community Foundation has connected caring donors with nonprofits creating lasting change in DC, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County. As the region’s largest local funder, we have invested more than $1.4 billion since 1973 to build racially equitable, just, and thriving communities where everyone prospers. Today, our strategic focus is to close our region’s racial wealth gap so that people of all races, places, and identities reach their full potential. For more information, visit thecommunityfoundation.org.

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2022 Health Equity Fund Partners

Asylum Seeker Assistance Project

Beloved Community Incubator

Bread for the City

Calvary Women’s Services

Capital Area Asset Builders

Capital Youth Empowerment Program

Communities in Schools of the Nation's Capital

Community Family Life Services

Council for Court Excellence

DC Affordable Law Firm

DC Central Kitchen

Dreaming Out Loud

Equality Chamber Foundation

First Shift Justice Project

Free Minds Book Club and Writing Workshop

Generation Hope

Healthy Babies Project

Honoring Individual Power and Strengths (formerly Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive)

Latin American Youth Center

Mamatoto Village

Martha's Table

Mothers Outreach Network

My Sister's Place

The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens

Organizing Neighborhood Equity

Rebuilding Together DC Alexandria

Rising for Justice

Shaw Community Center

So Others Might Eat

Tzedek DC

Yachad Incorporated

The Young Women’s Project

Grad Student Reflects on her Summer Internship with The Community Foundation

By Hillary Steen

I began my summer internship at the Greater Washington Community Foundation in June 2022. I found the job posting through the Impact Interns Program at the University of Maryland - where I am a graduate student - and was thrilled that it was an option. As a resident of Washington, D.C. who has worked in the nonprofit sector for several years, I have deep respect for the Foundation. I was curious about how a community foundation functioned and how it could inspire me in my own career path, so the internship was an exciting opportunity for me.

I worked in the development department primarily with Darcelle Wilson, Desmirra Quinnonez, and Amina Anderson on the Prince George's County initiatives. Joining this small but mighty team gave me access to various aspects of the department and allowed me to work on a variety of projects. Many of my tasks revolved around upcoming events and initiatives for the county, including the CLA, Sharing Prince George's, 25th Anniversary, and Day of Action. I created and edited concept papers, joined meetings with advisory board members and other stakeholders, researched text-to-give platforms, and wrote email invitations to CLA honorees and Sharing committee members. Additionally, I communicated extensively with advisory board members and county leaders to schedule key meetings between them and Darcelle, and I researched executive-level personnel at the University of Maryland. This kind of outreach and research enabled the department to start or cultivate relationships with important stakeholders.

Hillary taking part at the 2022 Faith and Philanthropy Breakfast on the first day of her internship.

Although I did not work at the Foundation for long, I appreciated the opportunities to work on disparate projects across the department. I enjoyed working with and learning from my colleagues throughout the organization, especially my core team. It was great learning more about Prince George's County: the passion and resolve that residents have around strengthening their county, the various stakeholders across sectors, and the exciting opportunities that can make a real difference in the community. I also learned about the complexities inherent in community foundations and the importance of board governance, and had the chance to strengthen my professional communication and writing skills. As I finish up my last semester of graduate school, I hope to take these lessons with me to class and into my future career.

Hillary Steen interned with The Community Foundation from June 2022 to August 2022 and was a huge help to our Prince George’s County office! We loved having her as a part of our Community Foundation family and wish her all the best in her endeavors!

If you are interested in joining The Community Foundation, we’d love to work with you! Click here to see available opportunities!

Greater Washington Community Foundation Welcomes Richard Bynum as New Board Chair

The Community Foundation announces the appointment of Richard K. Bynum, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for The PNC Financial Services Group, as the new Chair of its Board of Trustees. Bynum succeeds Katharine Weymouth who has served as Board Chair since September 2020.

 Washington, D.C., September 22 – Today, the Greater Washington Community Foundation announced the appointment of Richard K. Bynum, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for The PNC Financial Services Group, as the new Chair of its Board of Trustees.

As Chair, Bynum will partner with President and CEO Tonia Wellons to lead the region’s largest public foundation with over $500 million in assets and $70 million in annual grants. As a regional foundation with a 50-year history of mobilizing philanthropic resources, The Community Foundation has invested more than $1.5 billion to build equitable, just, and thriving communities in the Greater Washington region.

Recognizing that our region’s biggest challenges stem from economic injustice -- the root cause of persistent inequities which have been exacerbated by the pandemic and economic crisis -- The Community Foundation staff and Trustees recently developed a bold new 10-year strategic plan to close our region’s racial wealth gap. The plan outlines how The Community Foundation will provide strong leadership to identify the most promising ways to close the gap and mobilize the resources and support to make it happen. This will include:

• Leading with an equity lens that guides its operations, investments, and grantmaking.

• Nearly doubling assets over the next ten years and building a permanent endowment in order to respond to the challenges and opportunities at scale.

• Directing resources toward strengthening neighborhoods with the greatest needs and the BIPOC-led community organizations that serve them. 

• Investing in strategies to increase economic mobility and support individual and community wealth building.

“Richard is the right person to lead our Trustees as we embark on an ambitious plan to create a more prosperous future for our region,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation. “He possesses an essential combination of strategic business acumen, investment expertise, and a strong commitment to this region. At this critical juncture, Richard understands that it will take all of us working together to achieve this vision for economic justice and he is primed and ready to step up to the challenge.”

“It is an honor and a privilege to serve as board chair for The Community Foundation,” said Bynum. “I am passionate about creating impact and driving change, especially in my home market of Greater Washington. Measurable and meaningful impact requires creative strategy and strong collaboration. I know my fellow Trustees are up to the task and I look forward to working together to seize the opportunities ahead.”

Bynum is an accomplished executive with nearly 20 years of executive leadership experience. As chief corporate responsibility officer for The PNC Financial Services Group and a member of its Executive Committee, Bynum leads the PNC Foundation, Community Affairs, ESG practice, Community Development Banking, and Diversity and Inclusion. In addition, Bynum is leading the implementation of PNC’s Community Benefits Plan through which the company will provide at least $88 billion in loans, investments, and other financial support to benefit communities of color and low- and moderate-income individuals and communities.

Recognized as one of region’s most influential business leaders by the Washington Business Journal, Bynum serves on the boards of numerous nonprofit and civic organizations, including the corporate council for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture; the Economic Club of Washington, DC; the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts; the Federal City Council; the United Way of the National Capital Area; and the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation.

Bynum succeeds Katharine Weymouth who has served as Board Chair since September 2020. During her tenure as Chair, Weymouth oversaw the hiring of Tonia Wellons as permanent President and CEO in 2020 and she played a key role during the development of The Community Foundation’s new 10-year strategic plan. As a Community Foundation Trustee for the last 6 years, Weymouth continued a family tradition and legacy of giving and service to the Greater Washington region. Her grandmother (and namesake) Katharine Graham, who ran The Washington Post for more than two decades, also served on the board of The Community Foundation for nearly a decade. Weymouth previously served as Publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, and today she serves on the Board of Graham Holdings and advises several startup businesses.

Since its founding in 1973, The Community Foundation has mobilized philanthropic resources to support and strengthen the Greater Washington region and ensure it is a place where all residents can live, work, and thrive. Over the last few years, The Community Foundation has led the region’s largest coordinated philanthropic response to the COVID-19 pandemic – raising over $11 million in community support to help nonprofits meet the increased demand for food, shelter/housing, medical care, mental health services, legal aid, educational support, and more. Last year, the organization began implementing a new strategic plan to center racial equity and inclusion, align business practices with its values, and to close the racial wealth gap. Later this year, the organization will launch several new pilot programs focused on increasing economic mobility in marginalized communities throughout the region.

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The Greater Washington Community Foundation ignites the power of philanthropy, catalyzes community impact, and responds to critical needs. For five decades, The Community Foundation has connected caring donors with nonprofits creating lasting change in DC, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County. As the region’s largest local funder, we have invested more than $1.5 billion since 1973 to build racially equitable, just, and thriving communities where everyone prospers. Now, our strategic focus is to close our region’s racial wealth gap so that people of all races, places, and identities reach their full potential.

COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund is a Model for Future Crises

By Benton Murphy

Almost every facet of our everyday lives were deeply, fundamentally, and permanently changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ripple effects of the pandemic have impacted the places we choose to live, how we work with our colleagues, how our children learn, and how we interact socially. Our world now is so different than the one we experienced when the pandemic first hit in February 2020. Now with two and a half years’ worth of hindsight, we can say that some of these changes are for the better and many are for the worse, while it will take years to fully understand the impact of these changes.

Looking back on the past two years, we now have a better sense of how our efforts to support and protect this community made a lasting impact.  The Community Foundation's COVID-19 emergency response effort began in March 2020 when the pandemic was just unfolding, and quickly grew into the largest coordinated philanthropic response focused on the Greater Washington region. Thanks to an outpouring of support from our donors, partners, and broader community, we ultimately distributed more than $91 million in support of COVID-19 emergency response impacting disproportionately impacted communities all throughout Greater Washington. Our funding supported critical efforts across a number of different issue areas ranging from housing to education to emergency food and healthcare.

Our investments were not only aligned to address the pandemic's immediate impacts, but we were also able to support organizations through a race equity frame. We concentrated resources in neighborhoods with disproportionate number of individuals impacted by COVID-19, primarily people and communities of color. Additionally, 57% of the organizations supported through our Emergency Response Fund were led by people of color. 

Our staff and partners also sought to align our investments around initiatives and projects intended to support system change in the face of the pandemic. We collaborated with healthcare providers to make PPE available to hundreds of local, smaller healthcare clinics and providers. We supported parents and children's ability to learn remotely in a safe and impactful environment in Montgomery County. We supported hundreds of small and local businesses and entrepreneurs in Prince George’s County to whether the economic impacts of the pandemic. These are just a handful of examples of the ways in which The Community Foundation provided support to help strengthen the region to be better prepared to face our next crisis, together. 

As we start to close this chapter and move from crisis to recovery, we are thrilled to report that more than 330,000 individuals in our region benefited from your generosity. Thanks to you, nearly 850,000 meals were provided; more than 100,000 people received tools to enable them to work or learn from home, safely; and nearly 45,000 people directly received cash assistance to help them weather the pandemic. You can read our final impact report to the community here.

At the Community Foundation we are always striving to make an immediate impact as well as lasting systemic change, and our COVID efforts proved to be excellent examples of how were able to accomplish this. Moving forward, we will be using our COVID effort as a template to respond to disasters that impact our region. This has led us to establish an Endowment for Disaster Recovery so that we can be prepared to help our region remain resilient in the face of future crises.

Centering Racial Equity and Inclusion at The Community Foundation

By Brittany Owens, Jennifer Olney, and Emily Davis

The Greater Washington Community Foundation has long been committed to centering equity and inclusion in our work to build thriving communities.  As we embark on our new strategic vision with a focus on advancing economic justice, we are building on a rich history of social justice grantmaking and community leadership initiatives as we reaffirm our institutional commitment to racial equity and inclusion.

Racial Equity and Inclusion Within Our Organization

Before The Community Foundation even began developing its new strategic plan – and even before COVID-19 illuminated the racial inequities in the Greater Washington region and across the country – our staff had started on a learning journey during the summer of 2020. Team members gathered over lunch to hear each other’s personal experiences and learn more about systemic and historical racial inequity through pieces like The Case for Reparations, by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

These initial informal conversations led to the formal creation of a Racial Equity and Inclusion (REI) Workgroup composed of staff members from each team in the organization. The REI Workgroup’s ambition is to make sure our staff have the same baseline understanding and can be more immersed in the history of systemic racism that has shaped our society. In early 2021, the REI Workgroup partnered with Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE) to facilitate a months-long multi-day series of trainings for all staff about systemic racism and policies, and later to introduce our staff to assessment tools to help shape our processes, policies, and procedures through an REI lens.

Since those workshops and learning sessions, our internal teams have worked together to ensure we continue to uplift BIPOC voices and experiences through all that we do. We have used what we learned from these trainings to revisit our internal processes and institutional infrastructure to make sure they reflect our values for racial equity in pay, voice, contracting, hiring, governance, and in our grantmaking process. For example, our Operations and Finance teams worked to develop a vendor selection policy that prioritizes BIPOC vendors for various aspects of our work - from consultants to catering, and much more.

Prioritizing Racial Equity and Inclusion Within The Broader Community

We also seek to center racial equity at The Community Foundation by actively engaging people and communities most impacted, particularly as we pursue solutions and investments. This includes more intentionally directing investments towards BIPOC-led nonprofits and BIPOC individuals and communities.

To implement REI in our grantmaking, our internal REI Workgroup and Community Investment Team researched best practices for grantmaking with a REI lens. We decided to ask all applicants to provide data showing the racial/ethnic composition of the organization’s management staff, other staff, and board members. We also want to know whether or not the organization’s management, staff, or board are majority people of color – and if not, what are their plans to increase the number of people of color in leadership positions. In addition, we  are encouraging applicants to share the work they are doing to close the racial wealth gap, so we can understand the scope and scale of efforts happening across the region and where we might play a role.

Finally, during the pandemic we adopted several Trust Based Philanthropy practices to provide our nonprofit partners with much needed flexibility and to ease the administrative burden on them. We’ve decided to make several changes permanent – including simplifying reporting requirements and offering more multi-year grant opportunities – as we continue to move toward adopting a Trust Based Philanthropy model that helps to “advance equity, shift power, and build mutually accountable relationships.”

Our Commitment to Racial Equity and Inclusion Moving Forward

REI is central to our work and our values at The Community Foundation. By sharing our REI Journey, we hope that it will inspire and offer some lessons learned to other organizations as they continue to invest in REI efforts internally and externally. This is a work in progress, but our commitment to this work remains steadfast.

For more information about our commitment to Racial Equity and Inclusion, read our 10-year Strategic Plan!

Book Group Recap: Redefining Racial Wealth with Anne Price

Our quarterly DMV Community Book Group met in August for a deep dive into the insightful article “What We Get Wrong About Closing the Racial Wealth Gap.”

“Nothing tells us about economic well-being more than the racial wealth gap,” Anne Price, the first female President of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development and co-author of the article, shared to a group of thirty friends and partners of The Community Foundation.

“But before we tackle the racial wealth gap, we have to come to terms with just how little we understand it and the conflicting narratives that surround it.”

In the article, Price and her co-authors address ten commonly held myths about the racial wealth gap – conventional ideas including “greater educational attainment, harder work, better financial decisions, and other changes in habits and practices on the part of Blacks.”

The article goes on to explain that “while these steps are not necessarily undesirable, they are wholly inadequate to bridge the racial chasm in wealth.”

Price explained that one of the reasons these ideas often fall short is because they follow a narrow, individualistic approach rather than recognizing the necessity of the need for broader systemic change.

“We have taken a deeply structural problem that is hundreds of years in the making and overlaid it with very small individual solutions, based on flawed and often false narratives.”

Some of those attending the discussion were surprised by some of the narratives that Price addressed – including widely accepted narratives such as the ideas that access to higher education or homeownership can close the racial wealth gap.

“The data clearly shows that wealth creates equalized educational outcomes and opportunities for homeownership – not the other way around,” Price explained.

While tackling higher education and homeownership may help close the gap somewhat, they are not “one-size fits all” solutions. In addition, Price pointed out that both approaches are riddled with systemic obstacles – such as student debt, predatory lending and racial bias-- that policymakers and changemakers alike often overlook.

“When we talk about building Black wealth, too often we get stuck behind these blinders that limit our perspective to just four areas – education, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, & homeownership,” Price explains. “There is so much more to wealth than that.”

Ronnie Galvin, Managing Director of Community Investment for The Community Foundation, echoed Price’s assertion:  “Black people will not be able to build wealth in the same ways that White people have built wealth.  If we are serious about doing this work, we need to be willing to expand our horizons and work with Black communities to identify and adopt more innovative and systemic approaches.”

One of the approaches that Price suggested was to seek to eliminate wealth extraction. She shared several simple, short-term solutions such as advocating for the end of garnishment policies and forgiving criminal legal debt.

“We need to seek for solutions that not only put more money in people’s pockets, but also give them piece of mind,” Price added. “Because wealth is more than just financial outcomes. We need to consider the social, mental, and emotional aspects as well.”

Rather than seeking a programmatic “silver bullet” to close the racial wealth gap, Price suggested taking a step back and re-examining what wealth means. She described wealth as “allowing us to live and retire with greater dignity, freedom and peace of mind” and providing “future generations with the freedom to dream big and become all they truly can be” with a focus on being “healthy, spiritually whole and contributing.”

Price explained that wealth (and wealth building solutions) are far more complex and distinct than most people realize.

“I’m so thankful that we have this space to expand our horizons and our imagination, as a foundation,” President and CEO Tonia Wellons shared. “We do not know everything – we’ve said that from the beginning – which is why we continue to build this ‘coalition of the willing’ – people who are willing to join us on this learning journey.”

“Together we will continue to learn, discover, and refine new ways to think about the work that we get to do in philanthropy, as we center our efforts around closing the racial wealth gap.”

Click here to watch a full recording of the August 2022 DMV Community Book Club. Our next DMV Community Book Club will be in December 2022 when we will discuss ‘Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter’ by Chris Benner & Manuel Pastor.

If you would like to join our discussion, please subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive information on how to register!

Black Voices for Black Justice Fellow Spotlight: Xavier Brown

As the Fall approaches, Black Justice Fellow Xavier Brown has one thing on his mind. Getting back to the land.

“I’m excited to get out there and get my hands dirty,” Brown shares.

Brown is part of a growing movement of Black agriculturalists who are working to reconnect Black people to their roots – literally.

Farming and agriculture is something that is deeply ingrained in the history of the Black community. Many African-Americans today only have to go back a few generations to find a relative who worked the land.

Yet, today Black people make up less than 2% of farm producers – a result stemming both from decades of discriminatory land-ownership policies that denied land ownership to Black Farmers, as well as an effort by some to distance themselves from a lifestyle that holds painful memories of slavery and racial oppression.

But for Brown and his fellow Black Agriculturalists, the future is far brighter than the past.

“I want to help my people reconnect to the land,” Brown says. “When you’re out in nature, together with other agriculturalists, you get this feeling of peace that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s an amazing thing.”

Brown first got into gardening – or gardening got into him (as he likes to say), while living with his parents in DC. After taking a master gardening class at UDC in 2011, Brown developed an interest in Urban Agriculture. He soon joined the newly formed Black Dirt Farm Collective – a collective of Black agriculturalists from across the Mid-Atlantic region. Inspired by this community and his new-found love of farming, Brown founded Soilful City in 2014 to bring farming to DC.

“I enjoy the process of working with the land, nature and the people,” Brown says. “It’s easy to start a garden, but it’s harder to work with the community to sustain that garden. It’s a whole process of organizing people, having discussions, building and connecting with folks to get the garden going. I enjoy that process.”

Brown has partnered with organizations across DC to help promote and strengthen urban agriculture in Black communities. Together with groups like Project E.D.E.N, Hustlaz 2 Harvesters, and Green Scheme, Brown has helped set up neighborhood gardens throughout Wards 7 & 8.

“The purpose of the gardens is to create a healthy green space in the community,” Brown shares. “It may not be able to feed everybody, but what it allows is for each neighborhood to come together and organize based on their needs.”

Last year, Brown was selected as one of The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Black Voices for Black Justice Fellows – an initiative to invest in local Black leaders in the Greater Washington Region. The grant allowed Brown to invest in a new food cooperative, South Eats – an initiative that is improving access to healthy, affordable prepared meals for families East of the River in Washington DC.

“As we were helping communities set-up gardens, we realized just how many families didn’t have access to healthy meals,” Brown explains. “We recognized an opportunity to fill a need, while also creating a new local-based business.”

But perhaps most impactful was that Brown was able to contribute to the longevity and future legacy of the Black Dirt Farm Collective.

In 2021, together with other members of the Collective, Brown purchased a 24-acre plot in Prince George’s County, MD. For the first time in the organization’s history, the Collective has land that it can call its own – a home, where members can farm, host workshops, and continue to build the Black agriculturalist Community.

“This land will be such an important healing space for the Black community,” Brown says. “By creating this space for Black women, Black males, and Black youth to exist and connect to the land, we can help create a brighter future for everybody.”

Xavier Brown was one of our Black Voices for Black Justice Fellows. Launched in Fall of 2020 in partnership with Bridge Alliance Education Fund and the DC-based GOODProjects, the Black Voices for Black Justice fund supported activists, organizers, and leaders who are on the front lines of advancing social justice and racial equity.

For more information about this initiative, visit https://www.thecommunityfoundation.org/news/introducing-the-black-voices-for-black-justice-dmv-fellows

New Vision, New Future in Prince George's County

From the Prince George’s Suite Magazine: Fall/Summer 2022 Edition

After working for some of the leading nonprofits in the country, Darcelle Wilson has returned home to work in the community she knows and loves. As a military daughter and wife, Wilson spent much of her childhood and early adult life living abroad. Upon returning to the states, she settled in Prince George’s County and was determined to put down roots. Her children attended Prince George’s County public schools, but her job always had her working outside of her community. Wilson always wanted to eventually use her skills in service to her community. Last fall, Wilson joined the Greater Washington Community Foundation as the new Senior Director for Prince George’s County. It was a lifelong dream, and Wilson has finally come full circle.

A long-time resident of Prince George’s, Wilson brings deep appreciation for the county and considerable expertise. She’s served as Chief Development Officer for organizations large and small, and now her top priority is to increase philanthropic capital for the county.

According to Wilson, “Most nonprofit organizations in Prince George’s County are small. This leaves our community often ill equipped to address the myriad of issues facing county residents. We need strong cross sector partnerships to make Prince George’s what we know it can be.”

To establish these critical partnerships, Wilson has prioritized meeting with county stakeholders, donors, civic and faith leaders, companies, nonprofits, and residents. Wilson sees these meetings as opportunities to listen and learn about the hopes, dreams, aspirations, and concerns of Prince Georgians. She’s driven the depth and breadth of the county to introduce herself and the work of The Community Foundation to others. Her deep listening was not only informative but humbling and the lessons learned invaluable. “Listening to our community partners has been so rewarding,” Wilson says. “It has helped shape the boldest strategic vision The Community Foundation has undertaken.”

Together, We Prosper

Wilson will be leading the effort to pursue The Community Foundation’s new strategic vision for economic justice in Prince George’s County, and she is working with both residents and colleagues to make that vision a reality.

The Community Foundation’s new, 10-year strategic vision endeavors to close the racial wealth gap in Greater Washington so people of all races, places, and identities reach their full potential.

Wilson says, “Closing the racial wealth gap creates a ripple effect – changing the lives of county residents and facilitating change and prosperity throughout the county.” To bring about that change, Wilson wants to build on the county’s many assets, including its commitment to philanthropy. “County residents have a rich history of giving, whether to their churches, fraternal organizations, schools, or social causes,” Wilson says. “The Community Foundation isn’t here to teach people how to give but to be a philanthropic partner and advisor to help amplify their giving.”

Partnering for Change

At its core, The Community Foundation is a community partner working collaboratively to build more equitable, just, and thriving communities. Since its official inception in 1998, The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County, a local philanthropic arm of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, has worked in partnership with countless others to invest more than $50 million in organizations helping advance residents’ economic mobility by eliminating social and economic disparities and creating pathways to economic success.

The Sharing Prince George’s Fund is just one way The Community Foundation leverages charitable giving toward that mission. Sharing brings together donors who share the organization’s commitment to social and economic justice. Donors get to visit nonprofits to learn first-hand about challenges facing the county and then invest in visionary nonprofits working on the most pressing issues. The generosity of donors enables The Community Foundation to make larger, more impactful grants. This year, Sharing Prince George’s awarded $475,000 to five Prince George’s County based nonprofits.

“We take our role and the trust placed in us by the community very seriously,” Wilson says.

Fostering a New Generation of Philanthropists

Wilson is quick to mention another key partner in this effort: young, aspiring Prince George’s County philanthropists. Launched in 2020, The Emerging Leaders Impact Fund (ELIF), a new giving circle, facilitates collective giving by bringing together young professionals in the county to engage in strategic philanthropy. ELIF allows members—typically aged 45 and under— to pool their resources and fund programs which positively impact Prince George’s County residents. The first ELIF cohort in 2020 awarded $12,000 in microgrants to five local nonprofits combating truancy and absenteeism in Prince George’s County schools.

Wilson says, “ELIF is basically a behindthe- scenes course on philanthropy in action in Prince George’s County. We guide members through every step of the philanthropic journey.”

Unparalleled Partnership

“I am really excited to be working in Prince George’s County and partnering with so many incredible people and organizations. Without a doubt, I’m Prince George’s Proud.”

With the adoption of The Community Foundation’s new strategic vision and Wilson on board, The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County is seeking to build on the county’s assets and form even more partnerships to build thriving communities. “The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County came about because residents recognized the importance of strategic philanthropy and came together to form an unparalleled partnership that is still creating impact for our community today,” Wilson says.

To learn more about The Community Foundation’s initiatives and how to get involved, visit thecommunityfoundation.org

Imagining What’s Possible in Montgomery County

On Wednesday, July 27, the Greater Washington Community Foundation and its local office in Montgomery County brought together a group of donors, friends, and volunteers to reflect lessons learned from the pandemic and ask the question where do we go from here?

This group was keenly aware of how pandemic exposed the depths of societal inequities and system failures that threaten our public health and economy.  They were particularly eager to discuss what it will take to build a more equitable, just, and thriving community. In the words of President & CEO, Tonia Wellons, they especially wanted to know how we can "reconstruct a more just society rather than merely 'recovering' a flawed one."

The group gathered at the KID Museum’s beautiful new headquarters in downtown Bethesda, the perfect setting to spark one’s imagination and dream up a brighter future.  Before dinner, guests had the opportunity to tour the exhibits. They were impressed to see how each station empowers children to adopt the “Mind of a Maker” through activities that develop creativity, innovation, and capacity to build new solutions to complex problems.

After touring the KID Museum (and interacting with the hands-on learning stations), the group dove into dinner and conversation.  Anna Hargrave kicked off the session by showing a map of the Greater Washington region that highlighted Council on Government (COG)’s “Equity Emphasis Areas” – geographic areas that have significant concentrations of low-income and/or minority populations.  She pointed out that these same areas were the first and hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

President & CEO Tonia Wellons reported out on The Community Foundation’s new 10-year strategic plan focused on economic justice and closing the racial wealth gap.  Along with Ronnie Galvin, Managing Director of Community Investment, they illuminated several exciting strategies under exploration including Guaranteed Income pilots like Let’s Go DMV!, Child Savings Accounts, and Community Wealth Building opportunities.

“I take a lot of pride in being from this part of the country because of how culturally diverse it is,” one participant shared. “But to me, seeing this map and hearing these examples is evidence to me that multi-culturalism and diversity around us is not enough. We need to put our money where our mouth is and put in the work to make a difference.”

“It’s exciting to hear about these initiatives and how we can get involved in this critically important work,” shared Sumindi Peiris, one of the newest members of the Montgomery County Advisory Board. “I’m looking forward to learning more and doing my part to close the racial wealth gap.”

If you would like to learn more about how The Community Foundation is working to close the racial wealth gap, click here!

New Faces at The Community Foundation

Over the past few months, we’ve been excited to welcome seven incredible members to The Community Foundation family — as well as five new Advisory Board Members! We are thrilled — not only by the vast array experience that they bring to the organization, but also by their dedication and drive to help us close the racial wealth gap. If you haven’t already, please join us in welcoming them to The Community Foundation!

Meet Our New Staff Members

Dr. Marla Dean, Senior Director, Health Equity Fund

Marla M. Dean is a native Detroiter. For over a decade, she has lived East of the River in Washington, D.C. With nearly 30 years of teaching and leadership experience in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, and Virginia, Marla is a recognized national leader and expert in the two generational and whole child approaches.

Most recently, Marla has served as the executive director and chief executive officer of Bright Beginnings Inc. (BBI), a non-profit, community-based organization that operates two-generation programming for children and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Washington, D.C.

Marla is a proud Ward 7 resident where she lives in the PennBranch community with her husband, Steve. She has one son who graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in Cinema, Television and Emerging Media Sciences.

Yorman De La Rosa, Donor Services Associate, District of Columbia

Yorman joined The Greater Washington Community Foundation in April 2022 as the Donor Services Associate for the DC office of Philanthropy and Donor Services.

Yorman comes to The Community Foundation with more than 5 years of project management experience in the economic and community development sector. He is a passionate advocate of greater education access for low-income, first-generation students. Prior to joining The Community Foundation Yorman spent 4 years working in youth development at a local DC-based nonprofit organization and with the Peace Corps in Morocco.

Olivia Hsu, Donor Services Associate

Olivia Hsu, CFP® joined The Community Foundation in May 2022 as a Donor Services Associate. She is currently working with the Montgomery County team to support donor requests and initiatives.

 Olivia is a Certified Financial Planner™ and previously spent three years working in wealth management at Wealthspire Advisors (previously Bronfman Rothschild) in Potomac, Maryland. In this role, she developed an interest in coordinating philanthropy and planned giving for her clients and also served on the firm’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee.

Tiara Isom, Events & Marketing Coordinator

Tiara Joined the Community Foundation in June 2022 as the Events and Marketing Coordinator. In this role, she supports both event planning logistics and promotion. Tiara has over 8 years of experience planning and coordinating events for the DC community. She also spent the last 4 years as a marketing coordinator at a MCO (Managed Care Organization) health plan that services the DC community.

Tiara is extremely passionate about giving back to the community and loves being a difference maker. Tiara found her love for events and marketing after working with the promotions department at CBS Radio for WPGC 95.5 station. Since then, she has volunteered and worked community outreach/marketing jobs. Tiara is a Bowie State University graduate who completed her Certificate of Bachelor Studies with a degree in Communications (Broadcast Journalism).

Mary Robinson, Interim Managing Director, Development

Mary Robinson joined The Community Foundation in 2022 as the Interim Managing Director, Development.  Mary has pursued her passion for building thriving communities as the founder of Capacity Partners, a consulting firm in its 20th year serving nonprofits in Greater Washington.  Mary and her team have worked successfully with The Community Foundation on the Children’s Opportunity Fund and Food for Montgomery. 

Mary is deeply committed to helping people get to the heart of challenges and achieve their goals.  An expert in nonprofit fundraising and management, she brings extensive experience in capital campaigns and major donor programs, comprehensive strategic planning, and board development. Prior to founding Capacity Partners, she was president of the electronic screening division of national consulting firm Marts & Lundy, director of prospect screening at Bentz Whaley Flessner, and product manager at Wealth ID, a Thomson Financial company. Previously she was the co-owner of DataPlus Inc., a software company serving nonprofits nationwide.

Isabel Spake, Program Officer, Health Equity Fund

Isabel joined the Greater Washington Community Foundation in June 2022 as a Program Officer. She has over 10 years of project and grants management experience in the DC area.

Isabel’s interest in community-based work started while she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA for DC government, where she later became the AmeriCorps Program Officer. In addition to her experience in local government, she has also worked for local non-profits focused on teacher quality issues and public land efforts.

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Meet our New Advisory Board Members - Prince George’s County

Dr. Marcia Robinson, M.S. Robinson Construction

Dr. Marcia Robinson is a visionary leader with over 25 years of successful collaboration with business and community leaders in Prince George’s County. Dr. Robinson is a Certified Natural Health Professional (CNHP), author, ordained minister, and entrepreneur. She is the author of several books including “Inside Out Your Body Is Talking” and “Peaceful Existence, Warfare of the Mind”.

Dr. Robinson serves as President and CEO of M.S. Robinson Construction working to improve housing conditions in Prince George’s County. Prior to that she worked as a statistician for the U.S. Census Bureau for more than 20 years.

Dr. Robinson received her Doctorate of Health Sciences from University of Berkeley. She also received a Masters in Project Management from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Health Education from North Carolina Central University.

Marcia is married to Rev. James J. Robinson, Pastor and Founder of The Tree of Life Christian Ministries in Clinton, Maryland. She is the mother of two children, Nicole and Christopher; and three grandchildren, Akkirah, Khylee, Kouture, and Christopher Jr. She is also a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Meet our New Advisory Board Members - Montgomery County

Alisha Griffey, Daintree Capital

Alisha Griffey spent over a decade as COO/CFO of several high-growth companies, helping to position them for successful exits either through private sale or IPO.

During her time as a start-up operator, Alisha saw firsthand the lack of diversity in both the founders and types of companies that receive investment capital. In 2020 she founded Daintree Capital to address these problems head on. Daintree provides working capital loans to female, and other underrepresented, founders. Daintree has more than 40 loans in its portfolio and currently enjoys a 0% default rate.

Daintree is now scaling its lending program and has partnered with innovators at the intersection of for-profit and not-for-profit capital to design an investment instrument that enables the use of philanthropic capital to invest in companies led by under represented founders.

Alisha received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Stanford University. She lives with her husband in Chevy Chase, MD where she spends her evenings and weekends as a professional youth sports spectator following her two sports addicted teenage sons from field to field.

June Linowitz

June Linowitz has been engaged with art her whole life. While pursuing an active studio practice, she has been, at varying times, an art teacher, a gallery director, an exhibition curator and an art consultant with her own business, ArtSeen. Her artwork, which started out as personal narrative paintings, has evolved into her current mixed media political work focusing primarily on climate change. June Linowitz’ work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. In 2015 she was honored by the Maryland Women’s Heritage Center as one of the 50 women included in “Images and Expressions – Maryland Women in the Arts.”

June Linowitz is an active member of the greater Washington art community. She has served on numerous boards and independent projects supporting the community. Most recently she was board president of Arts on the Block and a member of both The Resilience Fund and The Arts Forward Fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. She currently serves on the board of the McLean Project for the Arts where she heads up the Art & Education Committee.

Barbara Mulitz, Sandy Spring Trust

Barbara Mulitz is a Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at Sandy Spring Trust. Her expertise includes: estate and trust planning, special needs planning, aging issues, wealth management, women and retirement, elder financial abuse and financial education.

Serving for six years as a Commissioner on the Montgomery County Commission on Aging, Barbara advocated for legislation to protect older adults, co-produced the internet series "Seniors Today", and chaired the Communications Outreach committee. Her awards and honors include: The MD Bankers’ Assn. Council of Professional Women in Banking and Finance Achievement Award; the Sandy Spring Bank Principle award (twice); the Sandy Spring Bank, Take the Long View Award; and, The Sidwell Friends School, Newmyer Award. 

A native Washingtonian, Barbara is an attorney, with a JD from The American University, a Master in Medical Science from Emory University School of Medicine and a BS from the University of MD. She is an active member of her community and volunteers in various organizations, including: Charles E Smith Life Communities, ELDERSAFE Advisory Council; Montgomery County, MD, Aging in the Community Advisory Committee; Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Women’s Journey, Advisory Board; Sidwell Friends School, Graduated Parents, Alumni Board; Maryland Bar Association, Co-Chair, Law Day Advance Directives Program; and the Montgomery County Voter Hotline.

Sumindi Peiris, Bethesda Magazine

Sumindi Peiris is the President of Bethesda Magazine and Bethesda Beat, published by Z-Pop Media. These award-winning publications’ purpose is to strengthen community and empower individuals through trustworthy journalism that serves, connects, and celebrates the depth and diversity of Montgomery County, one the nation’s most populous and affluent counties.

Peiris spent the past 25 years helping build iconic brands at international organizations spanning media, hospitality and consumer goods sectors. Prior to joining Z-Pop Media, she was the Global Chief Marketing Officer at Time Out Group, a global media publisher that reinvented itself when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and went on to win multiple international awards for its innovative response to supporting community. Her past roles included executive and leadership roles at Hilton Worldwide, Diageo, LVMH, Bacardi and Unilever. Her successful work has been recognized in top media publications across the globe, including Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

Born in Sri Lanka, she grew up in Kensington, traveled the world and now lives in North Bethesda with her husband, Sam, their son Daveeth, who also attends Walter Johnson High School, and their 4-yearold Bichon Frise, BooBoo. Since her return, she has been involved in supporting Kids In Need Distributors (KIND), providing meals for kids in need in Montgomery County, and the Buddha Meditation Center of Greater Washington DC, providing free meditation services to build an inclusive, happy and healthy community.

Spring 2022 Grant Round invests more than $765,000 in Greater Washington Region

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is excited to announce more than $765,000 in grants awarded to nonprofits through two initiatives strengthening community and education in the District and Montgomery County.

This was an exciting grant round for both initiatives — the Martha’s Table Community Impact Fund, a partnership between The Community Foundation and Martha’s Table to support and strengthen Ward 8 nonprofit organizations historically excluded from institutional philanthropy — and the Children’s Opportunity Fund, which recently announced it’s launch as an independent nonprofit organization.

Below is the complete list of grant recipients for each of the funds:

Children’s Opportunity Fund

Action in Montgomery (AIM) is a broad-based community power organization rooted in Montgomery County’s neighborhoods and congregations.  They are a non-partisan, multi-faith, multi-racial organization and dedicated to making Montgomery County and the State of Maryland a better place to live and thrive.  This grant will support organizing teams of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) parents to address structural barriers related to access to early childhood education. 

Advancing Black Lives in Education, Inc. (ABLE) was established by a small group of former educators, administrators, school board members and Montgomery County Public School parents to address the needs of Black children and families during the pandemic.  This grant will build ABLE’s capacity to continue developing and improving the tutoring opportunities and supports. 

Arts on the Block (AOB) empowers youth to be creative and encourages them to contribute to the quality of life in their communities.  AOB implements a Youth Arts Movement (YAM) program that provides quality out of school time experiences that support the social-emotional development of young black, brown and low-income students in Elementary Schools.  This grant will support programming that integrates literacy, dual-language exploration, visual arts and STEM elements. 

BlackRock Center for the Arts provides opportunities to explore, celebrate and engage in the arts.  This grant will allow BlackRock to provide summer arts programming to low-income children and their families in the northern part of Montgomery County. 

Comunibuild Foundation, Inc. implements I.S.P.O.T. (Instructional Support Providing Online Training) which includes all-inclusive programming of early literacy, STEM and community engagement activities.  This grant will support an out of school time I.S.P.O.T. program offered for students in K-3 in the Spencerville and Burtonsville communities of Montgomery County.

Empowering the Ages transforms lives through facilitating and nurturing relationships across all generations. Senior volunteers are connected with 4-5 year old children for tutoring, mentoring and providing additional supports to families.  This grant will support the expansion of a school readiness and family engagement program for Pre-K and Head Start students into their kindergarten year.

Imagination Library of Montgomery County is an affiliate of a national, evidence-informed program that provides a free book to any child enrolled between the ages of birth to age 5.  This grant will expand the partnership of COF established in 2020 to strategically and intentionally grow enrollment from 800 students to over 1,500 in 2022.   

Interages is an intergenerational program model that supports seniors to tutor and mentor young people in our community.  This grant will support AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparents program, which matches a senior with PreK-Grade 2 students at three high need Elementary Schools in Montgomery County, and the continuation of the tutoring program at Daly Elementary School, in partnership with Thriving Germantown. 

Kid Museum is an equity-focused educational nonprofit serving Montgomery County and the greater Washington DC metropolitan area since 2014. A pioneer in “maker learning,” KID Museum’s programs build sustained engagement in STEM and creative problem solving, empowering youth of diverse backgrounds to become the next generation of innovators and changemakers. In 2021-2022, this grant has supported the expansion of out of school time programs and programming for students from under-resourced communities on non-school days, including development of a K-3 curriculum for out of school time that integrates literacy, STEM and social-emotional learning. 

Montgomery Housing Partnership, Inc. (MHP) preserves and expands affordable housing, empowers families, strengthens neighborhoods and provides support services to families in their housing units.  This grant will support the Play and Learn program which provides kindergarten readiness opportunities for low-income youth and English Language Learners. 

PEP (Parent Education Program) partners with communities to provide parenting classes.  This grant will serve approximately 100 Latino and African immigrant families and over 250 children to provide virtual parenting classes during the 2022-2023 school year. 

Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington implements the Glasses4Scholars program to address the unmet vision needs of student to increase academic grades and attendance.  In partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), this grant will provide screenings, eye exams and eyeglasses to identified students in grades K-2nd. 

Story Tapestries, Inc.: will focus on programs in the early childhood years that build emergent literacy skills for economically impacted youth, educator and caregivers in Montgomery County, MD.  This grant will  provide professional development for educators to create inclusive learning environments, family support through interactive events and literacy kits. 

The Civic Circle is a nonprofit that empowers young students to understand and participate in democracy through music and the arts.  This grant will increase staff capacity to serve more students in Eastern Montgomery County, MD. 

Thriving Germantown is a community school model that works collectively with various stakeholders to improve outcomes for low-income children in the Germantown area of Montgomery County.  This grant will support the educational, health and social inequities addressed through a community hub model which provides care coordination, community empowerment opportunities, and ensures that the right services are available to reach vulnerable families at Daly Elementary School and other surrounding schools. 

Wonders is an organization creating and advancing high-quality, diverse educational communities to teach children the foundations for life-long learning and social responsibility.  This grant will enable Wonders to increase the number of workshops focused on equity in early learning utilizing a professional development model to address workforce training and retention challenges in the Early Care and Education (ECE) community . 

Community Impact Fund

Anacostia AMP Outreach Empowerment Center is committed to bringing Healing, Opportunity, Provision, and Empowerment to communities East of the River.

Bright Beginnings uses a whole-child, two-generation approach to promote the long-term development and success of children and families experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Washington, DC.  Their early learning centers offer full-day, year-round and developmentally-appropriate early childhood education for children from birth to five years old, at no cost to their families.

 Bright Beginnings offers comprehensive wrap-around services to both children and their parents with the goal of supporting families as they take the brave journey from crisis to self-sufficiency.

Family & Friends of Incarcerated People (FFOIP) is an organization whose primary mission is to foster community support that effectively meets the needs of today’s at-risk children and families of those incarcerated. It operates solely to promote charity, literacy, public safety, and to avoid inter-generational incarceration.

FFOIP serves DC area children of the incarcerated and at-risk youth by engaging them in social, cultural and youth development activities through our various projects, programs, and events.

Healthy Babies Project, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit, community-based support organization that helps the poorest District youth build stable lives.

Horton’s Kids empowers children growing up in DC’s most under-resourced communities so that they graduate from high school ready for success in college, career, and life. They serve 500 children in grades K-12 living in Wellington Park & Stanton Oaks – neighborhoods that have been profoundly impacted by decades of disinvestment and barriers to opportunity.

Inner Thoughts, Inc. was founded to 1) develop, consult and exhibit through creative expression the talents of others and those within the realm of the corporation, utilizing the medium of the arts and media; 2) to foster the development of a stable, diversified and local economy and/or economic activities which through career counseling and referral, promotes potential economic well-being and reduces dependency on social services, and 3) to support local access, by our youth, to programs and services which are essential to a self-sufficient community. 

Project Create provides opportunities for creative youth development through accessible, multidisciplinary arts education to empower young people and amplify their voices. They collaborate with children, youth and families in an inclusive and supportive community where art is healing and transformative.

Safe Sisters Circle is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free culturally specific, holistic, and trauma-based services to Black women survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault primarily living in Washington, DC's Wards 7 and 8.

Victory Youth Center operates the Mary Virginia Merrick Center, which provides high quality out of school curriculum and recreational programs. It is a safe space in the community where youth and families in Ward 8 can consistently gather to enrich their mind, body and spirit.

William Lockridge Educational and Scholarship Fund - provide financial aid to DC Public School graduating senior interested in pursuing post-high school course of study at either a college/university or other postsecondary institution.

Funding Opportunities through our Summer Grant round are now available! Interested nonprofits should visit our Grant Opportunities page for more information!

Children’s Opportunity Alliance Named Montgomery County Coordinating Entity for Ages 0-5

Children's Opportunity Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation transitions to become independent nonprofit and focus on equitable early care and education

ROCKVILLE, MD (July 15, 2022) – On Tuesday, July 12, 2022, Montgomery County leaders announced the launch of the Montgomery County Children’s Opportunity Alliance, a nonprofit entity that will connect partners in support of equitable outcomes for children from birth through age 5. Watch this short video about the press conference where this announcement was made.  

The Children’s Opportunity Alliance will be the Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity for Montgomery County. In this role, the organization will convene county government, community-based organizations, schools, the philanthropic community,  local businesses, and families of kids 0-5 to provide high-quality and accessible early learning opportunities for young children and their families.

The Children’s Opportunity Alliance is a new independent nonprofit organization that transitioned from the Children’s Opportunity Fund, a public-private impact initiative created by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Montgomery County Government and Montgomery County Public Schools. Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County at The Community Foundation, said this organization’s new independent status is a successful milestone for local public-private partnerships.

“The launch of the Children’s Opportunity Alliance is a testament to the vision of many public and private partners who are committed to the success of our community’s children,” Hargrave said. “We are proud of the role we played in incubating and nurturing this initiative during its formative years.  We’re excited for the Alliance’s next phase of growth, and look forward to supporting its vitally important work so all Montgomery County children and their families can thrive.”

While the Children’s Opportunity Alliance will finalize focus areas over time, the organization will initially prioritize three goals:

• Convening early childhood stakeholders: Connect partners to eliminate barriers to accessing quality services for children 0-5

• Providing equitable access: Identify gaps that exist in childcare and Pre-K systems and increase access to high-quality programming for low-income children

• Advocating for evidence-based programs: Develop solutions to obstacles such as language, cultural factors, transportation and time constraints so that all families can engage with quality early childhood programs

Stay tuned for more information on our new website, which will be released soon.  

About the Montgomery County Children’s Opportunity Alliance

The Montgomery County Children’s Opportunity Alliance connects partners to build a high-quality and equitable early childhood system for kids from birth through age 5 in Montgomery County, Maryland. This coalition coordinates county government, schools, philanthropy, community-based organizations and local businesses to forge opportunities and close the opportunity gap for Montgomery County’s historically marginalized children and their families.

About the Greater Washington Community Foundation

The Greater Washington Community Foundation ignites the power of philanthropy, catalyzes community impact, and responds to critical needs. For five decades, The Community Foundation has connected caring donors with nonprofits creating lasting change in DC, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia and Prince George’s County. As the region’s largest local funder, we have invested more than $1.4 billion to build equitable, just and thriving communities where everyone prospers.

Bringing Faith & Philanthropy Together in Prince George’s County

There’s a well-known verse among the faith-based community, that “Faith can move mountains”. Earlier this month, the Greater Washington Community Foundation hosted a Faith and Philanthropy Breakfast with Prince George’s County leaders to discuss how to move the Mt. Everest of our region – closing the racial wealth gap.

“Historically, the faith community has long been at the forefront in the fight for social and economic justice,” President & CEO Tonia Wellons explained before the event. “Black churches served as key stops on the underground railroad and helped to abolish slavery. They raised critically needed funds in support of the civil rights movement and advocated for the passage of key civil rights legislation. Long before the pandemic, faith-based organizations have been active in community development including the creation of schools, businesses, and social programs to assist those most in need. They are among our most vital and proactive partners in our strategic vision to close the racial wealth gap.”

The breakfast brought together faith, nonprofit, philanthropic leaders for an intimate conversation about their work and the importance of closing the region’s racial wealth gap. Participants heard and discussed presentations from Tonia, as well as Rev. Ronnie Galvin, The Community Foundation’s Managing Director of Community Investment.

Managing Director of Community Investment Ronnie Galvin addresses participants about our region’s racial wealth gap.

President & CEO Tonia Wellons discusses The Community Foundation’s 10-year strategic vision with community, nonprofit, and faith leaders.

“I think the focus around economic inequity will get to the root of a lot of the major issues we face, in the faith community,” one pastor shared. “I’m excited to be partnering and working alongside [The Community Foundation] in this process.”

“I thought the event was very inspiring,” Karene Brodie, Executive Director of Hillside Work Scholarship Connection shared. “I think oftentimes we want to partner with the faith community, but we lack the vision or structure to have lasting impact. Events like this that convene us together around a common cause really inspire us to work together to resolve an issue that’s been plaguing our communities for far too long.”

“It is impossible to put a dollar-amount on the work that our faith-based partners have done – both in responding to the COVID pandemic, and in advocating for the needs of Black and Brown people in our region,” Darcelle Wilson, Senior Director of the Prince George’s County Office shared. “We hope that this event is the first of many, as together we work to close the racial wealth gap.”

Click here to see more photos from the event!

Flex Funding Reshapes Fight Against Homelessness

By Jennifer Olney, Senior Program Officer, Partnership to End Homelessness

In late 2019, the Partnership announced its first round of grants for “flex funding” programs to support four local nonprofits that provide Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for people experiencing chronic homelessness: Miriam’s Kitchen, Open Arms Housing, Pathways to Housing, and Friendship Place.

These two-year grants were intended to help expedite housing placement and increase stabilization for single adults experiencing homelessness by providing funds that could cover small but critical expenses, such as fees to obtain IDs, that are essential to obtaining housing.

Flex Fund Impact Story: John was living in one of the city’s Pandemic Emergency Program shelters before being assigned to the Pathways to Housing Permanent Supportive Housing program in early 2021. The Pathways team quickly jumped into action to help him find housing before his rental voucher was set to expire. The team used Partnership flex funding support to provide transportation so John could view available apartments. He found a unit he liked and was approved to move in several days after he submitted his application. John moved into his new apartment in July 2021, starting his new chapter in safe and stable housing.

Soon after these flex funding grants were awarded, the world changed. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, The Community Foundation quickly pivoted to provide emergency response support to the region, and the Partnership in turn moved to allow its grantees to use their flex funding grants even more flexibly to respond to new challenges.

This flexible approach , spurred in part by the pandemic, aligns with The Community Foundation’s shift toward implementing a trust-based philanthropy approach to our work. We believe it is important to support our grantees in allocating their resources to where they are most needed, making room for greater innovation, responsiveness, and impact.

Now, more than two years later, we are happy to see that this approach paid off. The grants not only demonstrated that flex funding could accomplish its original goals, but also served to respond to new needs that PSH clients faced due to the pandemic.

Our four top lessons learned:

• Flex funding can help reduce the time it takes to move people into housing. Flex funding was used by all the grantees to pay for critical expenses such as identification documents, apartment application fees, transportation to see available apartments, and movers. Open Arms Housing used some of the funding to help support a staff person dedicated to working directly with landlords to locate available units and lease up clients quickly. Three out of four grantees reported significant reductions in the time it took them to move clients into Permanent Supportive Housing.

• Flex funding can help increase equitable access to housing: Miriam’s Kitchen reported that some apartment buildings, generally in safer and more desirable neighborhoods, now charge additional “holding” or “amenities” fees (generally about $300). These additional fees create a significant barrier for people who have little or no income. The organization used some of the flex funding to pay these fees to secure more attractive apartments for clients – supporting clients’ mental and physical health by providing them with more choice in their selection of housing, and the ability to feel comfortable and secure in the housing and neighborhoods that they choose.

• Flex funding helped meet people’s COVID-related needs during the pandemic. The pandemic and resulting social distancing brought many new challenges for everyone – especially for PSH clients. Flex Funds allowed grantees the flexibility to meet some of those needs. For example, flex funds were used by grantees to cover the purchase of cell phones and cell phone plans for clients so they could stay in touch with their case managers when face to face meetings were not possible. These phones could also be used by clients to keep in touch with family, friends, and other members of their support networks and reduce their feelings of social isolation. Flex funding was also used to help provide clients with groceries, medicine, and PPE and COVID testing costs so they could stay safe and healthy.

• Flex funding can help make a house a home. All the grantees used flex funding to purchase home furnishings, groceries, cleaning supplies, holiday gift cards, and other household items for their clients. Open Arms Housing reported that although the donation of household items to their organization decreased during the pandemic, flex funding allowed them the ability to purchase items to ensure that their clients had what they needed for their new homes.

We are grateful for the commitment of our donors, who made these grants possible. The Partnership is committed to continuing our work to expedite housing placement and helping people remain stably housed. We hope you will join us.

Greater Washington Community Foundation Seeks Proposals For $10 Million Health Equity Fund Grants

Transformative Health Equity Fund is Largest in Foundation’s History

The Greater Washington Community Foundation today issued its first competitive Request for Proposals for grants funded by the historic Health Equity Fund. Mindful that health and wealth are inextricably connected, this first round of grants will boldly invest in economic mobility and wealth building in DC’s historically underinvested communities. Future funding will be devoted to policy advocacy, community and multi-sector anchor partnerships with hospitals and health systems, and behavioral health and trauma-informed systems of care. Over the next five years, the fund will support innovative systems-changing strategies as well as existing approaches that improve prospects for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, people of color, and other marginalized populations.

The $95 million fund was created to improve the health outcomes and health equity of DC residents. One of the largest funds of any kind focused on community-based nonprofits that serve District residents, the Health Equity Fund is also the largest in The Community Foundation’s nearly 50-year history.

“The past two years have reminded us that DC’s economic, social, and health systems favor people who already have access to wealth and good healthcare,” said Greater Washington Community Foundation President and CEO Tonia Wellons. “Given that 80 percent of DC’s health outcomes are driven by social, economic and other factors, and only 20 percent by clinical care, we plan to deploy the full resources of the Health Equity Fund to projects that disrupt more traditional approaches to social change with the goal of addressing our city’s persistent health inequities and helping to close the glaring and intolerable racial health and wealth gap.”

“Improving health outcomes and health equity in our communities is critical,” said DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Health Equity Fund grants represent significant investments in the well-being of our residents, and continues to promote DC HOPE—health, opportunity, prosperity, and equity. This is an important next step in providing necessary resources and addressing residents’ whole health.”

The Health Equity Fund was established last year as a result of the resolution of litigation among the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB); Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc. (GHMSI) – a CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) affiliate – and DC Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. In establishing the fund, the parties created an innovative and impactful way of addressing DC’s racial health gap.

“The Health Equity Fund builds upon CareFirst’s longstanding mission to improve health outcomes through affordable, accessible, and equitable care,” said Stacia Cohen, CareFirst’s Executive Vice President of Health Services. “Under the leadership of the Greater Washington Community Foundation and the jointly appointed Health Equity Committee, the funds will be distributed to organizations that share our commitment to transforming healthcare and impacting DC community health.”

Request for Proposals

Two-year general operating grants totaling $10 million will be awarded to 40 organizations implementing economic mobility models that increase income and build wealth or that are implementing innovative enterprise development and ownership models. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on July 25. Awardees will be notified in September. A webinar for potential applicants will be held on June 21. Organizations with operating budgets of $750,000 and below are eligible for grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 per year and organizations with operating budgets above $750,000 are eligible for grants ranging from $150,000 to $200,000 per year. Click here to view the RFP or see here for additional information or to read Frequently Asked Questions

Fund Oversight

The Community Foundation was independently selected to manage the Health Equity Fund because of its track record of working with individual donors, businesses, and local government to manage effective community investments and create tangible, lasting change in the region. Health Equity Fund goals align with The Community Foundation’s ongoing work and 10-year strategic vision to close the racial wealth gap by eliminating the historic, racialized disparities in our region. The Community Foundation believes that changing the prospects for how Black and Brown people generate, share, and sustain wealth will ultimately improve the quality of life for all of our neighbors.

The Community Foundation is working in partnership with a Health Equity Committee mandated by the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the District of Columbia and GHMSI. The seven-member committee includes Shirley Marcus Allen; Nnemdi Kamanu Elias, MD, MPH; Dr. Tollie Elliott; Jeffrey Franco; Lori Kaplan; Dr. Djinge Lindsay, MD, MPH; and Courtney R. Snowden. Together, The Community Foundation and Health Equity Committee are ensuring the Health Equity Fund is managed according to guidelines outlined in the Memorandum.