Philanthropists are increasingly willing to support direct cash assistance. Foundations and individual donors have supported a range of emergency cash relief for various crises throughout the years, and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the greater Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia region has been no exception. Private philanthropy is also working with the current wave of government-sponsored cash assistance pilots. This virtual convening highlighted Urban’s findings on philanthropic support and will gather speakers to reflect on the implications and future of philanthropic efforts aimed at transferring cash directly to individuals. 

 Research Presentation:

• Benjamin Soskis, Senior Research Associate, Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, Urban Institute

• Sonia Torres Rodríguez, Research Assistant, Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center, Urban Institute

• Fay Walker, Research Analyst, Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center, Urban Institute

Panelists/Discussants:

• Mary Bogle, Principal Research Associate, Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center, Urban Institute

• Kevin Callaghan, Newark Philanthropic Liaison, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and Office of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka

• Nisha G. Patel, Creative Catalyst, Powered by Shakti

• Paula Sammons, Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

• Tonia Wellons, President and CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

• Shena Ashley, Vice President, Nonprofits and Philanthropy, Urban Institute (moderator)

September 11, 2001, is a day that changed our country, and this community, forever. On this day, four commercial airliners were hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed in what is known as the deadliest terrorist attack in world history.

In the aftermath of the attack, local leaders from The Community Foundation came together with our donors and partners to launch the Survivors’ Fund to help victims and families directly affected by the attack on the Pentagon. Over the span of 7 years, the fund raised $25 million and helped 1,051 individuals to access the services and support they needed to achieve long-term financial and emotional stability.

In remembrance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we hosted a conversation with The Community Foundation’s former president & CEO, Terri Lee Freeman, about what she learned from spearheading this local multi-year crisis response effort and what advice our community should heed as we recover from the current crisis, and prepare for future crises.

Speakers included:

• Tonia Wellons, President and CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

• Terri Lee Freeman, Executive Director, Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture

• Daniel K. Mayers, former Chair, Survivors’ Fund Governance Board

Over the past year, our community has come together to respond to the unprecedented challenges of a global pandemic, economic crisis, and racial reckoning. Thanks to your steadfast partnership and support, we were able to respond to our community's most pressing needs, while working toward an equitable recovery for our region.

On Thursday, May 20 at 6 p.m. our community gathered to hear inspiring stories of neighbors helping neighbors and to celebrate what is possible when we work together to support and strengthen our region.

Please visit our website for more information. To support, please contact [email protected].  

Become a Community Champion

By making a contribution, you become a Community Champion for our efforts to Build Thriving Communities in the Greater Washington region. Giving directly to the Greater Washington Community Foundation is a critical investment in strengthening our region and creating a brighter future for our most vulnerable neighbors.

Learn more about how your contribution ensures The Community Foundation can be flexible and vigilant in leading the response to today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges.

Read Across Montgomery County featured a virtual panel celebrating the role that schools, the community, and families play in building a village that promotes the joy of reading!

Read Across America Day, the nation’s largest celebration of reading inspires individuals, both young and old, to pick up a book and read. As a member of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading Network, the Children’s Opportunity Fund is asking you to join National Education Association and many of America’s leading literacy, youth, and civic groups in bringing a nation of readers together for a flurry of reading excitement!

The Children’s Opportunity Fund hosted a virtual panel to discuss system, local, and individual approaches to reading that will support our youngest learners to achieve their full potential.

Speakers included:

• Kareem Bernard: author of the children's book series Billy's Adventures

• Jeanette Dixon: former member of the Montgomery County Board of Education

• Tanushree Dutta Isaacman: associate organizer, Action in Montgomery

• Craig Rice: councilmember and chair of education and culture committee, Montgomery County Council

• Jennifer Sloan McCombs: director of the Behavioral and Policy Sciences Department; senior policy researcher, RAND Corporation

• Kimberly Rusnak (moderator): project director of the Children’s Opportunity Fund, The Greater Washington Community Foundation

From 2016 - 2018, WRAG and Enterprise Community Loan Fund led the Our Region, Your Investment initiative, an effort to bring new capital to the region’s growing housing affordability crisis. This initiative ended up raising over $12 million in investments to help preserve or produce over 650 housing units around the region.

In this 30-minute webinar, you will learn how local philanthropists, foundations, and businesses are once again coming together to help increase the supply of deeply affordable and supportive housing as part of the Partnership to End Homelessness, led by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. The Community Foundation has teamed up with Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc. (ECLF) to help build and preserve housing units for hundreds of people across the region. ECLF will discuss how impact investing is an innovative strategy to address the affordable housing shortage and help create more thriving, equitable, and enriching communities.

To learn more about Enterprise’s role with the Partnership to End Homelessness, click here.

Speakers include:

• Ruth LaToison Ifill, Interim President & CEO, Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers

• Tonia Wellons, President and CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

• Rob Bachmann, Senior Director, Impact Investing, Enterprise Community Loan Fund Inc.

Having access to a good job is key to thriving in the Greater Washington region, but we know that the region’s overall economic growth is not experienced equitably. In our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey, more than 1 in 6 of our Black and African American neighbors rated the availability of good jobs in the area where they live as poor.

Small businesses are a key economic driver in Prince George’s County; ninety-five percent of businesses in the county are small businesses. Unfortunately, 50 percent of jobs created in Prince George’s County over the past five years were lost in the first two weeks of COVID-19.

This session featured thought leaders from three different sectors to explore how small business and entrepreneurship can be tools for addressing unemployment and ensuring economic equity.

Speakers included:

• June Evans, Director, Innovation Hub

• Anna Bard, Community Relations Manager – MD, DC & VA, Wells Fargo

• April Richardson, Owner, Food Opportunity LLC

• Moderator: Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

This event is part of The Community Foundation’s Social Justice Town Hall series. The series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

The series will culminate in an opportunity for our entire region to come together for On the Table Conversations to consider how these issues impact our families and communities. The Community Foundation will then fund Community Action Awards to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action–committing at least $100,000 for community organizing, action, and social justice projects that can be implemented individually or collectively.

A special conversation with the authors of a new Urban Institute report offering an in-depth look at our region’s philanthropic response to the COVID-19 crisis. This discussion highlighted the challenges of developing and executing a coordinated emergency response strategy, while balancing speed, equity, and impact during a crisis. The event included a panel of cross-sector leaders who shared insights about responding to COVID-19, centering racial equity, and ensuring a more equitable future for our region. 

Speakers included:

• Shena Ashley, Vice President, Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute 

• Benjamin Soskis, Research Associate, Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute

• Lindsey Buss, Senior External Affairs Officer, Community Connections, The World Bank Group

• Diana Leon-Brown, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Office of the Prince George's County Executive

• Samantha Davis, Founder & Executive Director, Black Swan Academy

COVID-19 has exacerbated food insecurity across our region, with some areas experiencing a 60% increase in the number of people facing food shortages. This was already a major challenge before the pandemic. Our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that nearly 1 in 10 Black residents in our region rated food availability where they live as poor.

How do we address the food needs of families now and in the future?

This conversation with local leaders illuminated the challenges facing our food security system, and share insights about what’s needed to build a safe, equitable food system – one where everyone gets the nourishment they need to thrive.  

Speakers included:

• Hon. Will Jawando, Montgomery County Councilmember

• Radha Muthiah, President and CEO, Capital Area Food Bank

• Christopher Bradshaw, Executive Director, Dreaming Out Loud, Inc.

• Dr. Tollie B. Elliott, Chief Medical Officer, Mary's Center

• Moderator: Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

This event is part of The Community Foundation’s Social Justice Town Hall series. The series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

A special thanks to our sponsors

We know that in the U.S. the net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family, and our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that 1 in 4 residents in Prince George’s feel they are worse off financially than their parents.

The Community Foundation and a panel of local and national leaders with expertise in financial services, community development, and race and inclusion discussed solutions for eliminating the racial wealth gap.

Speakers included:

• Moderator: Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

• Dr. Camille Busette, Director, Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institute

• Lanta Evans-Motte, Investment Advisor/Financial Planner, Raymond James

• Shelly Gross-Wade, President & CEO, FSC First

Thought leaders included:

• Mark Lawrence, Inncuvate

• Eben Smith, Build Prince George’s County

Participants had the opportunity to link up with Prince George’s County entrepreneurs Eben Smith, President & Founder of BUILD Prince George’s, and Mark Lawrence, Managing Partner, Inncuvate Consulting, for an open discussion to ask the tough questions and share ideas for real systems change.

About PGC Leads

PGC Leads is a series of thoughtful discussions on the issue of equity and economic mobility in Prince George’s County. The program brings together County residents, nonprofits, thought leaders, and key stakeholders to share information and strategies; and in partnership with others, facilitate the development of new practices, programs, polices, and collaborations to improve the economic status of Prince George’s County residents. These discussions will also help inform the Community Foundation’s philanthropic and community leadership work in the County.

COVID-19 has upended the economy, with unemployment spiking to levels not seen since the Great Depression. A recent study by the Human Rights Coalition confirms that the economic fallout of the pandemic is hitting members of the LGBTQ+ community especially hard, with LGBTQ+ workers 30% more likely to have lost their jobs since May.

Our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that LGBTQ+ people are also more likely to have experienced discrimination during their job searches.

How can we work to ensure the LGBTQ+ community is able to live and thrive in our region during—and after—the pandemic? This event brought together local leaders to discuss these questions, share lessons learned about addressing COVID-19’s impact on the LGBTQ+ community, and to identify opportunities to support LGBTQ+ workers to achieve economic equity.

Speakers included:

• Sultan Shakir, Executive Director, SMYAL

• Laura Durso, Chief Learning Officer, Whitman-Walker Institute

• Robert Burns, Senior Vice President & Greater Washington & Boston Market Manager – Community Investing & Development, Citi

• Benton Murphy, Associate Vice President, Community Investment, Greater Washington Community Foundation

• Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

This event is part of The Community Foundation’s Social Justice Town Hall series. The series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

The series will culminate in an opportunity for our entire region to come together for On the Table Conversations to consider how these issues impact our families and communities. The Community Foundation will then fund Community Action Awards to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action–committing at least $100,000 for community organizing, action, and social justice projects that can be implemented individually or collectively.

“Our work is transformative - and it would not be possible without your supportive partnership” -Katharine Weymouth, Board Chair, Community Foundation Board of Trustees 

At our 2020 Annual Meeting, Community Foundation donors networked with their peer philanthropists, received an update on our community leadership and impact work (including our regional response to COVID-19), and hear about what's next as we embark on a new strategic planning process.

It's back-to-school time and there are still many uncertainties in the minds of families about their children's educational futures. What we do know, though, is that ensuring children receive a quality education is a top priority for our community.

Our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that 85% of residents of the Greater Washington region believe that local government should prioritize ALL children receiving a quality education.

How can we ensure our community’s children and youth are receiving quality education in this new, virtual environment? This event brings together local leaders to discuss these questions and share lessons learned about addressing learning loss, the digital divide, and family/community support. 

Speakers include:

• Misty Allen, Vice President, Comcast, Government & Community Affairs, Beltway Region at Comcast

• Everett Davis, Director, Student, Family and School Services in the Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement at Montgomery County Public Schools 

• Craig Rice, Council Member, Chair of the Education Committee in Montgomery County 

• Sulema Middleton Stewart, VP of Community Life Programs, Montgomery Housing Partnerships

• Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

The current health and economic crisis has exacerbated the housing crisis and elevated the importance of housing – for our health, education, and workforce. 

Our VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that, even before COVID-19, 17% of Black households in our region were worried about paying rent or mortgage - compared to fewer than 3% of white households. Now, we know that over 70,000 renters in DC reported missing July rent or mortgage payment or have slight or no confidence that their household can pay next month’s rent or mortgage on time. A recent study also estimated that we could see a 40-45% increase in homelessness this year in the U.S.

How can we use this time to push for racial and housing justice? This event brings together local advocates and national experts to discuss what housing justice looks like and how we can all be a part of creating a more just and equitable region and nation.

Speakers:

• Parisa Norouzi, Executive Director, Empower DC

• Susan K. Thomas, President, The Melville Charitable Trust 

• Robert Warren, Founder, People for Fairness Coalition

• Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation

This event is part of The Community Foundation’s Social Justice Town Hall series. The series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

The series will culminate in an opportunity for our entire region to come together for On the Table Conversations to consider how these issues impact our families and communities. The Community Foundation will then fund Community Action Awards to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action–committing at least $100,000 for community organizing, action, and social justice projects that can be implemented individually or collectively.

Our VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that 1 in 10 Black residents felt discriminated against in interactions with the police over the past year, compared with less than 1 in 100 white residents.

These stark findings - especially within the context of current events - remind us that racial disparities permeate our country's criminal justice system. In this VoicesDMV Social Justice Town Hall, we discussed police reform, restorative justice, and how you can be part of affecting change. We convened with local stakeholders pushing for reform - to explore the intersection of violence and incarceration in our region.

Speakers include:

• Seema Gajwani, Chief of the Restorative Justice Section, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

• Candice Jones, President & CEO of Public Welfare Foundation

• Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA

• Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation

The Community Foundation launched a Social Justice Town Hall series on Friday, June 19. This series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

The series will culminate in an opportunity for our entire region to come together for On the Table Conversations to consider how these issues impact our families and communities. The Community Foundation will then fund Community Action Awards to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action–committing at least $100,000 for community organizing, action, and social justice projects that can be implemented individually or collectively.

Didn't catch our Tuesday Talks series? We’ve made it easy for you to catch up on what you missed by watching the recordings! This virtual series for Community Foundation donors, which ran from March through July, offered updates on our COVID-19 Emergency Response work and what learned about the needs of our community in the areas of hunger, housing and homelessness, medical access, employment and small business, the arts, and more.

• July 28, 2020: Arts and Culture in the Wake of COVID-19

• July 14, 2020: Hunger Relief

• June 23, 2020: Medical Care and Access

• June 9, 2020: COVID-19 Impact on Workers and Small Businesses

• May 26, 2020: Housing and Homelessness

• May 12, 2020: Education and Youth

• April 28, 2020: Community Update #3

• April 14, 2020: Community Update #2

• March 31, 2020: Community Update #1

Personal experiences with homelessness are widespread across DC, according to our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey. Nearly 1 in 3 DC residents knows someone who has experienced or is at risk of becoming homeless. With the rate of homelessness expected to increase by up to 45% in the U.S. due to the impact of COVID-19 and the economic crisis, the need for more stable and affordable housing is now more important than ever for the health and well-being of our entire community. 

Last year, we joined forces with the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness to launch The Partnership to End Homelessness, the first-of-its-kind initiative in DC to bring together the public and private sectors to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring. This month, we are reflecting on our work and impact during the first year of the Partnership, and how COVID-19 has changed the way we provide services and support to our neighbors without a stable place to call home. 

On July 30, we hosted a webinar for Community Foundation donors and partners to learn about what we’ve accomplished in the fight to end homelessness, what’s next as we continue this work, and how to get involved.

Speakers included:

• Jennifer Olney and Silvana Straw, Partnership to End Homelessness staff

• Kristy Greenwalt, Director of the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness

• Waldon Adams, a Leadership Council member who is an advocate with lived experience

The recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd due to police brutality and racism have ignited protests across the country. These incidents of continued bias and abuse expose the systemic racism that is built into many of our systems, resulting in calls to dismantle the structures that perpetuate racism and unjust policing. While local demonstrations have garnered national attention, now is the time for our community to come together to support our black friends and neighbors and invest in solutions to end police brutality and anti-black racism.

This conversation was about racial justice and the concrete ways we can take action to support the black community. Speakers included:

• Richard W. Collins Jr. and Dawn Collins, parents of 2nd Lt. Richard Collins III who was killed in an apparent hate crime three days before he was set to graduate from Bowie State University. The Collins family continues to serve as a vehicle for change to advocate for hate crime legislation in the state of Maryland.

• Dr. Rashawn Ray, Rubenstein Fellow at The Brookings Institution, and Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Ray’s research addresses the mechanisms that manufacture and maintain racial and social inequality with a particular focus on police-civilian relations and men’s treatment of women.

• Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, will moderate and share findings from our new VoicesDMV Community Insights survey of residents’ perceptions related to issues such as housing, safety, economic security, race relations, and community well-being.

*This virtual town hall series is part of The Community Foundation’s VoicesDMV community listening and civic engagement initiative. The series will explore the most pressing challenges facing our region, and solutions for collectively building more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.