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New Faces at The Community Foundation

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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.

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.

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

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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!

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

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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.

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A Night of Music, Vision, and Celebration of Philanthropy at The Warner Theatre

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Over 200 of Greater Washington Community Foundation supporters, community partners, and friends joined us on May 4 at Warner Theatre for an intimate 2022 Celebration of Philanthropy. The energy in the room and the commitment to this region was truly inspiring!

A huge thank you to the speakers, staff, performers, and everyone who contributed to making this Celebration possible – especially our Community Champions who contributed over $728,000 to support The Community Foundation’s work to advance equity and economic justice by closing our region’s racial wealth gap.

The Celebration was a wonderful opportunity for our community of changemakers to reconnect, enjoy incredible performances from local nonprofit arts organizations, and join an important conversation about economic justice.

During the program, The Community Foundation CEO Tonia Wellons shared a preview of The Community Foundation’s new strategic vision and path to pursue economic justice, with a neighborhood-centered approach. She shared that as The Community Foundation embarks on this journey, it will require a clear vision, strong leadership, and a coalition of the willing that understands the compounding impact of the racial wealth gap. The Community Foundation is ready to step up to that challenge and Tonia invited our community of givers and changemakers to be part of the coalition of the willing, as together we deepen our collective understanding of the racial wealth gap and what it will take to close it.

The program also included a special conversation with two of the country’s leading experts on racial inequality -- Dr. Rashawn Ray, a Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution and Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland, and Dr. Thomas Shapiro, award-winning author and Professor of Law and Social Policy at Brandeis University –- to reflect on the causes and consequences of the racial wealth gap, and how can we pursue economic justice for the Greater Washington region. The conversation, which was moderated by Tonia, touched on systemic policies and historical practices that have extracted wealth from Black families and communities –- from redlining, to home loans and appraisals, tax policy, over-policing of Black communities, and beyond –- what this costs all of us, and ways that individuals and organizations can take steps to shift resources, policies, and practices to create a more equitable and just future.

The celebration was also headlined by talented local artists representing nonprofit arts organizations across the region -- including a lively musical performance from the East of the River Steelband, a program that incorporates the history and culture of traditional steelpan music of Trinidad and Tobago with a high-quality arts experience for youth in Wards 7 and 8. The performance, which kicked off the evening, had guests dancing in the aisles to a steelpan rendition of “This is How We Do it” by Montell Jordan.

The program also featured a moving spoken word performance from Fella Morgan-Bey, a writer, spoken word performer, and published author. Presented by BlackRock Center for the Arts, Fella regaled the crowd with an original piece called “Who Done It”.

Following the program, Words, Beats & Life presented a slam poetry performance by Elana Ernst, Kashvi Ramani, and Sarina Patel, three youth poet laureates from DC, Arlington County, and Montgomery County. 

As participants enjoyed cocktails, delicious food from Spilled Milk Catering, they also grooved to a "canvas" of African rhythms from Sahel, a band representing the African diaspora.

Sahel was immediately followed by Gerson Lanza and Friends — a duo composed of Ana Tomioshi and Gerson Lanza, two leading tap dance artists — who led participants on a journey of dance, music, and song. These final two performances were presented by EducArte, Inc, a Prince George’s County-based arts education nonprofit dedicated to fostering diversity and cultural vibrancy in the arts.

Throughout the night, guests participated in a Together, We Prosper polaroid photo wall activation and experienced Life Pieces To Masterpieces’ art gallery displaying its students' artistic masterpieces that tell profound and inspiring stories.

The Community Foundation’s hope is that the Celebration serves not just as a reminder of what our region has already achieved — but also as an exciting preamble to the unlimited potential that we can unlock by working together. As we prepare to celebrate The Community Foundation’s 50th anniversary next year, we are excited about what we can accomplish together for our community over the next 50 years.

Thank you for your continued support of The Community Foundation! Together, we will build more equitable, just, and thriving communities where everyone prospers. 

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Quarterly Community Update

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Dear Friends of the Community Foundation,

I hope this note finds you doing well and enjoying some nice spring weather.

We are grateful to be your trusted philanthropic partner and proud of what we have accomplished together for our community. Last fiscal year, our community of givers collectively awarded more than $92 million in grants to nonprofits addressing the most pressing needs of this region. This was also a record year of growth for The Community Foundation, as we welcomed 54 new funds and surpassed over $517 million in assets due to your generosity and investment in our new strategic vision and broader community impact.

Last quarter, our ongoing work to support and strengthen this community included:

  • Reactivating Equity Hubs in Montgomery County, a proven program to support virtual learning for children and their families that was launched during the pandemic by our Children’s Opportunity Fund, County government, and several partners.

  • Launching a new cohort of the Emerging Leaders Impact Fund, a giving circle that involves and inspires young professionals to create positive impact in Prince George’s County through philanthropy.

  • Releasing a second round of Housing Justice grants in honor of Waldon Adams from our Partnership to End Homelessness to support seven organizations and coalitions leading systems change efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing in DC.

  • Welcoming the historic $95 million Health Equity Fund to our philanthropic family. The purpose of this transformative fund is to improve the health outcomes and health equity of DC residents.

Over the last year, we’ve taken additional steps to align our core business with our vision for a just and equitable region, while also enhancing our investment management services to help meet your objectives. In partnership with SEI, a leading global investment management firm that serves as our Outsourced Chief Investment Officer, we have broadened the asset allocation for endowed funds that were invested in our Combined Investment Fund to expand return potential while managing risk across a variety of market environments. 

With the start of a new fiscal year, we have also adjusted our support fees structure for endowed funds to help more of our donors support this community now and for generations to come. And we recently updated our Investment Policy Statement to outline our approach to exercising socially responsible stewardship in managing financial resources, including a “Do No Harm” policy that prohibits funding to organizations designated as hate groups.

Thanks to your generosity and the inspiring service of our community partners, I am hopeful about what we can accomplish together in the year ahead.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO
Greater Washington Community Foundation

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Faces of Sharing – Getting to Know Sharing Montgomery Committee Member, Pam Saussy

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Pam & Gordon Saussy

Making an Impact from Both Sides of the Table

At the start of 2020, Sharing Montgomery Committee member Pam Saussy and her husband Gordon decided to take their financial giving to the next level. The couple opened a donor-advised fund with the Greater Washington Community Foundation. There was only one problem.

“My husband and I had a particular cause in mind that we wanted to fund, but I needed to get more familiar with which organizations were operating in that area, in Montgomery County.”

Pam is no stranger to the Greater Washington Community Foundation – or the grantmaking process, for that matter.

For ten years, Pam served as the Executive Director of the Literacy Council of Montgomery County – a nonprofit providing literacy and workforce development training to under-served adults. During that time, she applied for – and received – multiple grants from The Community Foundation, including several from the Sharing Montgomery Fund.

So you can imagine her excitement when she was invited to join a Sharing Montgomery Fund Committee – only this time she’d be helping to evaluate and approve grants, instead of requesting one.

“It was exciting to be on the other side of things,” Pam shares. “It gave me a way to dive in and be more purposeful about my giving, while learning about other nonprofits at the same time.”

Because she joined at the height of the pandemic, Pam was able to attend almost all of the virtual site visits. Thanks to the grantmaking process, she was then able to identify two nonprofits that aligned with the cause that she and her husband had chosen.

“Being part of Sharing Montgomery gave me a clearer sense of what my options were in terms of where we could make the biggest difference. We’re excited to support these nonprofits through our Donor-Advised Fund – and are grateful for Sharing Montgomery for helping us make this connection.”

However, Pam told me that one of the most impactful parts of her Sharing Montgomery experience was gaining a new perspective on grantmaking.

“Applying for grants can be a little daunting,” Pam told me. “I think a lot of times as a nonprofit, you feel like you never want to show your vulnerability to a potential funder; which can sometimes prevent you from having candid conversations about the challenges you’re facing, with people who really just want to help you achieve your goals.”

“Being a part of Sharing Montgomery helped me see that the grantmaking process is really supposed to be more of a two-way street.”

The Sharing Community Funds bring together donors who share our passion for building more equitable, just, and thriving communities.  With expert facilitation by Community Foundation staff, donors join together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing our community. Thanks to the generosity of this growing community of givers, together we discover and invest in visionary nonprofits working on the frontlines of our region’s most pressing needs.

Want to get involved? The Sharing Montgomery Fund Committee welcomes new members. Contact Kate Daniels ([email protected])  to find out more about how you can be a part of this impactful fund!

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Local Nonprofit Leaders Explain Impact of Sharing Community Funds

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The Greater Washington Community Foundation recently announced close to $1.1 million in grants awarded through it’s Sharing Community Funds this past cycle.

Sharing Community Funds are designed bring donors together to invest in the issues and organizations that make the most impact in their neighborhood. We facilitate education and civic engagement around local issues – allowing donors to learn, first-hand, about the challenges facing the most marginalized residents in their communities. Donors then have the opportunity to join other donors and Community Foundation staff for a grant review process, as together we identify and fund the organizations working to resolve those challenges.

We reached out to Sharing Community Fund Nonprofit Partners to ask them what impact this funding will have on their organization. Here are quotes from a few of those organizations. Click here for the complete list of Sharing Community Fund Nonprofit Partners.

Sharing DC

“Sharing DC will allow Dreaming Out Loud to continue building capacity towards transforming the regional food system and food economy to benefit communities that have traditionally been excluded from both access and economic opportunity. With new staff, including a Sales Manager and Wholesale Manager, we’ll be able to procure more produce and products from Black farmers and sold into our Black Farm Community Supported Agriculture Program, DC school food, and other channels that reach communities where they live, work, and play — meanwhile creating living wage jobs within the community. 

This next year we look forward to growing our capacity to better communicate our impact in bringing good food jobs to communities that regularly face double-digit unemployment. Our impact will contribute to modeling an equitable recovery that forces a conversation and deeply needed, radical policy initiatives to repair communities — like holistic and comprehensive reparations.”

— Christopher Bradshaw, Founder & Executive Director, Dreaming Out Loud, Inc.

“Support from Sharing DC allows Empower DC to build on recent successes in the areas of equitable development, environmental justice and racial equity. Policy victories are hard fought and deserve to be celebrated - but the often less visible work to fund, implement and enforce new policies is just as critical.

Over the next year Empower DC will be organizing to ensure that Ivy City's long awaited Crummell School Community Center and the community's first ever Small Area Plan reflect the needs and priorities of longtime residents to secure affordable housing and address environmental issues. We'll also be working to ensure meaningful implementation of the new policies we secured in the city's Comprehensive Plan requiring racial equity analysis in planning and zoning.

This work, and our ongoing grassroots organizing efforts to improve public housing and advance environmental justice, is not possible without the support we are receiving from Sharing DC and other likeminded funding initiatives.”

— Parisa Norouzi, Executive Director, Empower DC

Sharing Prince George’s

“Community Crisis Services Inc. (CCSI) would like to thank The Greater Washington Community Foundation and the Sharing Prince George’s County Fund for their continued support of CCSI programming.

Funding from the Sharing Prince George’s Fund has allowed CCSI the ability to support those in crisis through rental assistance; meals, clothing, transportation and personal needs for the guests at our Warm Nights Homeless and Safe Passages Domestic Violence Safe House shelter programs; the expansion of our domestic violence and suicide prevention ‘Chat’ services and our ability to launch the CrisisMInd Mobile Crisis Unit in Prince George’s County.

CCSI could not continue the life-changing programming we offer without funding from organizations such as The Greater Washington Community Foundation, and grants such as Sharing Prince George’s. We understand what a privilege and honor it is to receive funding, and work diligently to create an empathetic, compassionate experience for our shelter guests, callers and ‘Chat’ responders.”

-– Bill Leary, Development Director, Community Crisis Services, Inc.

“The objectives of the Sharing Prince George's Fund align directly with the strategic vision and work of CASA as we jointly endeavor to address the racial wealth gap and ensure an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The essential support CASA will receive through the Fund will provide critical employment, legal and educational services to BIPOC communities within Prince George's County that have long experienced structural barriers that impeded their full potential to thrive. Working together and thanks to these resources, we expect to significantly contribute to strengthening the resiliency of this community.”

–-George Escobar, Chief of Programs and Services, CASA


Sharing Montgomery

“Sharing Montgomery and The Community Foundation in Montgomery County have been incredibly powerful and generous partners for CollegeTracks as we have grown and thrived.  Their support has given us a strong, local partner who understands the communities we are serving and shares our vision of a more just and equitable future for our County.  Not only have our Sharing Montgomery grants been a great asset in our work, but their grants process puts us in touch with stakeholders across our community who have become supporters, partners, and transformative Board members for CollegeTracks as well.  We would not be in the strong position we are in without Sharing Montgomery and The Community Foundation in Montgomery County, and we are deeply grateful to the Community Foundation's team and community!”

-- Mecha Inman | Chief Executive Officer, CollegeTracks

“The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Sharing Montgomery and other COVID-related relief grants were the catalysts to CareerCatcher’s ability to offer expanded services to more clients at the start of the pandemic. In 2020, with their support, we added staff to help Montgomery County residents address their immediate and critical needs, assisting residents with receiving cash payments through the County’s Emergency Assistance Relief Payment program; filing for expanded Unemployment Benefits; improving their skills through training; increasing our outreach; and serving 50% more people than the year before. This initial and ongoing support from GWCF allows CareerCatchers to continue to offer expanded services to more residents as COVID-19 economic restrictions are eased and to help clients get back into the workforce.”

-- Mariana A. McNeill, Executive Director, The CareerCatchers, Inc.

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Community Foundation's Sharing Community Funds Announce $1.1 Million in Funding for Regional Nonprofits

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The Greater Washington Community Foundation is excited to announce close to $1.1 million in grants awarded through it’s Sharing Community Funds this past cycle.

The Sharing Community Funds bring together donors who share our passion for building more equitable, just, and thriving communities.  With expert facilitation by Community Foundation staff, donors join together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing our community. Thanks to the generosity of this growing community of givers, together we discover and invest in visionary nonprofits working on the frontlines of our region’s most pressing needs.   

See below for a complete list of our nonprofit partners for 2022.

2022 Sharing DC Nonprofit Partners

  • Dreaming Out Loud to create economic opportunity for DC’s marginalized communities through creating a healthy, equitable food system by driving a new framework for sustainable economic development for Black and Brown DC residents, food entrepreneurs, and farmers in our region.

    Empower DC to enhance, improve and promote the self-advocacy of low- and moderate-income DC residents through grassroots organizing, popular education style training, leadership development, and member-led campaigns strategically designed to influence pressing social issues impacting our constituency.

  • Ayuda to advocate for low-income immigrants through direct legal, social and language services, training, and outreach in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

    Bread for the City to help Washington, DC residents living with low income to develop their power to determine the future of their own communities by providing food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services, to reduce the burden of poverty, in addition to community organizing and public advocacy.

    First Shift to help working parents in low wage jobs assert their workplace rights to prevent job loss by focusing on legal issues including paid sick time; family medical leave; D.C. paid family leave benefits; workplace discrimination based on pregnancy, family responsibilities, or domestic violence.

    SMYAL to support and empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. SMYAL’s goal is to create opportunities for LGBTQ youth to build self-confidence, develop critical life skills, and engage their peers through service and advocacy.

 

2022 Sharing Prince George’s Nonprofit Partners

  • Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Prince George’s County to partner with the juvenile court to improve the lives of children living in foster care who have suffered from abuse and neglect. With a strong commitment to diversity, CASA/ Prince George’s County trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child’s individual needs. By providing a voice to children in the foster care system, it’s goal is to help children and promote the timely placement of those they serve in safe, permanent homes.

    CASA de Maryland, Inc. to create a more just society by building power and improving the quality of life in working class and immigrant communities. Their vision is for a future in which immigrants stand in their own power, their families live free from discrimination and fear, and diverse communities thrive as they work with partners to achieve full human rights for all.

    Community Crisis Services Inc. to provide compassionate crisis support through its hotline, safe-shelter programs and information and referral services.

    Hillside Work Scholarship Connection to provide compassionate crisis support through its hotline, safe-shelter programs and information and referral services.

    Community and Family Youth Services (CAFY) to guide child crime victims in Prince George’s County through the process of testifying in court. CAFY empowers victims and their families to gain the confidence to help hold offenders accountable, restore families and educate the community. They are the designated victim services provider for the four largest law enforcement departments in Prince George’s County. Their mission is “to embrace, educate, and empower those impacted, affected or harmed by crime or trauma on their journey to justice and healing”. All victims are embraced – irrespective of age, gender, religion, ethnic background or sexual orientation.

 

2022 Sharing Montgomery Nonprofit Partners

  • Black and Brown Coalition to engage underserved families to advocate for federal, state, and local supports of intensive and research-based academic interventions targeted toward students with the greatest need.

    Montgomery County Food Council to build a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable local food system. Its leadership helps the many county food providers strategically work together to better serve the 100,000+ residents who do not know where their next meal will come from.

  • Asian American LEAD for academic support and enrichment for children of low‐income Asian American families.

    BlackRock Center for the Arts to support arts access celebrating diversity, along with COVID-19 response to address community need for food and other essentials through the new Consolidation Hub.

    Care for Your Health for culturally sensitive in-home health care for seniors.

    Career Catchers to provide personalized employment and job skills counseling for low-income and chronically under-employed residents.

    Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research (CHEER) to fund healthy food delivery and other health supports to people with diabetes and those severely hit by COVID-19.

    CollegeTracks to improve college access and retention rates for students at risk of not attending college, primarily first-generation, low-income, minority, and immigrant youth.

    Community Bridges, Inc to empower girls in elementary, middle and high schools through leadership development, college and career readiness, and family support and mentoring.

    Crittenton Services Greater Washington to help teenage girls achieve academic and personal success through virtual and school-based cohort programs.

    EveryMind to provide community-based mental health and social services, life-saving crisis prevention and intervention work, service coordination for veterans, and community education and advocacy.

    Future Link to provide career counseling, mentoring, tutoring, academic advising, scholarships and internships to help connect disadvantaged youth to post-secondary educational opportunities.

    Generation Hope to mentor and provide scholarships for teen parents pursuing college degrees. It also delivers early childhood resources, so scholars children begin kindergarten with a strong academic foundation.

    Horizons Greater Washington supports students from low-income families with academic, artistic and athletic activities for nine years, from kindergarten through eighth grade. 

    Identity, Inc to serve Latino and other historically underserved youths and their families. Identity helps youths develop social and emotional skills, excel in school, and get ready to enter the workforce.

    IMPACT Silver Spring to fund community-building work for a racially and economically equitable community in which people can take collaborative action to enact lasting change.

    Interfaith Works to provide emergency assistance and counseling, vocational services, food distributions, clothing, and shelter for those experiencing homelessness.

    Latino Student Fund to provide year-round, out-of-school programs to ensure a strong academic foundation for underserved pre-K through 12th grade students.

    Mary's Center for health care, education, social services, and ongoing COVID-19 response that builds a healthier and stronger community.

    Mobile Medical Care, Inc to support health care, medications, and ongoing COVID-19 supports for low-income, homeless, uninsured, and underinsured individuals including those with chronic health conditions.

    Montgomery Housing Partnership, Inc to develop affordable rental housing and offer Community Life programs that support young children and their families at home, ultimately strengthening neighborhoods.

    Montgomery Moving Forward to convene leaders from government, business, philanthropy, education, and nonprofits to solve complex problems facing the county.  Through capacity building programs, MMF’s leaders advocate around pressing issues of economic opportunity and early childhood education. 

    National Alliance on Mental Illness of Montgomery County (NAMI MC) to provide comprehensive support, education, advocacy and public awareness to promote recovery for those affected by mental illness.

    Nonprofit Montgomery to support local organizations with government relations, advocacy, strategic communications, financial management, metrics tracking, and cross-sector problem solving. With this support, grantees of Sharing Montgomery can access personalized support and connections to help deepen their impact.

    Nonprofit Village to provide low-cost shared office space plus capacity building resources that help organizations launch and grow. With this support, grantees of Sharing Montgomery can connect with peers and gain supports to advance their work.

    Rainbow Community Development Corporation to fund food security relief and other services including eviction and utility cutoff prevention, and temporary shelter, job search and resume assistance.

    Red Wiggler Community Farm to support on-farm training and education for adults with developmental disabilities. Half of its organic produce is donated to low-income households throughout the county.

    Shepherd's Table to provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to people experiencing food insecurity and provide free eye exams, eyeglasses, and eye treatment to those otherwise unable to access care.

    Sheppard Pratt (formerly Family Services) for clinical health services, rehabilitation services, services to children youth and families, and community and family services such as Linkages to Learning and domestic violence supports. 

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On National Service Recognition Day, AmeriCorps VISTA Member Shares Her Passion for Service

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We are excited to celebrate National Service Recognition Day at The Community Foundation!

This annual day recognizes thousands of AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers across the country, issuing official proclamations and taking to social media in a nationwide show of appreciation. AmeriCorps, a US civil society program, pairs individuals in volunteer service positions at organizations throughout the country. 

This year, The Community Foundation is proud to host Grace Kim, an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) member. Below, meet Grace and learn what national service means to her.

 ‘Building a Community of Learning’ 

Grace Kim started her AmeriCorps service at the Children's Opportunity Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation, in August 2021. After she graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, she taught English to university students in Mexico as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Due to the pandemic, she returned stateside and continued her work in the nonprofit sector.

 Prior to working with the Community Foundation, Grace worked with non-governmental organizations in Guatemala, Haiti, and the United States. She believes that community development is a means to expand more opportunities and level the playing field. Her passion is to encourage others in becoming the best versions of themselves so that they can thrive - and hope they do the same for the people in their lives.

“Since I grew up in Montgomery County, it has been especially meaningful to serve as an AmeriCorps member at the Children's Opportunity Fund, an initiative of The Greater Washington Community Foundation. Working here has been a learning experience that I'll always look back on. I now have a better understanding of the power that comes from the collaboration of public and private partners in figuring out solutions that can lead to social impact. 

Though I've enjoyed my service overall, my favorite part has been talking to community members who are passionate about children and their education. Their insight on the achievement and opportunity gaps highlighted the role we all play in shaping the lives of children - our future is figuratively in their hands. Encouraging children to read early expands their understanding of the world and boosts their imagination. For that reason, I decided to focus on cultural relevance while planning Read Across America Day. By drawing from different cultural backgrounds that children may have, they become more open to reading, which in turn, facilitates their learning. I believe that it's important to be mindful when coming together as a community to support another generation of lifelong learners.”

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What a Wonderful World! A Celebration of Cultural Relevancy in Education Through Reading in Montgomery County

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By Grace Kim, AmeriCorps member at The Community Foundation

On March 2, 2022, the Children’s Opportunity Fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation hosted a social media event ‘What a Wonderful World! A Celebration of Cultural Relevancy in Education through Reading in Montgomery County’.

The event was part of Read Across America Day -- the nation’s largest celebration of reading which inspires individuals, both young and old, to pick up a book and read.

This event was completely virtual, with videos being released on our social media platforms (@communityfndn) at the top of each hour from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Some inspiring takeaways from our spotlights were:

  • Helen Winder, program coordinator for Wheaton Woods Imagination Library program, explained how "culturally relevant books help children shape their identities." The Wheaton Woods Imagination Library program coordinator, provides free books for young students ages 0-5.

  • Cultural relevancy is "not a zero-sum game" where "some groups will lose and others will gain. No one loses, we all gain," from Diego Uruburu, who co-founded the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Excellence and Equity and is the Executive Director of Identity Youth.​

  • Shebra Evans, member of the MCPS Board of Education, shed light on the school district's "asset-approach to expanding culturally relevant literacy into the instruction and that means that we are viewing the skills, knowledge, background that each of our students bring to their educational experience and that we value it."

  • Myrna Peralta of CentroNía explained the influence of linguistic diversity on which educational resources are brought to classrooms with different language-speaking instructors. She also shared that it's a "natural developmental requirement that we acknowledge and promote the diversity with our children from a very early age." CentroNía incorporates bilingual and multicultural supports to provide quality early childhood education to students.

  • For the last segment of the event, Montgomery County Council President Gabe Albornoz and MCPS Principal Shawaan Robinson read aloud Juana Martinez-Neal’s book, Alma and Her Name, in Spanish and English respectively.

Parents, students, and educators were encouraged to participate by using the hashtag ‘#ReadAcrossMoCo’ on social media. See below for the complete list of videos!

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - Story Tapestries

In this video, we spotlight nonprofit partner, Story Tapestries, and the creative ways that they promote cultural relevancy in learning.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - Imagination Library

In this video, Helen Winder, Montgomery County Public School Parent Community Coordinator shares the impact that Wheaton Woods Imagination Library is having in the lives of children at Wheaton Woods Elementary.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity & Excellence

In this video, Diego Uruburu, co-founder of Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence shares what it means to be culturally relevant.

Community Partner Spotlight - Shebra Evans

In this video, Shebra Evans, Montgomery County (MD) Board of Education Member shares why cultural relevancy and literacy are so important to Montgomery County Public Schools.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - ISPOT

In this video, one family shares the impact that ISPOT, a Children's Opportunity Fund nonprofit partner, has had on their learning experience.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - CentroNia

In this video, Myrna Peralta, President and CEO of CentroNía shares the importance of incorporating cultural relevancy into everyday classroom learning.

Nonprofit Partner Spotlight - Arts on the Block

In this video, Chris Barclay, Interim Executive Director at Arts on the Block explains how their program is supporting culturally relevant learning through the arts.

Read-Aloud in Spanish & English

In this video, Gabe Albornoz, Montgomery County (MD) Council President and Shawaan Robinson, Montgomery County (MD) Public School Principal read "Alma and How She Got Her Name" by Juana Martinez-Neal.

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Children's Opportunity Fund and Partners Reactivate Equity Hubs

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Recent school closures across Montgomery County, due to the Omnicron variant of COVID-19, led Montgomery County Public Schools to turn to the Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF) at the Greater Washington Community Foundation and its partners to reactivate a proven program to support virtual learning for children and their families.

Initially launched in the Fall of 2020, the Educational Enrichment and Equity Hubs program provides a safe, structured learning environment for children from low-income families who lack internet access or technical support at home.

Each equity hub follows strict safety protocols and has adult staff on-site to support virtual learning and after-school programming. Last year, the program served more than 1,500 students at 70 different locations throughout Montgomery County. For more information about the Equity Hubs Program, click here!

Although the pandemic and necessity of virtual learning may be temporary, the Greater Washington Community Foundation recognizes that many of the challenges that students and families face are not. The Children’s Opportunity Fund will continue working with the community and its partners to understand the evolving needs of the most marginalized youth and families in order to close the opportunity gap in Montgomery County.  

The Children’s Opportunity Fund can only do this work with the help of cross-sector partners across Montgomery County. You can play an active role in ensuring that young people continue to have access to safe, quality learning opportunities and enrichments that support their academic and personal development, regardless of socio-economic status, race, or housing situation. Join us to ensure that all children have access to the essential services and growth opportunities they need to thrive.

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2022 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year Award Nominations Now Open!

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Kevin Beverly, 2021 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year

Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year, Kevin Beverly with Montgomery County Advisory Board Vice Chair, Catherine Leggett, at the 2021 Celebration of Giving.

Nomination Guidelines

Purpose: To honor an individual who has made a positive impact in our community through giving, and whose philanthropic leadership sets an inspiring example for us all. 

Nomination Process

Complete the official nomination form and submit a letter (2 pages max) explaining why your nominee should be selected as the Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year. 

Please note: The cover form must be completed in its entirety. The 2-page letter must convey that the nominee meets all the eligibility criteria. Nominators are welcome to submit attachments that will help convey the impact of the nominee’s giving and philanthropic leadership. However, the Selection Committee will not accept nominations which rely solely on resumes, newspaper articles, annual reports, or the like in substitution for concise responses to the criteria outlined above.  

When feasible, nominators are welcome to team up with other organizations to submit a joint nomination that will more fully articulate the nominee’s philanthropic leadership and impact. 

Pending review by the Philanthropist of the Year Selection Committee, The Community Foundation staff may contact you for additional information. 

For inspiration, look no further than our past Philanthropist of the Year honorees.

 
 

Eligibility Criteria

All nominees must:

  • Be a resident of Montgomery County

  • Have a demonstrated track record of charitable giving to one or more nonprofit organizations based in and working in Montgomery County*

  • Have made a positive impact in the lives of county residents through their giving*

  • Encourage/motivate others to become philanthropic

Please note: We encourage nominators to give special emphasis to any extraordinary giving and/or leadership over the past year which helped your organization adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and/or advance work related to racial equity and inclusion. Please know, the level of charitable dollars given is secondary to its impact and potential to inspire others to follow suit. Creative approaches to philanthropy are welcome! Nominees may be of any age.

In exceptional circumstances, the Selection Committee may consider a former resident, a family unit, or a philanthropist who is deceased. 

Deadline: Wednesday, March 16, 2022

The nomination form, letter, and any additional attachments must be submitted via email by close of business on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 to:

Kate Daniel
Donor Services Associate, Montgomery County
[email protected]

All nominators will receive confirmation that the nomination has been submitted within 24 hours of receipt. The Community Foundation will contact the selected awardee(s) and their nominator by June. All other nominations will remain confidential.

Questions: Contact Kate Daniel at [email protected] or 301-495-3036 x169.

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Quarterly Community Update

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Dear friends of The Community Foundation,

I hope you and your family had a safe and healthy holiday season and a happy new year!

Thanks to the continued compassion and care of our community of givers during a time of deep uncertainty, 2021 was another record year for generosity in Greater Washington. In 2021, we welcomed more than 51 new funds to our Community Foundation family and our donors collectively invested more than $86 million to support nonprofits responding to critical needs, nurturing an equitable recovery, and working to strengthen our region and beyond.

If you plan to continue or grow your giving in the year ahead, please make sure to follow our updated gift transmission guidelines for a variety of ways to contribute to your fund at The Community Foundation. It is crucial that you follow these instructions – especially including the fund name along with your contribution – to ensure timely processing of your gift. If you have any questions or need assistance with your gift, please contact us at 202-955-5890 or [email protected].

At The Community Foundation, we are grateful to be your trusted philanthropic partner and proud of what we have accomplished together for our community. In 2021, your support enabled us to:

As we embark on our new 10-year strategic vision, we plan to engage our entire community in discussions about how we will work together to co-create a brighter future for our region where people of all races, places, and identities reach their full potential and prosper. From our quarterly book club convenings to our grantmaking and investment strategies, we are committed to fully embodying the values of racial equity and inclusion in all aspects of our work and operations. For example, our new Investment Policy Statement outlines our approach to exercising competent and socially responsible stewardship in managing financial resources in alignment with our vision for a just and equitable region.

Thanks to your generosity and the inspiring service of our community partners, I am hopeful about what we can accomplish together in the year ahead. There will be challenges still to come, but I am confident we can continue to get through them together.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

P.S. In case you missed it, our OCIO recently recorded this video to share an investment outlook and performance update.

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Top 10 Milestones to Remember: 2021 in Review

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Now that 2021 is over, we’re reflecting on and celebrating our most impactful stories from the past year – from releasing our new strategic vision, to historic investments in Black-led change, to a $1 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott that boosted our recovery work for local arts groups. Here are some of our most meaningful milestones from 2021. 

Together, We Prosper: Launching a New Strategic Vision for Closing Our Community’s Racial Wealth Gap

In October, we shared the culmination of months of deep heart work: our 10-year strategic vision to close our region’s racial wealth gap. First unveiled at our annual meeting, the vision centers on three core leadership pillars: leading with racial equity and inclusion, aligning business with values, and closing the racial wealth gap. We envision a future where all have the opportunity to prosper – and know together, we can realize this vision as reality.

Celebrating Our Community’s Champions

View a recording of our Celebration of Community Champions program.

In May, our virtual Celebration of Community Champions lifted up our collective COVID-19 response efforts and the everyday heroes – local individuals and companies – who stepped up for our region in exceptional ways. We were proud to highlight Feed the Fight as our Community Hero; Food for Montgomery as our Collaborative Hero; CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield as our Corporate Hero; and Dr. Monica Goldson, Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. (in memoriam), Steve Proctor, and Dr. Alvin Thornton as our Civic Heroes. The evening also featured special performances from Arts on the Block, DC Jazz Festival, the Prince George’s County Youth Poet Laureate, and Synetic Theater.

Historic Investments in Black Leaders and Black-Led Nonprofits

Jawanna Hardy, a US Air Force veteran, leads an outreach program providing resources to communities affected by youth homicide, suicide, and mental health illnesses.

We were proud to make several historic investments in Black-led change impacting our region. Through our Black Voices for Black Justice Fellows, an initiative launched in 2020 with Bridge Alliance Education Fund and GOODProjects, we selected 10 inspiring Black leaders and activists on the frontlines of advancing racial equity and social justice. Additionally, a generous gift from Facebook enabled investments of nearly $1 million in 17 Black-led organizations leading systems change work. These awards supported the immediate infrastructure needs of grantees, including staffing, strategic planning, marketing and communications, professional development, and more. 

Direct Cash Transfer as a Vehicle for Speed, Inclusivity, and Equity

During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Community Foundation and many of our philanthropic partners embraced giving directly—transferring cash to people—as an effective and efficient means of providing relief to those hit hard by the sudden economic and health emergency. Since the onset of the pandemic and in partnership with donors, nonprofit organizations, and local government agencies, we facilitated the administration of approximately $26 million in funds, distributed in increments of $50 to $2,500 to approximately 60,000 residents across the Greater Washington region. Urban Institute published a report chronicling the goals, strategies, and short-term achievements of our effort to develop and implement cash transfer strategies at the height of the pandemic. 

Advancing Housing Justice and Preventing Evictions

Housing Counseling Services received a grant to help tenants apply for rental assistance by meeting them where they live, learn, pray, and play.

Our Partnership to End Homelessness continued its critical eviction prevention work in response to the pandemic and economic crisis. Its work to advance housing justice included more than $300,000 in grants to address our region’s housing crisis and inequalities by funding seven nonprofits leading advocacy and organizing efforts. Hear from our Community Investment Officer Jennifer Olney on the Partnership’s eviction prevention work and her explanation of common misperceptions about homelessness – and how you can get involved in helping more people obtain and maintain stable housing during a crisis and beyond.  

Improving Equity and Economic Mobility in Prince George’s County

Jacob’s Ladder was selected by ELIF members to receive a microgrant for its Academic Enrichment Program that provides tutoring, basic literacy skills, and mentoring to students.

Our Emerging Leaders Impact Fund (ELIF), a new giving circle for young professionals in Prince George’s County, announced its inaugural grants to five Prince George’s County nonprofits working to combat chronic absenteeism in County schools. ELIF is currently recruiting new members for 2022; Interested candidates can apply here. While our Equity Fund, which works to eliminate social and economic disparities in Prince George’s County, awarded $440,000 in grants to help 19 nonprofits advance food security, affordable childcare, and workforce equity. These grants were made possible thanks to a generous gift from the Ikea U.S. Community Foundation. 

Increasing Food Security and Educational Equity in Montgomery County

Food for Montgomery received our Collaborative Hero Award for its public-private effort to coordinate and expand food distributions, support local farmers and small businesses, and improve food systems to combat food insecurity in Montgomery County.

Our Children’s Opportunity Fund was recognized by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading as a 2021 Bright Spot community for its COVID-19 response work, including the launch of Educational Enrichment and Equity Hubs. Equity Hubs offered a safe place for low-income students to participate in remote learning during school closures, welcoming more than 1,400 students across 70 sites. Our Food for Montgomery initiative has marshaled the resources of nonprofits, faith communities, local businesses, farmers, and county agencies to increase food access and help families recover from crisis. It has raised and deployed over $2.1 million to double the number of food distribution sites, help sustain local farmers and small businesses, and improve the hunger relief system to meet today’s challenges and future crises. 

Gift From Mackenzie Scott Enables Additional Relief Funding For Local Arts Groups

Dance Institute of Washington received a grant to support its facility renovation and a program evaluation with a focus on racial equity.

Arts Forward Fund was established in partnership with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation to help struggling arts and culture organizations to adapt their programming to survive and recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic. In 2021, the initiative was recognized by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott with a $1 million gift as part of a cohort of equity-focused efforts. Thanks to Scott’s generosity, we were able to award a second round of grants in September 2021, investing in nearly 90 local arts groups. In total, the fund has made nearly $2.7 million in grants to 130+ organizations – 60% of which are BIPOC-led or BIPOC-serving.

Turning Ideas Into Action for Community Change

Learn about several of our Community Action Awards supported projects in this video produced by our partners at Comcast.

As the last step in our three-part VoicesDMV community engagement initiative, we awarded our inaugural Community Action Awards microgrants to 50 local activists, artists, and advocates leading neighborhood-based projects which advance equity and inclusion. Projects included public murals in Brookland, Forest Bathing in Maryland, yoga and dance accessibility, and more. In December, our former Senior Advisor for Impact Benton Murphy reported back how grantees are doing – and the collective impact of these projects - read his post for several inspiring videos and photos. 

Aligning Our Business With Our Values: A New Partnership With SEI

Check out this video featuring our OCIO providing an update on your investment options and their performance.

We believe to truly affect change, our values must inform and drive our actions – and this was the impetus for partnering with SEI as our outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO). The leading global investment firm is known for its focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, values we wholeheartedly share. As an OCIO with 450+ clients worldwide – more than 170 of which are nonprofits – SEI serves as an extension of our staff, providing world-class investment expertise and constant focus on managing the charitable funds you have entrusted to us. Check out this new video featuring our OCIO providing an update on your investment options and the performance of our investment portfolio.

In Memoriam: Diane Bernstein, Jane Bainum, Milt Peterson, Senator Mike Miller, Waldon and Rhonda

As a member of our Partnership to End Homelessness Leadership Council, Waldon Adams was instrumental in our work to ensure everyone has housing they can afford.

Last year, we lost several special members of The Community Foundation family. We pay tribute to former Trustee, donor, and friend Diane Bernstein; Jane Bainum, co-founder of the Bainum Family Foundation and longtime philanthropic partner; Milt Peterson, trusted donor and founder of Peterson Companies; and the beloved Senator Mike Miller, one of our 2021 Civic Hero honorees. We also remember and honor our friends Rhonda Whitaker and Waldon Adams, two tireless advocates for ending homelessness who passed away unexpectedly in April. 

From Crisis to Recovery: A Pivotal Year

You can also view our FY 2021 annual report for more highlights from our crisis to recovery work in 2020-2021.

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The Community Foundation Invests $6.2+ Million in 70 Nonprofits Nurturing Equitable Recovery

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Grants aim to increase food security, close the opportunity gap, support survivors of domestic violence, and build stability for more families.

The region’s largest local funder has announced more than $6.2 million in grants to 70 nonprofits addressing issues facing families and communities in the Greater Washington region as they adapt to a post-pandemic life. 

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is investing in equitable recovery targeting a wide range of challenges, from helping families facing food insecurity, to advancing educational equity, supporting survivors of domestic violence, and building stability for more families. 

These grants represent initial investments that lay the groundwork for The Community Foundation’s new 10-year strategic vision to close the region’s racial wealth gap. The Community Foundation’s new strategy focuses on increasing economic mobility by prioritizing historically underinvested BIPOC neighborhoods that have been systematically denied access to wealth building opportunities. The Community Foundation is specifically interested in neighborhoods and census tracts that are experiencing the highest incidences of system-induced inequities in the areas of health, homeownership, education, employment, income, and life expectancy. 

“The pandemic not only increased demand for housing, food, and educational supports, it also exacerbated and brought longstanding inequities into focus,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “These grants will help our nonprofit partners sustain and continue to adapt their services to support equitable recovery by providing individuals and families with what they need to survive and thrive today and for the long-term.”

 

Food Security

With 1 in 10 Montgomery County residents facing food insecurity due to COVID-19, The Community Foundation’s Food for Montgomery initiative is marshaling the resources of nonprofits, faith communities, local businesses, farmers, and county agencies to increase food access and help families recover from crisis. Grants totaling $959,590 will build the resiliency of 14 nonprofit and faith-based partners to more effectively and efficiently meet the needs throughout Montgomery County.

Afrithrive to support its two-acre farm and community gardening program to engage African immigrants in growing culturally specific produce which is hard to obtain through most food distribution providers. 

American Muslim Senior Society to support staffing, equipment, and cold storage necessary to strengthen its food security work and maximize the power of its volunteer network.

BlackRock Center for the Arts / Up-County Consolidation Hub to hire a bilingual social worker to connect vulnerable families to sustainable food resources and supports that are vital to their recovery.

Celestial Manna for staffing needed to advance food recovery efforts that prevent food waste and save thousands of dollars.

Charles Koiner Center for Urban Farming to support the development of an urban farm and community gardening program in Wheaton, MD that will enable residents to grow their own culturally appropriate food.

Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research (CHEER) to support community-garden work that will engage Long Branch area residents to grow their own food for their community.

Guru Gobind Singh Foundation to support expanded storage that will enable this volunteer-driven effort to sustain its food security work.

Kingdom Fellowship CDC / East County Consolidation Hub to support the development of an innovative cold storage resource to help hub partners prevent waste and distribute food more efficiently. Hub partners include Kingdom Fellowship, Rainbow Community Development Center, Kings & Priests Court Int'l Ministries, and People's Community Baptist Church. 

Manna Food Center, A Place of Hope, Co-Health, Ethiopian Community Center Maryland, Identity, Kings and Priests’ Court International Ministries, and Southern African Community USA to enable outreach partners to connect residents with Manna Food Center’s resources and provide vouchers to purchase culturally specific foods to meet their needs.

The Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland and its partners, the Crossroads Community Food Network and FRESHFARM, to build the capacity of local farmers markets so they can more effectively reach and serve customers that rely on federal nutrition benefits, thereby increasing access to healthy food from local farmers.

Rainbow Community Development Center for staffing necessary to foster resiliency in the East County region through collaborative work with key partners and to sustain the organization’s expansion spurred by the pandemic.

Red Wiggler Community Farm to employ adults with developmental disabilities to grow healthy food for group homes and food distribution partners throughout the county.

Shepherd’s Table to support the necessary equipment and kitchen improvements to sustain and deepen collaborations bringing prepared meals to individuals and families facing food insecurity.

WUMCO for expanded cold storage that will enable the collection of more donations from local farmers and hunters to distribute in the rural, Up-County area. 

 

Education and Literacy

The Community Foundation’s Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF) is a public-private partnership that invests in innovative, evidence-informed efforts targeted at reducing educational disparities to close the opportunity gap in Montgomery County. Reading mastery is a key predictor of a student’s career attainment, and the most critical time to gain these skills is between birth and third grade. Recent grants of $200,000 will further COF’s strategy to improve third grade literacy rates by supporting early literacy programs, tutoring programs, and out of school time activities. 

Kid Museum to create an intentional curriculum for students in Grades K-3 that integrates STEM, literacy, and social emotional learning at Rolling Terrace and Strathmore, two Title 1 Elementary Schools -- in the spring the program will be piloted at additional elementary schools. 

Imagination Library to expand its program developed for children from birth to age 5 in seven zip codes to receive free, high-quality, age-appropriate books delivered to their home every month. 

 

Survivors of Domestic Violence

In partnership with the Prince George’s County Department of Family Services, The Community Foundation administers the Domestic Violence Community Grants Fund to support nonprofits assisting families and survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking to achieve a greater level of independence and self-sufficiency, cope with healing, and rebuild the family unit. Grants of $120,00 to four organizations will support counseling services, housing and transportation, and legal services.

Community Advocates for Family and Youth to support the recently launched Begin Again and Thrive program to address housing needs by providing emergency accommodation, permanent relocation, and financial assistance. 

Community Crisis Services to provide shelter transportation, limited rental support, and to meet individual needs such as school lunches or school supplies for a family or student. 

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County to continue funding a staff attorney position and program offering legal assistance.

House of Ruth Maryland to support the provision of counseling/therapy services including IPV education, safety planning, and trauma reduction. 

 

Children, Youth, and Families

The Community Foundation administers the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families, a five-year initiative, to invest in effective organizations working to make the community more vibrant, healthy, and stable. The 2021 cycle includes nearly $4.8 million in multiyear grants to 50 nonprofits offering housing services, permanency support, academic support, and early career development programs.

826DC to help students improve writing skill development and increase fluency with writing based on the National Writing Project standards.

Adoptions Together to provide training for families interested in fostering and to place foster children in permanent homes.

The Arc of Prince George’s County to support participants of the Ready@21 Program, which helps young adults through career coaching and resume development to increase job readiness, improve college awareness, and develop self-advocacy skills.

Aspire! Afterschool Learning to improve reading instructional level by one grade or more for students in its afterschool care program.

The Barker Adoption Foundation to provide older foster child adoption training and facilitate the placement of older foster children and/or sibling groups.

Bread for the City to support advocacy efforts for families at risk of housing displacement and to provide direct services to families through the Food Program, Clothing Program, Medical Clinic, Social Services Program, and Legal Clinic.

Bright Beginnings to support early childhood development for children ages 0-5.

Carpenter's Shelter to help families who enter shelter to gain stability and transition to permanent housing and sustain independent living.

CASA for Children of DC to provide advocacy support for reunification, adoption, or guardianship for foster youth and workforce development activities for older foster youth.

Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) to provide trainings and support for pre-adoption and post-adoption guardians.

Central American Resource Center to provide financial training and planning to support stable housing for Latino immigrants.

Children's Law Center to provide legal representation for child welfare cases to ensure children are growing up in permanent, stable families.

Community Crisis Services, Inc. to assist households experiencing homelessness and/or domestic violence to access safe, permanent housing.

Community Family Life Services to provide intensive financial coaching, financial case management, and wrap around supports for women seeking housing stability.

Cornerstones, Inc. to provide rental assistance services for at-risk tenants.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/ Prince George's County, Inc. Support the Job Readiness and Transitioning Youth program, which ensures that at youth participants who emancipate will do so with stable housing

Voices for Children Montgomery to provide placement in safe homes for clients at case closure.

DC SAFE to help clients move to safe transitional or permanent housing after their stay in SAFE Space.

DC Volunteer Lawyers Project to offer advocacy and referrals, including enforcing victim rights in housing, employment, and public benefits, as well as provide legal assistance and advocacy with victim legal rights.

DC127 to help teen parents who are aging out of foster care be prepared for a life of independence with stable housing, jobs, and increased access to supportive services.

District Alliance for Safe Housing to help families transition from emergency shelter to more permanent housing with increased economic and housing stability.

District Of Columbia Grassroots Empowerment to help secure long-term housing for residents displaced and impacted by public housing redevelopment.

Doorways for Women and Families to provide re-housing supportive services to help participants achieve stability and transition to permanent housing.

The Dwelling Place, Inc. to help program residents remain stably housed and maintain compliance with program requirements through case management, increasing financial stability, and home visits.

Family & Youth Initiative to assist participant teens in foster care with finding an adoptive family and provide continuing support to participant youth who age out of foster care.

Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso to provide afterschool and summer programs for children in the child welfare system to allow them to develop positive relationships with adults and peers.

Crittenton Services of Greater Washington to increase school attendance, academic engagement, and grade point average for Goal Setting Girls participants.

Foster and Adoptive Parent Advocacy Center (FAPAC) to provide training, peer support, financial stability, and individual advocacy to foster families in DC.

Homeless Children's Playtime Project to provide ongoing play programs and supportive services for homeless children in DC.

Hope And A Home, Inc. to help resident families increase financial stability and make progress towards transitioning into and/or maintain permanent, stable housing.

Horizons Greater Washington to provide literacy and math academic enrichment support for students.

Housing Up to provide employment support, rental assistance, and financial support services for affordable rental housing buildings.

Interfaith Works Inc. to help families experiencing homelessness achieve stability and transition to permanent housing with the assistance of case management and supportive services.

Martha’s Table to support academic enrichment for the six developmental domains — early literacy, early math, language, cognition, physical development, and socioemotional development.

Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc. to support the Home Visiting Program, which encourages early childhood development through reading, storytelling, and singing with young children daily.

Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. to help residents maintain on time rent payments and permanent, stable housing.

My Sister's Place to help residents increase income, provide case management, and transition to transitional or permanent housing.

National Housing Trust Enterprise to help NHT households participate in financial programs and maintain stable housing.

Neighborhood Legal Services Program to host “Know Your Rights” presentations and represent clients in cases involving housing discrimination, illegal eviction, rent increases, housing conditions, voucher termination, and loss of subsidies.

Neighbors Consejo to assist low-income families in transitioning from shelter to rental housing, while helping them improve their personal and financial stability.

Northern Virginia Family Service to provide foster care pre-service training and Resource Parent certification.

One Common Unity to improve course grades, increase class attendance, and reduce punitive disciplinary actions for students in the Fly by Light program.

One World Education to increase research and writing skills as well as social and emotional learning for students.

The Platform of Hope to provide housing, education, employment, family stability, finances, and health support services for low-income families at risk for homelessness.

Prince George's Child Resource Center, Inc. to improve language and cognitive abilities through participation in child development and parent/child learning activities.

Reading Partners to help students meet or exceed their primary, individualized end-of-year literacy growth goal.

Right Beginnings Inc. to provide career development, mentoring, and career counseling to homeless women seeking to increase financial stability to find housing.

Rising for Justice to provide tenant rights educational trainings and legal services for tenants in need of improved housing conditions or facing eviction.

Sasha Bruce Youthwork to help at-risk youth achieve safe and stable living environments.

Stepping Stones Shelter to help resident families increase their income during stay and move on to stable housing utilizing a subsidy program.

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Following up with our Community Action Award Winners

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By Benton Murphy, outgoing Senior Advisor for Impact

Earlier this year, the Community Foundation issued $100,000 in small grant awards to community partners across the region through our Community Action Awards. The Awards were provided to a cohort of 50 activists, artists, and advocates leading neighborhood-based projects that would spark change in their communities. 

The Community Action Awards are part of our three-part VoicesDMV series, a powerful community engagement initiative launched in 2017 to explore our region’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. In 2020, VoicesDMV tapped into Community Insights through a regional survey and convened hundreds of residents from across the region to discuss ways to make our communities stronger through On The Table conversations.

While many of our Awardees are still working to finalize their programs, we are thrilled to share some highlights of some excellent programs that have taken place over the past year.

American University and EL Haynes Public Charter School received an award to support their Action Research for Community Change project. The project, sparked by a conversation that took place as a part of our On the Table day of dialogue in 2020, was an innovative and impactful partnership that paired AU college students and high schoolers at EL Haynes Public Charter School in conversations on race and equity. Students at both institutions participated in virtual classrooms together, co-learning and co-designing a community action research project. AU students developed a curriculum and guide for community action research. EL Haynes students conducted a bilingual survey of the student body with more than half of student responding. Based on student responses, the action researchers made a series of recommendations that yielded commitments from school leadership to hire a new social worker, offer two new elective courses focused on centering Black lives, and a commitment to using student surveys to inform future teacher professional development. What’s more—AU students developed a workbook on action research that the students can use in future years to continue to lift up student voices for change!

The Brem Foundation received an award to provide funding for its Wheels for Women program which helps connect women to breast care appointments. The District of Columbia has the highest death rate for breast cancer in the United States, and despite being diagnosed at the same rate, Black women have a 40% higher death rate from breast cancer than white women. Brem used funds to support 76 one-way rides for women to get to their breast care appointments, the majority of recipients were Black women. Brem also was able to use funds to expand from 8 to 9 community partners for rides, which will be useful for the many recipients who live very far from their health care provider.

IMPACT Silver Spring used its award to support its Sewing Academy for Latina Women. The Academy was the brainchild of IMPACT’s Women’s Empowerment Collective, composed mostly of parents of IMPACT’s youth programming or who became interested through direct outreach at local schools. The award funded the purchase of sewing machines and supplies, as well as compensation for experienced seamstresses who served as instructors in the program. Twenty women registered for the Academy over a six-month period. The women of the Academy both built their sewing skills as well as strong bonds and a new support network. Participants were also supported to participate in civic actions, including providing testimony at Montgomery County Council hearings on the importance of affordable vocational education. When the Academy students gathered with their family, friends, and IMPACT staff for their graduation in July they held a fashion show to showcase the students’ work, with one participant noting: “I made three dresses. I never thought I could do this. I’m making my dreams come true.”

This has been an especially meaningful program for me to take on as I wrap up a 17-year stint here at The Community Foundation to move on to other opportunities. Having led our inaugural Community Action Awards program, it is so wonderful to see how impactful these small-dollar grant awards can be. It is instructive for us as funders and individual donors that even a small gift can be meaningful for those who are striving to make the world a better place for everyone. I am hopeful that you will find our next crop of Awardees as inspiring as I have found this one!

View the Impact of Several Projects

Got You Covered Diaper Bag Project

Live It Learn It for Drew Elementary School

DC KinCare Alliance Relative Caregiver Community Board Outreach and Education Project

Zoom Pals, an intergenerational pilot project in a partnership between American University and Hyattsville Aging and Place

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Meet our 2021 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year, Kevin Beverly

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Kevin Beverly grew up in a segregated community on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Finding inspiration in his mother’s support and older brother’s example, and he left to pursue his higher education goals at the University of Maryland where he met his wife, Diane. After graduation, they moved to Bethesda, Maryland where they raised their two boys. Kevin’s career took him to the World Health Organization, National Library of Medicine, PSI International, Computer Sciences Corporation, BAE Systems, and Abt Associates. He ultimately then came to Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. where he served as Vice President and Executive Vice President from 2003 to 2014 and President & CEO from 2014 to 2020.

Kevin’s thoughtful approach to philanthropy is grounded in a practice of listening and learning from the community. As a corporate leader, Kevin empowered the Social & Scientific Systems employees to shape the company’s giving priorities. Leading by example, he encouraged them to develop relationships with high-impact nonprofits addressing the most pressing needs throughout the community where they lived and worked. From literacy to hunger and much more, Kevin rolled up his sleeves alongside his employees, demonstrating the profound satisfaction and deep impact one can make from investing time, talent, and treasure.

Knowing education was key to his success, Kevin has devoted much of his personal time and resources to advance organizations helping children and youth achieve their full potential. He has chaired the boards of CollegeTracks and Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA and the steering committee for the Children’s Opportunity Fund at The Community Foundation. He also served on many other key youth-focused boards: Boys and Girls Club of Montgomery County, Montgomery Moving Forward, Passion for Learning, and Universities at Shady Grove.  He also chairs the Mission and Oversight Committee on the Board of CareFirst of Maryland.

The Community Foundation also had the great fortune of having Kevin serve two terms and chair our Montgomery County Advisory Board plus serve on our regional Board of Trustees. His leadership has been pivotal in helping more people and businesses learn about the needs in our community and how to make a powerful impact by teaming up with others who care.

We have seen firsthand how his knowledge, keen insights, and strategic thinking enable organizations to tackle problems, reimagine what’s possible, and pursue bold goals for our community. We are especially grateful for how Kevin’s passionate leadership inspires others to join in supporting worthy causes throughout our community.

On behalf of the thousands of lives touched by his leadership and generosity, we congratulate Kevin on being named the 2021 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year. We know his story will continue to inspire many more by showing the powerful difference we all can make when we give where we live.

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Three Ways to Address Hunger Across Our Community

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By Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County

Since the pandemic struck, I have watched with deep admiration as our region’s food security leaders stepped up to the challenge of a lifetime. On top of skyrocketing need, our nonprofits and faith-based partners faced plummeting food donations, massive disruptions to the supply chain, and a significant drop in their volunteer workforce. It was clear that our community had to act fast to prevent our neighbors from going hungry, and we did! 

In addition to the investments from our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, The Community Foundation launched Food for Montgomery, a public-private initiative leading a coordinated response to the hunger crisis. This effort is marshalling over 100 nonprofit & faith-based food distributors, farmers, restaurants, county agencies, and generous donations from hundreds of donors. As a result, we’ve expanded access to healthy foods throughout the county to reach the 1 in 10 residents who otherwise didn’t know where their next meal would come from.

While talking with food security leaders about what they’ve accomplished and their projections for the coming year, I’ve noticed a shared concern. Many vividly recall the lopsided recovery from the 2008 economic downturn, when our lowest-income neighbors were hit the hardest and took the longest to recover. They worry that between the rise in vaccinations and improvements in the economy, donors and volunteers might think the pandemic is effectively over. In truth, our nonprofits and faith-based food distributors are serving thousands of children, seniors, adults, and people with disabilities who are still struggling. This includes many low-income essential workers (who were heralded as heroes just last year) plus families rebounding from the loss of breadwinners and caregivers due to COVID-19. 

After reflecting on the herculean efforts of our food security partners over the last year and the work ahead, I have three pieces of advice for anyone who is passionate about fighting hunger:

Support Creative & Nimble Partnerships

Manna Food Center worked with grassroots leaders, schools, county agencies, faith-communities, farmers, and other nonprofits to get food to those in need.

The most effective organizations foster strategic partnerships with other nonprofits, local businesses, farmers, etc. If you’re thinking about starting a brand new effort, I encourage you to first look into volunteering for an existing organization or explore how you might foster connections between new partners.  For donors, I strongly recommend providing flexible general operating support which was pivotal over the last year, enabling nonprofits to problem-solve quickly and work strategically to increase the number of people they could serve. If you’re looking inspiration, you give to one of The Community Foundation’s strategic response initiatives or browse our grantee lists for vetted organizations you can support directly. 

Invest in Building A More Equitable Food Security System

The deepest impact came from organizations that set racial equity as a top priority guiding all they do. For many, that means taking the time to develop relationships with the people relying on their food distributions. By listening and learning, they’ve continuously improved their services and how they reach people. I’ve also been inspired by nonprofits that partner with grassroots community leaders, empowering them to serve as connectors, identify solutions, and drive change in the neighborhoods where they live. If you are a prospective volunteer or donor, be sure to browse our grantee list to learn about the impact of these organizations. For nonprofit leaders wanting to deepen their impact, be sure to connect with your peers and The Community Foundation so we all can continue to learn together. 

Scale Innovation & Efficiency

Our partners from The Healthcare Initiative Foundation, GRO Consulting, and BlackRock Center for the Arts teamed up to create the very first consolidation hub to connect people to food and other vital supports.

In the early days of the pandemic, many partners across the region could not obtain the food, equipment, and supplies needed to keep their doors open. Fortunately, the advocacy of key local conveners — such as the Montgomery County Food Council and Prince George’s Food Equity Council — enabled nonprofits and faith communities to partner with each other and local government. By working together, we’ve been able to maximize both public and private dollars to meet the need. However, without leadership and investment, there’s a risk that we’ll fall back to the pre-pandemic levels of support to food partners. That was not enough to meet the need back then, let alone now. In addition to supporting vital advocacy and convening partners, all of us — nonprofits, volunteers, and donors — must tell our local government leaders that food security is a top priority that requires system-wide solutions. To learn about some ideas in the works, check out this recent Washington Post article featuring quotes from local government and nonprofit food champions.

One silver lining coming of this crisis is that it forced us to reimagine what’s possible and stretch the limits of what we can achieve.  For those of us who are passionate about food, that means we must continue to work together toward the goal of a community free from food insecurity. 

I hope you will join us in this work!

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Quarterly Update to the Community

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Dear Community Foundation Fundholders,

I hope you and your family are enjoying the beautiful fall weather!

 Thanks to the continued generosity and care of our community of givers, we collectively awarded more than $21 million in grants last quarter to nonprofits working to strengthen our region and beyond.

In August, we were proud to release our 2020-2021 Annual Report and share how we mobilized $40 million in community support to help our neighbors facing hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis. Thanks to the incredible donors, nonprofit partners, and community leaders who stepped up to help us meet this challenge. In case you missed our 2021 Annual Meeting or the release of our Annual Report, you can find the recording and resources here.

Last quarter, our community impact work included:

  • A new partnership between our Food for Montgomery initiative and Feed the Fridge to provide meals for families in need at Mary’s Center.

  • Our Partnership to End Homelessness participated in the White House Eviction Prevention Summit and invested in Housing Counseling Services to help more tenants apply for and access rental assistance.

  • Historic investments to address the infrastructure needs of 17 Black-led organizations, enabled through a generous $1 million gift from Facebook. 

  • Additional investments from Arts Forward Fund totaling nearly $1.7 million to help 89 arts and culture organizations recover from the impact of the pandemic.

  • Welcoming new funds like America Remembers Fund, which supports the “In America: Remember” art exhibition that blanketed the National Mall with 660,000+ white flags, each honoring a person lost to COVID-19.

We were proud to welcome new and diverse leaders to our Board of Trustees, Advisory Boards, and staff.

This month, we are excited to release our new 10-year strategic vision with a sharpened focus on closing the racial wealth gap in our region's underinvested neighborhoods where racialized disparities are the greatest. As we begin this journey, our intent is to engage you and our entire community in conversation to inform our learning journey and align our understanding about the root causes and the most effective solutions for closing the racial wealth gap.

With the end of year approaching, our staff can assist with carrying out your philanthropic goals for 2021. Please be mindful of our December 17 deadline for your year-end grantmaking activities to ensure your nonprofit partners receive their funds by December 31.

Thank you for your continued partnership in serving our community’s needs today, and in building a better tomorrow for the Greater Washington region. 

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

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A Thankful Tribute: Uplifting Community Foundation Trustees

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This fall, we welcomed Sarah Moore Johnson to our Board of Trustees and bid farewell to two long-standing members: Kenny Emson and Mary Pat Alcus. As a warm welcome and thankful tribute, we share their stories below – and celebrate what makes each one of them an invaluable part of The Community Foundation family.

Fueling the Power of Disruption

Sarah Moore Johnson, our newest Trustee, is a passionate champion for racial justice. As a tax and estate planning attorney, she leverages her positions of influence to advocate for racial equity and inclusion.

“I’ve been troubled by how under-represented Black and Latinx communities are in the wealth planning industry,” Sarah says, “and I see a connection between this and the racial wealth gap. Tax policy can be a means of restorative justice.”

As co-chair of The Community Foundation’s Professional Advisor Council, Sarah was inspired by the organization’s focus on racial equity - and knew she must get involved. She joined the Board of Trustees this fall, and hasn’t looked back since.

“I believe in the power of disruption,” Sarah says. “The Community Foundation is positioning itself as an innovation lab for ideas which disrupt the racial wealth gap. It’s exciting to collaborate with talented people who share the same goals.”

Sarah is a founding partner of the law firm Birchstone Moore LLC, and immediate past president of the Washington, DC Estate Planning Council, where she established its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. She’s also spoken out publicly in support of H.R. 40, the House Bill to study reparations for African Americans - and is working with Howard University’s law school to develop an externship program for underserved Black and Latinx communities.

We’re thrilled to welcome Sarah to the board, and look forward to partnering with her to advance racial justice in our community, and beyond.

A Legacy of Impact

“Proud, honored, and excited.” These are the words Kenny Emson, former Community Foundation Trustee and staff member, uses to describe his service.

Emson, who just concluded six years of service on the board, also worked on staff from 1990-2011. During his 20-year tenure as staff, he was Director of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Development Officer, helping grow The Community Foundation’s assets from $15 million to $350 million.

Current staff member Silvana Straw, who joined the organization around the same time as Kenny, salutes his deep expertise and passion for the work:

“Kenny’s strong financial and development expertise, work ethic and people skills, along with his genuine care for the community, is a very important part of The Community Foundation’s success story. He gave so much through the decades, and worked hard and had fun doing it. He was truly mission-driven.”

Kenny will continue to support The Community Foundation through donor stewardship and cultivation. He hopes cultivating additional investments will help propel the organization’s new strategic focus on closing the racial wealth gap.

“My hope (and expectation) is we have just started to scratch the surface,” he says. “I believe The Community Foundation is well-positioned to achieve the growth required to help our community bridge the racial wealth gap.”

Thank you, Kenny, for your words of support and tireless years of service. We will miss you at The Community Foundation - but look forward to nurturing our continued friendship.

Kenny Emson (far left, back row) and Silvana Straw (far right, front row) joined The Community Foundation staff together in 1990.

Kenny Emson (right) pictured with our former CEO Bruce McNamer (center) at the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy.

Head (and Heart) First

Mary Pat Alcus was first introduced to The Community Foundation in 2008 through the mother-daughter giving circle in Montgomery County. A friend invited her and her daughter Claire to join - an experience she says “opened a whole new world.”

Soon after, Mary Pat joined our Sharing Montgomery Grants Committee and the Montgomery County Advisory Board. In 2013, she became a Trustee, eventually chairing the Investment Committee and serving on the Professional Advisors Council, along with other special committees.

“We discovered when Mary Pat makes a commitment, she dives in head (and heart) first,” says Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County at the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

This fall, Mary Pat concluded eight years of board service, with 13 years of volunteering with the organization overall. For her, contributing a professional skill set as an investment advisor was especially meaningful - and helping directly impact the region by providing donors with strong investment results and more philanthropic funds.

“I hope I have demonstrated to my peers that the time, talent and treasure you put into The Community Foundation is deeply rewarding,” says Mary Pat. “I’ve learned so much about the community and its most pressing needs.”

We will be forever grateful to Mary Pat for all the ways she has advanced our mission and impact throughout the community. She truly is a champion of The Community Foundation.

Mother-Daughter Giving Circle donors Mary Pat Alcus (left) and Susan Freed worked with The Community Foundation to establish a legacy of giving–especially giving locally–in a new generation of young women.