Inspiring Emerging Leaders In Prince George's County

Davion Percy (on the far left) poses with other emerging leaders from The Community Foundation’s Advisory Board in Prince George’s County.

Meet Davion Percy, the dynamic leader of The Community Foundation’s new effort to harness the energy of emerging leaders in Prince George’s County to grow and leverage local philanthropy for positive community impact. Members of the Emerging Leaders Impact Fund (ELIF) contribute to a pooled fund, learn about local needs and solutions, and collaborate to determine where to direct funding to high-impact nonprofits.

As Chair, Davion personifies the kind of young leader for whom ELIF was created. A 34-year-old resident of Suitland, Maryland, Davion currently serves as the Vice President of Government Relations at Alexander & Cleaver, PA, one of Maryland’s most highly regarded law firms. He first learned of The Community Foundation when working as Chief of Staff to former Council Member Karen R. Toles, and became more involved in 2019 when he served on the Planning Committee for the 2019 Civic Leadership Awards in Prince George’s County.

Davion’s vision for ELIF is clear.

“Often, residents grow up in Prince George’s County, go off to school, start careers, become successful, and invest their money in communities elsewhere. My hope is that ELIF will position young philanthropists to support community impact initiatives in Prince George’s County. The primary focus for this coming year is to recruit early and substantial investors. I plan to continue to raise awareness about ELIF, encourage emerging leaders to join, and position ELIF to be significantly impactful on our community. Most important, I am looking forward to not only having the conversation about significant needs in our community, but investing in, and implementing actual solutions to the challenges that our communities face.”

“Let’s put our money—and our brains—where our mouths are!”

Most exciting is the opportunity for inaugural members to build the framework of ELIF and help set its course. For a gift of $500, you receive charter member designation, and in partnership with the Executive Committee you can help shape the philanthropic direction of the ELIF. The contributions, financial and otherwise, of this year’s class of emerging leaders will lay the foundation for ELIF’s impact for generations to come.

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Inspired to find out more?

To join ELIF, members contribute an annual membership fee — $500 for charter members, $240 for annual members, or students can join for $120 (just $10 a month!). All contributions are tax-deductible and 90% of every gift supports grants to be distributed by ELIF, while 10% of contributions go to the permanently endowed Fund for Prince George’s County to support a broad range of community needs, projects, and programs. As an ELIF member you will not only join an exclusive network of givers finding solutions to community problems, you will also be connected to organizations doing meaningful work in the County through site visits, member roundtables, nonprofit showcases, special events, and more.

Learn more and join now at https://www.thecommunityfoundation.org/elif.

New Leadership for Advisory Boards in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties

We are excited to introduce Veronica Jeon and Karen Leder as the chairs of our Advisory Boards in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties respectively. They join The Community Foundation’s new leadership team including Katharine Weymouth, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Tonia Wellons, our Interim President and CEO.

Advisory Board members demonstrate their passion for strengthening our community through the gift of their time, energy, and experience. They share knowledge of the challenges and opportunities specific to our local jurisdictions, advise on potential solutions to address community issues, and help grow the spirit of giving in our region.

Please join us in welcoming these dynamic leaders!

Veronica Jeon

Chair, Prince George’s County Advisory Board

Veronica Jeon credits her entrepreneurial parents with shaping her career path: She is president and CEO at V.SJ, Inc., a full-service consultancy specializing in strategic communications, public affairs, and crisis management. Branded as the “Executive Fixer”, Veronica intentionally helps businesses and organizations re-invent, re-emerge and re-position themselves to be more strategic and influential in the marketplace and in their respective industries.

Veronica says, “Community begins at home and what better place to start than where I live, work, and play? I am committed to advocate, lead initiatives and partner to elevate and engage in philanthropy on all levels in Prince George’s County.”

Committed to “paying it forward”, Veronica is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders. She served as co-chair of the 2018 and 2019 Civic Leadership Awards to recognize, honor, and promote outstanding community leadership in Prince George’s County. She has also been involved in helping to develop and launch the Emerging Leaders Impact Fund to encourage collective giving and civic engagement among County residents under the age of 45. She sees great potential in Prince George’s County to expand the culture of philanthropy and connect nonprofits to more growth opportunities.

In addition to her new role as chair of the Advisory Board, Veronica is a member of the Prince George's Healthcare Alliance board, a former board member of the Northern Virginia Urban League, After School All Stars, and Hope Connection, and a former mentor for Ladies America and the After School All Stars.

Karen Leder

Chair, Montgomery County Advisory Board

For two decades, Karen Leder has partnered with The Community Foundation to positively impact the community where she was raised and in turn raised her family. Karen and her husband created a family fund to address their areas of concern including workforce development, healthcare, and education through the Whatever We Imagine scholarship fund. Karen founded Power of Pink to honor her sister, a two-time breast cancer survivor, which raises funds to help women in the Greater Washington region to receive breast cancer education, screenings, and treatment regardless of their ability to pay. This fund has raised over $800,000 for the cause.

“As a philanthropist,” says Karen, “I am impressed with how The Community Foundation listens to the community, specifically through VoicesDMV, to learn about the needs and supports organizations that address those specific needs to create thriving communities. The Community Foundation has helped shine a light on what our region needs to create equity and justice for all.”

As a lifelong resident of the Greater Washington region, Karen has witnessed changes in Montgomery County including an increase in poverty. Through her leadership of the Montgomery County Advisory Board she aims to educate, motivate, and inspire others about the needs in the county and encourage giving that can help level the playing field for all.

2020 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year Award Nominations Now Open!

Our 2019 Montgomery County Philanthropists of the Year, Andy Burness and Hope Gleicher at the 2019 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 a letter explaining why your nominee should be selected as the Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year. 

Please note that the cover form must be completed in its entirety in order for the nomination to be eligible. The Awards 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 below. 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

Note: 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: February 28, 2020

The nomination form and letter must be postmarked or emailed by close of business on Friday, February 28, 2020 to:

The Community Foundation in Montgomery County

Attn: Kate Daniel

8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 202

Silver Spring, MD 20910

[email protected]

The Community Foundation in Montgomery County will contact the selected awardee and their nominator by the end of May. All other nominations will remain confidential.

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

Sponsor the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy

We are pleased to share the sponsorship opportunities for the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy on Thursday, March 12, 2020 at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium! Join us for the largest annual celebration of local philanthropy in our region as we pay tribute to the individuals and organizations that dedicate their time and resources to make our region a more vibrant, equitable, and inclusive place to live.

This year, we are proud to present the 2020 Civic Spirit Award to the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation for its commitment to expanding opportunities for our neighbors and communities to thrive. Mr. and Mrs. Clark believed in quietly and generously giving back to local organizations serving the community where they lived, worked, and achieved their success. Now under the leadership of their daughter, Courtney Clark Pastrick, the Foundation continues this philanthropic legacy by investing in building connections between effort and opportunity to help people achieve their greatest ambitions.

Your purchase of a ticket or sponsorship will support The Community Foundation’s ongoing work in the region. Your support is a critical investment in strengthening our region and creating a brighter future for our most marginalized neighbors.

With your contribution, we can Build Thriving Communities that are rife with opportunity for everyone! Please contact Angela Willingham, Associate Vice President of Development, at [email protected], if you have any questions.

The Partnership to End Homelessness Awards First Grants to Local Nonprofits Housing Single Adults

The Partnership to End Homelessness is excited to announce the first round of grants for “flex funding” programs at local nonprofits that provide Permanent Supportive Housing. Flex funding grants will help expedite housing placement and increase stabilization for single adults that have been matched to housing resources. While rent is covered by government programs, small but critical expenses like moving expenses, fees to obtain identification documents, or transportation to look at available units are not. Many times, these small fees can mean a serious delay in a person securing housing or can put an additional burden on the nonprofit provider.

This two-year pilot program seeks to demonstrate that flex funding can do one or more of the following:

• Reduce the amount of time it takes to place single adults experiencing homelessness into Permanent Supportive Housing

• Decrease the number of single adults experiencing homelessness by helping them obtain and/or maintain Permanent Supportive Housing

Flex funds, specifically for single adults, were identified as a high-need during conversations with District nonprofits, advocates, and government agencies. Because fewer resources are available for single adults and the City has prioritized bringing more Permanent Supportive Housing units online this year, these flex funds are both timely and critical to help us reach our goal of ending homelessness in the District.

The Grantmaking Fund is one of the strategic approaches to achieving the Partnership to End Homelessness’ mission to end homelessness in DC. The Fund aims to fill critical funding gaps, support innovative programs, meet emerging needs, build nonprofit provider and developer capacity, and support advocacy efforts.

With the importance of these flex funds in mind, we are proud to award the following organizations up to $50,000 over two years to expedite housing placement and stabilize single adults in Permanent Supportive Housing.

• Friendship Place – Established in 1991, Friendship Place’s mission is to empower people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness to attain stable housing and rebuild their lives.

• Miriam’s Kitchen – Established in 1983, Miriam’s mission is to end chronic homelessness in The District.

• Open Arms Housing Inc. (OAH) – Established in 1997, OAH's mission is to provide permanent homes with supportive services for women experiencing homelessness with a wide range of mental health issues.

• Pathways to Housing DC – Established in 2004, Pathways to Housing DC’s mission is to transform individual lives by ending homelessness and supporting recovery for people with disabilities.

We are incredibly grateful to our donors who have contributed more than $1.8 million to seed the Grantmaking Fund. If you would like to donate to the Partnership, please contact Angela Willingham at [email protected].

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About The Partnership to End Homelessness

The Partnership to End Homelessness, led by the Greater Washington Community Foundation and the District Government’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), brings together the public and private sectors to advance effective and innovative solutions to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring in DC.

What is Permanent Supportive Housing?

If you asked Pathways to Housing DC outreach specialist Waldon Adams what ends homelessness, he’d have a very simple answer. Housing. That’s because it worked for him. For many years, Waldon experienced homelessness, losing jobs and places to stay while battling an addiction to alcohol and drugs. One day, he visited a support center on 14th Street NW and the staff there connected him with his own apartment — with no preconditions. Having his own home gave Waldon stability, and this led to other positive changes in his life. Today, Waldon works to help others like himself exit homelessness by connecting them with housing.

Waldon’s experience — and that of thousands of other people like him in DC — tells us that housing ends homelessness. But what should that housing look like? For many of our neighbors experiencing chronic homelessness, the answer is permanent supportive housing.

Over the course of a year, approximately 4,000 adults experience chronic homelessness in DC.

People experiencing chronic homelessness have been homeless for at least one year, or four times within three years, and they struggle with complex health challenges such as mental illness, addiction, physical disabilities, or other chronic conditions that make them highly vulnerable to becoming homeless. These challenges also create barriers that can make it difficult for them to maintain stable housing.

Permanent supportive housing (or PSH) is a tool to end chronic homelessness. It works by pairing housing with wrap around services to help people experiencing chronic homelessness obtain affordable housing and maintain it long-term. PSH services are voluntary, flexible, and individualized to help people achieve their personal goals, such as stabilizing and improving their health, gaining employment, re-connecting with family, and participating in the community.

The Partnership to End Homelessness seeks to advance data-driven and evidence-based practices — and we know from the evidence that permanent supportive housing works:

• PSH improves long-term housing stability. Studies show that at least 75 percent of people in permanent supportive housing remain in housing for 18 months or longer. In DC, over 97 percent of people who exit the homeless services system to permanent supportive housing maintain their housing for at least six months.

• PSH improves health and well-being. People experiencing chronic homelessness who receive housing combined with supportive services make fewer hospital and emergency room visits and can better access routine mental and physical health supports.

• PSH is cost-effective. People experiencing chronic homelessness are frequent users of emergency services. Studies have shown that providing people with permanent supportive housing lowers public costs on average by nearly 50 percent by reducing use of shelters, hospitals, and jails.

DC has invested in ending chronic homelessness by funding comprehensive street outreach and case management services, creating an coordinated assessment and prioritization strategy to match individuals to permanent supportive housing, and increasing the supply of rental subsidy vouchers. The city has also worked to build strong private sector partnerships with affordable housing developers and property owners. DC incentivizes developers to provide units for permanent supportive housing by financing affordable housing projects and offering backup funding to property owners to cover any the costs of unpaid rent and unit damages.

DC’s strategy to end chronic homelessness in DC is working: since 2015, chronic homelessness has decreased by fifteen percent and 2,540 single adults experiencing chronic homelessness were moved into permanent supportive housing.

Despite this progress, we know that we need more permanent supportive housing in DC to meet the need. Join The Partnership to End Homelessness to increase the supply of Permanent Supportive Housing to #EndHomelessnessDC.

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How You Can Help Create More Permanent Supportive Housing in DC

• Partnership grantees such as Friendship Place, Miriam’s Kitchen, Pathways to Housing DC, and Open Arms Housing — are among many local organizations committed to providing high-quality permanent supportive housing in DC. By investing in The Partnership’s Grantmaking Fund you can support their crucial work while supporting our efforts to create a system that houses people more quickly and has the number of units we need to end homelessness in DC.

• Participating in the Partnership’s Impact Investment can aid in bringing financial resources to assist in the fight to end homelessness and housing insecurity by increasing the production of deeply affordable and supportive housing.

• Advocacy from the community is critical to ensuring that the city continues to invest in permanent supportive housing. Join the Partnership mailing list to be alerted to opportunities for action.

Resilience Fund Announces New Grants to Increase Advocacy, Civic Engagement, and Support for Marginalized Communities

The Resilience Fund has announced a new round of $180,000 in grants to eight local organizations conducting advocacy on behalf of immigrants and asylum seekers, providing outreach and services to marginalized communities, and expanding civic engagement among Hispanic voters. These grants represent our mission to respond to federal policy shifts that are negatively impacting our neighbors and communities in the Greater Washington region.

ADVOCACY

$25,000 grant to Casa de Maryland to respond to the impact of increased immigration enforcement on the African diaspora community in the region. This project will directly engage 250 African immigrant community members in legal rights training and 20 African immigrant community leaders in leadership and advocacy training and will benefit a broader community of immigrants residing in Fairfax County and statewide in Maryland through the achievement of universal representation in immigration proceedings.

$25,000 grant to Crossroads Community Food Network to address the need for increased communication and connection amid heightened anti-immigrant rhetoric and federal policy changes around SNAP and other safety-net programs. This project will serve 4,000+ residents of the Takoma/Langley Crossroads, a mostly immigrant, low-income community that straddles the border of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

ASYLUM SEEKERS

$25,000 grant to Asylum Seeker Assistance Project to provide holistic social services supporting a minimum of 40 formerly detained asylum-seeking men, women, and children living in the region. Through the provision of direct services, education, and community support, ASAP empowers asylum seekers to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose. All services are provided free to clients.

$25,000 grant to Ayuda to support critical client and case needs across three field offices in DC, Maryland, and Virginia to include (but not limited to) asylum seekers, victims of trafficking and other crimes such as domestic violence, and separated families. Ayuda will help clients with the costs of filing fees, expert reports, and psychological evaluations, in addition to other critical support such as transportation expenses, which are necessary for our clients to pursue their legal cases.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

$15,000 to League of Women Voters, Montgomery County to increase voter participation in 2020 among Hispanic voters. League of Women Voters will work with an established local newspaper, El Tiempo Latino, to translate the Voter's Guide into Spanish for each election in 2020. This newspaper is distributed free on a weekly basis at about 300 points in Montgomery County, including bus stops, retail outlets, and metro stations. Its circulation covers about 26% of Hispanic households in the County. This grant will cover election-related activities for both the Primary Election and General Election in 2020.

SUPPORT FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES

$25,000 grant to Identity, Inc. to support emergency family custodial planning for immigrant families impacted by real and threatened immigration policy changes. Identity will facilitate 10 Know-Your-Rights information sessions for at least 300 residents and schedule five day-long follow-up Standby Guardianship Clinics to assist immigrant parents in Montgomery County in preparing Standby Guardianship Forms, thereby legally designating an adult to care for their children in case they are unable to do so due to adverse immigration action.

$25,000 grant to Primary Care Coalition of Montgomery County to hire and manage a Community Health Worker (CHW), who will work from the Montgomery County Public Schools International Admissions and Enrollment (IAE) office in Rockville to serve children and families at a point of entry into the school system that is nearly universal for international students. This CHW is a critical piece of the program design to serve the increasing numbers of children and families settling in the County after emigrating from Central America. Many of these children faced incredibly difficult journeys to get here, and they will need a broad scope of supportive services to achieve healthy development and reach their full potential.

$15,000 grant to Shout Mouse Press, Inc. to support author empowerment, outreach, and advocacy work around two books: a memoir collection by Latinx youth immigrants and an anthology by Muslim American youth. The goal is to change the narrative about marginalized communities by empowering young people to write and publish original stories not being represented in traditional publishing marketplaces. This grant will support outreach to 300+ DMV-area educators and 1400+ local students via author talks and will directly empower 26 Latinx immigrant or Muslim American youth authors via professional development training, speaking opportunities, and scholarship money to support their next steps as leaders changing the narrative about their communities in this country.

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ABOUT THE RESILIENCE FUND

The Resilience Fund was created in early 2017 as a collaborative partnership of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, and other foundation and individual contributors. It seeks to address the critical needs of nonprofits responding to changes in federal policy and budget priorities, as well as the climate of intolerance and hate, both of which are disproportionately impacting local people of color, and immigrant and refugee communities.

Giving Voice to Youth Through Songwriting

When Andrew Isen first came to the Greater Washington Community Foundation in 2018 to establish the Andrew A. Isen Foundation, he was looking for ways to give back to the community through philanthropy that aligned with his passions. Making a difference in the lives of youth through musical theater is one of those passions.

Through his foundation, Andrew worked in partnership with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Foundation (ASCAP) to create The Andrew A. Isen Musical Theater Songwriting Workshop. The ASCAP Foundation is dedicated to nurturing the music talent of tomorrow, preserving the legacy of the past and sustaining the creative incentive for today's creators through a variety of educational, professional, and humanitarian programs and activities which serve the entire music community. The workshop program was established at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the District and includes intensive master classes on songwriting for 15 Duke Ellington theater students to study the art and craft of musical theater songwriting and to begin the process of creating their own material. The workshop is directed by accomplished songwriters and offers students the opportunity to create and copyright their original songs. The first group of students worked with an arranger to prepare the songs for a special performance that took place at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in October.

For the fifteen young people who put on an amazing show at the Kennedy Center, Andrew’s giving has helped to unlock their potential and given them an opportunity to learn more about their own passion for the arts. What’s more, the program will continue to offer new students the same opportunity. You can watch a recording of their performance on the Kennedy Center’s website HERE.

“Funding this musical theater writing workshop was one of the highlights of my life. Watching and listening to this group of young people, literally rapt in learning from a Broadway composer was beyond rewarding. I’m so pleased that through this gift, this senior theater class at the Duke Ellington School had this opportunity which many of the students stated was life changing. I encourage others to explore and fund their passions and glean a similar donor reward.”

— Andrew Isen

“This program has been a total gift from day one… I absolutely loved every second of working with these students and am beyond proud.”

— Nick Blaemire, Broadway songwriter and mentor to the student participants

At a time when school systems are losing arts and theater programs at a rapid pace, support from donors can help provide critically needed services to ensure that young people learn more effectively and are creatively enriched. The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies has found that funding for the arts in schools has declined by 43.4%, adjusted for inflation, since 1965. Gifts like Andrew’s are helping to enable students to participate in arts education despite these cuts, as well as reap the benefits of arts instruction which is associated with lower suspension rates and increased college admissions and completion rates.

Many of The Community Foundation’s donors, like Andrew, are helping to Build Thriving Communities through support for our region’s arts and cultural community.  We love to work with donors who are looking to not only to give back, but for opportunities to roll up their sleeves and think creatively about how they can contribute their time, energy, and passion in addition to funding.

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If you would like to learn more about how The Community Foundation can help you pursue your passions and achieve your philanthropic goals, please contact Rebecca Rothey at [email protected].

Investments on a mission

By Shannon Scott, CFO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

The end of the year is a great time to take stock of our financial choices throughout the year and make changes that may set us up for success in the year ahead. Achieving your philanthropic goals requires informed, strategic, and thoughtful investment options. At the Community Foundation, we have expanded those options to provide you with more opportunities to sustain your fund and increase your capacity to invest in nonprofits now and in the future.

To optimize your philanthropic investment, you can choose from the following to allocate all or part of your fund’s investment.

Community Foundation Investment Options

Combined Investment Fund – This global balanced fund is the most common investment choice for our donors. We manage and minimize risk, diversify the portfolio with quality investments, monitor investments versus benchmarks, and provide diligent committee oversight to put you in position to support current and future programmatic work and grant making. Since inception (in 1998), the fund has earned an annualized return 5.58%, net of investment management fees.

Vanguard Index Funds – In response to our donors’ request for a low-cost indexed funds, The Community Foundation added four new index funds. An index fund is a passively managed fund, meaning that the intent is to match the risk and return of the broad market indexes. These mutual funds attempt to mimic the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, by owning the same stocks as those in the S&P 500. Its best qualities are limited protections from market anomalies and lower costs due to lower trading volume and less hands-on research. Our existing index funds include an equity fund (Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Shares) and a fixed income (bond) fund (Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Institutional Shares); two Treasury funds (Treasury Money Market and Short-Term Treasury) became available October 1, 2019.

Impact Investment – Working with Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc., we offer a place-based mission investing opportunity for donors. You may allocate a portion of your fund at The Community Foundation to invest in the development of deeply affordable and supportive housing in the region. As part of our Partnership to End Homelessness impact initiative with Enterprise, allocating dollars to this initiative supports our efforts to respond to the homelessness crisis by developing deeply affordable housing for our most marginalized neighbors.

Cash – Keeping your fund 100% liquid in cash is also an option for donors. The average money market rate over the past 13 months is 2.24%, ranging from a high of 2.47% to a current low of 1.62%. This option offers the least amount of risk and the corresponding yield reflects that.

Separately Managed Fund – Finally, if you have over $500,000 in your fund, you may name an external investment advisor to manage your investments.

When making decisions about which of these options is right for you, we encourage you to consider your risk tolerance, grantmaking time horizon, and philanthropic intentions for your fund.

If you would like to learn more about any of these investment options or talk to us about reallocating all or part of your fund’s investment, please contact Shannon Scott or Juliana Mitrojorgji.

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This is distributed for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, accounting or investment advice. The information, opinions and views contained herein have not been tailored to the investment objectives of any one individual. Nothing contained herein should be construed as investment advice. Any reference to an investment’s past or potential performance is not and should not be construed as a recommendation or as a guarantee of any specific outcome or profit. Any ideas or strategies discussed herein should not be undertaken by any individual without prior consultation with a financial professional for the purpose of assessing whether the ideas or strategies that are discussed are suitable to you based on your own personal financial objectives, needs, and risk tolerance.

The Truth About Chronic Homelessness and The Solution

As a part of The Partnership to End Homelessness’ work to educate and engage donors and private sector investors, we host a regular learning series focused on issues related to housing and homelessness. The series features experts on topics such as family homelessness, chronic homelessness, racial equity, and more. To learn about future events, please contact Angela Willingham at [email protected].

Our panel featured Neil Albert (DowntownDC BID), Rhonda Whitaker (an advocate with lived experience), Schroeder Stribling (ICH and N Street Village), and Scott Schenkelberg (Miriam's Kitchen). Tonia Wellons, our Interim President and CEO, moderated the discussion.

On December 4, The Partnership to End Homelessness hosted our third learning series event, focused on The Truth About Chronic Homelessness. Chronic homelessness is defined as a person living with a disabling condition — such as mental illness, substance abuse disorders, or physical disabilities — a person who has experienced homelessness continuously for a year or more, or someone who has had four separate episodes of homelessness in three years.

Many people have a specific picture in mind when they think about someone who is experiencing chronic homelessness. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions and a general lack of awareness around solutions. To help event participants to better understand who are people experiencing chronic homelessness, our Interim President and CEO, Tonia Wellons, opened the conversation with some helpful data points.

First, Tonia pointed out that it is not just single men that experience chronic homelessness. In the District:

• 13% of people experiencing chronic homelessness are with families,

• 72% of women experiencing homelessness are chronically homelessness, and

• Many people experiencing chronic homelessness are elderly (over the age of 62).

Tonia also highlighted data from a recent survey of people experiencing homelessness which found that nearly 40% of interviewees had worked and wanted to work, and that the loss of a job was the reason they had become homeless.

To help continue the conversation, we had an outstanding panel of experts join us to help participants learn about the solutions to chronic homelessness, including Permanent Supportive Housing. Permanent Supportive Housing, often referred to as PSH, is affordable housing combined with supportive services like case management and health care. Research has shown that PSH is not only effective at ending a person’s homelessness but can also improve health outcomes and save the system money. In the District, PSH has a 93% success rate and costs about half of what it would for someone to remain homeless for a year.

Speaking directly to the audience of business leaders and philanthropists, the panel highlighted an important opportunity and role for the private sector — funding advocacy. To take solutions to scale, we need public and private funding that is proportionate to the number of people who need housing and supports. To get to that point, we need to support nonprofit advocacy organizations that can raise the issue and continue working to make sure we understand the need and have proof of what works. One of our panelists, Scott Schenkelberg said it best when he said:

“Fund advocacy. It creates real change and creates a better for system for ending homelessness.”

Below are a few highlights from the event and information about how to get involved in our efforts to #EndHomelessnessDC.

“ “We have goals. We have families. We are people. I lost my job and became homeless. I got another job, but couldn’t afford a home. I was homeless for 25 years, but no one knew. I took later shifts to have a place to be warm.” - Rhonda Whitaker, Advocate with lived experience

“It costs $40,000 per year to keep someone homeless in DC. And Permanent Supportive Housing is cost effective - it costs $23,000 per year. A savings of almost 50%. And we know it works - PSH has a 93% success rate. ” - Scott Schenkelberg, CEO, Miriam’s Kitchen

“We are working with business owners in the DowntownDC BID to make them aware of resources available to people experiencing homelessness. We want the business community to engage and treat them as our brothers and sisters.” - Neil Albert, President & Chief Executive Officer, DowntownDC Business Improvement District

“The rate we transition people out of shelter is not keeping up with the rate of people coming into the shelter. We will not charity our way out of this problem...it is going to take all of us working together.” - Schroeder Stribling, Chief Executive Officer, N Street Village and Co-Chair, Executive Council, DC ICH

”We’re looking for champions. We’re extending the invite to you today to join us in the Partnership to End Homelessness.” -Tonia Wellons, Interim President and CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation
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JOIN US

If you are inspired and want to get involved, we invite you to join the Partnership to End Homelessness. Contact us or visit EndHomelessnessDC.org for more ways to contribute to the solution.

Meet our 2019 Montgomery County Philanthropists of the Year

Hope Gleicher and Andy Burness met when he was just starting his mission-driven communications firm. Andy had been tasked to visit Baltimore’s Health Care for the Homeless where Hope was the founding executive director. Since then, Hope has led many philanthropic and nonprofit organizations, including the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, Trellis Fund, and Nonprofit Montgomery. Meanwhile, Andy’s business grew into a global communications firm working with hundreds of nonprofit and government partners working on solutions to challenging problems related to health, social justice, poverty alleviation, and scientific discovery. While raising their kids and juggling busy careers, Hope and Andy always made sure that giving was part of the fabric of their everyday lives.

Their quiet approach to philanthropy is informed by people on the front lines of service to those who suffer from inequities and injustices. When supporting people and organizations that share their values, Hope and Andy draw on their extensive knowledge and experience from their professional careers. That combination of time, talent, and financial resources has helped many nonprofits achieve game-changing breakthroughs, from small and emerging start-ups to large, visionary organizations.

Here in Montgomery County, some of their favorite organizations include Identity, the Crossroads Community Food Network, Manna Food Center, Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy, College Tracks, Interfaith Works, Rainbow Community Development Center, Montgomery College and the Universities at Shady Grove. They also invest in efforts working toward systemic change, such as Nonprofit Montgomery and Montgomery Moving Forward. Additionally, as a co-founder and driving force behind Business Leaders Fighting Hunger, Andy has helped galvanize support for smart interventions to help ensure more of our low-income neighbors won’t have to worry where their next meal will come from.

Doing good is also central to the culture at Burness, the company Andy leads. In addition to offering a matching gift program for employees, the company has an employee-driven corporate giving strategy and distributes more than $100,000 each year to causes in Montgomery County and beyond.

We deeply appreciate Hope and Andy’s thoughtful leadership and advocacy, as well as their strategic philanthropy which have touched the lives of so many throughout our community. Their story illustrates the positive difference each of us can make when we give where we live.

Charitable giving in D.C. is well below the national average

By Tonia Wellons for the Washington Post Local Opinions

Tonia Wellons is interim president and chief executive of the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

The District is a magnet for some of the nation’s wealthiest and most powerful people. It’s also home to world-class museums, top-flight thinkers and the national headquarters for many of our nation’s most prominent nonprofits.

But even with these tremendous resources, we are conspicuously behind the curve when it comes to one important measure: generosity.

Tips for Family Giving

By Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County

“How can we get our children involved in giving?” This is one of the questions we hear frequently from our donors, especially around this time of year. We hear it about children of all ages—because parents never stop thinking about how to pass on their values.

And we have plenty of ideas to offer from our many years of working with individuals and families to maximize the benefits and impact of their giving. Here’s a taste:

Donors with their children and friends at one of The Community Foundation’s family-friendly learning events.

TAKE YOUR CHILDREN WITH YOU when you volunteer or attend an event sponsored by an organization you care about, such as a site visit, presentation, or fundraiser. The rides to and from the event provide the perfect opportunity to prepare them for the experience and then to debrief. Be sure to tell them why you care, and ask about their reactions.

HOLIDAY GATHERINGS are the ideal setting for starting a conversation. With multiple generations represented at the table, it’s a fine time to introduce and discuss what each of you, and each generation, share in common and where you differ. Two simple ideas:

• Storytelling - Many families tell treasured stories at each holiday. (If you need to jump-start the storytelling, check out these questions from StoryCorps.) Consider adding a new chapter to each story, telling how it makes you think about what you are most grateful for, and how you might express that through your giving.

• Family giving circle - Invite everyone to join in giving together. For example, adults might all chip in an amount that the under-18 set are tasked with distributing. The kids can discuss and then report out to the whole family about their selection and what inspired them to choose that specific nonprofit. (Tip: The Catalogue for Philanthropy offers a browsable directory of local charities that are vetted by experts.)

Through a kid-to-kid giving circle, local middle school students got to experience the fun of discovering and making grants to great nonprofits.

ORGANIZE A FAMILY MEETING to deepen intergenerational ties and develop a plan that expresses your family’s core values. In our fast-paced culture it’s easy to skip straight to reviewing a list of potential organizations to support. But whether the next generation is six or sixty, it’s important to first carve out time for the kids and parents to uncover the values and life experiences that shape your giving priorities. Talking through a few key questions enables everyone to coalesce around a shared vision, help avoid conflict later and make it easier to get everyone to a resounding “yes” when you find the exact right causes to support.

The Community Foundation’s professional staff can design a meeting around your particular needs to write a family mission statement, identify goals and grantmaking priorities, and we can facilitate one-time or annual family meetings.

In working with hundreds of families, we’ve often seen most parents discover that giving helps them achieve more than one goal.  Conversations about philanthropy provide a platform for passing on values and can spark a passion so that the next generation experiences the joy of making a difference. Philanthropy can also keep family members close even as the kids grow up, move away, and get busy with careers and starting their own families.

Best of all, when you see your children thoughtfully and joyfully engaged in giving, you’ll know that your family legacy is in good hands.

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Ready to find out more? Contact us at [email protected].

Family Philanthropy: Siblings Working Together in Honor of their Parents

“I feel we’re continuing our parent’s legacy and reinforcing things that were important to them and enriched their lives.”

— Ellen Ross

At The Community Foundation, we love to help families experience the joy of giving and share their legacy with family members. One example of the power of families engaging in philanthropy comes from Rose and Harold Kramer who moved to Silver Spring in the early 1940s, where they raised three daughters and a son. Harold, after leaving the government, owned and operated several business ventures while Rose taught school before turning her attention to civic activities. Over the years, she was active in the League of Women Voters; served on the Montgomery County School Board, where she led the fight for school desegregation; and was elected to the Montgomery County Council, where she pushed for affordable housing.

Looking back, Ellen Ross recalls, "My mother became aware through her work that there were a lot of people in our community in need and a lot of inequities. Even a cross burning on our lawn didn't deter her from doing what she believed in."

"Dad had paved the way by making good investments, but mom was the driving force," says Ellen.

At the end of their lives, Rose and Harold told their children of their plan to create a fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation with a generous portion of their assets. When Rose passed away in 2006, the Rose and Harold Kramer Fund was established. Each year, one of their four children has the responsibility of making grants from the fund.  Reflecting on their parents’ legacy, the siblings all make a point to give to issues that move them individually while also investing in causes that they know would have inspired their mom and dad.

Early in the process, Ellen met with Anna Hargrave, Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Montgomery County. "Anna reads your personality really well and saw right away what I reacted well to. My first year was wonderfully interesting."

A resident of Wheaton, Ellen expressed an interest in local groups that provide after-school activities and college preparation for teens living in this multicultural neighborhood. In turn, Anna presented Ellen with a list of a dozen highly effective groups working with middle and high school students.  She then joined Anna in visiting several of the organizations to connect with the leaders, see their programs in action, and hear directly from students about how these programs support their success.

Reflecting on her experience, Ellen shared, “With the gaps between the economically secure and insecure growing wider every year, The Community Foundation has made me aware of programs that most effectively lessen the impact in Montgomery County. My husband and I have independently stepped up to do our share and always feel rewarded by knowing our diverse community has well designed programs to support a range of needs.”

What is Housing First?

What does it mean to be “ready for housing”? Historically, housing programs for people experiencing homelessness would have shared a list of criteria like this: sober for 6 months or more; taking all prescribed medications; completion of a life skills program; and proof of stable employment. But, imagine that you are a person experiencing homelessness. How will you look for a job when you have to bring all of your belongings with you to the interview? How will you keep a job when the shelter across town where you stay requires that you line up for a bed by 4 p.m. every day, or if you’re afraid to sleep because you are worried about your safety? How will you keep up with your medical appointments when your ID, health insurance card, and phone can easily be lost or stolen because you have no place safe to keep them? And on top of all of that, imagine that you are one of the 30 percent of adults experiencing homelessness in DC who are struggling with a severe mental illness while you try to accomplish all of these tasks.

Housing First is an approach that centers on the belief that everyone is ready for housing — right now.

The theory is simple — people need basic necessities like a safe place to live before they are able to work successfully toward any other goals, such as getting a job, managing a monthly budget, improving mental health, or getting sober.

Housing First was introduced in New York City in 1992 by Dr. Sam Tsemberis, and brought to DC in 2004 by Pathways to Housing DC, a Partnership to End Homelessness grantee. In 2008, DC adopted Housing First practices — and today, all permanent supportive housing programs that receive funding from the DC government — and from the Partnership to End Homelessness — follow this evidence-based model.

Housing First moves people experiencing homelessness from the streets or shelters into permanent housing, while providing supportive services to help residents obtain and maintain housing stability and improve their lives. The Housing First model is:

• Evidence-based. Clients in Housing First programs access housing faster than clients in traditional housing programs. They are also more likely to remain stably housed. Clients also report an increase in perceived levels of autonomy, choice, and control in Housing First programs, and a majority of clients are found to participate in the optional supportive services provided, often resulting in greater housing stability.

• Targeted. The model prioritizes permanent housing placements for people who are experiencing chronic homelessness.

• Low barrier. Clients do not have to participate in services, maintain sobriety, or undergo psychiatric treatment in order to get or maintain their housing.

• Driven by client choice. Clients select their own housing and hold a lease. They decide what supportive services they would like. This ability to choose helps clients feel safe, in control of their environment, and more inclined to consider using supportive services.

Housing First works and is a key approach to any effort to end homelessness. Join the Partnership in supporting organizations that follow this model.

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How You Can Help Support Housing First in DC

• Partnership grantees such as Friendship Place, Miriam’s Kitchen, Pathways to Housing DC, and Open Arms Housing — are among many local organizations committed to providing high-quality permanent supportive housing in DC. By investing in The Partnership’s Grantmaking Fund you can support their crucial work while supporting our efforts to create a system that houses people more quickly and has the number of units we need to end homelessness in DC.

• Participating in the Partnership’s Impact Investment can aid in bringing financial resources to assist in the fight to end homelessness and housing insecurity by increasing the production of deeply affordable and supportive housing.

• Advocacy from the community is critical to ensuring that the city continues to invest in permanent supportive housing. Join the Partnership mailing list to be alerted to opportunities for action.

Save the Date for the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy

You’re invited to the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy on March 12, 2020! Join us for the largest annual celebration of local philanthropy as we pay tribute to the individuals and organizations that dedicate their time and resources to make our region a more vibrant, equitable, and inclusive place to live. Mix and mingle with our region’s top local philanthropists, nonprofits, business, government, and community leaders, while toasting to The Community Foundation’s impact and legacy of bringing people and resources together for community change.

Photo of Mr. and Mrs. Clark courtesy of the Clark Foundation.

At the Celebration, we are proud to present the 2020 Civic Spirit Award to the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation for its commitment to expanding opportunities for our neighbors and communities to thrive. Mr. and Mrs. Clark believed in quietly and generously giving back to local organizations serving the community where they lived, worked, and achieved their success. Now under the leadership of their daughter, Courtney Clark Pastrick, the Foundation continues this philanthropic legacy by investing in building connections between effort and opportunity to help people achieve their greatest ambitions.

You’ll also experience the region’s vibrant local arts community while enjoying delicious food, an open bar, and networking opportunities. You can choose from an incredible line up of pop up performances of live music, theater, poetry, and dance from some of the region's most exciting nonprofits and local artists supported by The Community Foundation and our community of givers. To learn more about performance opportunities, please click here.

When you purchase a ticket or sponsorship for this event, you are also giving back to your community by supporting our efforts to build thriving communities throughout the region. Proceeds benefit The Community Foundation's Fund for Greater Washington, enabling us to make grants to effective nonprofits, incubate new ideas, convene partners to address community issues, and conduct programmatic initiatives and advocacy. Through this Fund, The Community Foundation invests in effective solutions to help our marginalized neighbors find pathways out of poverty, create diverse and inclusive spaces to deepen human connection, and prepare workers to succeed in our region’s changing economy.

Sponsorship Packages

We have a variety of sponsorship opportunities for organizations of all sizes and for individuals who want to celebrate with us and share their great work with an audience of 700+ community, philanthropic, local government, and business leaders— contact Emily Davis for more details.

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WHEN

Thursday, March 12, 2020
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

WHERE

New Location!

Andrew Mellon Auditorium
1301 Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20240

TICKETS

Ticket sales will open in January 2020

General Admission: $200

Nonprofit and Emerging Philanthropists: $125

Business Attire

Apply to Perform or host an art station at the 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy

The Community Foundation is currently accepting proposals for performance and interactive art/activity stations at our 2020 Celebration of Philanthropy. The event will take place on Thursday, March 12, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium.

The Celebration of Philanthropy is a networking reception featuring pop-up performances and visual arts displays showcasing some of the region's most exciting artists and nonprofit arts organizations supported by The Community Foundation and our community of givers. Performances are staggered throughout the evening and across the venue, allowing guests to experience the region’s vibrant local arts community while enjoying delicious food, an open bar, and networking opportunities with friends and colleagues.

We are seeking nonprofit arts and other organizations that showcase the diversity of the Greater Washington region (DC, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County). We aim to feature new groups and/or performances every year. When selecting groups, we select groups that represent a wide variety of art forms (see examples below). Performances and art stations that feature interactive elements with audience members will also be prioritized.

The annual Celebration brings together more than 700 local philanthropists, nonprofits, business, government, and community leaders to honor their individual and collective contributions to making our region a more equitable, vibrant, and inclusive place to live.

This is an open call for proposals that demonstrate:

• Performance art — Pop-up performances (10-15 minutes) of live music, theater, dance, poetry/spoken word, or other performances featuring individuals and/or groups of artists of all disciplines and ages. Performances are scheduled throughout the evening and across the venue – most do NOT take place on a traditional stage. For examples of last year’s performances, click here.

• Visual arts stations or interactive displays — Interactive and participatory displays or art stations that engage the audience as individuals or a group. Stations may run throughout the evening in various areas of the event space. Examples include live painting, jewelry making, photo or art exhibits, roving video interviews, and more.

Please note: The Celebration offers guests a festive atmosphere. It is a standing and roving reception and the noise level of the crowd can conflict with performance audio.

Eligibility Requirements

We will consider applications from artists and nonprofit organizations that are:

• located in and/or serving residents of the Greater Washington region, including DC, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County;

• current or past grantees of The Community Foundation and/or its donor component funds; and

• available the evening of Thursday, March 12, 2020, from roughly 4:00-9:00 pm, and for a pre-scheduled walk through and rehearsal prior to the event.

You may submit as many ideas as you’d like for consideration. Proposals are due, via the online form below, no later than 5:00 p.m. on December 20, 2019.

Individuals and organizations selected for performance opportunities will be notified in mid-January 2020. Selected individuals/organizations will receive a $500 honorarium (one per performance) and up to two tickets for staff or guests to attend the event. Please send your questions to [email protected].

Fill out my online form.

Quarterly Update to Fundholders

Dear friends,

I hope this note finds you enjoying a happy and healthy start to your holiday season. In September, the Board of Trustees asked me to serve as Interim President and CEO, bridging Bruce McNamer’s departure and our search for a permanent successor. It is my pleasure to serve in this capacity and to continue the critical work of The Community Foundation. During this transition, I will continue to prioritize our efforts to Build Thriving Communities through local philanthropy, move full steam ahead on our impact initiatives across the region, and continue to cultivate and build strong partnerships with you, our fundholders. 

I am also excited to share the news that our Board of Trustees has elected Katharine Weymouth as our new Board Chair. As Katharine takes on this mantle, she continues a family a legacy of giving and service to the Greater Washington region. Her grandmother (and namesake) Katharine Graham, who ran The Washington Post for more than two decades, also served on the board of The Community Foundation for nearly a decade. Katharine Weymouth previously served as Publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, and today she serves on the Board of Graham Holdings and is the COO at DineXpert.

Thanks to your continued support and partnership, last quarter our community of givers awarded more than $15.3 million in grants to organizations serving the most critical needs of our communities. This included $1.95 million in grants from the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families, managed by The Community Foundation, to support 46 nonprofits making a difference around some of our region’s biggest challenges in education, homelessness, and foster care. We were pleased to release a new online dashboard featuring the impact of the City Fund, detailing our five-year partnership with the District to invest $15 million in local nonprofits providing quality services to make DC a healthy, stable, and vibrant place to live for all residents. We also held donor education and engagement events across the region, including a discussion of lessons learned from our strategic emergency response efforts during the partial Federal Government shutdown earlier this year.

These are only a few examples of the ways in which we partner with you and our entire community of givers and doers to strengthen our communities. To support and sustain this vital work, we rely on generous gifts from our donors and on Community Foundation Support Fees charged to fundholders like you. These fees both support our critical community impact work and enable us to provide you with high-quality fund management and philanthropic advisory services throughout the year.

As we announced this summer, our Board of Trustees voted to increase our baseline Community Foundation Support Fees for the first time in 10 years — affecting most scholarship funds and non-endowed donor-advised, designated, field of interest, memorial, and disaster relief funds. The revised fees schedule took effect on October 1, 2019 and will be reflected on your February 2020 fund statement (for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2019). Please contact us if you have any questions.

With 2019 coming to an end, The Community Foundation's staff can assist with carrying out your charitable giving to maximize both the impact and tax benefits of your gifts. Now is an ideal time to consider replenishing your fund at The Community Foundation. You can add to your fund now and make grants any time you wish. Please be mindful of our December 16 deadline for your year-end grantmaking activities to ensure your recommended grantees receive their funds by December 31.

Your continued partnership and support are crucial as we seek to build thriving communities today and for generations to come. We welcome the opportunity to discuss how The Community Foundation can support your charitable interests.

Sincerely,

Tonia Wellons
Interim President and CEO

P.S. You can find more information and stories of impact on our website or by following us on social media (@communityfndn on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram).

Ensuring an Equitable Future for Our Region Through a Fair and Accurate Census Count

The 2020 Count DMV In Census Project is proud to announce its first round of grants to ensure an accurate, and complete census count in the Greater Washington region. Grants will support 20 local nonprofit organizations undertaking education, outreach, and assistance focused on hard-to-count communities in the region, ahead of the March 2020 census, with a goal of increasing census participation in those communities.

The 2020 Count DMV In Census Project recognizes that a complete and accurate census count is critical for advancing racial equity in our communities. Historically, the census count disproportionately left out communities of color, immigrants, young children, low-income, and rural households. It is estimated that more than 55,000 individuals were “undercounted” in this region in 2010. With that many people undercounted, the full picture of our communities and their needs cannot possibly be captured.

Video courtesy of the United Way of the National Capital Area, a funder of the 2020 Count DMV In Census Project.

When populations are undercounted in the census, communities are impacted in multiple ways, with communities of color the most adversely impacted. For example, the census count determines the number of representatives a region has in government. An undercount could mean less representation than necessary for some of our most hard-to-count populations, resulting in a loss of power, influence, and likely decreased focus and mismatched investments in their priorities and concerns, which will have real consequences for the next decade. Federal funding for social service programs – such as maternal and child health, Head Start, supplemental food programs, subsidized housing, and other human services (more than $24 billion to DC, Maryland, and Virginia combined!)— could be drastically reduced and fail to meet the full needs of our communities that are historically and persistently subjected to divestment. Businesses that are urgently needed – like grocery stores and healthcare providers – may fail to open in under-resourced neighborhoods because the data does not reflect current or potential for future demand.

With the importance of the census count in mind, we are proud to award a total of $287,000 to organizations committed to a fair and accurate count of all residents of the DMV. The organizations listed below are focusing on a variety of communities in our region, including people living with disabilities, communities of color, returning citizens, and more. These organizations also work with communities across the Greater Washington region, including DC, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Northern Virginia. We encourage you to read below to learn not only which organizations we funded, but also how they specifically plan to encourage historically undercounted communities to participate in the census and be heard.

Donors to the 2020 Count DMV In Census Project include Bainum Family Foundation, the Bauman Foundation, Consumer Health Foundation, Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, United Way of the National Capital Area, and Weissberg Foundation. The Greater Washington Community Foundation administers grants on behalf of the project and conducted a rigorous application review process to vet grantee organizations for funding.

2020 Count DMV In Census Project Grant Recipients

Arc of the District of Columbia, Inc. to engage and educate people living with disabilities to complete the census with appropriate and accessible supports in place.

Asian American LEAD (AALEAD) to support efforts in Northern Virginia and Montgomery County to reach hard-to-count Asian-Pacific American populations.

CASA de Maryland, Inc. to support a census outreach program specifically promoting the participation of low-income immigrants and Latinx families in Northern Virginia.

DC Action for Children to engage children as youth ambassadors to convince families, friends, and neighbors to complete the 2020 census form and ensure that all people living in their household are counted.

District of Columbia Baptist Convention to support residents served by District of Columbia Baptist Convention’s interfaith member congregations in the DMV region through educational and awareness campaigns.

Edu-Futuro to reach hard-to-count Latinx populations in the DMV region through Linea Directa, a half-hour Spanish language program focusing on the importance of participating in the census. 

Ethiopian Community Center, Inc. to ensure that newly arrived African-immigrant residents in Montgomery County, MD have the information and support they need to participate fully in the 2020 census, by engaging individuals and families with limited English proficiency.

Greater Washington Urban League to fulfill the needs of census outreach and participation for people of color in the District, specifically wards 5, 7, and 8.

Justice for Muslims Collective (Defending Rights and Dissent Inc.) to engage Arab, Middle East Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities and businesses through outreach and awareness building in the DMV region. 

La Clinica del Pueblo (Promotores) to support promotoras de salud (community health workers) who will conduct education and outreach to hard-to-reach Latinx populations to encourage participation in the 2020 census.

Latino Economic Development Corporation to educate and reach out to small businesses in DC on the importance of the census.

Montgomery College Foundation - Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center to support student ambassadors at Montgomery College to engage in strategic outreach in hard-to-count communities in Montgomery County, MD.

National Korean American Service and Education Consortium Inc. to support outreach activities including education and raising awareness of the census within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in Northern Virginia.

Prince George’s County Children’s Resource Center to advance census work in Prince George’s County to engage families and children ages 0-5.

Progressive Maryland Education Fund to engage low-income residents and communities of color in Prince George’s County on their participation in the 2020 census.

Restaurant Opportunities Centers ROC United, Inc. to support ROC DC’s efforts to incorporate census work in its outreach and education programs designed for low-wage restaurant workers.

Seabury Resources for Aging to support outreach to low- to moderate-income older adults in DC and Silver Spring, MD.

United Planning Organization to host information sessions for participants in their training programs for people of color in wards 5,7, and 8 and encourage students in its employment training programs to apply for positions in support of the census. 

Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights Inc. to support outreach efforts in Northern Virginia, specifically to Latinx, Asian, and African immigrant communities.

Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement to support outreach efforts to communities of color and immigrant communities in Northern Virginia.

New Tips for Your Year-End Charitable Giving

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

As the end of the year approaches, now is the time to plan for your charitable giving! The Community Foundation is here to help make your giving wise, simple, and fun. Here are a few tips of how our donors have maximized their assets to make powerful and meaningful gifts.

Tip One: Use Appreciated Assets to Diversify

If you own appreciated assets, such as stocks, that you’ve held for more than one year, consider gifting them first. When you make a gift of an appreciated asset you can benefit in the following ways:

• Receive an income tax deduction for the fair market value of the transferred stock.

• Avoid capital gains tax, regardless of how much your stock has appreciated.

For an added benefit, if you make a gift of stock rather than cash, you can use the cash you would have given to purchase more of the same stock. As a result, you will have made your gift and you still own the same stock—only now with a higher cost basis. Some donors who are concerned about a possible pending recession have used gifting to a charitable fund as an opportunity to diversify and create a pool of charitable assets, capturing gain into a fund ahead of a downturn and investing the charitable fund in cash to preserve value.

One of our long-time donors follows market activity closely. Rather than wait until year-end, he gives when he believes the market is likely at the highest it will go that year. Last year, he gave in August, gifting his stocks at their highest value before the market declined in September.

Tip Two: New Tax Laws Reward Cash Giving

Last year, one of our donors opened a substantial fund after selling her home. While she had a capital gains tax liability from the sale, the higher deduction for cash made the transaction a wash for income tax purposes.

If you are fortunate to be in a position to give a large sum in one year or over multiple years, speak with your accountant about the possible benefits of giving cash. Although it is usually better to gift appreciated assets because of the capital gains tax avoidance, under the new tax law you may now deduct up to 60% of your adjusted gross income for gifts of cash. Consider front-loading a charitable fund at The Community Foundation, maximizing our charitable income tax deduction in that year or up to five years using the carry-forward charitable deduction.

Tip Three: Unique Benefits from IRA Gifts

If you are over 70.5 and are not already doing so, consider making a gift directly to The Community Foundation from your IRA. While you may not make an IRA Charitable Rollover gift to a donor-advised fund, there are several options for establishing other types of funds that will help you achieve your charitable goals while simplifying your giving. Benefits of a charitable IRA gift include:

• Reduce Your Taxable Income: By rolling over some or all your RMD from your IRA to charity, you can reduce your taxable income this year.

• Lower Your Social Security Tax: Reducing your taxable income with an IRA rollover gift may also reduce the tax due on your social security payments.

• Avoid IRS Tax Limits: IRA rollover gifts may be made over and above the normal cash gift limit mentioned above.

• No Need to Itemize: If you do not itemize your deductions, you can still benefit from the reduction in income and tax resulting from an IRA rollover gift.

One of our donors shared that he and his wife are delighted to simplify their IRA giving through a fund at The Community Foundation. They have an additional donor-advised fund as well, for gifts outside their IRA giving.

Tip Four: Don’t Forget About Property

One of our donors is a couple who earned income from rental properties, but decided they no longer wished to manage them. Rather than sell the properties and pay the capital gains tax, they gifted two of their houses directly to a donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation. They were able to take a charitable income tax deduction for the full fair market value of the property and created a fund their children will advise when they’ve passed away.

If you own property, such as a second home, commercial, or rental properties, consider gifting all or a portion of the property directly to a charitable fund.

We hope these tips offer new ways to think about your charitable giving! Your giving is instrumental to making the Greater Washington region a more thriving, just and enriching place to live for all.

If you have questions or would like more information, contact Rebecca Rothey, [email protected] or 202-263-476.

Disclaimer: The Community Foundation does not provide tax or legal advice. Please consult your advisor before making a gift.

Rebecca Rothey, CFRE, CAP®, AEP®, gave an engaging presentation on Working with Professional Advisors to a packed room at the annual Practical Planned Giving Conference.