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 donorservices@thecommunityfoundation.org.
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:
Develop a new strategic vision to close the racial wealth gap in our region's underinvested neighborhoods.
Direct investments toward equitable recovery strategies – including feeding families facing personal crisis, closing the opportunity gap, supporting survivors of domestic violence, and building stability for more families.
Make historic investments in Black-led social change work to build political and economic power to transform systems.
Lead eviction prevention work in DC, expand educational equity in Montgomery County, and increase economic mobility in Prince George’s County.
Enhance our investment management services and pursue mission-driven investments that are aligned with our values.
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.