Closing the Achievement Gap in Montgomery County

The Children’s Opportunity Fund champions and supports strategic investments to improve the lives of low-income children and families in Montgomery County. The Fund was launched jointly by the Montgomery County Government and Montgomery County Public Schools to identify priority areas for investment based on unmet need and to help align resources toward effective multi-sector collaborations serving the County’s most vulnerable youth and their families. In July 2017, the Fund made its inaugural grants which were leveraged against matching dollars to launch and expand innovative, evidence-informed programs throughout the county. We are pleased to report that the Fund recently made another $623,000 in grants to these high-impact organizations to further support their vital work:

Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL) works to create high-quality learning opportunities for the children who need them most, mobilizing schools and communities to expand learning time beyond the traditional school day and school year. The 2017 grant from the Children’s Opportunity Fund supported BELL’s Summer program which provided educational services to 1,134 rising 3-5th graders. For six and one-half hours per day, five days a week, the program blended academics with nutrition, enrichment, and mentorship at no cost to lower income families. The result was an increase in the average scholar’s literacy by 1.5 months and math skills by 3 months, increased self-confidence for 98% of scholars, and improved scholar attitudes about school which led to a 93% average daily attendance rate. Read about Bell’s efforts to prevent the ‘summer slide’ in an op-ed for the Baltimore Sun.

“I have been inspired by Montgomery County’s commitment to equity in education. Families and MCPS educators have advocated for increasing access to the BELL Summer program with evidence-based instruction and engaging resources to accelerate scholars’ learning year-round. The Children Opportunity Fund’s visionary investment in BELL Summer has helped us double this collective impact in summer 2018 and serve 2,100 young people across 11 Title I MCPS schools!”

— Damon Johnson, Vice President, Partner Impact, BELL

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Family Service’s Thriving Germantown Collaboration. As Germantown has grown and become more diverse, so has the rate of increased poverty (16% versus 6% countywide) and the economic, health, and educational disparities for the most vulnerable residents. Over 20 community nonprofit partners established a five-year collective impact initiative, Thriving Germantown Community HUB, designed to help Germantown families connect to health care, early child care, adult education, employment, and more. Family Services, Inc. was selected to provide leadership for this multi-sector, multi-generational care coordination initiative to improve student/family health and wellness outcomes, achieve academic success, and ensure that children have safe, stable and nurturing environments in which to live. A grant from the Children’s Opportunity Fund supported the coordination of work around early childhood care and education. In its first year, Thriving Germantown provided 99 comprehensive family risk assessments and facilitated referrals and linkages to appropriate resources and services for 131 children, adults and families. Read more about the school and leaders behind the Thriving Germantown collaboration in Bethesda Magazine’s 2017 December cover story, “Hope Lives Here.”

“Partnerships are at the heart of Thriving Germantown – with families from the Daly School community, school staff, and over a dozen community health and social services organizations. The investments from COF are particularly helpful in supporting our early care and academic related service coordination. We’re excited to include as goals for the new year deepening our reach into the community, enhancing data sharing and collaboration with our partners, and developing a permanent shared nonprofit services facility for the Germantown community.”

— Kylie McCleaf, CEO Family Services, Inc.

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Urban Alliance is committed to helping underserved youth gain the experience, support, and training necessary to compete in the labor market and embark on a pathway to self-sufficiency. With the grant from the Children’s Opportunity Fund, Urban Alliance expanded its High School Internship Program into Montgomery County to provide career preparation and internships to high school seniors in the East County area. Through the program, students had the opportunity to gain significant professional development training, one-on-one mentoring from adult professionals, and paid, real-world work experience. The program placed 30 interns at worksites around the county, with a 100% retention rate – all youth who began the program in the fall are still actively enrolled. While their post high school plans are still in progress, all Montgomery interns have applied to college, all have been accepted to at least one institution, and all have completed a resume.

Anna Hargrave, Executive Director of the Community Foundation in Montgomery County, poses with Urban Alliance Scholars.

““The Children’s Opportunity Fund is making it possible for Urban Alliance to provide even more young people in Montgomery County with early, meaningful work experience and professional development to help them succeed in adulthood. We’re so grateful to the Greater Washington Community Foundation for their dedication to improving outcomes for underserved youth by helping us to sustain and grow our program here in the county.””

— Eshauna Smith, CEO of Urban Alliance

Amazon HQ2 journey exposes region's challenges

In a new op-ed for the Washington Business Journal, Bruce McNamer and Sarah Rosen Wartell from Urban Institute discuss how racial and economic inequities that have long plagued our area could threaten our progress, and they offer 3 strategies to get the region on a path for inclusive growth.

Paying Tribute to Nancy Fax

It is with great sadness that we share news of loss of The Community Foundation’s long-time friend, Nancy Fax, who passed away Monday, June 4 after a brief illness.

Nancy had a long-standing relationship with The Community Foundation in Montgomery County. She was a two-time member of the Advisory Board, and chair from April 2004 to March 2006. She also co-chaired The Community Foundation’s Professional Advisors Council for many years. During her Board tenure, she was responsible for significant growth in The Community Foundation’s charitable assets and giving.

Her leadership was also pivotal to Sharing Montgomery, our strategic, donor-led funding effort to support organizations serving the County’s growing population of low-income children, families, and seniors. Each year, it educates people about the nonprofit community serving Montgomery County, engages donors in strategic grantmaking, and supports nonprofit capacity building. This spring, thanks to the contributions for many people and businesses, Sharing Montgomery granted $375,000 to 60 organizations.

A memorial service honoring Nancy's life will be held at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, June 26th in the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park (7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Maryland). In lieu of flowers, the family invites Nancy's friends and colleagues to make a contribution to one of the following organizations:

• Identity, Inc.

• Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Educational Foundation

• The family of Nancy Fax created a memorial fund so her friends can join in continuing her legacy of expanding charitable giving in Montgomery County. For your convenience, a donation form is provided below.

Please contact Anna Hargrave (Executive Director, The Community Foundation in Montgomery County) at ahargrave@thecommunityfoundation.org if you have questions about the memorial service or other ways to donate in Nancy’s memory. 

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A Partnership to End Homelessness in DC

Washington, DC, like every major city across America, faces an affordable housing crisis. Housing plays a critical role in disrupting poverty, providing stability and creating a foundation for success in life. Yet a growing number of DC residents are experiencing housing instability and homelessness as a result of loss of affordable housing stock, major rent increases and low wages. According to the District’s recent Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, approximately 6,900 people at any given point in time are literally homeless—living on the streets or in the city's emergency shelters. Lack of stable housing makes it difficult for people to obtain or maintain employment, address health needs and keep families together.   

The Community Foundation, in partnership with the District of Columbia Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), is preparing to launch a public-private partnership focused on ending homelessness in the District by ensuring that homelessness is a rare, brief, and non-recurring event. Spurred in part by the District Government’s own plans* to address homelessness, we believe there is an immediate opportunity to align public and private sector resources and strategies to tackle this persistent challenge with renewed vigor and innovative solutions. Leveraging our experience as a convener, funder, community leader and advocate, we will bring together key public and private sector partners as we identify gaps and leverage points in the District’s plan in order to pinpoint how the private sector can make critical investments to accelerate our community’s response.

We seek to:

• Make homelessness in the District rare, brief and non-recurring by accelerating the implementation of the District’s strategy;

• Support homeless individuals, families, and youth to exit homelessness and obtain stable housing;

• Leverage and align public and private philanthropic resources, leading to more strategic and sustained investment in the homeless services system; and

• Provide a broad-based platform for continued resource mobilization and coordination.

The Community Foundation is laying the groundwork for the launch of this partnership and currently engaged in the next phase of program design and fundraising planning. As a starting point, we are focused on our most vulnerable neighbors, those who have no or extremely low/very low income (0-50% AMI). Our approach will focus on expanding the supply of supportive housing more quickly and supporting nonprofit provider capacity to serve people exiting homelessness more efficiently and effectively.

The Community Foundation has a long history of making investments to help people meet basic needs for shelter and housing. In 2008, we galvanized the generosity of our community to establish the Neighbors in Need Fund which raised $5 million in aid for neighbors hit hardest by the economic crisis and to support advocacy and systems change. In 2014, we commissioned the study, Housing Security in Greater Washington, the first of its kind to quantify the need for shelter and housing across a range of income levels and inform strategic investments by the private and public sector. Many of our donors have given significantly in this area for the past 40+ years, including millions of dollars for the preservation of affordable housing in the District in addition to housing advocacy and community organizing. And in the past two years, our Fund for Children, Youth and Families has awarded over $2 million for Stable Homes/Stable Families in the region.

We are excited by the opportunity to refresh our commitment in this space and lay the groundwork to launch a new public-private partnership focused on ending homelessness in Washington, DC. If you are a funder or donor and are interested in learning more about our partnership to end homelessness in DC, please join our Partnership to End Homelessness email list.

Additional resources:

Partnering with Donors to Pool Resources for Local Impact

Sharing Funds in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County represent strategic, donor-led funding efforts which facilitate education and civic engagement around local issues and encourage more residents and businesses to collectively give where they live. Individuals come together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing the region’s most vulnerable residents, combine their resources, and invest in organizations working to make a difference in the lives of children and families around the region.

Sharing DC

Sharing DC supports nonprofit organizations based in and directly serving low-income children, youth, adults and families in the District of Columbia. The focus area for the last Sharing DC grant cycle was on youth post-secondary success. The primary goal was to help District of Columbia youth access and be successful in post-secondary education and training, including traditional college and university credentials and industry recognized certifications. A total of $140,000 was awarded to the following organizations:

• Latin American Youth Center for its Career Academy offers students the chance to earn a GED, take college preparatory classes, earn college credits, and gain job skills in the high-growth healthcare and information technology sectors.
• New Futures provides ongoing case management, support services, and scholarships to propel students through two- or four-year community colleges or certification programs. New Futures DC will support 35 underserved youth to complete their post-secondary Scholars program.
• One World Education offers school-based programs that improve students' research, writing, and presentation skills while guiding them to more deeply understand social issues and to be prepared for postsecondary education, careers, and civic responsibilities. One World seeks to launch two new programs, expand into nine new DC charter schools, onboard two AmeriCorps VISTAS, upgrade computer systems, and increase communications outreach.
• See Forever Foundation serves a student population comprised of primarily court-involved teens and students who have dropped or failed out of traditional schools. These “alternative” schools create learning environments in low-income, urban communities where all students, particularly those who have not succeeded in traditional schools, reach their potential and prepare for college, career, and a lifetime of success.
• The Next Step Public Charter School serves disconnected youth with programs that increase their chances of succeeding in their post-secondary studies. The Next Step offers these students a full academic program in English and Spanish with flexible placement and pacing, extensive and wraparound case management, life skills instruction and college and career readiness services.
• The Urban Alliance’s High School Internship Program targets under-resourced high school seniors with a 2.0-3.0 grade point average and who have great potential for post-secondary success but are at risk of falling behind academically. With this grant, Urban Alliance can support 170 youth to participate in the 2017-2018 Washington, DC High School Internship Program.
• Urban Education provides technology-driven education, information, and skill development. This grant will help Urban Ed serve 75 low-income, unemployed youth, complete plans to grow its reach to 150 youth per year, rollout expanded courses of study, and become an approved vocational education Academy at Anacostia Senior High School.

Read about how Urban Ed is helping DC youth find expanded career pathways by gaining marketable workplace skills in information technology to establish the footing for personal and family sustainability.

Sharing Montgomery

The Sharing Montgomery Fund provides grants to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations with programs or services which directly serve low-income children, youth, adults, families, and/or seniors living in Montgomery County. In FY18, the Sharing Montgomery Endowment grew to $2.1 million, and made grants of $375,000 to 60+ local nonprofits.

Sharing Prince George’s

Sharing Prince George's supports quality nonprofit organizations addressing the economic security needs of Prince George’s County residents through education, workforce development and safety-net services. It currently consists of the Prince George’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund and the MGM National Harbor Fund. The Sharing Prince George’s Fund granted a total of $188,000 in awards to 15 nonprofits:

• Amara Legal Center to expand the Legal Representation Program which provides full legal representation to clients in cases such as child custody, civil protection orders, criminal record expungement, criminal defense cases, victim-witness advocacy, and various other types of civil cases in Maryland.
• Centro de Apoyo Familiar to support an asset building program which is designed to reach low-to moderate-income Latino families.
• Court Appointed Special Advocate - Prince George's County, MD to support work to match transition-aged foster youth throughout the County with CASA volunteers who provide one-on-one support to ensure successful transitions to adulthood by increasing high school graduation, access to post-secondary opportunities and access to safety net services.
• Doctors Community Hospital Foundation to support the Wellness on Wheels Mobile Clinic which targets Prince George’s County communities that face significantly higher health challenge and disparities.
• Family Restoration and Healing Center, Inc. to support the i-Succeed Workforce Development Program that will prepare, secure and maintain employment and career paths for 80 at-risk youth ages 15-24 from low income communities by focusing on job readiness, life skills, career training and employment.
• First Generation College Bound, Inc. to support the organization to empower youth from low to moderate families to achieve social and economic success by providing guidance, encouragement and support in obtaining a college degree.
• Housing Initiative Partnership, Inc. to support education, counseling, and support to help first time low-and moderate-income homebuyers make sustainable housing choices, help current homeowners avoid foreclosure, and help households build stable financial futures through financial planning, credit management, debt payment, and increasing savings.
• La Clinica del Pueblo to support 1,000 Latino uninsured adults, adolescents and children in the Primary Health Access program that will deliver high quality healthcare, support services, and health educational services at a new health center in Hyattsville. 
• Laurel Advocacy and Referral Services, Inc. to support efforts to provide food, prevent evictions and utility cutoffs for families and individuals residing in Laurel.
• Mission of Love Charities, Inc. to support a new food pantry that will serve at least 1,200 individuals and families in need. 
• Mistaken Identity Foundation to support a workforce development program for low-income residents and returning citizens that offers 10 industry training programs, emotional intelligence workshops and job placement services as well as small business and entrepreneurship training.
• Per Scholas, Inc. to sustain and enhance an IT training and job placement program, and specifically support students in their IT support and IT Security training tracks. 
• Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Inc to support the day to day operations of the first emergency homeless youth shelter in Prince George’s County, Promise Place, which provides homeless, abandoned, abused, neglected and runaway youth from all over the county with a compassionate alternative to the dangers of the streets and/or unstable housing.
• Side by Side, Inc. to support the Great Strat program which provides more than 100 workshops for parents at six Prince George’s County schools on how they can help their children build strong foundations in reading, math and behavior. 
• Southern Prince Georges County Community Charities Inc to support ASCEND, a national program of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Upsilon Tau Omega Chapter of Fort Washington for girls and boys designed to motivate, engage, and assist high school students in reaching their maximum potential. 

Read how FGCB provides pathways through high school into college for low- to moderate-income, at-risk, and/or underrepresented youth attending Prince George’s County Public Schools.

Coaching Prince George’s County’s Youth to College Success

This post is part of a series highlighting the amazing impact that results when our generous donors take a hands-on approach to the grantmaking process through our various Sharing funds.

Sharing Funds in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and DC represent The Community Foundation’s community-led grantmaking approach through a collection of philanthropic funds that provide financial support to local nonprofit organizations. The initiative helps donors strategically leverage their resources to create even greater impact in their own communities by pooling resources in support of effective nonprofits. It also brings donors, and other stakeholders, together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing the area’s most vulnerable residents. They engage in a peer-led grant review process to identify and support organizations that are effectively responding to the most critical needs. 

Sharing Prince George’s, operating out of the local office in Prince George’s County, helps donors to strategically leverage their resources to support the nonprofit organizations that are addressing the county’s most critical needs. It currently consists of the Prince George’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund and the MGM National Harbor Fund.

The Sharing Prince George’s initiative is a clear demonstration of the Community Foundation’s role as a convener in the philanthropic community. By providing a mechanism for corporate members of our community to pool resources so that grants can then be distributed directly to nonprofits doing important work in our community, The Community Foundation is leveraging its expertise to create a better Prince George’s.

—     William M. Shipp, Trustee of The Community Foundation

In 2017, the Sharing Prince George’s fund granted $188,000 in awards to nonprofits in Prince George’s County, MD. First Generation College Bound (FGCB) was one of the 15 recipients in the latest round of awards.

FGCB helps youth realize that being the first in their family to earn a post-secondary degree is no longer a dream out of reach. For more than 25 years, FGCB has provided pathways through high school into college for low- to moderate-income, at-risk, and/or underrepresented youth attending Prince George’s County Public Schools.

According to the US Census, only 46% of low-income American students matriculate to college nationally. With limited opportunities for employment, low- and moderate-income students without college degrees will likely encounter a poorer quality of life, marked by inadequate housing, poor health care, food insecurity and the inability to build sustainable futures.

As a society, unless we do more to encourage first generation students to obtain college degrees, we risk becoming a more divided nation: between those who are moving forward, and those left behind.  And our most serious social problems – poverty, racism, violence, substance abuse, and mass incarceration – will grow more intractable.

General Operating Support from the Sharing Fund gave FGCB the flexibility to assure we addressed our most critical needs and gave our Coaches proper administrative and technical support to improve the quality of our services and enhance our mission’s delivery.

—     Joseph Fisher, Executive Director, First Generation College Bound

In 2016-2017, First Generation College Bound served 1,210 students across three programs: the Homework Club (27 students), College Access (223 students), and College Retention (960 students). College Access Coaches conducted a workshop series that educated high school seniors on the importance of taking the SAT, the financial aid system, the college admissions process, and how to successfully transition to college. A record number of students in the program – 98% of the 223 participants – matriculated to college.

The Community Foundation is happy to announce the next grant round for the Sharing funds is opening on June 4, 2018. To stay updated on our grant availability, visit our nonprofit page or join our mailing list.

The Impact of Hands-On Grantmaking in the District

This post is part of a series highlighting the amazing impact that results when our generous donors take a hands-on approach to the grantmaking process through our various Sharing Funds.

Sharing Funds in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and DC represent The Community Foundation’s community-led grantmaking approach through a collection of philanthropic funds that provide financial support to local nonprofit organizations. The initiative helps donors strategically leverage their resources to create even greater impact in their own communities by pooling resources in support of effective nonprofits. It also brings donors, and other stakeholders, together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing the area’s most vulnerable residents. They engage in a peer-led grant review process to identify and support organizations that are effectively responding to the most critical needs.

Sharing DC supports nonprofit organizations based in and directly serving low-income children, youth, adults and families in the District of Columbia. Its focus for the most recent grant cycle was on youth post-secondary success, with a primary goal to help DC youth access and be successful in post-secondary education and training, including traditional college, university credentials and industry recognized certifications.

If you’re like me, donating to charity requires a certain amount of finger-crossing. You have a few favorites you give to every year, because you know they do a good job. But then there are all the others: a little here to one group, and a little there to another. Maybe their literature caught your eye, or a friend told you about them, or you read about them somewhere. I often feel like it’s a shot in the dark. But Sharing D.C. is different. The support from The Community Foundation’s staff and the evaluations I conduct with my fellow donors make me comfortable that our money is going to good causes.

—    Marcus Rosenbaum, Sharing DC Committee Member

In 2017, the Sharing DC fund granted $140,000 in awards to nonprofits across Washington, DC. Urban Ed, Inc. was one of the seven recipients in the latest round of Sharing DC awards.

Urban Ed’s mission is “to provide District of Columbia children, youth and adults with technology-driven education, information and skill development for sustained futures.” The organization helps DC residents gain marketable workplace skills in information technology and coordinates educational initiatives that address truancy and low literacy with the use of various levels and forms of technology.

With more than 19,000 people out of work, half of which are youth between 18-29, these high levels of unemployment perpetuate several community issues such as crime rates, substance abuse, domestic violence and ongoing high poverty. Helping young people find careers in high growth occupations establishes the footing for personal and family sustainability [and alleviates] many societal issues, particularly within the Ward 8 community.

Having strategic funding partners, like The Community Foundation and this Sharing grant, is essential to the growth of our TechnoForce program (now called the STEMAcad) and our ability to reach our goals to provide the city more career pathways in IT and serve more residents in need. With this grant, we were able to expand our program to provide 4 career pathways, bring accredited IT curriculum to the ward 8 community, and build a pool of 75 local minority IT talent for regional employers. [We are] bridging more corporate partnerships to support IT workforce development, diversity, and inclusion, [and] we are now conferred as a non-degree granting educational institution by OSSE.

—    Roxanne J. Williams, President

The Community Foundation is happy to announce the next grant round for the Sharing Funds is opening on June 4, 2018. To stay updated on our grant availability, visit our nonprofit page or join our mailing list.

June 5 President's Forum on Ending Homelessness

Please note: This event is exclusively for local private foundations and The Community Foundation’s donors and fundholders. 

Washington, DC, like every major city across America, faces an affordable housing crisis. Lack of stable housing makes it difficult for people to obtain or maintain employment, address health needs and keep families together. Housing plays a critical role in disrupting poverty, providing stability and creating a foundation for success in life. In DC, it is estimated that over 40,000 households face “worst case housing needs” which means they are paying more than half of their monthly income for rent and/or are living in overcrowded or substandard housing. However, approximately 4,700 households (or 6,900 people) at any given point in time are literally homeless – living on the streets or in the city’s emergency shelters.    

Please join us for an important conversation on June 5 with recognized leaders in the fight to end homelessness as they discuss the key challenges, opportunities and best practices from both a local and national perspective.

SPEAKERS

• Bruce McNamer, President and CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

• Nan Roman, President and CEO, National Alliance to End Homelessness

• Amanda Andere, CEO, Funders Together to End Homelessness

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

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is dedicated to building thriving communities where all residents have a chance to lead healthy and productive lives. We focus on supporting marginalized people in our region to find pathways out of poverty, creating diverse and inclusive spaces that foster human connection, and preparing workers to succeed in our region’s changing economy. The President’s Forum is a quarterly series of conversations on a range of topics designed to help donors learn about critical issues facing our region and potential solutions. 

For more information and to register please contact marketing@thecommunityfoundation.org.

Barbara Bush's Literacy Legacy

Official Portrait of Barbara Pierce Bush, taken in the residence of the White House, 1989

Photo credit: George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

While former First Lady Barbara Bush had many passions, none was more personally identified with her than teaching children and their parents to read. More than 25 years after leaving the White House, Mrs. Bush’s legacy continues through the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy which focuses on breaking the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy by developing and supporting family literacy programs.

All of us at The Community Foundation were deeply saddened to learn of her recent passing. The Community Foundation was proud and honored to be the home of her Foundation for more than two decades. We will remember Mrs. Bush’s passion, leadership and devotion to fostering family literacy.

Aware of The Community Foundation’s successful record of managing charitable funds for other national figures, in 1989 Mrs. Bush asked the Foundation to help establish her literacy organization. She was drawn to The Community Foundation because of our previous work with Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, who established a fund in 1985 to support anti-drug abuse programs dealing with the increase in drug use among the nation’s youth.

“The Community Foundation structure was uniquely suited to our needs,” said Benita Somerfield, Founding Executive Director of the Barbara Bush Foundation, adding that Mrs. Bush valued the high rate of return on investments, and knowing that assets go toward literacy programs, not overhead.

Since its creation, the Foundation has been sharply focused on its core mission: “to establish literacy as a value in every family in America, by helping every family in the nation understand that the home is the child’s first school, that the parent is the child’s first teacher, and that reading is the child’s first subject.”

Mrs. Bush firmly believed that family literacy programs help prepare children to start school ready to learn and that reading together brings families together. She also recognized how “literacy provides adults with the skills essential to getting a job, earning a paycheck, and attaining self-sufficiency.”

From 1989 through 2011, the Foundation awarded more than $40 million in grants to support the development and expansion of more than 900 literacy programs in 50 states and the District of Columbia. These community-based organizations and programs were found in schools, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, libraries, faith-based organizations and other nonprofit agencies.

“We would not be able to thrive and grow the way we have without the support and fine work of The Community Foundation,” Mrs. Bush said in 2003.

Ms. Somerfield credited The Community Foundation with helping to make Mrs. Bush’s vision possible by providing transparent and efficient back office support and grants administration. This included providing administrative support for the Foundation’s signature National Grant Program, where organizations across the country applied for highly competitive grants, and State Initiatives with grantmaking focused on Maine, Texas, Florida, and Maryland.

Although The Community Foundation is no longer the home of the Barbara Bush Foundation, her literacy legacy lives on. You can find more information at www.barbarabushlegacy.org. The Foundation is inviting anyone interested in honoring her legacy to share a personal tribute or make a memorial donation.

New Grants from Catalyst Fund Support Wealth-Building and Entrepreneurship

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is excited to announce $250,000 in grants through the Catalyst Fund, a new initiative focused on community-based efforts to support small business, micro-enterprise development, and entrepreneurship. The Catalyst Fund is an outgrowth of the Community Foundation’s long-standing support for job training and workforce development solutions, and also represents a shift in our strategy to consider the changing nature of our region’s workplaces and economy. According to an Association for Enterprise Opportunity report, the median net worth of business owners is almost 2.5 times higher than non-business owners. For people of color, the distinction is even greater—for instance, a Latino man who owns a business has a net worth that is approximately 5 times higher than his peers, while for a black woman the difference is 10 times.

“These Catalyst Fund grants underscore the importance of investments in wealth-building and entrepreneurship, as well as signal a need for more philanthropists and funders to invest in preparing workers for The Future of Work. The Community Foundation will make this one of the hallmarks of our forthcoming strategy to disrupt poverty and build thriving communities across the Greater Washington region,” said Tonia Wellons, VP of Community Investment at the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

Catalyst Fund Grant Awards

Life Asset

In the District of Columbia, the Fund is investing in Life Asset’s microloan and small business training program for low-income entrepreneurs. Life Asset works to alleviate poverty in the Greater Washington area by empowering people through affordable financial products, services, and education, thereby promoting self-help and self-respect and expanding social and economic opportunities for lower income residents. The Catalyst Fund’s $75,000 investment will help Life Asset scale its work to double its loan capacity in 2018.

"Life Asset is grateful for the partnership with The Community Foundation and excited to scale up our proven microloan program. Our goal for the next 12 months is to provide microloans coupled with business training to 800 low-income entrepreneurs - creating jobs and financial self-sufficiency through business ownership."

- Executive Director Markus Larsson

CASA

In Maryland, the Fund is making investments in a trio of community-based groups, each working to build wealth in grassroots communities using different and innovative approaches. This includes CASA, the foremost Latino and immigrant organization in the region with a mission to create a more just society by building power and improving the quality of life in working class and immigrant communities. The Catalyst Fund’s $50,000 investment will support CASA’s efforts to ensure that small local businesses along the International Corridor (spanning the neighborhoods of Long Branch in Montgomery County and Langley Park in Prince George’s County) are not displaced during the construction of the new Purple Line Light Rail.

“With the construction of the Purple Line having already begun, we have an historic opportunity to ensure that small businesses in the International Corridor not only survive the construction, but thrive in their revitalized neighborhood. CASA is so excited to expand our work in supporting the small businesses in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties affected by the Purple Line by offering technical assistance and advocacy, thanks to the additional support we will be receiving through the Catalyst Fund.”

- Jennifer Freedman, CASA’s Chief of Development and Finance

Impact Silver spring

The Fund has also invested $75,000 in IMPACT Silver Spring, whose vision is for every resident to lead a full and quality life in a racially and economically equitable Montgomery County. The Catalyst Fund’s grant will support IMPACT Silver Spring's ongoing efforts to build a local economy ecosystem that enables low-income residents of color to build and own a network of micro, small, and cooperatively-owned businesses - leading to increased financial security, assets, and community wealth. 

"We applaud the Greater Washington Community Foundation for investing in strategies that go beyond managing symptoms to root cause solutions.  While jobs can help people get out of poverty, they need assets to stay out of poverty."

- Jayne Park, Executive Director of IMPACT Silver Spring

Crossroads Community Food Network

Finally, the Fund has invested $50,000 in Crossroads Community Food Network, a Montgomery County-based nonprofit that works to bolster the local food system through programs that support and unite those who grow, make, and eat fresh, healthy food. Our investment will support the Microenterprise Training Program & Community Kitchen, a free, bilingual entrepreneurship and business support program for underserved aspiring food entrepreneurs.  Graduates are eligible to apply to use Crossroads’ brand-new Takoma Park Silver Spring Community Kitchen for entrepreneurs to create their products to potentially be showcased at Crossroads’ own Farmers Market.

“Funding at this critical juncture in our program will enable us to scale up our food entrepreneur training program to ensure our new community kitchen reaches full capacity. These two initiatives extend the opportunity of entrepreneurship to people who are often left out. We're thrilled to be able to provide more economic opportunities for low-income immigrants.”

- Christie Balch, Crossroads’ Executive Director

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The Community Foundation is thrilled to support these high-quality nonprofits in their efforts this year. If you would like more information about these organizations, the Catalyst Fund, or to learn more about how you can work to support workers and entrepreneurs to succeed in our region’s changing economy, contact Benton Murphy at bmurphy@thecommunityfoundation.org.

Bowser Administration Announces $1.2 Million in Grant Awards to Nonprofit, Community Organizations

The Bowser Administration announced 25 awardees of the City Innovation Fund’s Safer, Stronger DC Community Opportunity Grant Competition. The grants, which total $1.2 million, are part of Mayor Bowser’s Safer, Stronger DC initiative.
 
“By working together with community organizations to take a smart, holistic approach to public safety, we are building on our progress and providing more Washingtonians and neighborhoods the opportunities and resources they need to thrive,” said Mayor Bowser. 
 
The 25 organizations were selected through an independent grant-making process managed by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Selected organizations serve children, youth, and families in the following selected priority Police Service Areas (PSA): 302, 304, 305, 404, 506, 507, 602, 603, 604, 702, 704, 705 and 706. These PSAs encompass the neighborhoods of Columbia Heights, Brightwood Park, Trinidad, Carver/Langston, Deanwood/Lincoln Heights, Fort Dupont, Benning Ridge/Marshall Heights, Fort Stanton/Garfield Heights/Woodland, Douglass, Congress Heights, and Washington Highlands. The grant period is for one year.
  
“These general operating grants will help build and enhance the internal capacity and operations of community organizations doing critical work in our neighborhoods with some of the hardest to reach and most at-risk residents,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services HyeSook Chung.
 
In all, 106 organizations applied for funding this round. This year, the Bowser Administration continued to offer technical assistance with the grant process through a partnership with Project 500. Project 500 is a business development program to help diverse businesses and nonprofits scale in terms of revenue, staff, and investment retained. 
 
“This final slate of City Innovation Fund grantees represents the diversity and complexity of issues facing our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Bruce McNamer, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “These organizations have demonstrated their capacity and commitment to providing access, equity and opportunity to all. The Community Foundation will continue to support the District of Columbia Government in its efforts to ensure that all residents benefit from the city’s economic growth and prosperity.”
 
The following organizations are being awarded grants:

Access Inc.
College Tribe
Community Services Agency of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO
D.C. Law Students in Court Program, Inc.
D.C. Creative Writing Workshop, Inc.
Do the Write Thing Foundation of DC
Excel Automotive Institute
Exodus Treatment Center, Inc.
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Generation Hope
Good Projects
Healthy Babies Project, Inc.
Innercity Collaborative Community Development Corporation on behalf of Saving our Next Generation (SONG)
Jah Kente International
Just 4 Us Foundation, Inc.
Latin American Youth Center
Metro DC Community Center Inc.
My Sister’s Place
Nomis Youth Network
One Common Unity
Sasha Bruce Youthwork Inc.
Schooltalk Inc.
Teens Run DC
Urban Ed, Inc.
Young Ladies of Tomorrow

“We are extremely grateful to receive this grant award,” said Pastor Gary Hill, Executive Director of Exodus Treatment Center, Inc. “The Woodland Terrace community has suffered more than its fair share of violent crime and related trauma. We serve as a safe haven of opportunity. Our programming mitigates idle time by providing productive and supervised training and activities for the community. This grant will provide the necessary resources to increase and build capacity for our pre-apprentice program.”  
 
The disbursement of grant payments is contingent on organizations successfully satisfying all District of Columbia business and tax requirements. 

For more information, contact Manon P. Matchett at mmatchett@thecommunityfoundation.org.

A Surprising Benefit of the New Tax Law

Rebecca Rothey writes for Bloomberg Law and the Daily Tax Report about how donors can maintain or increase their charitable giving under the new tax law while preserving the tax benefits of such giving.

On the 50th Anniversary of MLK's Assassination

The anniversary of MLK’s assassination is a reminder of Dr. King’s remarkable legacy and how his message is both timeless and still so timely today. It is one that I often reflect on when thinking about The Community Foundation’s work and of our responsibility to our own community. But this particular anniversary also has special significance to myself and the donors and staff of The Community Foundation who have the opportunity every day to live the legacy of leadership of our former CEO Terri Freeman. For 17+ years, Terri led The Community Foundation’s efforts to advance equity, social justice, and the well-being of all in our community, doing so in ways that were reflective of Dr. King’s own leadership, commitment and vision. We are especially proud of the leadership role Terri now plays in advancing Dr. King’s dreams as the President of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis – located at the site of his assassination on this day in 1968. I hope that on this anniversary, you will join us in recommitting to his legacy, and in acknowledging Terri’s lifetime of effort to make his dream a reality.

Bruce McNamer

President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation

The Resilience Fund: A Year in Review

It has been one year since the Greater Washington Community Foundation and the Meyer Foundation launched the Resilience Fund as a rapid response vehicle to address changes in federal policy and budget priorities and the increasing climate of intolerance, hate, and anti-other, which disproportionately impact people of color, and immigrant and refugee communities. In that time, we have raised more than $630,000 from institutional and individual donors across the region. We are incredibly proud to share that we have also leveraged as much as $450,000 through parallel commitments from donors to organizations funded through the Resilience Fund. That is more than $1 million to support local nonprofits serving the urgent and emerging needs of our region's most vulnerable residents. This is a true testament to the commitment of incredibly generous people in our region who care deeply about their neighbors and communities. 

Reflecting on the past year, we wanted to share some of the important work this Fund has contributed to.

Helping Immigrant Communities

Initially, the Resilience Fund focused last fall on supporting residents and families affected by the new Administration’s changes to international travel, immigration, and deportation policies. The Resilience Fund’s first round of grants supported work to ensure community members understand their legal and civil rights, take precautions to stabilize their families in the event they are detained, and receive legal representation.

• Know Your Rights education: As ICE changed its enforcement priorities and stepped up detentions, CAIR Coalition responded by delivering 12 presentations across the region educating 326 immigrant youth and adults about their constitutional rights. It also intervened in the bond cases of 18 detained individuals, securing the release of 12 on bond and with three more are awaiting hearings.

• Legal defense training: Noncriminal arrests of immigrants have increased by nearly 300%. Legal Aid Justice Center is combating ICE abuses by training 64 lawyers to defend immigrants in deportation proceedings by challenging constitutional violations. Without the Resilience Fund’s support, LAJC would not have had the funding to provide this training to nonprofit providers and private attorneys.

• Legal services: CASA sought to address threats facing immigrants due to increased enforcement and changes to DACA and TPS. It held 46 know your rights workshops attended by 6,740 people, screened 415 people at risk of deportation to identify potential forms of relief, provided DACA application assistance to 320 youth, held bystander trainings for 300 people and mobilized a national day of action.

• DACA application support: The President’s decision to rescind DACA provided only one month for eligible recipients to renew their status – affecting an estimated 20,000 people in the region. Ayuda received an emergency grant to conduct outreach and organize two free DACA clinics – helping 45 clients prepare renewal applications, receive in-depth legal consultations, and open long-term representation cases. The future of DACA remains uncertain but, with the Resilience Fund’s support, Ayuda continues to assist DACA recipients with legal advice and representation.

Countering Hate and Intolerance 

Recent increases in incidents of hate, intolerance and incivility in the Greater Washington region led the Resilience Fund to refocus its second round of grantmaking on building community cohesion and combating anti-other sentiment. In late December, the Fund made grants to local organizations focused on grassroots community engagement and national organizations combating bullying, bigotry, and fake news through education. While much of the work funded this round is still in process, some early notable achievements include:

• Anti-bias education: The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has tracked a disturbing trend of increasing bias incidents in schools, where it’s estimated that 1 in 4 students are bullied. With support from the Resilience Fund, ADL doubled the size of its No Place for Hate program to reach more than 25,000 students in 25 K-12 schools throughout the region. The program is helping local schools foster an accepting and safe climate using ADL’s framework to teach respect and inclusion.

• Digital literacy tools: More educators are seeking tools to teach students how to sort fact from falsehood in the digital age so they can be informed and engaged citizens. A grant from the Resilience Fund enabled the News Literacy Project to expand its program into Arlington County, Virginia, where it will host a NewsLitCamp for teachers in August and make 2,500 subscriptions to its virtual classroom available.

• Community engagement: Prince George’s County residents care deeply about the well-being of their communities but lack a space to discuss relevant issues. With support from the Resilience Fund, the Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund partnered with the Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative and will host a town hall style gathering on April 23, for discussions of economic, health, public safety and educational challenges in the County.

• Training future leaders: Disenfranchised communities have long been left out of conversations about economic improvement and systems change. Progressive Maryland offered 5 trainings to empower 50 members to become agents of change and advocates for social and economic justice. These members have since taken on leadership positions within their local chapters to help strengthen their community’s grassroots capacity to advocate for their needs.

While many similar rapid response funds launched in other parts of the country are winding down, the Resilience Fund is gearing up for its second year. The Steering Committee is in the process of building out its agenda. We invite you to join us in our efforts. For more information contact Tonia Wellons, Vice President - Community Investment at twellons@thecommunityfoundation.org. 

Sincerely,

Bruce McNamer

President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Nicky Goren

President and CEO

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

Resilience Fund Steering Committee

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

Harman Family Foundation

June Linowitz

Elaine Reuben

Rob and Sheri Rosenfeld

Mauri Ziff and Jeff Hamond

Honoring the Legacy of Cliff Kendall

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is saddened to share the news that Clifford M. Kendall passed away on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.

Cliff and Camille Kendall opened the very first fund which established our Community Foundation in Montgomery County (CFMC) 22 years ago. Cliff also stepped up to serve as the Founding CFMC Advisory Board Chair, recruiting thoughtful and strategic leaders to build CFMC as a permanent “engine of giving” for county residents and businesses. 

Cliff devoted his “retirement” energy to the causes most dear to him and Camille, with a special focus on scholarships for low-income students. Their generosity has enabled hundreds of students to earn degrees at Montgomery College, the Universities at Shady Grove, and the University of Maryland. Never content to simply write a check, Cliff dove into numerous leadership roles at these beloved institutions, using his business acumen to help foster change which affected thousands more students. 

Cliff’s philanthropic legacy also includes the creation of our Sharing Montgomery Fund and its endowment, a key source of support for nonprofit organizations working with the county’s growing population of low-income children, families, and seniors.

We are deeply grateful to Cliff for his visionary leadership and strategic giving which touched the lives of so many people and played a key role in our community’s health and vibrancy. We are certain that his exceptional example will continue to inspire many others to give their time, talent, and treasure, making his true philanthropic legacy impossible to measure. 

Sincerely,
Bruce McNamer
President and CEO,
Greater Washington Community Foundation

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In 2016, we had the honor to recognize Cliff and Camille for their inspiring philanthropy. This video provides a brief glimpse into the ways Cliff touched the lives of so many and led by example.  

How the Resilience Fund Reshaped One Couple’s Philanthropy

Rob and Sheri Rosenfeld opened a donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation in December 2007. A native Washingtonian, Rob is a real estate developer and investor who was previously a Managing Partner of JBG Rosenfeld Retail. Sheri is a native of Chicago who has lived in the Washington area for nearly 30 years. She is a psychotherapist and was in private practice. Over the years, the Rosenfelds have donated their time serving on nonprofit boards and contributing to causes near and dear to their family, such as the arts and cancer research. However, they decided to expand their approach to philanthropy when they heard about The Community Foundation’s Resilience Fund. The Fund was created in March 2017 to support the critical needs of nonprofits working on behalf of vulnerable communities affected by changes in federal policies. Rob and Sheri recently spoke about their experience serving on the Fund’s steering committee. 

What drew you to the Resilience Fund? 

When we learned about the Fund, it felt like an “aha” moment. We both had been searching for what one person or what one couple could do to speak to the troubling direction that this new administration was taking. Rather than moaning and groaning about changing policies, we wanted to take action. The Resilience Fund spoke to us.

What inspired you to join the steering committee? 

We took great comfort in knowing that both The Community Foundation and Meyer Foundation were involved in creating the Fund. We recognized the value of the two foundations, along with other foundations and individuals, joining forces to have a greater impact. While we were prepared to make a significant financial contribution, we wanted to do more than just write a check. We saw this as a significant time in our country, in terms of the political and social climate. If we were going to make a material commitment of our time and resources during our lifetime, it felt like this was one of those times.

How do you feel about the committee’s decision to focus on immigration, deportation policies, the rise of intolerance and the adverse impact of the federal budget on our region? 

Some may see these issues – especially immigration – through a partisan lens. We see them through a humanitarian and economic lens. In fact there are people on both sides of the aisle who see the merits of a robust immigration system. Having friends and colleagues from many different backgrounds, we feel that ALL people deserve the same rights and freedoms, including due process. We feel this in our bones and in our hearts. It’s heartbreaking to watch so much social and economic progress be rolled back. The Resilience Fund is ensuring that our neighborhoods “remain resilient, thriving, and more equitable and inclusive places to live despite policy shifts and ‘anti-other’ sentiments.” 

How does the steering committee make its decisions?  

The committee has conference calls or meetings at least once a month. We ask critical questions about potential grantees: Is the organization strong enough? Will this funding make a difference? Is this an urgent need? There are so many groups doing good work. It’s our job to determine which organizations will have the greatest impact. For instance, in September, we made an emergency rapid response grant of $25,000 to support Ayuda. That is exactly what this fund is intended for. At the time, Ayuda was addressing the urgent need for emergency clinics to prepare and file Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications in DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland before the filing deadline. Our rapid response funding also provided legal services and consultations to advise DACA recipients about avenues of relief available to them. 

Would you recommend this Fund to friends? 

Absolutely. For the past year, we’ve been raising money from our friends and colleagues – and we aren’t done yet. Our goal is to raise support from friends toward the Fund’s ultimate goal of $1 million. In every administration there’s going to be a rollback of something. But this time, things are happening so fast and with such a large sweeping hand.  Together, we hope to soften the blow from these shifting policies. 

Learn more about the Resilience Fund's focus areas and recent grants.

Thank you for celebrating with us!

On March 12, more than 700 nonprofit, philanthropic, business, civic and government leaders came together to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Greater Washington Community Foundation and honor Carol Thompson Cole’s life-long dedication to our region. Thanks to the generosity of so many, the 2018 Celebration of Philanthropy raised a record-breaking $645,000 – with proceeds expanding charitable resources that enable The Community Foundation to ensure equity, access, and opportunity are available to all.

At the event, our President and CEO Bruce McNamer said: “This is a historic evening for The Community Foundation, as we celebrate our 45th anniversary. That is 45 years of strengthening the Greater Washington region. 45 years of bringing people and resources together for community change. 45 years of driving the region’s tremendous giving spirit. We are proud of this rich history and the meaningful work we have led in our community over the past 45 years. And we are honored to be our communities’ trusted advisor and steward, guiding the region’s philanthropic response to community needs.”

Greater Washington Community Foundation President and CEO Bruce McNamer, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, and 2018 Civic Spirit Award honoree Carol Thompson Cole

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser highlighted the impact of local philanthropy on our region: “It is our nonprofits who are right there by our side, connecting residents to opportunity and empowering Washingtonians across all eight wards. And it is so great to have a partner like The Community Foundation, which gives out nearly $80 million annually to support a diverse range of issues in DC and beyond – including their generous support of the Safer, Stronger Opportunity Grant Fund.”

Before a standing room only crowd, including four generations of her family, friends, mentors, and colleagues, Civic Spirit Award Honoree Carol Thompson Cole remarked on the significance of the evening and the award: “I am proud and truly honored to receive the 2018 Civic Spirit Award. Many thanks to The Community Foundation for recognizing my life’s work to help make this city and region one of the best places to live, go to school, work and do business.”

Carol reflected on her distinguished career in local government – most notably serving as the first and only female appointed as City Administrator – and explained how she was drawn to the work of Venture Philanthropy Partners after meeting Co-Founder Mario Morino and relating to “his vision for using a business approach to philanthropy and focusing on improving outcomes for our most vulnerable youth.” She encouraged all of us – donors and philanthropists, nonprofit and business leaders, educators and government officials – to “lean into the challenges facing our communities… and to embrace collaboration and think of ways that you can to continue to be a civic leader for our Greater Washington region.”

We are so grateful to all of the incredibly generous friends who contributed to the evening’s success and who have joined us in the fight to make our region a stronger, safer, and more enriching place to live. We extend the deepest gratitude to Celebration Co-Chairs David Bradt and Katharine Weymouth, our premier sponsor Kaiser Permanente, and all of the individuals and organizations whose sponsorship helped make the Celebration possible.

A special thank you to all of the performers and exhibitors from Arts for the Aging, Community Bridges, DC Youth Orchestra Program, D.C. Creative Writing Workshop, GALA Hispanic Theatre and Flamenco Aparicio Dance Company, Justin Trawick and The Common Good, Paula Brown Performing Arts Center, Young Artists of America, The Art League, Art Works Now, and Vanny.

Click on the gallery below to see more pictures. Photo credit: Digital PX

Announcing TNI Grants to Support Community-Based Groups

The Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI) Fund for Community Innovation was established in 2014 by The Office of the Prince George's County Executive and Prince George’s County Public Schools to support community-based organizations providing quality free and/or affordable out-of-school time programming for youth, ages 0-18, and families living in the Prince George’s County’s TNI communities. A total of $125,000 in grants were awarded to:

• Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to provide 300 at-risk middle school youth with high quality out-of-school learning to enhance literacy and problem-solving skills, and the beginnings of preparation for a successful adulthood.

• CM Educational Program Services Inc to help at-risk youth and underprivileged families overcome recurring issues by providing Academic Financial Literacy Skills (AFLS) to the Suitland community.

• Leep To College Foundation to expand its capacity to provide developmental and supportive services which contribute to increased high school graduation rates and subsequent college attendance to additional high schools in the TNI communities, including Northwestern, Oxon Hill and Suitland High Schools.

• Scholastic Olympics, Inc. to expand visits from 3 to 10 Prince George's County high schools to offer academic workshops, afterschool study sessions and other activities that not only introduce students to Scholastic Olympics but prepare them for classroom rigor and the academic challenges of the competitions.

• Strive To Tri, Inc to empower the youth of Prince George’s County, ages 7 to 17, to adopt a healthy lifestyle through regular physical activity, participation in sports, and promoting positive eating habits.

• Take Charge Juvenile Diversion Program, Inc. to support Just For Her girls programs and Leadership Development and Life Skills boys programs at Andrew Jackson, Crossland High School and Suitland High schools to help reduce juvenile delinquency and recidivism and increase academic performance and graduation rates.

• Vine Corps, Inc. to provide students in Bladensburg/Riverdale, Woodlawn/Lanham, and Kentland/Palmer Park with weekly study halls to include tutoring, mentoring, and college and career preparation; open gym sessions; and leadership development experiences such as community service and outdoor activities.

Winter/Spring 2018 Site Visit Schedule

This calendar is exclusively for The Community Foundation's network of donors to learn about the needs of our region, discover great organizations, and share ideas with other donors looking to make an impact. Space at these events is limited. Please RSVP to rsvp@thecommunityfoundation.org. Directions and additional information about each visit will be sent to guests who have submitted an RSVP.

February 20, Montgomery County: Making A New United People

3:00PM – 4:00PM Making A New United People develops teen leaders social emotional and employment skills by providing them with supports, resources, and training to ensure that they are resilient, healthy, and contributing community members.

March 1, Montgomery County: IMPACT Silver Spring

6:00PM – 7:00PM Community networking programs and events focused on building intentional relationships among diverse peoples to foster trust, collaboration, and value exchange in the pursuit of healthier individuals, families, and neighborhoods. For this visit, we’ll get to hear from leaders who formed the Montgomery Community Investment Corporation (MCIC), a cooperative model that started a loan fund has raised over $90,000 from micro-entrepreneurs to support each other in expanding their businesses.

March 5, Montgomery County: Urban Alliance

3:30PM – 4:30PM Urban Alliance provides paid, professional internships, job skills training, and one-on-one mentoring to economically-disadvantaged high school seniors.

March 9, Montgomery County: Sunflower Bakery

10:30AM – 11:30AM Sunflower Bakery prepares individuals with developmental or other cognitive disabilities for employment in baking and related industries through on-the-job training.

March 13, Montgomery County: YMCA Youth and Family Services

3:00PM – 4:00PM YMCA Youth and Family Services provides mentoring, therapy, and case management programs geared to help children and adolescents, as well as their families, who are struggling with trauma, poverty, and food insecurity.

March 14, Montgomery County: Youth/Police Dialogue

3:00PM – 4:30PM Identity, Inc.— A series of discussions between youth and police geared to improve communication, understanding, and trust between youth and law enforcement.

March 15, Montgomery County: Manna’s Mobile Kitchen & Pop-Up

3:15PM – 4:15PM Manna’s Mobile Kitchen & Pop-Up Pantry provides access to healthy foods and nutrition education to low-income kids and seniors at risk of food insecurity.

March 20, Prince George’s: Greater Riverdale Career Empowerment Center Site Visit

10:00AM - 11:00AM The Central Kenilworth Avenue Revitalization Community Development Corporation (CKAR) implements projects throughout the Greater Riverdale community that include workforce training/job development, environmental sustainability, business retention, advocacy and economic and community development. To curb unemployment, CKAR has developed the Greater Riverdale Career Empowerment Center where they offer certified workforce training, career development programming and legal services.

March 22, Northern Virginia: Offender Aid and Restoration Site Visit

12:00PM - 1:00PM Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) is a community-based restorative justice organization that blends compassion and accountability to assist offenders in leading productive and responsible lives. OAR participants are invited to take responsibility for past actions and repair the damage done by giving back to the community and providing a service that enriches the lives of others.

March 22, Northern Virginia: Legal Aid Justice Center Site Visit

TBD Legal Aid Justice Center battles poverty and injustice by solving critical legal problems for individuals and communities. Housed in over 40 offices throughout Charlottesville, Falls Church, Petersburg and Richmond, they provide a full range of services to their clients, utilizing a mix of zealous individual representation, group and class litigation, community organizing, policy advocacy, and media relations.

April 12, Prince George’s: Housing Initiative Partnership Site Visit

10:00AM - 12:00PM Housing Initiative Partnership, Inc. (HIP) is an innovative, green nonprofit developer and counseling agency dedicated to revitalizing neighborhoods. HIP creates housing and economic security for low- and moderate-income households and provides services that improve the quality of life in the communities they serve.

April 17, Prince George’s: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Site Visit

10:00AM – 12:00PM CASA, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization that partners 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 trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child’s individual needs.

May 11, Prince George's: Mistaken Identity Foundation

10:00AM - 12:00PM Mistaken Identity Foundation focuses on emotional education, workforce training and employment for teens and young adults. They also offer programs for adults re-entering society after short or long-term incarceration. Their intent is to help participants understand how to translate their frustrations, emotions, and fears into a productive lifestyle that benefits them and their community.

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Exploring Our Community: Site Visits in Prince George's County

The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County has launched a new initiative to strengthen relationships between local individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. Each year, our donors and other community members join us in visiting several local organizations, to celebrate, support, and learn more about the important and diverse work happening across the County. It is our hope that building strong networks between our donors and effective nonprofits serving County residents will enhance the philanthropic experience and grow positive community impact.

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Highlights from Places We've Gone

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Computer CORE is a job training program that offers technological and professional skill-building courses for low-income adult residents of Northern Virginia to improve their careers and transform their lives. During a site visit to one of the organizations many locations, Executive Director Lynn O’Connell and Business and Community Partnerships Director Quincy White taled to us about the program’s successes, its challenges, and invited donors to sit in on a beginners excel class and interact with students.

“I’m not only learning things that will help me grow my business, but I’m also learning things to help me organize my daily life.”

— Student Participant

“The teachers here are really patient and truly care.”

— Student Participant

Our donors gained a deeper understanding of Computer CORE’s mission and values. Many of their questions were answered and the experience promoted program advocacy in a new way.

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House of Ruth Maryland is leading the fight to end domestic violence against women and their children. This local nonprofit provides victims with tools and professional resources to build appropriate safety

plans and reduce harm. Program Counselor Asjoure Brown engaged donors in a simulation activity called “In her Shoes”, introducing some of the challenges faced by victims of domestic abuse. We discovered the complexities of this type of work and the diverse way in which cases are handled.

Attributing all we learned, we can consider realistic program practices when evaluating outcomes and impact. The overall experience was rated both informative and meaningful.

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COMING SOON

The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County will begin touring other nonprofit sites starting in March 2018. Get ready to explore a variety of nonprofit organizations working on a diverse set of issues, including affordable housing, education, criminal justice, family and youth support, media projects, and much more!

If you are interested in attending one of our site visits, please contact Monique Riley at mriley@thecommunityfoundation.org or (301) 918.8480 ext. 164.