Crafting A New Narrative: An Agenda for Economic Justice in Prince George’s County

On June 25, 2024, The Greater Washington Community Foundation held its second of three convenings on the subject of “An Agenda for Economic Justice in Prince George’s County.” Building on the discussion from the first convening, the gathering brought together community leaders and activists from across the region to advance the discussion about the social and economic future of Prince George’s County, and how we might curate a narrative that inspires our community to pursue economic justice together. 

The Regional Racial Investment Gap – Diving into the Numbers

Over time, the stark level of chronic underinvestment of public and private dollars   in Prince George’s County as compared to our neighbors has created a racial investment gap.

A recent study by the Urban Institute found that – across the region – neighborhoods with the highest percentages of Black and Latino residents received the lowest levels of public and private investment compared to neighborhoods with higher percentages of White residents.

The study found that, on average, households in Prince George’s County – which has historically been home to some of the highest concentrations of Black and an increasing number of Latino residents in the region -- received just $17,973 in investment per household – compared to households in Loudon County, VA that received nearly three times the amount of investment ($44,257) per household.

Of the nine jurisdictions from the DMV region included in the Urban Institute’s study, Prince George’s County received the lowest amount of investment.

The Six Pillars of an Economic Justice Agenda

The second convening was to spark conversation and glean insights that inform a new narrative supporting efforts to secure greater public-private investments for the county, close the racial investment gap, and advance the cause of economic justice. 

1. New Narrative- Creating a story and vision that can inspire collaboration and aid the movement for economic justice.

2. People Power- Center around those in the county who are struggling the most.

3. Resource Development- Identifying, acquiring, and utilizing resources in a strategic manner to achieve specific goals or objectives.

4. Field Building- Identify resources and organizations that lead and advance economic justice work.

5. Disruption and Innovation- Pull and align funds to support disruptive and innovative projects.

6. Impact- Create a scoreboard that holds accountable our commitment and goals.

In the second convening, the group utilized a visioning approach called “Transformative Scenario Planning” – a globally recognized and utilized approach that helps communities reflect on the current state of a problem they are facing, name multiple visions for their future together, and choose a preferred vision for a future that requires collaboration and collective action.   

Participants were organized into break-out rooms to discuss one of three topics that are central to the work of framing a new narrative: economic justice, economic identity, and social identity.

Economic Justice as a Process and Outcome

“Justice will take a long time to turn around, it is not an overnight process, and the foundation is what matters.”- Michael A. Echols, Prince George’s County Chair

This break-out room discussed whether Prince George’s County is prepared to pursue an economic justice agenda, and what critical factors should be considered in crafting a narrative for the County’s success.

The conversation touched on several controversial aspects that must first be addressed, such as the role of institutions (education, government, and corporations) and ways that they may have contributed to the economic injustice and disparities we see in the County.

The group also explored whether Prince George’s County is ready to aggressively name and confront those who have created the injustices that residents are contending with in their communities. 

Participants recognized that these questions are particularly relevant and must be courageously addressed, considering the County’s traditionally moderate political identity has been prevalent over the course of its history. 

The group generated four important key takeaways from the conversation:

1. Action-Oriented Approach: Emphasis should be placed on taking action to disrupt and dismantle practices that produce to economic injustice. 

2. Long-Term Perspective: Acknowledging that achieving economic justice is a gradual process that requires sustained effort and commitment over time.

3. Community Engagement: It is necessary to advocate for community involvement and innovation to drive positive change.

4. Challenges and Considerations: Identify potential backlash, vulnerabilities, and threats that may arise from implementing economic justice initiatives. 

Economic Identity 

The second break-out room discussed four potential economic futures for Prince George’s County's and how they might impact possibilities for economic justice and shared prosperity.

Summaries of the four futures they considered included: 

1. Stay the Course: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  This approach involves a continuation of the vision and strategies that have made Prince George’s the County it is today.

2. What’s Trending:  This approach involves adopting best practices for economic progress and development that are being implemented in other jurisdictions—i.e. transit oriented development, tax abatements, competing for large corporate and institutional employers, and job creation.

3. The Market Decides: This approach advocates against efforts to unduly influence or predetermine the County’s economic future-instead opting to rely on the market to decide the best path for Prince George’s County.

4. Quantum Leap: This approach suggests that people are ready to pursue big ideas and a big vision for the future and includes reinventing and reimagining the economy so that it produces shared prosperity for everyone.

When asked about the best strategic course for investment, participants rejected the status quo, i.e. staying the course, and instead pushed for a bold, new approach (Quantum Leap) that sets the tone for the pursuit of economic justice.

Participants expressed interest in leveraging emerging trends and market dynamics in sectors like quantum computing and research and development—but also acknowledged the need for additional investment to prepare the existing infrastructure and workforce for this great “leap” forward. 

Key points that emerged included the sustainability of current economic strategies and the readiness to embrace this specific change. There was also debate over the impact of demographic shifts, economic competitiveness with neighboring counties, and the adequacy of local services like education and healthcare. 

The dialog during this break-out session yielded three main points:

1. Strategic Priorities: Identifying and capitalizing on market trends to drive economic success, such as the resurgence of the U.S. electronic chip manufacturing, cautioning though that the County may not have the workforce to support this manufacturing initiative. 

2. Identify Roadblocks and Threats: Issues like the lack of resources in schools and the healthcare system, increased tax rates, risk that comes with persistent economic disparity compared to neighboring jurisdictions. These challenges will require collaborative efforts and political will to be effectively addressed. 

3. New Narrative Proposals: The need for messaging that redefines Prince George’s County in ways that attract investment, promote local talent, and build generational wealth within the community. 

Social Identity 

The topic of the third break-out room revolved around selecting and prioritizing a scenario related to the social identity of Prince George’s County. Each scenario highlighted possibilities for how people in the county foresee their relationships with each other, and how they will relate to their peers in the region and around the nation. 

This group was tasked with carefully evaluating and ranking the three following scenarios:

1. A Tale of 2 Cities: An approach that emphasizes socio/economic divides and disparities, highlighting winners (those who have) and losers (those who don’t have). 

2. Wakanda Meets Taloken: Inspired by the popular film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, this approach focuses on community building between Black and Latino communities and leveraging Prince George’s County's status as the largest Black-Latinx community in the region. 

3. Power Concedes Nothing Without A Demand: An approach that openly and energetically confronts systematic racism and the racial investment gap.

Most of the group favored prioritizing “Wakanda Meets Taloken” --acknowledging the need to strengthen relationships within the Black and Latino communities.

Others advocated prioritizing “Power Concedes Nothing Without a Demand Political” -- arguing that addressing systematic racism and the racial investment gap should be prioritized to call to account the people, histories, and interests that have worked to drive a wedge between Black and Latino communities. The group agreed that aspects of this work are necessary to build community and solidarity between these two groups in the County. 

After further discussion, the group concluded with three key takeaways from the conversation: 

1. Majority Consensus: Despite the differing perspectives, the majority ultimately reaffirmed their agreement on “Wakanda Meets Taloken” as the top priority, followed by “Power Concedes Nothing Without a Demand Political”, and “A Tale of 2 Cities” last.

2. Focus on Community Building: There was a recognized need to strengthen relationships within the Black and Latinx communities to serve as a foundational step toward achieving broader economic and social goals.

3. Resource Recommendation: A book recommendation, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, was suggested as a resource to further inform discussions on community collaboration and addressing racial disparities. 

Takeaways and Next Steps

It is clear that Prince George’s County faces significant challenges in achieving economic justice and closing the racial investment gap. However, despite the challenges, we are driven to pursue the key pillars of this work and compelled by insights that were identified during this second convening.

We are excited by the consensus that was reached on the importance of long-term commitment and community engagement to drive sustainable change.

Even with a vast diversity of opinions, this convening demonstrated that our community is focused and committed to fostering economic justice. We look forward to gathering with all of you in our final convening as we shape the agenda for economic justice in Prince George’s County.

Building an Ecosystem for Community Safety in the District of Columbia

How we’re combining grants, strategic planning, and the power of collaboration to address gun violence

By Melen Hagos & Tonia Wellons

Earlier this week, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a declaration that many in the Greater Washington region have known and recognized for decades – gun violence is a national public health crisis.

“It is up to us to take on this generational challenge with the urgency and clarity the moment demands,” the Surgeon General wrote in the 40-page report. “The safety and well-being of our children and future generations are at stake.”

FROM THE NATIONAL NEWS TO THE LOCAL STREETS

In our region, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has long been committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our local residents – particularly those most at risk – and has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent and respond to gun violence.

We acknowledge that while the issue of gun violence and public safety impacts everyone, there are those in our region who unjustly bear its impact more profoundly than others. Our most recent VoicesDMV report revealed that while everyone in our region deserves to feel safe and welcome in their communities, not everyone does.

Our work to achieve community safety and harm reduction – both across our region and in those areas most impacted – is one of the many ways we honor our commitment and work to create a just, equitable, and thriving community. With strong partnerships and expert guidance from national organizations like the Public Welfare Foundation, we have made a substantial impact over the years. Here are some key examples of our accomplishments:

In partnership with the District government, in 2013, we established a relief fund to aid victims and families affected by the Navy Yard shooting and to address long-term gun violence and mental health issues.

From 2013-2018, the Greater Washington Community Foundation partnered with the District Government and served as administrator of The City Fund, investing $15 million over five years as part of the District’s overall public safety and violence prevention agenda. This effort successfully spanned two political administrations—initially under Mayor Vincent Gray’s One City Action Plan and later repositioned under Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Safer Stronger Initiative.

In 2018, The Community Foundation mobilized local funders to support the implementation of Cure the Streets – a pilot program based on the Cure Violence methodology that worked to better understand the causes of gun violence in specific DC neighborhoods and empower local community organizations to be part of the solution.

More recently, we partnered with the Federal City Council and Peace for DC to host Stopping the Cycle of Violence, a community forum that explored proven solutions from across the country and the roles business and philanthropy leaders play in public safety.

LEADING WITH INTENTIONALITY & COLLABORATION

At The Community Foundation, we acknowledge it’s not enough to merely respond to community violence. Rather, it requires intentional coordination and strategic collaboration with community, local government, and philanthropic partners to proactively address the root causes and build stronger, safer communities.

As a result, we have made strategic decisions to support the development and funding of a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing harm reduction efforts in DC. Including:

HIRING A SENIOR FELLOW, COMMUNITY SAFETY & HARM REDUCTION

In partnership with the Public Welfare Foundation, we have hired a Senior Fellow for Community Safety and Harm Reduction. This full-time role is designed to provide leadership for the strategy and coordination of a cohesive and coordinated approach to community safety and harm reduction in the District of Columbia. We look forward to introducing the Fellow to you next month.

PARTICIPATING IN CF LEADS GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION NETWORK

The Community Foundation was selected from community foundations nationwide to participate in the CF Leads Gun Violence Prevention Network. Through this year-long initiative, we will get to learn from leading experts and other foundations to help us catalyze and expand local gun violence prevention efforts by learning and adapting best practices from across the country. We are excited to collaborate with Peace for DC and the DC Office of the Attorney General as we take the opportunity to listen to and learn from each other and all the organizations involved in this important work.

MAKING INVESTMENTS IN HEALTH AND SAFETY

Months before the Surgeon General’s announcement, our Health Equity Fund recognized the connection between the increase in crime and violence in the District and the Fund’s objective to address the social and structural determinants of health.

In March 2024, the Fund committed to making $1 million in matching grants in partnership with the DC Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety to address youth violence prevention through trauma-informed services, conflict and dispute resolution, mental health and wellbeing, and by assisting families dealing with the grief and trauma caused by these occurrences of violence.

BUILDING NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

In the coming months, we look forward to sharing more about a new strategic partnership that will seek to establish a coordinated body which spans political administrations to develop a long-term strategy for community safety, create a plan for implementation with accountability measures throughout, and establish best practices to align investments across philanthropy, government, and business for maximum impact.

Stay tuned for more details!

We are convinced that philanthropy, especially through community foundations, is ideally positioned to lead a unified response initiative, collaborating with local government, philanthropic entities, and community leaders.

We would love you to join us in this work to promote the overall safety and well-being of residents of the District of Columbia. Please contact us to learn more or get involved in this work.

Welcoming New Faces to The Community Foundation

The Community Foundation is excited to welcome a number of new Board and Team members to The Community Foundation family.

THe community Foundation Board of Trustees

Jill Landefeld, Principal & Portfolio Manager, Brown Advisory

Jill Landefeld specializes in investment management, asset allocation and portfolio construction for a client base that includes foundations, endowments, cultural institutions, trusts, families and private individuals. She has more than 15 years of financial industry expertise, with work experience in four cities and two continents.

Prior to Brown Advisory, Jill was a Vice President at Stifel providing broad investment management services to a selection of institutional and private clients. She joined Stifel in 2015 following its acquisition of Barclays Wealth and Investment Management in the Americas. Prior to her roles in wealth management, Jill provided balance sheet advisory and public sector bond origination services for national treasuries and government agencies with Barclays Investment Bank in London. She also assisted supranational organizations with structuring debut bond transactions in local currencies in frontier markets.

Jill earned a bilingual (English/ Spanish) Masters of Business Administration from IESE Business school in Barcelona, Spain in 2012. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia in 2004.

Jill has lived in Washington DC for many years. She is a current Ambassador and former Board Member for an international charity that works to increase the quality and availability of education for girls in developing countries. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the DC History Center, which is an educational non-profit that seeks to deepen awareness of our city’s past to connect, empower and inspire.

Montgomery County Advisory Board

Angela Graham, Quality Biological, Inc.

Angela Graham assumed strategic leadership of the Quality Biological, Inc. in 2012, following 15 years of experience in various commercial leadership roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma. Returning to her family business, she spearheaded the company’s transformation from a prominent supplier to government and academia into one that also supports the diverse R&D needs of the highly regulated bio-pharmaceutical sector.

As the founder’s daughter, Angela is deeply committed to upholding the core values that have shaped the company into the niche manufacturer it is today in the life sciences. Her expertise lies in business development, leadership, and change management.  Angela is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

Quality Biological, situated within the BioHealth Capital Region in Montgomery County, Maryland, has earned acclaim not only for producing top-quality products but also for fostering a strong commitment to community engagement. Guided by unwavering principles of ethics and integrity, Angela and her team prioritize giving back to the community. They actively support local charities and nurture close industry partnerships.

Angela currently serves on the board of PIC-MC at Montgomery College as well as Montgomery and Prince George’s Hospice. Previous board experience includes the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and industry group Diversity Alliance for Science.

Carolyn Leonard

Carolyn Leonard, Ph.D, has worked in the field of early childhood mental health and education for over 40 years. She is retired from Montgomery County Public Schools where she worked primarily with the Head Start Program and state funded PreK for under-resourced children and families. As a school psychologist she designed, implemented and evaluated interventions to address factors interfering with students’ learning and school success.  While working as a community psychologist, she was involved with community needs assessment and program planning.  She also had responsibility for assessing the impact of interventions which targeted young children’s development and learning, parenting, and family stability.

In Carolyn’s work with a variety of nonprofit organizations, she has focused on improving the mental health, education and well -being of under-resourced children and families. Addressing needs and access to resources have been goals guiding her work at the individual, program and policy levels.

During her career, Carolyn has served on numerous boards and advisory councils. These have included The Montgomery County Commission for Children and Youth, Early Head Start, Starting Early Starting Smart, Community Kids, the Early Childhood Mental Health Consortium, the National Advisory Council for the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University, Apple Tree Institute for Education and Innovation and The Strathmore Music Center.  While on the board of Strathmore, she chaired the Education Committee, which focused on expanding programs for low-income children and families. Her philanthropy has focused on “giving where you are living” and supporting organizations committed to serving those typically not able to access educational and cultural opportunities.

Carolyn has a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Rutgers University, an MS in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University, and a BS in Child Development and Family Relations from the University of Connecticut. She is also a Nationally Certified School Psychologist.

Dusty Rood, Rodgers Consulting

Dusty Rood is the President and CEO of Rodgers Consulting, Inc., headquartered in Montgomery County, MD. Founded in 1957, Rodgers Consulting’s mission is to provide industry-leading land use and real estate development consulting services for clients who demonstrate integrity and who recognize the importance of community responsibility, with a commitment to excellence in planning and design.

 In addition to serving as the CEO of Rodgers Consulting, Dusty is engaged in other community affairs. He currently serves on the Leadership Group of Montgomery Moving Forward and the Advisory Board of the Universities at Shady Grove. He is a member and past participant of Leadership Maryland, and he previously served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

Joan Schaffer

Joan Schaffer  is a proud third-generation native of the DC area, and she has called Montgomery County home for most of her life. After earning her MBA at Georgetown, she held progressively significant roles at Price Waterhouse and Freddie Mac, ultimately serving as Managing Vice President and Business Information Officer at Capital One.

Following an early retirement, Joan turned her focus to providing enhanced opportunities for Montgomery County’s underserved residents. Her efforts included consulting for various local nonprofits, board service, and active participation in the County Council’s Grants Advisory Group. Evolving from this involvement, she accepted the role of Council Grants Manager overseeing the entire grants process and collaborating with the Advisory Group to evaluate up to 400 grant applications each year and recommend appropriate Council funding.

Joan's commitment to our nonprofit sector continues as she provides pro bono consulting and serves on multiple boards within the community. Presently, she lends her expertise to organizations such as the Food Council, MCAEL, the Children’s Opportunity Alliance, and the Imagination Library, underscoring her dedication to serving the diverse needs of Montgomery County's residents. She is especially passionate about providing equitable support and opportunities for all of our county’s children.

Prince George’s County Advisory Board

Keisha Hawkins, MBA, PMP

Keisha Hawkins is a dynamic leader in operations and project management, with a proven track record of over a decade. As the Director of Operations at Wayne Enterprises, she not only leads operational policy implementation and growth directives but also spearheads client support services, showcasing her ability to manage diverse responsibilities and teams.

In addition to her role at Wayne Enterprises, Keisha is the owner-operator of Rita's Water Ice of Oxon Hill. She has previously served as a Program Manager at Cambio Consulting, where she effectively planned, organized, and managed various projects for the USDA’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, enhancing quality control and communications support.

Her extensive background includes significant achievements such as overhauling administrative and operations management at Federal Advisory Partners, leading to increased oversight and efficiency. At Highlight Technologies LLC, she excelled as a Program Analyst III, implementing quality control measures and improving program deliverables' timeliness.

With a strong focus on strategic planning, risk mitigation, and data management, Keisha has consistently demonstrated her ability to handle complex operational overhauls and refine administrative systems. Her expertise spans operational efficiency improvement, resource allocation, and event coordination, making her a valuable asset to any organization.

Keisha holds an MBA from the University of Massachusetts and multiple certifications, including a PMP from the Project Management Institute and a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University. She is married and has three children who excel academically and are talented in sports.

Keisha's commitment to community development is a cornerstone of her professional values. Her robust problem-solving capabilities and dedication to enhancing organizational performance align perfectly with the mission of the Greater Washington Community Foundation Prince George’s Board. She eagerly looks forward to contributing to nonprofit initiatives and positively impacting the community.

Aimee Griffin, Esq, Principal Attorney, Life & Legacy Counselors of The Griffin Firm PLLC

Aimee is the principal attorney of Life & Legacy Counselors of The Griffin Firm PLLC, an estate and business succession firm committed to the creation, protection and transfer of wealth serving District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Florida.

Aimee is the Board President and Founder of the Association of Black Estate Planning Professionals, Inc., a collaborative economic empowerment organization with a mission to bridge the racial wealth gap. With a commitment to strategic community economic development for Black people, Aimee serves as Corporate Counsel for the US Black Chambers, National African American Insurance Association, (NAAIA) and the BOW Collective.

Aimee is committed to supporting community growth through education and speaks regularly at national, regional, and local forums to educate other attorneys and the community. Aimee is an adjunct professor at the Western New England University, School of Law, and a monthly contributor to the Washington Informer newspaper. She strongly believes “when we know better, we can do better.”

Aimee has been recognized and received awards by local and regional associations including the Small Business Administration as a Minority Business Champion. Aimee was just awarded the 2024 Women in Business Champion of the Year Award by the DC Chamber of Commerce.

Aimee steadfastly believes we are better together!

The Community Foundation Staff

Mandi Koba, Program Officer, Economic Mobility

Mandi Koba joined the Greater Washington Community Foundation in February 2024 as the Program Officer, Economic Mobility. In her role, Mandi provides management and guidance to programs such as Thrive Prince George’s and Brilliant Futures.

Mandi joins us from Fairfax County, VA where she helped launch their guaranteed income pilot program. Prior to that, she worked at Bread for the City supporting two cash transfer programs: THRIVE East of the River and DC Cares. She also previously worked as a case manager and advocate serving youth and adults across a range of vulnerable circumstances.

Mandi holds a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and a Master of Social Work from George Mason University. As lived experience professional, her work is centered in equity, community voice and individual self-determination.

Bridget Hanagan, Senior Manager, Development Operations

Bridget joined The Community Foundation (for the second time) as Senior Manager, Development Operations in May 2024. Bridget’s career in philanthropy started in 2012 when she joined The Community Foundation for the first time as Donor Services Officer supporting the local Mongomery County office in donor support and development, communications, and event planning. For the past 12 years, she has worked closely with families and individuals to develop and execute their charitable giving goals, managed impactful philanthropic partnerships, and built development systems to drive organizational success.

Prior to returning to The Community Foundation, Bridget managed Philanthropic Partnerships for PSI, a global health NGO that makes it easier for all people to lead healthier lives and plan the families they desire. At PSI, Bridget supported Maverick Collective members to engage deeply in the work of PSI through an experiential philanthropy approach that gave members hands-on learning experiences with the projects they funded. She also managed PSI’s relationships and communications with wealth and philanthropic advisors.

Bridget holds a BA from Simmons University in International Relations and Economics with a French minor. A New Englander at heart, she resides in Washington, DC with her fiancé and their rescue dog, Rue. Outside of work, you can find Bridget hiking with Rue, planning her next ski trip, checking off a bucket list travel destination, trying out new recipes, or searching for the best dumpling in the DMV.

Emani Brooks, Summer Intern, Development Team

Emani Brooks is currently a Junior attending Bowie State University majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Upon graduating with her Bachelor's degree, Emani plans to attend Graduate School and get her Master's degree in either Communications or Public Relations and pursue a career in Social Media Management/Marketing. Emani is a previous employee at Bank of America as a Financial Center Intern and also has experience in Social Media Marketing and Journalism. In her pastime, Emani enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends. 

Leaders of the Future: Building & Empowering Safer and Stronger Communities

In March 2024, The Community Foundation awarded $1 million in grants to organizations from across DC to help promote peacemakers who are working to empower children, youth and adults to build stronger, safer communities. These investments were made in partnership with the DC Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement.

In honor of Gun Violence Prevention Month, The Community Foundation is excited to highlight the work and mission of these incredible organizations and the impact that they've had in empowering and uplifting their respective communities.

• Horton's Kids

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We currently serve the Wellington Park, Stanton Oaks and Hunter Place communities.

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Horton’s Kids empowers children growing up in DC’s most under-resourced communities so that they graduate from high school ready for success in college, career, and life. We serve 600 children and their families living in Wellington Park & Stanton Oaks – neighborhoods that have been profoundly impacted by decades of disinvestment and barriers to opportunity.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  Horton's Kids has a close partnership with the property management company of both properties that we serve and we have biweekly meetings that have a strong focus on the safety of the residents. Members of property security as well as MPD are also present during these meetings.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  Horton's Kids is committed to involving and empowering community members in various ways. We understand that the perspectives, experiences, and feedback of community members are invaluable for creating a safe community for them. Some of the ways we involve the community members in the work we do is by creating opportunities for them to volunteer as well providing job opportunities. We also have an active Parent Advisory Council that assists us in making sure our parent's and community member's voices are heard and well respected. We understand that by involving community members in our processes, we build trust and accountability. Community involvement fuels innovation by tapping into the collective expertise and creativity of diverse stakeholders. By empowering community members to contribute to our work, we unlock new ideas, approaches, and opportunities for positive societal impact.

  5) What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  We're excited about the process. A lot of times people fall in love with the outcome whereas we've learned to fall in love with the entire process because there are so many learning opportunities for us all to learn from but that only comes when you go through the entire process.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  Horton's Kids' dreams and aspirations for the future is for our participants, their parents and other community members to have a safe environment where everyone feels connected and everyone is moving on one accord toward the goal of peace and prosperity.

• Negotiation Works

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We provide our services in the metropolitan Washington, DC area and surrounding areas in Virginia and Maryland. We serve individuals living in all eight Wards of DC, with a particular focus on Wards 7 and 8.

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Negotiation Works provides negotiation and self-advocacy training for people emerging from difficult and often traumatic situations–such as incarceration, homelessness, addiction, and domestic violence–so they develop the skills to navigate everyday challenges and live the next chapters in their lives confidently and productively.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  We help build a stronger, safer community by teaching negotiation skills classes to people coming out of homelessness, incarceration, domestic violence, and other challenging life situations. Our curriculum addresses foundational negotiation strategies and self-advocacy skills, such as perspective-taking, identifying both parties’ interests, brainstorming potential solutions, crafting alternatives to negotiated agreements, active listening, and communicating effectively. The individuals who complete the Negotiation Works classes become better equipped to work through the daily frustrations that might otherwise fester and then escalate into gun or other violence. More broadly, when community members have the confidence and commitment to listen to one another, learn each other’s perspectives, and work alongside one another, they can--collectively--sort through their differences in a non-violent manner and contribute to the upward trajectory of the community as a whole.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  We engage all our participants in shaping our curriculum. We solicit feedback from program participants about how the role plays and scenarios we use resonate with them and what uses they find in their own lives to implement negotiation strategies. We examine this input with an eye toward either making modifications to our existing scenarios or developing new ones.
  
  Participants who complete the Negotiation Works program are invited to become Ambassadors, an ongoing learning and service community for former class participants with opportunities to serve as informal advisors to Negotiation Works, problem-solving consultants to one another, and role models in the community as effective conflict resolvers and self-advocates. The Ambassadors influence the content, scope, and reach of our work. Their lived experience and stories offer invaluable contributions to how we shape the curriculum, leading us--for example--to provide more scenarios dealing with how returning citizens might negotiate for housing, or work through difficult situations in the workplace. Finally, they are beginning to develop their own dispute resolution programs for youth, through which they seek to teach negotiation strategies to youth, using their experiences to model how to work through conflicts by engaging in conversation, rather than by arguing or, worse, picking up a gun. Their influence is limitless as they spread their problem-solving skills in their families, workplaces, and broader communities.

  5) What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  We see unlimited potential in youth in our Negotiation Works community. They want to play a role in strengthening their communities, and we are excited about supporting them on their journeys.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  My dream is to foster stronger, more resilient communities by sharing conflict resolution, problem-solving, and self-advocacy skills everywhere. When the members of a community have the tools to advocate for themselves and negotiate with each other, they are better able to achieve shared goals, create lasting relationships, and improve the stability of the community as a whole.

• BEST Kids

  1)  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We primarily serve at-risk youth residing in Wards 4, 5, 7, and 8.

  2)  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  BEST Kids empowers youth who are in foster care and at-risk to build healthy and successful futures through mentoring, college and career readiness, and life skills programs. We aim to ensure that youth who are in foster care or at-risk are meaningfully connected to positive adults and provided with the tools to feel confident and valued and placed on a path to achieve success as adults.

  3)  How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  Through regular engagement with positive adult mentors, access to academic resources, career readiness skills, cultural and recreational experiences, leadership opportunities, and mental health support, as well as providing that key stability to support our youth over the long term, BEST Kids addresses the systemic challenges and mitigates the risk factors associated with violence. Our program provides evidence-based solutions to equip our youth with the tools necessary to thrive as successful adults and become youth violence prevention advocates, which in turn will help to build stronger families and create safer communities.

  4)  How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  Community engagement and centering the voice of our youth is a critical element of our organization. We understand that involving the youth we serve in our decision making and programming is vital to the long-term sustainability of our program. The BEST Kids mentor relationship is set up to encourage our youth to name their goals, develop their unique identity, and explore their own potential. In 2020, we created the Youth Leadership Council, a group of mentees who meet bi-monthly to share ideas on how to improve programming and amplify the impact of our organization. Their participation and input have helped us to glean the issues and services that matter to them the most, allowing us to identify improvements and additions to our program. In addition, YLC members build their confidence and leadership skills by speaking and advocating before community leaders charged with making decisions that affect youth experiences in the child welfare system. By providing them with the opportunity to be better and do better, then we are succeeding in our mission of helping to build healthy and successful futures for foster and at-risk youth in the Washington, DC community.

  5)  What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  The foster and at-risk youth we serve are incredibly resilient people. They face tremendous challenges and trauma on a daily basis, yet by equipping them with the necessary tools, resources and exposure to positive opportunities that may not otherwise be available to them, we are placing them on a path to thrive and become the best version of themselves. Through our interaction and engagement with our youth, we see them taking the limits off what they thought was possible and embracing their futures with confidence, resilience, and tenacity.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  As a leader, my dreams and aspirations for the future revolve around creating a safer, more peaceful community where every individual feels secure and valued. I envision a world where our collective efforts to prevent violence result in tangible, lasting change, fostering environments where our children can grow up without fear and our neighborhoods can thrive with mutual respect and support. I am committed to empowering our community with the resources, education, mentorship, and support needed to break the cycle of violence. By providing mentorship, we can guide and inspire our youth to reach their full potential and become positive role models for others. Through continued collaboration and innovation, I hope we can build a foundation of hope and resilience that will inspire future generations to cultivate a place of peace and unity.

• The T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project

  1)  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We serve all of DC

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  We are preventing gun violence through the intersectionality of positive youth development and public health.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  We provide economic opportunities to all youth that we serve and encounter as the CDC reports that economic opportunity is a protective factor that lessens the likelihood of youth violence victimization and perpetration.

  4)  How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  The T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project recognizes that the communities that we serve already possess the power necessary to prevent the spread of gun violence. In this light, we include them in our vision and strategy as experts. We inform our people on how to address gun violence through a public health lens as education is the first step to transformation and systemic reform.

  5)  What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  We are most excited that our youth are the long-term plan and approach to preventing future gun violence from spreading. Working with our youth, as leaders of today, equips them to design and implement the sustainable strategies necessary to see a world present in health equity and absent from gun violence.

  6)  As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  We envision a world absent from the disease of gun violence led by public health voices.

• Mother's Outreach Network

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We serve residents citywide, with a special focus on communities with high concentrations of poverty in wards 5, 6, 7 and 8.

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Our mission is to engage Black mothers in the struggle for family preservation through transformation of family and government laws, policies and practices from punitive to empowering.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  We use the following power building strategies for system’s transformation: Community engagement, research, and mobilization; policy advocacy; and legal information, representation and other programs.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  Our organization engages community members through training, engagement in policy advocacy, and uplifting their voices to speak truth to, and push the levers of power. Our community engagement, research, and mobilization center the expertise of the community. We show up to support community members in visioning change, crafting solutions and advancing them in the local legislative and executive branches as we seek to defend them and shrink carceral systems that ensnare their families.

  5) What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  We believe strong families build strong futures for youth and their communities. We are excited about building a guaranteed income with a future of economic security for families where youth can grow and thrive and focus on supporting one another. If we pass policies like guaranteed income for youth, which is possible in the capital of the wealthiest nation on earth, their futures and those of their communities, will be secure and free of violence.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  I want to see the elimination of poverty in the District of Columbia through a guaranteed income. We’d like to strengthen the existing safety net and to build new ones. we seek to do so through continued power building and strategic partnerships and execution!

• Paso Nuevo - GALA Hispanic Theatre

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  Paso Nuevo serves youths from DC, with most students coming from the Columbia Heights neighborhood where the theatre is located, Mount Pleasant, Adams Morgan, Petworth, U Street, Brightwood, and Sixteenth Street Heights.

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Paso Nuevo is a community-based performing arts program that provides low-income and multicultural youth with critical life and job skills in a creative, bilingual environment. Through Paso Nuevo, Latino youth ages 14-19 have a safe space in which to explore and take pride in their linguistic and cultural heritage, improve literacy and communication skills in both English and Spanish, discover their creative voice, gain valuable academic and job skills, and develop the tools necessary to engage more successfully in their schools and communities.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  GALA Theatre provides a safe space for students to gather after school and during the summer, offering various performing-arts classes, technical training, and mentoring. Through participation in the arts, students in Paso Nuevo explore their cultures and identities and grow their academic skills and self-confidence. After training in several areas of theater, including artistic and technical fields, students engage in volunteer and work opportunities, gaining the leadership skills they need to advocate for themselves, their families, and their community. With internships and stipends, Paso Nuevo provides students an immediate economic benefit, as well as the experience and life skills to improve their short- and long-term career prospects, while imbuing in them a sense of commitment to the surrounding area. Students also learn techniques to manage day-to-day issues that may arise at home, school or in the community through conflict resolution sessions and meet with MPD officers to foster improved relations with the police. Three times a year participants present a free bilingual performance for the surrounding community.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  GALA Hispanic Theatre’s free Paso Nuevo afterschool program draws in students from around DC to participate in arts classes, technical training, and mentoring. GALA also invites community members to free Paso Nuevo performances on its mainstage at the end of the Winter, Spring and Summer sessions. The public is engaged in a talkback with students, who share their experiences in the program. The theater also opens its doors to families in January for Three Kings Day, with a nativity procession and play, music, dance, live animals, and free gifts for all children. Additionally, Paso Nuevo students lead the community in a free public celebration of Day of the Dead in the Columbia Heights green.

  In the area of community safety, Paso Nuevo students survey and interview community members about their experiences of crime and violence and their opinions on solutions, while sharing safety information through podcasts and social media. GALA also collaborates with other community organizations throughout the year, and hosts free community events. Sharing Latino theater and the arts with the youth in our afterschool programs and the surrounding community is central to GALA’s mission of promoting and preserving Hispanic culture and heritage.

  5) What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  It is thrilling to see how this generation of youth is so actively engaged in social issues and understands that the problems that affect any group impact us all. Their passionate pursuit of information and their persistence in holding power to account are promising indicators of the progress toward equity and opportunity they will spearhead in DC.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  I hope to see GALA Theatre and the arts continue their role in deepening our youths’ understanding of themselves, their empathy with others, and their pride in their culture and its place in the wider community.

• DC Police Foundation

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  The Foundation supports and coordinates the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) youth and community outreach programs taking place throughout the city. We are especially proud of our DC PAL programming, taking place in Wards 5, 6, 7 and 8. Our DC PAL football team currently serves: Benning Park Deanwood Marshall Heights Lincoln Heights Projects Clay Terrace Projects

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  The D.C. Police Foundation (DCPF) works to provide resources for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in support of their mission to make D.C. a safer place to live, work, and visit. DCPF seeks to accomplish their mission by: I. Maintaining and spearheading youth programs in D.C.’s most challenging neighborhoods to enhance police and community relationships. II. Supporting the unmet needs of the MPD, identified by the Chief of Police, through both in-kind and financial assistance.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  Our organization helps build a stronger and safer community through our unique offering of varied youth programming. For example, by engaging youth as young as 4-5 years old in programs like Officer Friendly and the Side by Side Band, we are encouraging them to have open conversations with law enforcement officers, to share their stories and to ask questions. By engaging with youth in this open manner, the kids learn from the officers, but the officers learn even more from the youth. Officers learn the needs of the community and can better serve each neighborhood based on what they hear from their mentees. By working together and creating that relationship, everyone feels more comfortable and can better communicate in times of need as well. We have also had many youth become MPD officers over the last 10 years, wanting to make a positive difference in their own neighborhood.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  Our organization works directly with community members, schools, businesses, youth and the police department to develop and enhance programming that is felt to be most needed and beneficial to the community. The Youth Advisory Council is incredibly important, where youth meet regularly with the Chief of Police, sharing their visions and goals for police-community partnerships. All programs also include a component of financial literacy, so that we can teach youth and their families how to open bank accounts, budget, save and even invest. We feel that this is incredibly important to build a strong workforce and set all program youth up for success and financial independence.

  5) What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  The youth who participate in our programming are so passionate about making the city a better place and about creating positive change within their neighborhoods. Listening to their ideas, dreams and then watching them work collaboratively with their law enforcement officer mentors on next steps to realize their goals has been incredibly exciting.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  We hope to continue to build out and expand our youth engagement programming, building positive relationships between law enforcement and the community. This will allow for the continuation of the youth program pipeline into career paths not only in public safety, but with partner organizations within the city. We hope to inspire those who live in the city to work hand in hand with law enforcement to make the city a safer place for everyone to live, work and visit.

• Network for Victim Recovery of DC

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  All communities/neighborhoods in DC!

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  We create equitable healing and dignified experiences for survivors of crime by providing free, trauma-informed advocacy, therapeutic, and legal services in conjunction with strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and education to transform existing responses to harm.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  Survivor-defined justice is the bedrock of NVRDC and guides everything that we do. This means that justice does not look the same for every survivor. NVRDC staff support each survivors unique vision and their chose path towards that goal. We do not say or believe that "we did what was best for our client" That assumes that NVRDC know what is best for them and not themselves.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  NVRDC believes that we empower folks by providing them with the tools they need to succeed such as learning how to be trauma-informed. By bringing trauma training to as many diverse sectors as possible, we are one step closer towards ensuring every crime victim has a dignified and empowered experience wherever they may turn for help.

  5)  What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  Youth in our community seem to stand up and be a voice for those who are receiving any sort of injustice. They are not scared to speak up and put actions in place to fight for what they believe in.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  NVRDC's goal is to create trauma-informed spaces everywhere possible.

• Life Pieces to Masterpieces

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  Life Pieces To Masterpieces serves Black and Brown boys and young men, ages 3 to adulthood, in Wards 7 and 8 of Washington, DC.

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Life Pieces To Masterpieces develops character and leadership, unlocks potential, and prepares Black and Brown boys and young men to transform their lives and communities, with creative expression and “each one teach one” mentoring at the core. In a world that devalues and threatens the lives of Black and Brown men young and old, LPTM provides refuge for boys to break through negative self-images, tell authentic stories of their life experiences, and build strong bonds of brotherhood.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  LPTM provides over 1,200 hours per year of comprehensive out-of-school-time programming after school, during the summer, and on Saturdays. All programming supports the social-emotional, academic, emotional, physical, and civic development of our boys and young men. LPTM programming is entirely free for all youth and families and includes nutritious meals/snacks and door-to-door transportation in LPTM-owned vehicles between youths’ schools, LPTM’s programming site, and home each day, removing the two most frequently-cited barriers to accessing out-of-school-time programming nationwide: cost and safe transportation (Afterschool Alliance, 2022). Youth at LPTM–from age 3 into adulthood–have a safe, loving environment to express themselves; teach and uplift others as mentors; navigate societal barriers; and contribute positive change in their communities. Our boys see their futures beyond how society attempts to define them, surrounded by mentors–many of whom look like them, grew up in their neighborhoods, and understand their challenges and aspirations. Through their storytelling, self-expression, arts, leadership, and advocacy, our boys and young men change the world’s understanding of our shared humanity. LPTM boys and young men regularly speak up and speak out about issues important to them.

  LPTM is a part of three major coalitions: the DC OST Coalition, which advocates for public and private local investment for community-based out-of-school-time programs; the DC Arts Education Alliance, which advocates for funding and access to the arts for all DC youth, and especially those from marginalized communities; and the Black Coalition for Health, which began as the Black Coalition Against Covid, fighting to get more resources and better, more trustworthy information into Black communities. LPTM’s authentic community relationships enabled us to aid families with important questions, while our commitment to always having a young person in every coalition meeting brought important insights to the coalition’s national leadership. LPTM’s coalitional work allows us to share ideas, best practices, youth voice, and advocacy strategies with 35+ local community-based organizations. Through this work, LPTM has been connected with two additional national organizations, Afterschool Alliance and MENTOR, where our young people have consistently reached national audiences to share the authentic stories of their live, become thought leaders advancing the importance of mentorship and safe afterschool spaces, and build a new narrative about Black and Brown boys and young men.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  LPTM’s growth as an organization has been co-designed by our first seven boys, and subsequent Apprentices over 28 years, together with families, schools, and neighborhoods in our communities East of the River. Black-led since our 1996 founding, our staff and leadership team have strongly reflected the DC neighborhoods that we serve. Our team has lived experience that helps our young people connect, feel understood, and develop a sense of belonging within our programs. LPTM youth are planners, decision-makers, and active partners in their own learning. As they grow in the program, they play a part in helping to shape each other’s lives as they become mentors and role models for their peers.

  LPTM’s unique "each one teach one" mentoring model–woven throughout our programming continuum–both fosters leadership skills in mentors and provides a nurturing and relatable support system for mentees: Older peers serve as exemplars to their younger peers, providing social-emotional and academic support in classrooms in which they themselves were once enrolled as young boys. As mentors who share many of the same experiences, challenges, and aspirations as their mentees, and supported by their own peer and staff mentors, our young men develop confidence in their innate goodness and a foundation of self-belief. Through these practices, LPTM youth grow to understand their innate potential and continue to guide the work of LPTM in new ways. LPTM youth and alumni also co-facilitate our signature “Color Me Community” interactive workshop series, which guide participants to explore equity, inclusion, and implicit biases in a safe environment that opens the way to experiencing themselves and others as integral and valued parts of shared humanity.

  5)  What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  At Life Pieces To Masterpieces, we have always believed that it is not about us giving power to our boys and young men, but, rather, we believe that they have the innate creative ability to transform their lives and to enact positive change in their communities and their world. What excites me is that every single one of our boys and young men, when given the right opportunities, have the wherewithal to change challenges into possibilities. All that’s needed is a safe place and space for them to realize their own innate power.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  My dream is captured in the vision of Life Pieces To Masterpieces. It is that our boys and young men become catalysts for positive change throughout their communities, their country, and the world, and that they ultimately have the self-determination and confidence to chart out their own course in their lives.

• Access Youth

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  Access Youth serves at-risk middle and high school students in DC’s wards 6, 7, and 8.

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Access Youth’s mission is to keep vulnerable youth in school and out of the justice system through mediation, restorative justice, and positive youth development.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  For 15 years, Access Youth has helped build a safer community with restorative justice-based interventions to prevent violence among at-risk students. Access Youth delivers transformative programming to mitigate the impact of unresolved trauma, systemic racism, gender disparities, and cyclical poverty on student attendance, behavior, and academic performance. Access Youth’s full-time on-site Program Managers deliver individualized supports to 1000+ students yearly across our eight partner schools.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  Access Youth’s core programs––Restorative Justice in Schools and Truancy Prevention–– keep students engaged in their school communities and empower them with critical life and leadership skills. Our programs are rooted in equity––we lift up the voices and choices of the youth we serve. We meet each individual student where they are, with evidence-based supports and a trauma-informed approach that works to empower each individual to become the role models they deserve.

  5) What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  Access Youth sees the potential in each and every one of our students. Their exciting accomplishments show the impact of our programs. Just last year we had 200+ Access Youth students on Honor Roll, ALL of our seniors graduated, and two of our students served as President and Vice President of the student body. We are inspired by their dedication and excited for their ongoing accomplishments.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  Every day, Access Youth actively works toward our dream: an equitable education system where every student receives the support they need to stay in school, learn to manage their emotions, and resolve conflicts without violence. We envision our middle and high school conferences growing into an integrated network of students that encompasses students across all DCPS schools and empowers students to advocate for themselves and restorative practices throughout their communities.

• Building Futures

  1) Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  Ward 8 & Ward 1

  2) In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Building Futures is a year long youth empowerment program designed to equip young individuals with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to thrive in the modern workforce and become future leaders in their communities. Through a carefully structured three-phase approach, participants will engage in educational, practical, and entrepreneurial activities that foster personal growth, professional development, and community impact.

  3) How does your organization help build a stronger, safer community?

  Our youth co-op program can help build a stronger, safer community in a number of ways: Building Futures programs provide young people with valuable skills and experiences that will help them become more responsible and engaged members of the community. By providing young people with positive outlets for their energy and creativity, our program can help reduce the likelihood of them engaging in risky behaviors or criminal activities. Engaging in meaningful activities and building positive relationships can steer young people away from negative influences and towards a more positive path. Youth who participate in co-op programs often become more engaged in their communities. They may volunteer, participate in community events, or take on leadership roles, all of which contribute to building a stronger and safer community. Engaged youth are more likely to care about the well-being of their community and take action to improve it. Lastly , building future leaders. Our program can help identify and nurture the leadership potential of young people. By providing opportunities for youth to take on responsibilities, make decisions, and solve problems, these programs can help develop the next generation of community leaders who will work to make their communities safer and more vibrant. Overall, youth co-op program play a valuable role in building stronger, safer communities by empowering young people, fostering social connections, reducing crime, promoting community involvement, and developing future leaders.

  4) How does your organization involve and empower community members in the work that you do? Please help us understand how this is important to your work.

  By actively involving and empowering community members in their work, a youth co-op program can build stronger connections, foster collaboration, and create a more vibrant and inclusive community that benefits both youth participants and residents alike.

  5) What excites you about the future for youth in your community?

  The future is exciting for youth because of the opportunities for technological advancement, global connectivity, social change, entrepreneurship, education, diversity, inclusion, and climate action. With their energy, creativity, and passion, young people have the potential to shape a brighter and more sustainable future for themselves and generations to come. Lastly, Building a solidarity economy by participating in the cooperative movement to transform our perspectives and practices in economics.

  6) As a leader, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  Creating intentional spaces for healing is essential to empower us to generate prosperity for the benefit of future generations. Safe communities with minimal crime.

Greater Washington Community Foundation Launches Children’s Savings Pilot Program to Address Racial Wealth Gap

The Brilliant Futures program will provide up to $1,000 per year from kindergarten through 12th grade to students at Bradbury Heights and Jackson Road Elementary Schools

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is excited to announce the launch of Brilliant Futures, a children’s savings pilot program that will provide students at two schools with up to $1,000 each year from kindergarten through 12th grade. Upon graduating high school (or equivalent by age 24), the students will be able to put their savings toward ongoing education and training or to pursue other income- or wealth-generating opportunities, such as buying a home or starting a business.

The Community Foundation has partnered with Montgomery County Public Schools and Prince George’s County Public Schools to launch the pilot program for all kindergarteners currently enrolled at Jackson Road Elementary School in the White Oak neighborhood of Silver Spring, MD in Montgomery County and next year’s kindergarteners at Bradbury Heights Elementary School in Capitol Heights, MD in Prince George’s County. 

The Community Foundation has committed to funding the program for two consecutive kindergarten cohorts at each school. The program is expected to enroll up to 400 students. The participant population is 90% Black, Latinx, and Hispanic with all students eligible for free and reduced meal service (FARMS). The schools were selected in alignment with The Community Foundation's strategic focus on high opportunity priority neighborhoods across the region where residents are experiencing the deepest disparities in homeownership, income, and life expectancy, according to several data sources.

“Expanding the possibilities not just for one, but for an entire community of young people can move us toward our vision of narrowing the racial wealth gap in our region,” said Tonia Wellons, president & CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We are confident that children’s savings will help us reshape how and where resources flow in our communities so that we can build more equitable systems which lead to a more resilient and prosperous region for all.”

The pilot program will be funded using $10 million of contributions raised by The Community Foundation’s “Together, We Prosper Campaign for Economic Justice” and through investments from generous donors. Upon completing high school, the goal is for each student to have access to at least $13,000, plus any investment earnings, that they can use to seed their future aspirations. 

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"We are proud to be a part of such a transformative and innovative program that provides an investment that every student in the nation deserves," said Interim Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, Dr. Monique Felder. “When these young people graduate high school, they will immediately have a strong cornerstone upon which to build a prosperous life whether they choose to go straight into the workforce, higher education or entrepreneurship."

Researchers for the Annie E. Casey Foundation have found, through economic modeling, that having an asset such as a children’s savings account can close the racial wealth gap in a community by as much as 28%.

“We’ve seen the transformative impacts of well-executed programs that provide savings for young people and adults alike,” said Superintendent Milliard House II from Prince George’s County Public Schools. “We hope that by supporting students with a down payment on life, whether that goes toward funding a college tuition, starting a small business, or buying a house, this program will level the playing field, promoting racial and financial equity in the Greater Washington region.”

“At Jackson Road, we recognize the need to address the whole child—in and out of the classroom,” said Ms. Rosario Paola Velasquez, Principal of Jackson Road Elementary School. “We take a community-centered approach and wrap our arms around this community.”

The Greater Washington Community Foundation will work with the schools as well as with community partners Reid Community Development Corporation in Prince George’s County and Parent Encouragement Program in Montgomery County to manage the program.

To learn more, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/brilliant-futures.  

Building Towards Belonging: Voices DMV Report Highlights Critical Needs & Strategic Priorities for the Greater Washington Region

Almost half of DMV residents are struggling or suffering in their overall well-being, according to the latest Voices DMV Community Insights Report.

The report - which was released this week -- provides an update on the state of our region, including key regional challenges and insights from a comprehensive survey conducted by The Community Foundation in partnership with Gallup and its Center on Black Voices.

“This is not just data for data’s sake,” shared Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation. “This data is a reflection of what we can do better – what our community requires of us. It provides a roadmap for how we can shift what we’re doing – as funders and as community and nonprofit partners -- to better meet their needs.”

First launched in 2017, VoicesDMV is a community engagement initiative designed to help philanthropy, community leaders, policymakers, and others better understand the diverse experiences of the people who live and work in the Greater Washington region.

This year’s report marks the third iteration of VoicesDMV. Data from the previous iteration was gathered just weeks prior to the  COVID-19 pandemic that exacerbated pre-existing socio-economic disparities across the region.

Nearly four years later, the latest VoicesDMV Community Insights Report shows that many of those disparities are still prevalent – and in some cases have widened further in the aftermath of the pandemic.

According to the report, at some point during the past year, half of residents in the DMV worried about not being able to pay their rent or mortgage. Meanwhile, among Black and Hispanic residents, more than 1 in 3 have run out of money for food. Click here to view the Full Report

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The report surveyed more than 2,800 residents across DC, Maryland, and Virginia – with an oversampling among communities of color across the region, including several neighborhoods identified by The Community Foundation as priority neighborhoods.

“This report is important because we need to make sure we’re all singing from the same sheet of music,” Camille Lloyd, Director of the Gallup Center for Black Voices shared at a launch event for the report. “No matter how well we’re doing as a region, if we don’t understand who’s being impacted negatively – and how they’re being impacted – we won’t know who is being left behind.”

Lloyd provided insights on the survey’s methodology and moderated a panel discussion with members of The Community Foundation’s Community Investment team about key takeaways from the report.

“COVID really changed the conversation about ‘work’ and the employment space as we know it,” Dawnn Leary, Chief Program Officer at The Community Foundation shared. “On a philanthropic level, it’s forced us to re-examine how we invest in workforce development and where.”

According to the latest report, nearly three in four residents described available job opportunities as a barrier to achieving their financial goals. At the same time, residents also identified a number of critical barriers to finding and keeping those jobs including access to public transportation, credit history, and access to childcare.

Leary is the chief facilitator of Reimagine – formerly the Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative. The initiative recently shifted its focus following a robust listening and learning discovery process with community members about the needs of the community – many of which were outlined in the report.

“When we talk about impact, we need to get out of the tendency to only focus on programmatic outcomes,” Leary explained, outlining one of the reasons for the shift. “Instead, we need to prioritize how we are responding to the actual needs on the ground.”

Jennifer Olney, Senior Community Investment Officer with the Partnership to End Homelessness shared how her initiative is advocating for more funding to meet one of the most urgent of those needs – access to affordable housing.

Olney shared how the growing number of residents struggling to pay rent has played out across the DMV, as the number of people experiencing homelessness in our region increased by 12% last year. This statistic had actually decreased during the pandemic, but has since reversed course as COVID relief and rental assistance programs expired and more residents find themselves struggling to get by.

“Like many challenges facing our community, homelessness is one issue where the public sector needs to be at the table and make the necessary investments,” Olney shared. “That’s why it’s critical for us to empower community members and those with lived experience and ensure that their voices and advocacy are heard.”

“We need to constantly ask ourselves how are we supporting and investing in the agency of people,” Leary added. “Not just listening to their voices and providing input, but finding ways to step back and let those who are closest to these issues lead.”

“Those who are living these experiences know what the solutions are – what they need is investment and support. They need to be the ones that are engaged in driving change in their community; not just philanthropy.”

“As you read this report, don’t just take it as another input for data,” Leary concluded. “Think about how this insight will change the way you work. How can you use it to change you interact with the community you serve.”

Following the panel discussion with members of the Community Investment team, Duc Luu, Director of Sustainability Initiatives/Journalism at the Knight Foundation moderated a panel discussion that dived deeper into other aspects of the report – specifically those related to the sense of belonging, social connections, and resident voice.

“A sense of belonging is more than just being seen or feeling included,” shared Vanessa Mason, Principal on the Building Cultures of Belonging team at Omidyar Network. “It means having a voice and an opportunity to use it to make demands on the society that they are a part of.”

“Belonging is more than aspirational,” Dr. Wendy Ellis, Director and Founder of the Center for Community Resilience at George Washington University added. “It’s something that is real and is measurable.”

According to Gallup and  the VoicesDMV Community Insights Report, a sense of belonging is the biggest predictor of whether residents are thriving. It also represents one of the biggest areas for improvement for our region – especially as residents look to their future. Just over half of residents expect living conditions in their communities to be ‘about the same’ five years from now, while about one in three expect them to them to be worse.

“We can’t create belonging for anyone else,” Dr. Ellis shared. “We can only create the conditions for belonging. That requires intentionality and investments that foster social cohesion – which over time develops into social capital and hope for a brighter future.”

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“I do this work because I believe that belonging cannot happen without power,” Allison Dunn-Almaguer, Executive Director of Washington Interfaith Network shared. “It’s about building agency – bringing people together across, race, religion, sexuality, and ethnicity to promote collective decision-making.”

Following the panel, Darius Graham, Managing Director of Community Investment, expressed The Community Foundation’s commitment to continue to build upon the community insights of the VoicesDMV Report by turning ideas into action. He shared information about the VoicesDMV Fellowship which will facilitate deeper engagement between The Community Foundation, residents, and organizations in priority areas to ensure authentic community voice is at the center of our work.

He also shared information about the 2024 VoicesDMV Community Action Awards. Started in 2020, the Community Action Awards provide microgrants to nonprofits working to make our region more equitable and inclusive by addressing issues and challenges highlighted in the Community Insights report.

Among the past Community Action Award Honorees were Erin McKenney, Executive Director of Just Neighbors and Lauren McDanell, VP of Strategy & Growth at SEED SPOT. Both recipients shared how the Community Action Awards allowed them to build a sense of belonging amongst the communities they serve.

“We hope that you leave this room today with a shared commitment to intentionality,” Tonia Wellons shard in conclusion. “May we glean what we can from this report and interrogate how it plays out in our communities and in the work that we do.”

“If we are to do this work effectively, it is imperative that we adapt to the needs of our community – we cannot keep doing the same things and expect different outcomes.”

“This report is only the beginning of our work – and we have a responsibility to our community to see that it’s carried out.”

Click here to see photos from the VoicesDMV Launch. For more information about VoicesDMV, visit www.voicesdmv.org

Leaders of the Future Spotlight: AsylumWorks Fellows Pioneer Revolutionary Program for Asylum Seekers

Etsegenet K., Health & Program Manager at AsylumWorks

During the month of May, The Community Foundation is highlighting individuals and programs that approach their work through a community-centered lens – especially those that uplift community voices and find community-centered solutions to systemic barriers.

This month, we’re pleased to highlight Etsegenet K., Awel A, and the Fellowship Program at AsylumWorks. The Community Foundation is proud to partner with AsylumWorks through our Health Equity Fund, which provides support to this and other programs.

For Etsegenet K, Health & Wellness Program Manager at AsylumWorks, helping asylum seekers adapt to life in a new country isn’t just her job – it’s her passion.

“I know what it feels like to receive the services and empowerment that I need to succeed in this country,” Etsegenet shared. “When I work with my community, I’m able to give back. It’s more than a job, to me.”

On any given week, Etsegenet provides critical support and case management to dozens of immigrants seeking asylum in the DMV – helping them access a range of resources to adjust to their new life in the United States. In doing so, she says she hopes to empower others to succeed in the same way that she was helped.

An AsylumWorks Case Manager meets with a client (photographed from behind, to protect the client’s privacy)

Back home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Etsegenet worked as a licensed practicing attorney, with a passion for human rights law. However, she was forced to seek refuge in the United States, after she began facing persecution for speaking out against the government.

In addition to the social and emotional challenges of leaving behind family and friends, Etsegenet faced professional and economic challenges, as she sought to establish her new life.

“It felt like I had to reinvent myself and forget everything I had back home,” she shared.

“So often, when asylum seekers come to the US, they are told that ‘USA’ stands for ‘You Start Again,’” Joan Hodges-Wu, Founder and Executive Director of AsylumWorks added, explaining some of the challenges that many of their clients face.

“Despite their wealth of experience, talent, and ambition, our clients are bombarded with messages that tell them their only professional options are driving for Uber or washing dishes. These jobs have a purpose, but they don’t offer economic mobility.”

From Client to Social Worker

Hodges-Wu founded AsylumWorks in 2016 – around the same time that Etsegenet came to the US. Today, the organization provides culturally and linguistically appropriate services to help asylum seekers and other underserved newcomers access the resources and support needed to integrate into their new communities and overcome systemic barriers.

Within a few years, word about AsylumWorks reached Etsegenet, who was able to utilize its services to get a job through career development and employment assistance programs.

Grateful for the help she received, Etsegenet continued to be involved with AsylumWorks, as a volunteer. Recognizing her passion and potential for AsylumWorks’ mission, in February 2020, Hodges-Wu hired Etsegenet to join the organization as paid, part-time employees – even though she didn’t have experience in social work.

Etsegenet celebrates her graduation from Columbia University's School of Social Work.

“Etsegenet’s love for our mission was palpable,” Hodges-Wu shared.

“It was easy to see that this was someone who could transform our organization and take our work to the next level.”

Etsegenet says it was that faith and confidence in her as a person and a professional that helped spark her love of social work. A year later, she was accepted into Columbia University’s Master of Social Work Program – one of the oldest and most prestigious programs in the country – with a full-ride scholarship for displaced people. After graduating in 2022, Etsegenet rejoined AsylumWorks, this time as a full-time therapeutic case manager as part of the Health & Wellness Program.

 “I don’t know if I would be doing social work if I hadn’t been an AsylumWorks client,” Etsegenet told us. “Their investment in me helped open my eyes to the beauty of social work. It’s hard and really demanding work – but it’s also been an incredible healing process for me. It’s such a blessing to provide others with the same services and empowerment that I was able to receive.”

Formalizing the Fellowship Program

Inspired by Etsegenet’s performance as a new employee, AsylumWorks formalized a Fellowship Program in January 2022 -- a year-long, full-time, paid, on-the-job professional training program to train former clients to work with current clients as therapeutic case managers.

Adoude Tokognon, another graduate of the Fellowship Program, who now works as a Therapeutic Case Manager at AsylumWorks.

As part of the program, fellows receive weekly individual and group supervision from licensed social workers, as they learn the basics of case management, mental health therapy, the asylum process, and social work.

“Within six months, most fellows not only are confident in their own abilities as case managers,” Hodges-Wu explained. “They also gain confidence within the organization – advocating for the needs of their clients; raising awareness about things within the organization that we could do to improve our services.”

As the organization has scaled, so has the Fellowship Program. Of the seven fellows who have graduated from the Fellowship Program, thus far, five of them have been promoted and still work at AsylumWorks.  

“Through this program, AsylumWorks is not only community-informed; we are also becoming more community-led.”

The Fellows’ presence has been wholeheartedly embraced by the communities that AsylumWorks serves. As former clients with lived experience and proficiency in native languages, Fellows have been able to quickly establish trusting relationships with incoming clients – without needing a third-party translator. By the end of first year, alone, the fellowship cohort had served more than 100 individuals and families from more than 30 countries.

The approach caught the attention of the US Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which recognized AsylumWorks’ Fellowship Program as an industry best practice in March 2023. The agency, which oversees refugee-serving programs nationwide, has since commissioned AsylumWorks to execute a series of webinars to help other organization across the country implement similar programming.

The graduation ceremony for the inaugural AsylumWorks Fellowship Program.

“I understand what people are going through,” Awel A., graduate of the inaugural fellowship cohort shared. “I am able to use my experience to help others transfer themselves from survival mode to stability.”

Like Etsegenet, Awel sought refuge in the US after facing political persecution in his home country of Ethiopia. Prior to that, Awel was a prominent constitutional lawyer who taught undergraduate law at a prestigious university for more than a decade.

“It’s frustrating,” Awel said of his experience coming to the US. “A lot of asylum seekers have transferrable knowledge and skills but they don’t have the opportunities to transfer them because they don’t have access to their profession, in this country.”

Upon arrival in the US, he quickly became connected with AsylumWorks – working with Etsegenet, who was his case manager, at the time.

Today, Etsegenet and Awel – who has since been promoted as the Legal Navigation Program Manager at AsylumWorks – are coworkers.

Awel, Legal Navigation Program Manager at AsylumWorks.

Unlike some Fellows, Awel doesn’t plan to pursue an advanced degree in social work – choosing instead to build upon his legal expertise to help AsylumWorks’ clients navigate the complex immigration system.

“To me, the Fellowship Program was an opportunity to learn about the US work culture, gain more experience and become more familiar with it – but also to give back to my community.”

“I was empowered as a client and as a fellow – now I have the opportunity to empower other people.”

“In the immigration space, it’s so easy to focus on the negative aspects of a system that is stacked against our clients,” Hodges-Wu shared. “But that is also why it is so important to cultivate pockets of light to remind us that change is possible, that opportunity still exists, and that with the right support, even newcomers facing significant obstacles have the ability to change the world.”

“Asylum seekers need to know how much they are valued,” Awel concluded. “They need my help – that is my passion.”

Empowering community voices and investing in community-led solutions to systemic barriers is an important aspect of The Community Foundation’s Strategic Vision. We are proud to support the AsylumWorks Fellowship program through our Health Equity Fund.

For more information about AsylumWorks, visit www.asylumworks.org/

New Community Listening Survey Shows DMV Residents Are Significantly Less Optimistic Now Than They Were in 2020

Worries about being able to pay rent or a mortgage in the Greater Washington region have soared; fewer residents believe changes where they live will benefit them

A new community listening survey conducted by Gallup in partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation shows that DMV residents are now significantly less optimistic about the future of the region than they were in 2020. DMV residents have become less positive in their views about who will benefit from changes in the area, and a staggering 85% of residents believe they have little to no influence on local government decision-making.

The number of residents who expect living conditions in the Greater Washington region to get “better” in the next five years dropped by nearly half, from 29% in 2020 to 16% in 2023, while the number of people who think living conditions will get “worse” in the region has increased from 24% to 32%. In 2020, 27% of respondents said changes in the area would benefit “more people like me,” but this is now down to 19%.

“Our last survey, conducted just before the pandemic, documented wide disparities in income and opportunity that were preventing many residents from accessing the region’s economic growth and prosperity. Today, many of these hardships remain, and have been exacerbated by the health and economic trauma of the past few years,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “Recognizing the challenges many people face, we’re redoubling our efforts to facilitate deeper engagement with residents and are investing in microgrants for individuals and organizations with ideas for improving neighborhoods to ensure every person has the opportunity to thrive.” 

The Voices of the Community (VoicesDMV): Community Insights survey is one of the only large-scale community listening and engagement tools in the region that seeks to understand how residents are experiencing key quality of life indicators across a wide range of topics: economic opportunity, wellbeing, safety, influence in our democracy, and general perceptions about livability in the region. Through VoicesDMV, The Community Foundation has committed to engaging our community every three years to help keep a finger on the pulse of the community by deeply and authentically listening to the voices, experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of people who are generally not heard from in philanthropy.

This year’s publication reveals that while the DMV is outpacing the growth of other northeast regions, and more than half of residents are thriving, many people still lack access to basic needs. Nearly one in five DMV residents say there were times in the past year when they didn’t have enough money to pay for healthcare or medicine or food for themselves or their family, while 11% say they were unable to provide adequate shelter. Black and Hispanic residents are more likely than other racial subgroups to report struggling to afford basic needs — including more than a third who say there were times in the previous year when they did not have enough money to buy food and more than a quarter who experienced not having enough money for healthcare or medicine.

“Economic precarity has been a consistent theme throughout Gallup’s and the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s research across pre- and post-pandemic measures, revealing inequalities that could persist or even expand if gone unaddressed as the DMV region continues to change,” said Camille Lloyd, Director of the Gallup Center on Black Voices. “These findings demonstrate the need for programs and services that help residents catch up and keep up financially, move up the economic ladder, and ultimately build wealth.”

Additionally, worries about being able to pay rent or a mortgage in the DMV have soared since 2020. The percentage of people who are “very” worried about not being able to pay their rent or mortgage has more than tripled – from 8% in 2020 to 27% in 2023. When asked which amenities are “good” or “excellent” in the region, across all geographies, the availability of affordable and accessible housing was ranked last. 

Results for the survey are based on a mail survey of adults living in Washington, DC, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Arlington County, Alexandria City, Fairfax City, and Falls Church City. Gallup mailed a total of 27,000 surveys, available in both English and Spanish, 2,832 of which were completed between May 5 and June 26, 2023. Previous iterations of the survey were completed in 2017 and 2020.

Along with the release of the new report, The Community Foundation will relaunch its Community Action Awards, a microgrant program for nonprofits, as well as the new VoicesDMV Fellowship, a leadership opportunity for residents. The full report and an online dashboard with further geographic and demographic breakdowns of the VoicesDMV survey data is available at VoicesDMV.org.

The Community Foundation Weighs in on Newly Proposed IRS Regulations

Over the past year, philanthropy – specifically, donor-advised funds – have faced increased levels of public and political scrutiny. The most recent example of this came in November 2023, when the IRS issued proposed regulations related to donor-advised funds. The regulations included several critical changes aimed at reenforcing transparency and avoiding the abuse of philanthropic funds.

While acknowledging the underlying intent and purpose of these proposed changes— The Community Foundation and a coalition of more than 25 community foundations from across the country have voiced concerns about unintended consequences that these regulations could have on our donors and the nonprofit sector, writ large.

On May 6, The Community Foundation’s President and CEO Tonia Wellons testified in front of the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC) and share her perspective on the impacts these regulations could have. She spoke candidly as to how these newly proposed Internal Revenue Service and US Treasury regulations would impact the work of The Community Foundation, disrupt the structure of our funds, and – most importantly – severely limit the philanthropic potential of our many generous donors and community partners.

The following post includes extensive excerpts from that testimony, as well as donor-relevant insights provided by our Director of Fund Administration & Special Project, Benton Murphy.

Galvanizing Philanthropy into Action – A Tribute to Our Donors

One of the driving factors behind these regulations is to ensure that fund advisors -- and the philanthropic entities they work with -- disburse funds to charitable causes in a way that is both efficient and effective.

The Community Foundation is proud of our institutional payout rate (the percentage of our funds paid out as grants annually), which lies in the range of 15-20%+. Compare this to the average annual payout rate of our private foundation peers, which usually rests at 5%. These numbers are a testament to our community of givers here at The Community Foundation and the tremendous generosity of our donors and fundholders!

Our community of givers helped The Community Foundation rise to the challenge brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, resourcing our ability to provide more than $90 million in funds to local organizations by providing personal protective equipment for frontline medical and community organization staff, ensuring essential food delivery to people in need, addressing the mental health needs of frontline workers and nonprofits whose staff members have been deeply impacted by COVID-19, and supporting parents and educators working to address the negative impact on the schools and students.  

Our donors have been at the forefront of our community response not only to disasters but in support of the day-to-day operations of thousands of local, national, and even international nonprofits. On an annual basis, our donors provide $70-90 million in grants to qualified nonprofits, offering a lifeline to many organizations that would struggle to make ends meet otherwise.

Simply put, our donors make our region a better place for its residents. This is why we are so concerned about the unintended consequences that the proposed regulations on donor-advised funds will bring.

“As place-based, community-led hubs for philanthropy, community foundations form the backbone of our nation’s regional response to an almost infinitely broad set of issues and priorities.

We represent and support communities of givers that would be irreparably harmed by these regulations, putting solutions to community problems out of reach for many donors. ”

— Tonia Wellons

The Repercussions of Redefining Donor Advisors

One of the proposed shifts in regulations includes re-categorizing wealth advisors who help advise our fundholders with Separately Managed Accounts as Fund Advisors. The Greater Washington Community Foundation offers fundholders with $500,000 or more in charitable assets in their fund to hold these assets in a separately managed investment account. We offer this service to donors who wish to be more actively involved in the investment strategy that oversees their funds.

As Fund Advisors cannot be paid from donor-advised funds as a matter of law, this proposed regulatory shift would mean that a donor’s personal investment advisor and The Community Foundation would likely incur significant excise taxes in a Separately Managed Account arrangement.

As a public charity, we take our responsibility seriously to our donors and the community we seek to serve. We hold active conversations with donors at all levels to encourage them to give through their donor-advised funds. We host learning opportunities, site visits to community-based organizations, and manage significant projects seeking to tackle issues ranging from homelessness to maternal health.

We also offer Philanthropic Advisory Services, where our staff serve as in-house consultants or advisors to fundholders, including our Separately Managed Account holders, to encourage more giving around the issues that matter to the donor with a high potential for impact in the community. This community connection and orientation toward giving back to the region is unique to community foundations which is not always feasible for our for-profit or private foundation peers.

At the Greater Washington Community Foundation, our Separately Managed Funds represent 46% of our assets that, in our most recently completed fiscal year, had an effective payout rate of 19.5%, granting more than $48 million to qualified grantees.

Should the proposed rules come into effect, these funds would be irreparably harmed, making it likely that they may elect to become private foundations with a minimum 5% payout rate, equating to a loss of $36 million in grantmaking to the community.  

Reclassification of Fund Types as Donor-Advised Funds

The second major proposed regulatory shift in our advocacy with the IRS is related to reclassifying various fund types as donor-advised funds. The Community Foundation offers our donors a wide array of fund types, each with unique attributes supporting different charitable objectives.

Field-of-interest funds would potentially be reclassified as donor-advised funds under the proposed rule change. Our family of more than 130 field-of-interest funds support a wide array of programs and initiatives, from community wealth building, housing and homelessness to disaster relief for victims of natural disasters.

These funds, all backed by community-based advisory committees that help to ensure all investments through the fund go toward the stated field-of-interest, are a vital part of The Community Foundation’s and our donor’s impact in the community. More critically, field-of-interest funds can support a more comprehensive array of services that cannot be sustained through traditional DAFs, such as funds that can directly support individual persons within the field-of-interest.

Taking disaster relief as an example, our donors have historically been at the forefront of our region’s response to COVID-19, the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon and rural Pennsylvania, and the Navy Yard mass shooting that claimed the lives of 12 people in the District in 2013. Currently, we house several employee disaster and emergency hardship funds on behalf of corporations. Our three most significant funds alone collectively provided $12.7 million to individuals in need over the past five years to support hardships due to COVID-19 and various natural disasters, including major hurricanes.

If these funds were re-categorized as DAFs, making grants to individuals in need would be much more challenging. Under IRS regulations, DAFs cannot be earmarked to benefit any specifically designated individual. Subjecting field-of-interest funds to the same substantiation requirements as DAFs would require significantly greater oversight from The Community Foundation -- a process that would ultimately make many of these programs untenable due to the cost of implementation.

Our foundation also hosts more than 30 fiscal sponsorships, which could be reclassified as DAFs under the proposed rule change. Fiscal sponsorships are a vehicle for programs and donors who want to do good in the community but lack the infrastructure to do so, and work with The Community Foundation to provide this infrastructure to help facilitate community impact. Our fiscal sponsorship funds support programs including maternal health, food justice, and work to combat violence in Washington, DC. Only a handful of organizations in our region offer this service.

These funds also support youth enrichment through opportunities for students from around the country to support internship opportunities in Washington, DC, exposing students to global careers. The fund pays for their stipend, travel expenses, and housing.  If the fund were reclassified as a DAF, the fund would potentially no longer be able to pay for programmatic expenses, severely limiting the opportunity for students who would unlikely be able to afford such an opportunity otherwise.

In Conclusion

In her testimony offered at the IRS hearing, our President and CEO Tonia Wellons urged the Treasury and the IRS to consider the unintended negative consequences that these regulations would create. As place-based, community-led hubs for philanthropy, community foundations form the backbone of our nation’s regional response to an almost infinitely broad set of issues and priorities. We represent and support communities of givers that would be irreparably harmed by these regulations, putting solutions to community problems out of reach for many donors.

As more than 40 organizations testified at the hearing, there is universal need to better understand how community foundations work before changing the regulatory environment in which we exist. We are encouraged to know that the Treasury and the IRS are listening and receptive to our input. We will keep our community of donors and fundholders in the loop as these conversations proceed.  

With Equity & Economic Justice for All: The Community Foundation Hosts the 2024 Health Equity Summit

On April 30, The Community Foundation hosted the 2024 Health Equity Summit at the beautiful Riverside Baptist Church in Southeast DC. The event brought together more than 200 changemakers from across the area for a day of music, speakers, and deep conversations around the pursuit of health equity, economic justice, and liberation in the Greater Washington region.

“We are here today to imagine a world where everyone can experience physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing,” The Community Foundation’s President & CEO Tonia Wellons shared in her introduction to the Summit. “A world where everyone can thrive in a non-extractive economy and a world where harm has been repaired and everyone can be made whole.”

“It’s easy to step into a space and merely provide healthcare,” added Dr. Tollie Elliott, CEO of Mary’s Center and member of the Health Equity Fund governance Committee. “However, if we want to create a truly impactful, innovative system, we need to start doing things differently -- departing from the traditional route and enacting truly transformational work to make lives better in the District of Columbia.”

The Summit was organized by The Community Foundation’s Health Equity Fund – a $95 million fund designated to improving health outcomes and health equity for DC residents. Since September 2022, the fund has disbursed more than $22.8 million in funding to promote economic justice and health equity in the District.

“Our vision for the health equity fund – and for this summit -- is to advocate for change to address the root causes of the deep health inequities and disparities that exist in DC,” Dr. Marla Dean, Senior Director of the Health Equity Fund shared.

The event – which was open to the public – attracted a diverse audience of participants from across the spectrum – including policymakers, government and philanthropic partners, and nonprofit and community leaders. Click here to view the program booklet from the event 

“Health & Healthcare are not the same thing,” Dr. Anthony Iton, Senior Vice President for Healthy Communities at The California Endowment shared. “Only 20% of health outcomes are shaped by the health delivery system. That means that most of health has nothing to do with what we do, as doctors.”

Dr. Anthony Iton and Dr. Damon Francis discuss their recent essay Envisioning a New Health System Rooted in Equity and the importance of investing in an equitable, people-centric approach to healthcare.

Dr. Iton and Dr. Damon Francis, Director of Homeless Health Center in Oakland, California, are co-authors of Envisioning a New Health System Rooted in Equity - an essay published by the Urban Institute last December. In it, they explore the shortfalls of the American health system – including its history of racial discrimination and why it’s critical to invest in an equitable, people-centric approach to healthcare moving forward.

“Our healthcare system today is a predatory, extractive system,” Dr. Iton shared. “It is the single largest source of bankruptcies in this country. Most are built around a corporate model – selling services to paying customers – which has little to do with the needs of the population. And the worst part is it’s getting more expensive, for everyone.”

“The poorest Europeans have better health status than the wealthiest White Americans,” Dr. Francis added, pointing to international data comparing health outcomes from around the world.

In their essay, Dr. Francis and Dr. Iton explain how the devastation caused by World War II in Europe lead many countries to adopt Universal benefits such as childcare and health benefits, which led to better overall health outcomes for their populations. Meanwhile, in the US, healthcare was built increasingly on a corporate model that disadvantaged everyone, especially Blacks and communities of color who suffered discrimination and underinvestment.

“When we talk about the need for universal healthcare, we so often overlook the universal component,” Dr. Iton explained. “It’s a signal of solidarity. It requires that we work to really see each other’s needs and gaps that exist between us.”

“Until we acknowledge that and enshrine it in policy, we will continue to see these disparities.”

“We need to build collective power,” Dr. Francis added. “You cannot explain behaviors based on access to healthcare alone; you can explain it based on political power.”

“Health is political – and it requires political action; people coming together to hold systems accountable for delivering equitable outcomes.”

Dr. Iton concluded the panel by outlining his ABC model for building health equity – promoting Agency (or collective power), strengthening Belonging, and rebuilding our social Contract.

From left to right: Temi F. Bennett, Sohrab Kohli, Jennifer Bryant, and Professor Anthony Cook discuss community wealth-building and cooperative ownership.

The next panel focused on economic justice and creating prosperity for all. The conversation was moderated by Temi F. Bennett, co-CEO of if, a Foundation for Radical Possibility and featured thought leaders in the space of individual community wealth-building and cooperative ownership.

“Creating economic mobility means building opportunities,” Sohrab Kohli, Senior Manager of the Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program explained. “It also means looking at our systems in a reparative lens and finding ways to ‘balance the scales’ (referring to the theme of the Summit) so that everyone wins.”

“Shared or cooperative ownership is a critical part of building economic mobility,” Jennifer Bryant, Program Manager of the Black Employer Ownership Initiative at Project Equity shared. “We’re building economic democracy -- allowing Black and Brown people to benefit from and have a say in the direction of the organizations they work for.”

In her role at Project Equity, Bryant explained how she works with Black business owners to help convert their businesses to employee ownership – allowing their employees and communities to benefit from their legacy in perpetuity.

“If all the businesses that employ Black workers were employee owned, the median wealth of Black workers would increase from $20,000 to over $100,000,” shared Professor Anthony Cook, Professor at Georgetown Law School.

Professor Cook is the founder of Gatebridge Community – an organization working to transform cooperative low-wealth communities by fostering a culture of cooperative ownership. The organization recently announced plans to launch Rosie’s Grocery – a resident and worker owned grocery initiative that will provide access to fresh produce to low-income, low-access (LILA) neighborhoods in the DC metro area.

“We are prototyping that with community support and industry and sector expertise, we can do what other people have refused to do – and that is stepping up and engaging the community, as part of the solution – giving them ownership of the processes that will impact their lives for the better.”

From left to right: Reverend William H. Lamar IV, Dr. Stacey Patton, Dr. Raymond Winbush and Dr. LesLeigh D. Ford discussed the pursuit of liberation and the case for reparations.

The final panel of the day was moderated by Reverend William H. Lamar IV and featured a panel of experts who discussed the pursuit of liberation and the case for reparations.

“It is estimated that more than $380 Billion in Black Wealth has been lost, as a result of slavery,” Dr. Stacey Patton, Research Associate Professor at the Institute for Urban Research at Morgan State University shared. “Our bodies still hold those memories; the psychological trauma and impact of slavery.”

Dr. Patton and Dr. Raymond Winbush, Director of the Institute for Urban Research at Morgan State University, shared their insights from studying African American communities over time. They explained how reparations represent not only an important economic milestone, but also a social and cultural turning point to true equity for Black communities.

“It’s not enough to converge the racial wealth gap,” Dr. LesLeigh D. Ford, Associate Director of Race and Equity Research at the Urban Institute shared. “We have to reimagine and reconstitute the system that created it. Without reparations, that level of systemic change simply isn’t possible.”

The program included live Q&A sessions with each of the panels, as well as live and video presentations from community and nonprofit partners with the Health Equity Fund, who spoke about the work they are doing to advance health equity and economic mobility in DC.

In addition to the presentations, participants were treated to powerful performances from local creative artists, including Camilo Montoya, a talented spoken word performer and Pianist Virtuoso Dana Kristina-Joi Morgan – which added an electric atmosphere to the day’s program.

“We thank you all for being a part of this event and this movement to bring health equity and economic mobility to all residents within the District of Columbia,” Dr. Marla Dean shared at the close of the event. “We look forward to partnering with all of you, as we continue to invest and work towards a more equitable and prosperous future for all.”

Click here for more photos from the 2024 Health Equity Summit! For more information about the Health Equity Fund and available funding opportunities, visit our website.

Partnership to End Homelessness Awards $375,000 in Grants Through Waldon Adams Housing Justice Fund

The Partnership to End Homelessness (The Partnership) is pleased to announce $375,000 in grants awarded to eight organizations and coalitions leading systems change efforts in DC through the Waldon Adams Housing Justice Fund. Selected nonprofits receive up to $50,000 in funding to support work to end homelessness and increase the supply of deeply affordable housing.

Named after a fearless advocate for those experiencing chronic homelessness in DC, the Waldon Adams Housing Justice grants are designed to invest in organizations making the greatest impact towards ending homelessness in DC.

Since the Partnership awarded our first grants to advance housing justice, together with tenants and people with lived experience, our community partners led efforts to secure:

• Over 4,o00 Permanent Supportive Housing vouchers to end homelessness for 3,106 individuals and 1,217 families;

• $794 million for the Housing Production Trust Fund to create affordable housing;

• $155 million to repair and preserve public housing;

• $129 million for emergency rental assistance to prevent evictions; and

• More just and equitable housing policies.

This fourth round of grant funding will support work to advance housing justice using multiple strategies, including public will building, narrative change, policy advocacy, and budget advocacy.

Learn more about previous Waldon Adams Housing Justice Grantees

Here’s what some of our grantees have shared about their work and their plans for the coming year:

Fair Budget Coalition

Partnership funding is helping us create and advocate for our FY25 budget priorities to increase safe, affordable housing for DC’s most marginalized residents. We are excited about new strategies we are implementing to build the power and voice of impacted community members in our work. We are creating more space for people with lived experience of homelessness and housing insecurity to draft budget recommendations, voice their concerns, and tell their stories. Currently, there is an unprecedented number of constituents leading and engaging in our issue groups, including the revenue and public deals issue group and the housing security issue group. This ensures that those who are closest to the challenges are leading us on what solutions need to be enacted.

ONE DC

Our goal for Homes for All DC is systems change through political education and leadership development. We proactively work with tenant associations to build their capacity to liberate their properties for collective ownership by residents, while simultaneously raising awareness and building tenant power. Partnership funding will allow us to continue to build and organize a united front of 10,000 to 15,000 renter households to push for the level of political change we need to secure control of housing for a significant portion of Washingtonians. We are disrupting paternalistic narratives and demonstrating that the very people most often displaced by gentrification, racist housing policies, and racialized capitalism are the same people who are effectively organizing their neighbors, asserting their rights, and collectively owning their buildings.

These grants were made possible thanks to generous partners and donors to the Partnership’s Grantmaking Fund.

2024 waldon adams HOUSING JUSTICE GRANTEES

• DC Jobs with Justice

• DC Fiscal Policy Institute

• Empower DC

• Fair Budget Coalition

• Miriam's Kitchen

• ONE DC: Organizing Neighborhood Equity

• People for Fairness Coalition

• The Washington Legal Clinic For The Homeless Inc.

Kicking Off The Conversation on An Agenda for Economic Justice in Prince George's County

On April 23, The Community Foundation and the Partnership for Prince George's held the first of three convenings around "An Agenda for Economic Justice in Prince George's County". The event brought together community and cross-sector leaders for the purpose of shaping a new narrative focused on economic justice and a vision for shared prosperity in Prince George’s County. 

“Now more than ever, it’s essential that we come together as a community to discuss how we can build the future that we all want for Prince George’s County,” shared Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation and a long-time resident of Prince George’s County.

Wellons is one of the prominent leaders that make up the Partnership for Prince George’s – a collaboration of philanthropic and corporate funders who are committed to promoting economic justice, economic mobility and more equitable strategic investment in Prince George’s County. The Partnership recently collaborated with PG Suite Magazine to produce a special edition of “Prince George’s County Dialogue – A Conversation and Exchange of Ideas around the Case for Economic Justice in Prince George’s”. The goal of the publication is to grow public will and momentum in the pursuit of economic justice in the county and to spark community conversations that to seed visionary ideas and strategic solutions.

Ronnie Galvin outlines data from the Urban Institute highlighting the disparities in economic investment across the region. Prince George's County receives less than half of the level of investment compared to other jurisdictions.

“Prince George’s County can no longer make the claim of being the highest income and wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation,” Ronnie Galvin, Senior Fellow at The Community Foundation and moderator for the event pointed out. “We’re in a moment of tremendous opportunity where we get to reimagine who we are and who we want to become—with economic justice as our frame. “

“There are many avenues that we can take to achieve economic justice in the County, none perhaps as important though as underinvestment of public and private resources that have contributed to persistent racial investment gap.”

“We’re tired of being ‘by-passed’,” Bishop Anthony Maclin of Sanctuary of Kingdom Square shared, speaking of the disparity and challenges of obtaining economic investment in the county compared to other jurisdictions. “Why can we not have the same opportunity for investment in our community amongst our people?”

“The story of us is the story that we will craft ourselves,” he continued. “Others may think that we are not capable of handling this kind of development, but if we have the same resources that other communities are receiving, we will leave our legacy – not only for ourselves, but for future generations to follow.

“The story of us means we have good jobs, good public schools that everyone wants to send their children to, exceptional medical care, safe communities in affordable homes and opportunities for small businesses,” shared Jennifer Epps, Executive Director of the LIFT Fund. “That should be our story, because that is what we as a county deserve.”

“African Americans and Latinos make up 91% of the population in Prince George’s County,” Former Prince George’s County Councilmember Derrick Leon Davis, shared. “And that number is still going up!”

“As a minority-majority community, there’s so much we can gain if we band together as Black and Brown folks to build a stronger Prince George’s County.”

Participants also heard from Dr. George L. Askew, President & CEO of the Meyer Foundation.

As the former Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Health, Human Services, and Education in Prince George’s County and a long-time Prince Georgian, Dr. Askew shared his experience serving in the Alsobrooks administration, watching as county officials fought “tooth and nail” for federal resources necessary to help the county succeed in the aftermath of the pandemic. Dr. Askew shared that leaders in the County all too often were contending with racist undertones and outright structural and systemic racism in pursuit of health and human services resources for the County. 

He also acknowledged the role that philanthropy has played in underinvesting in the county, historically, and shared his commitment to working alongside The Community Foundation and other funders to collaborate to bring Prince George’s forward, as part of The Partnership for Prince George’s.

After Dr. Askew, Ronnie Galvin opened the floor to questions and comments from the audience, which sparked conversation on a range of topics from the importance of a cohesive investment strategy to the need for more investment in nonprofit organizations and reforms to public policy and tax code.

“If you aren’t in the room, you aren’t in the conversation,” Artis Hampshire-Cowan, Advisory Board member for The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County added. “Part of our purpose in having this event is to open a dialogue so that you all can be a part of the conversation.”

“We need this conversation, so we can continue to carry it forward and move this dialogue into action,” Tonia Wellons concluded. “Action that will build a stronger Prince George’s County for everyone.”

The next convening of An Agenda for Economic Justice in Prince George’s County will take place on June 13, 2024 from 10 a.m. to noon. To register for this event, please contact Eliza Tolbert-Howard at etolbert-howard@thecommunityfoundation.org.

For more information, please read the special edition of Prince George’s County Dialogue – A Conversation and Exchange of Ideas around the Case for Economic Justice in Prince George’s.

Ignite Change: Join Us for the 2024 Health Equity Summit!

Join the Greater Washington Community Foundation in Washington, DC on April 30 for the 2024 Health Equity Summit. This year’s summit will convene local and national thought leaders, practitioners, policy makers, and community organizations for conversations around the theme: With Equity and Economic Justice for All: Balancing the Scales So Everyone Wins. 

Our Vision

Our time together will  be guided by 3 core vision statements:

• In Pursuit of Health Equity - Well-being for All

  We imagine a world where everyone can experience physical, mental, and social well-being.

  Why it Matters: If mortality rates of Black Americans were equal to white Americans over the course of the 20th century, there would be 8.8 million more Black Americans alive today.

  Source: https://harvardpublichealth.org/equity/reparations-will-save-black-lives/

• In Pursuit of Economic Justice - Prosperity for All

  We imagine a world where everyone can thrive in a non-extractive economy.

  Why it matters: In the Greater Washington, DC region, the racial wealth gap is 81:1, Blacks to whites, and the income gap is 3:1.  This pattern persists through the United States of America.

  Source: https://www.urban.org/research/publication/color-wealth-nations-capital

• In Pursuit of Liberation: - The Case for Reparations

  We imagine a world where harm has been repaired and everyone can be made whole.

  Why it matters:  To date, the only class of people who have received federal reparations for slavery are white slaveowners who lived in DC.  Under The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act, the federal government paid 900-odd slaveholders an average of $300 in reparations for each of their slaves.

  Source:https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/civil_war/DCEmancipationAct_FeaturedDoc.htm

Don't Miss This Opportunity to Be a Part of Positive Change!

Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP at your earliest convenience to secure your spot.

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Meet our participants

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Summit Itinerary

9:00 a.m. Participant Check-In

Complimentary Continental Breakfast Bar

9:30 a.m. Summit Opener

• Meditation and Movement by Chianti Lomax

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

• Remarks by Dr. Tollie Elliott Sr., CEO, Mary's Center and Health Equity Committee Member

• Poem by Camilo Montoya

10:00 a.m. A Conversation In Pursuit of Health Equity: Well- being for All

• Dr. Marla M. Dean

  Moderator

  Senior Director of Health Equity Fund

  Greater Washington Community Foundation

  Read Bio

• Damon Francis, M.D.

  Medical Director, Homeless Health Center

  Alameda Health System

  Read Bio

• Anthony Iton, M.D., J.D., MPH

  Senior Vice President of Healthy Communities

  The California Endowment

  Read Bio

11:00 a.m. Notes from the Field

Featuring Lessons From Our Nonprofit Partners

11:20 A.M. Remarks

• Ayanna Bennett, M.D., MSPH, FAAP, Director of DC Department of Health

• Dr. C. Anneta Arno, MPH, Director of Health Equity, DC Department of Health

• Rev. Mia Michelle McClain, Pastor, Riverside Church at the Wharf

11:35 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Lunch on Your Own

A list of nearby options will be provided

12:45 p.m. Community Poem

12:55 p.m. A Conversation In Pursuit of Economic Justice: Prosperity for All

• Temi F. Bennett

  Moderator

  Co-Chief Executive Officer if, A Foundation for Radical Possibility

  Read Bio

• Prof. Anthony Cook, J.D.

  Reynolds Family Endowed Service Professor; Special Advisor to the Dean for Community and Justice

  Georgetown University

  Read Bio

• Sohrab Kohli

  Senior Manager & Benefits21 Initiative Lead, Financial Security Program

  Aspen Institute

  Read Bio

• Jennifer Bryant

  Program Manager, Black Employee Ownership Initiative

  Project Equity

  Read Bio

1:55 p.m. Notes from the Field

Featuring Lessons From Our Nonprofit Partners

2:25 P.M. Performance

Performance by Dana Kristina-Joi Morgan, Pianist Virtuoso 

2:35 P.M. Notes from the Field

Featuring Lessons From Our Nonprofit Partners

2:40 p.m. A Conversation In Pursuit of Liberation: A Case for Reparations

• Rev. William H. Lamar IV

  Facilitator

  Senior Pastor

  Metropolitan AME Church

  Read Bio

• LesLeigh Ford

  Associate Director, Office of Race and Equity Research

  Urban Institute

  Read Bio

• Dr. Raymond Winbush

  Research Associate Professor, Institute for Urban Research

  Morgan State University

  Read Bio

• Dr. Stacey Patton

  Research Associate Professor, Institute for Urban Research

  Morgan State University

  Read Bio

3:40 p.m. Grant Partner Presentation: A Call To Action

Featuring Lessons from Our Nonprofit Partners

3:55 p.m. Summit Closing Remarks

Closing Remarks by Dr. Marla M. Dean, Senior Director, Health Equity Fund

4:00 p.m. Networking Happy Hour

held at the Wharfside Patio at Canopy by Hilton with complementary food and beverages

Sounds by Vybe King the DJ 

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Check Out Our Summit Playlist

The late Dick Clark of American Bandstand fame said, “Music is the soundtrack of our lives.” This playlist was curated to commemorate the key messages of the Summit.

The first 10 songs, selected by Dr. Marla M. Dean, correspond to each segment of the Summit. From the prelude to meditation & movement to each panel and the performances in between and ultimately the call to action (postlude), each song seeks to connect the topics discussed at the Summit to their musical muse. The remaining songs just keep the vibe going because there is so much work left undone.

And since this Summit is all about community, we invite you to add to the playlist.

We also have a Spanish-inspired playlist curated by our colleague, Yorman De La Rosa. You are also encouraged to contribute to this playlist.

Faces of Sharing - Getting to Know Sharing Montgomery's Ana Morales

Ana Morales has been a proud member of Sharing Montgomery for the past three years – including serving as Chair/Co-Chair of the committee for the past two years.

“I love learning about the needs in our county and admire the incredible efforts of so many people and organizations in our community who are dedicated to addressing them,” Morales shared of her experience. 

For Morales, Sharing Montgomery’s work has also been a way to grow closer to a community she knows and loves.  Born in Guatemala, she immigrated to the United States at the age of 9 and has called Montgomery County home for most of her life. She attended Montgomery County Public Schools and vividly recalls taking ESOL classes in elementary school at a time when the county’s immigrant community was growing rapidly.

Morales now serves as Senior Vice President and Director of Treasury Management at Founders Bank.  She started her banking career in Embassy and International Banking but has predominantly focused on Commercial Banking within local community banks.

Morales says that while her career provided her with opportunities to participate in fundraisers and events for various nonprofits – including serving on the board of several influential nonprofit organizations -- Morales felt like she was not getting the complete picture.

“I think it’s easy for many of us to stay within our bubbles and not know what’s going on outside of the world that we live in,” Morales shared. “I’ve always wanted to learn about the county I’ve lived in for so long and better understand what some of the challenges are, so I can better support the people who are in support of those in need.”

Ana at an event for NAMI-Montgomery County, where she serves on the Board of Directors.

That’s when her friend Steve Hull, a long-time supporter and member of The Community Foundation Advisory Board in Montgomery County invited her to learn more about The Community Foundation and the Sharing Montgomery initiative.

The invitation came about a year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic – a critical time for nonprofits which continued to struggle to meet growing needs across our region.

“I was really impressed with The Community Foundation’s response and involvement during and following the COVID pandemic,” Morales shared. “It was inspiring to watch them build bridges between nonprofits and empower these organizations to mobilize and meet needs in the community – putting all the pieces together to build people up.”

Morales joined both the Montgomery County Advisory Board and Sharing Montgomery Grants Committee in 2021. She quickly gained an appreciation of The Community Foundation’s vision to close the racial wealth gap.

“As an immigrant working in the banking industry, I really connect to the importance of promoting economic mobility,” Morales shared. “Through The Community Foundation and the Sharing Montgomery initiative, I’ve been able to see how my contributions can play a role in that.”

On one occasion, Morales recalls being introduced to a nonprofit partner which works to help Latino and immigrant students in Mongomery County maximize their potential.

“The more I heard about the work they do and attended their events through Sharing, the more I could see my experience mirrored in the kids they serve,” Morales shared. “I know what it’s like to be a young person in a foreign place and all the challenges that come with it. Seeing them helped me realize that I could do more for my community.”

Morales went on to join the board of directors of that Sharing Montgomery grantee organization, while continuing her leadership work of inspiring more people to give and join in the Sharing Montgomery learning journey. 

Ana with team members from The Community Foundation in Montgomery County after announcing the Sharing Montgomery 2023 cohort of nonprofit partners.

“Sharing Montgomery is a place where you can see all of the various needs that there are in a county that many consider to be very affluent,” Morales shared. “I love that Sharing Montgomery is a platform for us to have a candid look at our county’s needs and challenges in an organized, methodical, and analytical way while focusing on the mission of empowering local nonprofits to do more.”

In addition to her board involvement, Morales says that being a part of Sharing Montgomery has inspired her to be more intentional in her personal philanthropy of giving back to her community, making it a bigger part of her long-term plans and life-goals.

“No matter what touches your heart, The Community Foundation will guide you to find not only the right causes and organizations to support, but also the right ways that you can support them and make a difference in your community.”

Want to get involved? The Sharing Montgomery Fund Committee welcomes new members. Contact Olivia Hsu (ohsu@thecommunityfoundation.org)  to find out more about how you can be a part of this impactful fund!

Faces of Sharing - Getting to know Sharing Prince George's David & Keisha Hawkins

“What I love about Sharing Prince George’s is that they are humans in service of humans,” Keisha Hawkins shared when I asked her about her Sharing Prince George’s experience.

“I think sometimes in life, we lose sight of our humanity,” she added. “Sharing Prince George’s helped me see the beauty and humanity in my community.”

As long-time residents of Prince George’s County, Keisha and David Hawkins joined Sharing Prince George’s in 2022 – bringing with them a tremendous amount of energy and experience in community engagement.

“I am the Community, He’s the Foundation,” Keisha said when describing the couple’s approach to giving back. “I’m passionate about getting my feet on the ground and getting involved in the logistics of community work in action. He is great at the critical, work behind-the-scenes like networking and connecting people.”  

David and Keisha met while studying at Howard University. Early on in their relationship, the couple enjoyed making time to get involved in community through volunteer work with organizations like the Red Cross and Capital Area Food Bank, while pursuing their respective careers – David in Banking Investments and Keisha in project management. Both have enjoyed finding ways to leverage those careers to give back to the community they love.

David provides monthly workshops with Medicare to educate people on how to manage their finances and achieve their financial goals, while Keisha is heavily involved with Meadows House Foundation – an organization that teaches aviation to youth through youth empowerment, workforce development, and STEM trainings in College Park. Both share a passion for helping others obtain valuable experiences and perspective beyond their current circumstances– helping them broaden their horizons and access their fullest and brightest potential for their future.

“It bothers us that people are forced into environments and situations where they don’t have the resources to change their circumstances,” the couple shared. “We believe it’s important to step up and be the change we want to see in our community.”

The couple was first introduced to The Community Foundation in 2016 through David’s colleague, Virginia Chueng -- a Trustee on The Community Foundation’s Board of Directors and a former member of the advisory board for The Community Foundation in Montgomery County.

At the time, David was working in Montgomery County and was often asked to attend events for nonprofits doing work in the area, including events for The Community Foundation. However, when he was invited to join Sharing Montgomery in 2019, he quickly realized that the initiative was a whole different story.

“I’d never seen this level of organization and collaboration in grantmaking,” David shared. “I was introduced to so many great organizations through the Sharing initiative that were doing incredible work in the community. It really made me want to be more involved.”

Over time, David realized that what he really wanted was to give back in the community where he and his family live – in Prince George’s County.

“Neither of the banks I work for have a presence in Prince George’s County,” David explained. “So I don’t get as many chances to learn about the people who are doing the work in my own backyard.”

So when David had an opportunity to join Sharing Prince George’s a few years later, he was excited to bring Keisha in on the action. Now in their second year on Sharing Prince George’s, the couple say they have thoroughly enjoyed being able to use their knowledge gained through Sharing Prince George’s to benefit their community.”

“We love contributing to these local organizations, however we can,” David shared. “Just knowing about the work that they do helps us to strengthen our community.”

In addition to making monetary and in-kind donations, David and Keisha have also referred friends and family members to some of the nonprofit partners – allowing them to access much needed services that they otherwise might not have known about.

“Sharing Prince George’s helped me to understand the larger scale impact of philanthropic work through a community lens,” Keisha shared. “It allowed me to interact with people from across my community, coming together to give back to the community they live in.”

“I believe in the ‘community’ part of the ‘The Community Foundation’,” she continued. “Sharing Prince George’s allowed me to see that in action.”

Keisha recently joined the advisory board for The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County, where she says she’s excited to be a force for change and an advocate for change in her community – in addition to continuing her involvement in Sharing Prince George’s with David and many of her fellow advisory board members.

“If you live in Prince George’s County and want to see improvements in your community – this is the organization to be a part of.”

Want to get involved? The Sharing Prince George’s Fund Committee welcomes new members! Contact Eliza Tolbert-Howard (etolbert-howard@thecommunityfoundation.org) to find out more about how you can be a part of this impactful fund!

Faces of Sharing - Getting to Know Sharing DC's Fonda Sutton

For Sharing DC Member Fonda Sutton, participating in the Sharing DC initiative has been a labor of love for the city she is proud to call home.

“I love Washington, DC,” Sutton shared. “I’ve lived in this city longer than my own birthplace. For me, this work is not only necessary – it’s personal.”

Born in a rural town in Eastern North Carolina, Sutton fell in love with DC as a young girl visiting relatives who had moved to the nation’s capital to pursue government jobs. Growing up, Sutton eagerly looked forward to spending time over the summers in “Chocolate City”.

After high school, Sutton moved to DC to attend Georgetown University – becoming the first member of her family to earn a college degree (and later a law degree – also from Georgetown). Following graduation, Sutton began a long and prestigious career within DC’s education system, working with some of the city’s early charter school founders and as a leader at DC Public Schools. She currently serves as the Partner of Public Engagement and Advocacy at Education Forward DC – an organization that provides grants to support  more high-quality educational opportunities for students.

Sutton says that while she loves some of the changes that she’s seen in the city over the years, she is mindful of DC’s ever-changing legacy for its Black and Brown residents – particularly the need to make increased investments to reduce inequities and build wealth.

“I’m super excited about the network of organizations that Sharing DC is building – especially those who are working to serve Black and Brown residents in the city,” Sutton shared. “It is so important that we highlight and support the work that they are doing.”

As a seasoned grant maker and community advocate, Sutton is no stranger to funding community work. However, Sharing DC was one of her first glimpses into donor-advised grant making – a process that she says is a win-win scenario for everybody.

“The organization I currently work for is an intermediary grant maker – we raise funds and then make investments to support and improve the education ecosystem,” Sutton explained. “It’s been heartening to instead rub shoulders with individual donors – people who really care about their community and are thinking about the grassroots level impact of their giving.”

Sutton’s experience and perspective – both in grant making and in the community – have been invaluable to the Sharing DC committee, as members work together to decide how to best use collective funds to have the greatest potential impact on the community.

“It’s a beautiful view into private philanthropy,” Sutton said of her experience on Sharing DC. “It’s a great give and take opportunity to work with other donors to strengthen the community around you.”

“It’s also a great opportunity for smaller organizations to get funding – support that makes a big difference for the work that they do in their communities,” she added. “I’ve had the privilege of observing and working with some of these organizations, and I can tell you that it means the world to them.”

Sutton says she has also enjoyed meeting with smaller nonprofit organizations that she was not previously familiar with, some of which she has been so impressed with that she has sought out ways to support them outside of Sharing DC in small and personal ways – like holiday donations through her personal book group.

“I think that many of us are very aware of the larger organizations doing good work on the issues that we relate to, based on our own experience,” she added. “But there are so many smaller organizations really hustling to serve in our community – and if they just had a little more support, it would go so far for the work they are doing.”

When asked about her future plans for participating in Sharing DC, Sutton had this to say.

“It’s important work, and I love to be a part of it – I will be there, as long as they will have me.”

Want to get involved? The Sharing DC Fund Committee welcomes new members! Contact Isabel Spake (ispake@thecommunityfoundation.org) to find out more about how you can be a part of this impactful fund!

Thrive Prince George’s Guaranteed Income Pilot Begins Monthly Cash Payments

The pilot will provide $800 per month for 24 months to seniors and youth who have aged out of the foster care system.

The public-private partnership behind Thrive Prince George’s, the county’s first-ever guaranteed income pilot program, are pleased to announce that cash distributions will begin this month as part of a two-year, $4 million pilot that seeks to provide greater economic stability and mobility for families in the region. The program will provide monthly cash payments of $800 to 50 youth (age 18-24) who have aged out of foster care and 125 seniors (age 60+) for a 24-month period with no strings attached.

“Studies have shown that modest guaranteed basic income pilots can decrease poverty by as much as 40%,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We strongly believe that this program will improve the lives of many in Prince George’s County and will reduce the racial wealth gap in a way that makes it viable for the county to consider providing guaranteed basic income for years to come.”

The pilot program application period opened on December 11, 2023, and received over 5,000 inquiries for 175 slots before closing in mid-January 2024. The partners determined eligibility requirements to ensure that limited resources would be directed towards participants residing in high poverty zip codes (according to ACS and Census), representing ALICE households (earning above the Federal Poverty Level but less than the basic cost of living), with preference given to caregivers and returning citizens.

Thrive Prince George’s is funded through a public-private partnership leveraging both public and private philanthropic resources from the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Prince George’s County Executive and County Council, and the Meyer Foundation. 

"This initiative is an innovative example of how we find solutions through public-private partnerships," said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. "Thanks to this collaborative pilot program, we're weaving a stronger social fabric and helping people improve their quality of life."

While several pilots are currently operating around the region – including in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, DC, and Montgomery County – and the country, this is the first guaranteed income program to exclusively serve residents of Prince George’s County.

“I’ve championed the guaranteed basic income program for years because I know it provides an opportunity to tackle poverty and create better quality of life for our residents,” said County Council Member Krystal Oriadha. “My hope is with more jurisdictions moving to implement programs like this, we will see an investment at the state and federal level that will allow these pilots to become permanent. I am excited about partnering with organizations like the Greater Washington Community Foundation to make this dream a reality.”

Guaranteed income programs have proven to be one of the most promising approaches to increasing financial stability. The positive impact of guaranteed income has been studied for decades, with evidence indicating that monthly cash payments can reduce income volatility and support recipients in attaining full-time employment, greater housing stability, improved health outcomes, and more.

“The Meyer Foundation is glad to partner in the growing local movement for economic justice by investing in efforts that honor the humanity and self-determination of individuals in our region,” said Meyer Foundation President and CEO George L. Askew, MD. “The positive impacts of guaranteed basic income programs like Thrive Prince George’s County have been well researched and ultimately create greater momentum toward the policy and systems change we hope to see throughout Greater Washington and beyond.”

The Community Foundation will administer the pilot program as part of its Together, We Prosper Campaign for Economic Justice, which is focused on investing in economic strategies that will increase economic mobility to help close the region’s racial wealth gap.

It has also partnered with Court Appointed Special Advocate Prince George’s County (CASA) and United Communities Against Poverty (UCAP), two community-based organizations in Prince George’s County that led the recruitment, selection, and onboarding of participants, and are distributing the cash payments.

"One's quality of life should not decline due to the privilege of age. The ability to thrive should also not be contingent upon one's socioeconomic status in their community. UCAP is privileged to have the opportunity to take a role in a pilot program that will immediately and positively impact the life of the participant...THRIVE Prince George's,” said Rasheeda Jamison-Harriott, President & CEO, United Communities Against Poverty, Inc. (UCAP).

“Youth who have experienced foster care are more likely to experience hardships such as unemployment, health issues, increased rates of incarceration, and many become unhoused. Thrive Prince George's allows Court Appointed Special Advocates/CASA to help disrupt cycles of generational poverty, create a continuum of care, and increase the likelihood of long-term stability for young people as they adjust to independence. These are our emerging adults. We want them to know that we see them, and we are honored for the opportunity to stand with an ecosystem of organizations committed to their long-term success,” said Yolanda Johnson, Executive Director, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Prince George's County.

Other program partners include Prince George’s County Department of Social Services; Prince George’s ChangeMakers, an advocate for the adoption of a guaranteed income program in Prince George’s County; and Capital Area Asset Builders, which will offer technical assistance based on its experience operating several similar programs.

The Community Foundation has also partnered with Urban Institute to measure how the economic status of participants improves over time and implement an evaluation program that balances quantitative and qualitative measures that have historically demonstrated client progress and program viability.

For more information about Thrive Prince George’s, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org/thrive-prince-georges.  

Learning Together: Launching the Community Impact Forum Series

On April 18, The Community Foundation kicked off our Community Impact Forum series at Imagination Stage in downtown Bethesda. The event (formerly known as the Funder roundtable) is set to be the first in series of Impact Forums that The Community Foundation will host across our region to bring together fundholders, board members, corporate funders, and leaders from local private foundations.

The events – which have a strict no-solicitation policy – are designed to help participants learn more about the region and exchange ideas with other people who share a passion for strengthening the local community. 

“The Impact Forum is designed to bring us together to better understand the needs we’re experiencing in communities, look at the lessons we’ve learned from the past, and discuss the strategies we can collaborate on to solve for the future,” shared Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation.

Following the warm welcome from our CEO, guests heard from Darius Graham, Managing Director of Community Investment at The Community Foundation about the soon-to-be-released VoicesDMV Community Insights report.

The VoicesDMV Community Insights report is part of a comprehensive civic engagement initiative originally launched by The Community Foundation in 2017. This year, The Community Foundation has partnered with Gallup to conduct a regional survey to uncover how residents are doing, what challenges they are facing, what their hopes and dreams for the future are, and how they view important issues.

“Effective community work starts with hearing the voices within our community,” Graham explained as he shared some exclusive findings from the report. “That’s why we are excited to share this critical resource with all of you. Together, we can use these findings to not only drive future dialogue, but also future investments.”

To learn more, be sure to register for VoicesDMV’s official release event on Tuesday, May 21 at 10 a.m. More information about the event is available on our website.

Following the presentation, Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County, moderated a conversation with Alan Berube, Interim Vice President and Director of Brookings Metro and co-author of the book Confronting Suburban Poverty in America.

“We are at a point in this country where poverty is more pervasive in the suburbs than it is in big cities,” Berube shared when asked to respond to insights from the VoicesDMV report. “When we talk about how we address poverty in suburbs – like Montgomery County – we have to talk about the systemic barriers that are contributing to it.”

Berube explained that most suburban communities in America were not originally designed with the infrastructure necessary to serve families living below the federal poverty line.

As more families from diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds have migrated to the suburbs in recent decades, many jurisdictions have been struggled to develop systems such as public transportation systems, scalable wrap-around services, and other basic aspects of anti-poverty infrastructure that are often more readily accessible in larger cities.

“The pandemic magnified these needs all around the country but especially in the suburbs,” Berube outlined. “The number of people living below the Federal Poverty Line in the suburbs is now three times higher than those living in larger cities.”

“Fortunately, many community foundations have played a huge role at stepping in and mobilizing to meet those needs.”

Berube applauded the Greater Washington Community Foundation for collaborating with local leadership to establish community partnerships that have allowed nonprofits to expand into Montgomery County, begin to address some of these infrastructure gaps, and push for systemic change that will help the entire community. He encouraged donors and community leaders to continue to seek out and fund organizations – especially smaller community-led nonprofits -- that see and treat the “whole family”, as opposed to solving for isolated issues.

Attendees left the event feeling energized to continue the conversation and work together to address our community’s most pressing needs.

If you’d like to learn more about future convenings, please contact Anna Hargrave at ahargrave@thecommunityfoundation.org.

Sharing NoVA: Building Community, One Grant at a Time

The small but mighty team behind Joyful Hands - a first-time nonprofit partner with Sharing NoVA that works to provide education, literacy and access to community resources in the Richmond Highway Corridor.

For Yolonda Earl-Thompson, making a difference in the community has always started in one place – in the community.

“Community-led efforts are important because they bring humanity and trust into the change that the community seeks,” Earl-Thompson shared.

“When change happens from within the community, it is a seed planted that takes root and encourages future community members to value and evolve the work.”

Currently the founder and Executive Director of mental health advocacy nonprofit, LAZERA Ministries, Earl-Thompson has more than a decade of experience in community-based advocacy and nonprofit work in the Richmond Highway Corridor in Southeast Fairfax County – one of the priority neighborhoods identified by The Community Foundation in its 10 Year Strategic Plan.

So when The Community Foundation decided to launch its Sharing Northern Virginia initiative, this past year, they asked Earl-Thompson to help facilitate -- ensuring that the new initiative would have the greatest possible impact on communities in Northern Virginia.

“Sharing Community Funds are designed to connect donors to the organizations that are doing the most good in their community – no matter how big or small they are,” shared Benton Murphy, Director of Fund Administration and Special Projects at The Community Foundation. 

First launched in Montgomery County and later in neighboring DC & Prince George’s County, The Community Foundation’s Sharing Community Funds are designed to bring together donors who share passion for building more equitable, just, and thriving communities. 

A community event with Loving Hands Touch Ministry, Inc, a nonprofit partners with the new Sharing Northern Virginia initiative that provides essential human services to underserved communities.

Facilitated by The Community Foundation’s staff and partners like Earl-Thompson, Sharing donors learn first-hand about the challenges facing their specific community. Together, they meet with and make impactful grants to visionary nonprofits working on the frontlines of our region’s most pressing needs.

Across the region, the initiatives have already had a tremendous impact -- distributing more than $2.7 million to dozens of nonprofit organizations in DC, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County since 2022 alone. 

For the inaugural launch of Sharing Northern Virginia, The Community Foundation convened a small group of community leaders and professional advisors like Lindsay Shetterly to be a part of this exciting initiative. Shetterly is a wealth advisor who works with clients to help them maximize the impact of their charitable giving.

“Through the Sharing NoVA program, I learned from local leaders about the diversity and depth of needs in our community,” Shetterly explained. “While many of these organizations are young and still building their foundations, their work is incredibly meaningful and crucial to many.  They are changing lives.” 

“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of this initiative.  I am now more aware of how I can support and serve the organizations that are bridging the gaps, creating pathways for success, and inspiring people to make their dreams a reality.”

Working with Earl-Thompson, the Sharing Northern Virginia committee met with several nonprofit organizations based in The Community Foundation’s priority neighborhoods in Richmond Highway and Bailey’s Crossroads. Committee members learned about the history of the communities, as well as ongoing issues of food insecurity, accessibility of transportation and educational opportunities, and other pressing community issues that nonprofits are working tirelessly to meet in their communities.

“It’s important that we take the time to not only meet the people doing the work, but also to understand the community where the work is being done,” Earl-Thompson shared. “The better we can understand the community, the more impactful our investments can be.”

Hardemon Dynasty, Inc a nonprofit partners with the Sharing Northern Virginia initiative that provides affordable housing and wrap-around services to young adults aging out of foster care.

At the end of the process, the Sharing Northern Virginia Committee awarded a total of $100,000 in multi-year funding to eight different nonprofit organizations. The grants were awarded towards general operating costs – allowing organizations to invest in their infrastructure and sustainability. What is especially exciting is that many of these organizations were receiving a grant from The Community Foundation for the very first time. 

“What makes Sharing Funds unique is that we have an opportunity to fund organizations that haven’t yet received the funding or recognition that they deserve,” Benton added. “A lot of them are younger, innovative organizations that are doing incredible work, but don’t have the capacity, staffing or connections to go after big grants or media opportunities.”

Organizations like Joyful Hands – a small nonprofit that has been providing access to school supplies and nutritious food to over 300 school-age children in the Richmond Highway corridor. 

“We are incredibly enthusiastic about the opportunity to increase our service capacity in our community,” Founder Elizabeth T. Rainey shared. “This multi-year funding will help us expand our reach, deepen our impact, and enhance our community programs.”

The Community Foundation plans to use the multi-year funding as a platform to create a cohort with the eight nonprofit partners – allowing them to learn from each other and collaborate in order to have an even greater impact on the community. The cohort will also provide a forum for The Community Foundation and future Sharing Northern Virginia committees to learn more about community needs and discuss ways to make more innovative and impactful investments in future funding rounds.

Click here to Meet the 2024 Sharing Northern Virginia Nonprofit Partners!

Want to get involved in Sharing Northern Virginia and find ways to make meaningful investments in your community?

New committee members are always welcome! Contact Benton Murphy at bmurphy@thecommunityfoundation.org

Leaders of the Future: Sharing Northern Virginia Nonprofit Partners

In 2024, The Community Foundation is highlighting 'Leaders of the Future' - individuals and organizations who inspire us to look towards a brighter future for Greater Washington.

This month, we are excited to highlight nonprofit leaders from our very first round of Sharing Northern Virginia funding. Sharing Community Initiatives facilitate connections between donors and nonprofits to build more equitable, just, and thriving communities.

Part of that initiative includes awarding intentional, multi-year grants designed to empower our nonprofit partners and the communities they serve. In 2024, Sharing Northern Virginia was pleased to award $100,000 in multi-year grants to eight incredible organizations doing impactful work in Northern Virginia. Below are a few responses from some of our partners about the critical work they are doing in our communities!

• Joyful Hands

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  Murraygate Village Apartments, Stony Brook Apartments, Creekside Village Apartments, Audubon Estates along the Richmond Highway corridor in Alexandria, Virginia are among the vibrant communities that Joyful Hands has had the privilege to serve. While we have provided assistance to several communities, our primary focus and dedication lie with the Murraygate Village community.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Our mission is deeply rooted in the conviction that education, literacy, and access to community resources are foundational pillars of thriving societies.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  The funding from the Sharing Community Initiative will have a significant impact on our work at Joyful Hands. With this support, we will be able to expand our reach and deepen our impact. For example, we provided essential school supplies to over 300 school-age children and access to nutritious food for more residents each month. This funding will be invaluable in addressing food insecurity and enhancing our community programs.

  What excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  At Joyful Hands, we are incredibly enthusiastic about the opportunity to increase our service capacity. By expanding our reach to more families and youth, we aim to make a more profound impact on the overall well-being of our community and its residents. Through our expanded services, we hope to provide vital resources and support that will not only address immediate needs but also create lasting positive change in the lives of those we serve. We believe that by extending our reach, we can foster a stronger, more resilient community where every individual has the opportunity to thrive.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  As a nonprofit leader, our dreams and aspirations for the future are deeply rooted in creating a more equitable and compassionate society. We envision a future where every individual, regardless of their background or circumstances, has access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. We aspire to continue expanding our impact, reaching more marginalized communities, and providing meaningful support that empowers individuals to overcome challenges and achieve their full potential. Ultimately, we hope to contribute to a future where kindness, empathy, and collaboration are the cornerstones of our communities, creating a world where everyone has the opportunity to lead a fulfilling and dignified life.

• Hardemon Dynasty, Inc

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We currently serve communities in Alexandria, Woodbridge, Fredericksburg, Richmond, and Petersburg, Virginia.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Our Mission and continued effort is to provide affordable housing to young adults that will age out of foster care along with providing support and resources such as life skills during their transition to independence.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  With the funding received from Sharing Community Initiative, we're able to get one step closer to our goal of assisting 2 young adults with a financial housing subsidy and hygiene essentials for this year.

  What excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  What excites us the most is that others believe in our vision and understand the need to be a support system for our young adults who are ageing out of foster care.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  Our dream is that no child has to face homelessness. We are inspired by knowing that every effort we make on their behalf is a step in the right direct towards their future. With the help from partners like Community Foundation we can build a housing development where they are safe in the comfort of their own home.

• Culmore Clinic

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We provide healthcare services at no cost to eligible adults in Fairfax County and our primary service area is the Bailey's Crossroads to Seven Corners corridor. Fifty-five percent of our patients have a Falls Church address.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Culmore Clinic advances health by bringing community together to provide primary care, health education and disease prevention services at no cost to uninsured neighbors in Fairfax County. We serve a diverse, growing population of adult residents in a densely immigrant populated area of Fairfax County. Residents of our community are often unable to access healthcare, affordable health insurance or public assistance. Culmore Clinic exists to help these uninsured residents of our region receive the healthcare they need to thrive.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  Funding from the Sharing Community Initiative supports our patients by helping us sustain our volunteer supported healthcare services. As a medical home for our patients, we are not only supporting annual check-ups, but also chronic disease management and medical screening for a variety of health conditions. As an example, one of our female patients is currently undergoing radiation treatment after a mastectomy. This 56-year-old patient was referred for mammography after an in-clinic exam revealed a lump in her breast requiring further screening. This patient credits Culmore Clinic with saving her life. The support from the Sharing Community Initiative allows Culmore Clinic to continue to provide cancer screening and other health and wellness initiatives.

  What excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  The collective impact of the Sharing Community funding throughout our region is the perfect demonstration how regional philanthropy programming expands the offerings of nonprofits for the benefit of community members for whom meeting basic needs can be challenging. We are fortunate to be among those organizations receiving support and are eager to be connected to the broader community of nonprofits who all share a mutual interest in helping our neighbors.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  Our commitment to patient health and wellness is our greatest priority. We strive to provide culturally sensitive medical care to all members of the community who struggle to access quality care. Our "why" is the widespread need for healthcare services. Our "how" is the community of volunteers and donors who come together to support their neighbors. It is our hope that this model of harnessing the expertise and skills of community members to help their neighbors in need is multiplied across the region.

• Loving Hands Touch Ministry, Inc

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We serve Mount Vernon, Hybla Valley, Bailey's Crossroads, and Springfield communities in Northern Virginia

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Loving Hands Touch Ministry is a non-profit organization that provides essential human services to underserved communities. Its mission is to address immediate needs while empowering individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency, ensuring access to necessities like food, shelter, healthcare, and education. Through its vital services, the organization aims to uplift marginalized communities and break the cycle of poverty.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  The funding from the Sharing Community Initiative will be instrumental in supporting our efforts to serve underserved communities. The funding will also be a game-changer, allowing us to expand our outreach and provide vital services that make a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve.

  One successful outcome was our summer drug prevention program in Baileys and Hybla Valley last year. This program provided educational resources and counseling to at-risk youth, teaching them healthy coping mechanisms and positive decision-making skills. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants and their families, with many crediting the program for helping keep them away from substance abuse.

  Another impactful outcome was the Women's Health is Wealth program, which empowered women through health education and screening services. By improving access to healthcare, we facilitated referrals for screening of various conditions that impact women, ultimately enhancing the overall well-being of women in our community. Numerous participants expressed gratitude for the life-changing support provided through this program.

  Additionally, our after-school bullying program for elementary students proved highly beneficial. This program equipped young students with essential coping strategies to constructively address bullying situations. By cultivating a supportive environment and promoting empathy, we aimed to create a safer and more inclusive school experience for all children.

  What excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  As a first-time recipient of the Sharing Community Initiative funding, I am most excited about the opportunity to expand the reach and impact of our programs within the communities we serve. This vital financial support will enable us to strengthen existing initiatives and explore new avenues to address pressing needs more comprehensively.

  One area I am particularly enthusiastic about is the potential to enhance our youth development programs. The funding could allow us to introduce additional educational and mentorship components, providing young people with valuable skills, guidance, and resources to navigate challenges and unlock their full potential. By investing in our youth, we can foster a brighter future for the entire community.

  Furthermore, I am excited about the prospect of collaborating with other organizations supported by the Sharing Community Initiative. Such partnerships could lead to innovative cross-sector approaches, leveraging our collective expertise and resources to tackle complex social issues more effectively. By joining forces, we can amplify our impact and create sustainable, holistic solutions that uplift our communities.

  Above all, I am grateful for the recognition and support from the Sharing Community Initiative, which will enable us to continue our mission with renewed vigor and increased capacity. This funding represents a vote of confidence in our work and will empower us to effect meaningful, lasting change in the lives of those we serve.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  Firstly, I aspire to see our organization become a beacon of hope and empowerment for even more individuals and families in need. My vision is to expand our reach, forging new partnerships, and exploring innovative approaches to address the multifaceted challenges faced by marginalized communities. By consistently evolving and adapting our programs, we can remain responsive to the ever-changing needs of those we serve.

  Additionally, I dream of fostering a more inclusive and equitable society where every person, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the resources and opportunities necessary to thrive. I envision our organization playing a pivotal role in breaking down systemic barriers and advocating for policies and initiatives that promote social justice, economic mobility, and equal access to essential services.

  Furthermore, I aspire to nurture a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the nonprofit sector. By fostering strong networks and open dialogues, we can learn from one another's experiences, leverage collective wisdom, and amplify our collective impact. Together, we can champion sustainable solutions that address the root causes of societal issues, rather than merely treating the symptoms.

  Ultimately, my dream is to witness a future where our organization's services are no longer as desperately needed – a future where every individual and community has the means to achieve self-sufficiency and live with dignity. While this may seem like an ambitious goal, I believe that through unwavering dedication, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to positive change, we can make significant strides toward creating a more just and equitable world for all.

• Future Kings

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We serve the Hybla Valley community in Northern Virginia.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  We want to use education, mentoring, training, practical experiences, and mastery of 21st century technology in order to create a pipeline of young men from underserved communities who excel in STEM related careers and positively influence their communities.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  This funding has allowed us to expand our offering from Prince William County into the Rt. 1 corridor of Fairfax County. In this case, this funding will allow us to bring a cybersecurity internship program to the Hybla Valley area.

  What excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  Most exciting for us is the support for helping us reach students in our target demographic access advanced training in college-level cybersecurity training. This training will directly impact the students ability to gain entry-level employment in cybersecurity

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  We would like to see a pipeline of students from economically challenged household into lucrative STEM-based careers

• The Growth and Healing HUB

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  The Growth And Healing HUB can provide service to anyone residing in the state of Virginia. However, our office is strategically located in the Mount Vernon/Gum Springs/Alexandria region of Fairfax County, in the 22306 and 22309 ZIP codes.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  The HUB’s mission is to grow and nurture the mental health and well-being of children, youth, young adults, and families. We accept most major insurance and will turn no one away due to inability to pay.

  What excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  The Sharing Community initiative is a game-changer. It allows us to expand our fiduciary team, keeping administrative costs lean. This translates directly into more resources for what matters most: our community. By hiring additional clinicians, we can make an even greater impact on the lives of those we serve. That's what the HUB is all about – creating a meaningful difference.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  The HUB aspires to be the cornerstone of mental wellness in our community. We strive to be recognized for exceptional care and impactful outreach programs. Here, everyone feels safe and supported, receiving the help they deserve.

• New Hope Housing

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  We serve homeless individuals in northern Virginia, including Arlington, Fairfax and Alexandria City.

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Our mission is to provide case management, permanent housing and shelter to support the needs of homeless individuals in Northern Virginia.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  We just received the funding and believe it will help us to improve our organizational capacity and infrastructure.

  What excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  I'm excited to have the opportunity to rethink the way the organization delivers service and to reimagine the work. As the new ED its a perfect time to work with the staff to help them vision for the future.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  My goal is to deliver services in a way that we can demonstrably see how it puts our clients on a pathway to sustainable housing. I am also excited about playing a role in reducing incidents of homelessness and making sure that clients have tools to help them navigate in a community that has priced them out.

• Arm & Arm Inc

  Which Communities/Neighborhoods do you serve?

  Rt 1 Richmond Hwy Corridor, Mt Vernon

  In 2-3 sentences, please briefly describe the mission of your organization

  Our Mission is to work with individuals during high-crisis transition periods of their lives. Changing the paradigm of how transition servicess are delivered.

  How has funding from a Sharing Community Initiative impacted the work you do? Feel free to share any brief examples of projects or outcomes you've seen over the past year.

  The Sharing Community Initiative has allowed us to increase our outreach capacity in some of the most hard hit areas like the 7-elevens on Lockheed, and Russell. This has lead to an increase in supportive services and a decrease already in erratic bus behaviors.

  What excites you the most about receiving support through the Sharing Community initiative?

  We are most excited about the new networking connection and opportunities with other small non-profits in the area. We are also excited about the simplicity of the application process.

  As a nonprofit leader in our community, what are your dreams or aspirations for the future?

  We want to grow our Peer-Based work to the point where those served will become members, volunteers and serve yet others who we can't reach. This builds whole and health communities and empowers residents.

Want to get involved in Sharing Northern Virginia and find ways to make meaningful investments in your community?

New committee members are always welcome! Contact Benton Murphy at bmurphy@thecommunityfoundation.org