Going Green 

For all of its powerful forces, nature is a fragile thing. And, despite this, we continue to put the environment in peril, from destroying rainforests and pushing species to the brink of extinction to allowing unbridled urban sprawl to replace farmlands and green spaces. And we need only look to the recent disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant to witness the terrible toll that modern society can take on our lands, waters and, ultimately, ourselves.

Here in the Washington, DC, region, we face our own set of environmental challenges, particularly in the areas of clean water and responsible growth. While years of work cleaning up the Anacostia River seem to be yielding positive results, full restoration is far from complete; and Maryland’s delicate Chesapeake Bay watershed has long been threatened as the blue crab struggles to make a comeback. Meanwhile, Northern Virginia continues to experience urban expansion on a grand scale, as more and more communities formerly considered “exurbs” now have their own exit ramps on Route 66.

In this issue of Making Connections, we’ll meet Community Foundation donors and nonprofit grantees working to make our region a greener, more sustainable place to live, work, learn and play.

  

The Summit Fund of Washington: Envisioning a Clean Anacostia River

The Summit Fund’s commitment to the Anacostia
      has been vital to our work.   - Walter Smith, Director, DC Appleseed

It’s no coincidence that next month’s release of DC Appleseed’s important new report on the revitalization of the Anacostia River coincides with its annual awards dinner honoring the Summit Fund of Washington and executive director Linda Howard (pictured below right). Since 1998, The Summit Fund, a supporting organization of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region, has directed resources toward restoring the Anacostia (along with a second funding priority—preventing teen pregnancy in the District of Columbia).

“The Summit Fund’s commitment to the Anacostia has been vital to our work,” said Walter Smith, Director of DC Appleseed. “And Linda’s deep knowledge of the river, along with her passion and vision for its revitalization, have provided guidance and inspiration throughout the report’s development.”

The report, A New Day for the Anacostia: A National Model for Urban River Revitalization, provides a road map for the next 15-20 years. It is considered by many to be a breakthrough after years of neglect and a widespread lack of public connection to–and appreciation for–this important natural resource. Writing in the preface to the report, Howard says that, despite solid progress in recent years, “the Anacostia remains one of the most degraded urban rivers in the nation.”

The report assesses the current state of the restoration effort and offers substantive recommendations aimed at accelerating the restoration process. In the preface, Howard concludes: “Imagine the day, 15 or 20 years from now, when our children swim in this beautiful river, fishermen pull their fresh, healthy catch from its waters and we all reflect on the transformation that has occurred in the Anacostia and its watershed. This report will help bring that new day closer.”

In addition to DC Appleseed, Anacostia Riverkeeper and Anacostia Watershed Society are also supported by The Summit Fund. The two groups recently released their first "State of the Anacostia River" report card, outlining how communities, environmental groups and governments are meeting the goal of a fishable and swimmable Anacostia River. The report card lists ways residents can protect and restore the river:

• Use water wisely.
• Prevent runoff with rain barrels, cisterns and rain gardens.
• Go native–native plants are made for our climate so they need less watering and fertilizer.
• Use fertilizer wisely and sparingly.
• Don’t flush hazardous waste, chemicals, or harsh cleansers down the toilet or the drain.
• Bring your own bags to the store. Plastic bags litter the river.
• Pick up trash you see on the ground before it ends up in the river.

Established in 1993, The Summit Fund was created by philanthropists Roger and Victoria Sant to support organizations working to bring about tangible and measurable improvement in the quality of life within the Washington, DC community. Underlying that commitment is a belief that the community's greatest assets are its citizens, and that their creativity, ideas and energy are essential to the resolution of the challenges facing our community.

Howard encourages donors to join The Summit Fund in supporting a core group of organizations focused on the restoration of the Anacostia. In addition to Anacostia Riverkeeper, Anacostia Watershed Society and DC Appleseed, organizations currently funded by The Summit Fund include the Alice Ferguson Foundation, Clean Water Fund, Earthjustice, Global Green -USA, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (Anacostia Watershed Restoration Partnership), National Wildlife Federation (Choose Clean Water Coalition) and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

 

At Red Wiggler Community Farm, Bounty in All Its Forms

As much as we love the vegetables, we love the people who work hard to make Red Wiggler Community Farm the place that it is.  - Woody Woodroof, Founder, Red Wiggler Community Farm (photo below:  Woody Woodroof) 

The best-selling book, Eat Pray Love, suggests that everyone has a word that captures their very essence. For Woody Woodroof, Founder of Red Wiggler Community Farm, that word could be “inclusive.”

In 1993, after working for a number of years as a freelance photographer, Woodroof found himself at a part-time job working with adults with intellectual disabilities. “That experience taught me a lot about inclusion,” says the artist-turned-farmer who went on to found Red Wiggler in 1996. Not surprisingly, the farm’s mission is “to create fertile ground to nourish a healthy and inclusive community.”

A USDA-certified organic farm, Red Wiggler, a recent grantee of The Community Foundation for Montgomery County's Sharing Montgomery Fund, is devoted to creating meaningful jobs so that adults with intellectual disabilities such as autism, Down’s syndrome and mental retardation can succeed at work—by identifying and building on their abilities. “We call our clients ‘growers’ and assign them farm tasks based on their individual abilities,” Woodroof says. Growers participate in growing and selling vegetables, taking care of a chicken flock ,and maintaining fields, barns and equipment.

Woodroof points out that Red Wiggler never could have happened if it weren’t for Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve—more than 93,000 acres that occupy about one-third of the county’s land area. The county has been good to the farm in other ways as well:  residents support Red Wiggler not only as volunteers and donors, but also as members of its CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), which entitles them to a regular supply of vegetables, herbs and flowers from the six-acre farm. (Red Wiggler has reached capacity this year; a lottery for 2012 will be held in January. Information is available at redwiggler.org/csa.) In addition, each year the farm provides 25% of its yield to low-income residents through partner organizations that serve people with intellectual disabilities—including the ARC of Montgomery County, Community Support Services, the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes and SEEC—as well as Manna Food Center. “There is a high demand for what we do,” says Woodroof, pointing out that the need for fresh, healthy and affordable food in the Montgomery County has increased as many formerly middle-income families find themselves struggling to feed their families.

When Woodroof talks about inclusion, he is also referring to the more than 700 volunteers who work at the farm each summer. Half are young people, many of them engaged in service learning related to small-scale farming and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. “As much as we love the vegetables, we love the people who work hard to make Red Wiggler Community Farm the place that it is,” says Woodroof.

Red Wiggler recently broke ground for a new farm building and greenhouse which will allow the organization to run programs year round. An additional $250,000 is needed to ensure the group will be able to utilize the green house for the 2012 season, increasing the farm's capacity by 25%.

More and more, Woodroof points out, entrepreneurs such as himself are focusing on the “three pillars” of people, planet and profit, or “the triple bottom line. “Our focus extends beyond the financial bottom line,” he says. “We also care deeply about how our business is helping others, and how we can serve as a model of environmental stewardship, educating others along the way.”

 

 

 

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ECO City Farms:  An Urban Agrarian Oasis

ECO City Farms (formerly Engaged Community Offshoots) introduces young people from diverse backgrounds to food production— literally from the ground up—to help them make healthy lifestyle and eating choices and expand their vocational options. Margaret Morgan-Hubbard (pictured below) founded ECO in 2009, inspired by local farming traditions among neighboring African-American and immigrant residents. ECO is a recent grantee of the National Harbor Community Outreach Fund of The Community Foundation for Prince George’s County.

I am not an experienced farmer myself, but I have a fertile mind,  Morgan-Hubbard says.

 

With a skilled and enthusiastic young farm staff, interns and volunteers, the urban organic farm located on public land in Edmonston, MD, has produced hundreds of pounds of greens and other vegetables using low-cost hoop houses in its first growing season. ECO’s goal is to overcome hunger, obesity and malnutrition in the working class Port Towns and nearby inner-Beltway communities of Prince George’s County by proliferating urban and community-based farming.

Urban farming cannot proliferate in the Chesapeake region without farmers trained in intensive sustainable growing techniques, Morgan-Hubbard points out. That’s why the group partners with the Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) to provide training in all aspects of commercial urban farming, offering the first-of-its-kind Certificate in Commercial Urban Agriculture in the Washington, DC region.

In addition, in partnership with the Cross Roads Farmers Market in Langley Park, MD, ECO City Farms is just completing its first New and Immigrant Urban Farmer Apprentice Program for nine passionate local residents who are in training to join the farm’s Sustainable Farm Network or start their own urban food system enterprise. Over 10 months, participants have experienced all aspects of urban farming, from composting to harvesting and marketing. Additional funding will allow this program to continue and expand.

“There is an ecological imperative in all that we do,” says Morgan-Hubbard. “Our farm is completely run on solar power and we use recycled materials as much as possible.” Even more indicative is the group’s passion for composting. The farm is not only committed to creating its own fertile soil, but encourages the broader community to compost as well. The farm’s community composting campaign aims to build a zero waste movement. The public is invited to bring their household compost (such as vegetable and fruit scraps and coffee grounds) to the farm; organic waste can also be brought to Riverdale or Crossroads Farmers Markets where ECO City Farms collects food waste from consumers and farm stands. ECO City Farms is developing plans with community partners for the creation of a large composting site where businesses and municipalities can dispose of their organic waste, instead of dumping it in landfills or trucking it to neighboring states. ECO also has 16 large worm bins for producing nutrient-rich vermicompost, which will soon be available to local gardeners.

ECO City Farms’ sustainably grown vegetables have been featured all winter at Eatonville and Busboys and Poets restaurants in DC and Virginia, as well as at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Food Coop. Morgan-Hubbard explains, “When you enjoy locally grown produce, you get more than just a great meal. You are voting with your fork and your wallet for a more sustainable local food system.” The farm’s produce is also available seasonally at the Crossroads Farmers Market and the Riverdale Park Farmers Market in Riverdale, MD.

 

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Piedmont Environmental Council: Preserving the Landscape as History

When the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) was established nearly 40 years ago, Fairfax County already had changed from a primarily rural agricultural county to a sprawling, dense suburb. Mindful of this rapid growth, PEC’s founders—local business leaders in Washington’s far western suburbs, D.C. residents with weekend homes in rural Virginia and early environmentalists—saw the writing on the wall. In other words, they understood how critical it was to plan for future growth in the northern Piedmont of Virginia, defined as Albemarle, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties and the city of Charlottesville.

They got it right,  says the Council’s President, Chris Miller (at left).

There isn’t a challenge we face today that those visionary leaders didn’t anticipate. 

Today, PEC is devoted to “safeguarding the landscapes, communities and heritage of the Piedmont by involving citizens in public policy and land conservation.” The organization is perhaps best known for winning two very public battles: one challenging the Walt Disney Company’s plan to build a theme park in Prince William County and, more recently, its role in the successful campaign against Wal-Mart’s proposed Wilderness Battlefield Supercenter.

But beyond those high-profile initiatives, PEC is focused on a core goal: ensuring the quality of life for Piedmont communities and many others who enjoy the region’s recreational, historic and natural resources—“the places where people go to fish or hike or watch horse shows, the civil war battlefields, the vineyards—a landscape we know intuitively is beautiful but, when we take a second look, we understand to be one of the most important landscapes in American history,” says Miller.

For instance, he points out, “stand on the Blue Ridge at Sky Meadow State Park about 20 miles north of Shenandoah National Park and you’ll have a 270-degree view looking out on a landscape that represents 130,000 acres of protected land. Why is that so beautiful? It’s not by accident. That is the work of the Piedmont Environmental Council.” PEC reports that within the nine county region, more than 330,000 acres of land has been permanently conserved.

One initiative, PEC’s “Buy Fresh Buy Local” campaign, dates to 2006. Today, that effort continues to support local farmers, productive agricultural lands and rural economies by helping consumers find and purchase locally produced foods. “Beyond the exceptional taste and freshness and obvious health benefits, buying local strengthens the local economy, supports endangered family farms and protects the environment,” Miller said. (For a list of caterers, bakeries, CSAs, farms, farmers’ markets, grocers, restaurants and other institutions that offer local food, visit www.buylocalvirginia.org.)

The organization also has mobilized residents against construction of an “Outer Beltway” that, Miller says, would encourage increased development in areas which lack the necessary support infrastructure (such as water, sewer, schools, services, roads) and make existing congestion, fiscal and environmental problems worse.

 

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DC Environmental Network:  Making the Case for Mother Nature

Global warming, contaminated drinking water, air pollution, congested traffic, neighborhood trash—these are among the environmental issues affecting our region. Rising to the challenge is the DC Environmental Network (DCEN), a coalition made up of more than 150 local and national organizations including Friends of the Earth, the Sierra Club, DC Fiscal Policy Institute, Clean Water Action, Washington Parks and People, the Anacostia Watershed Society and many others.

Founded in 1996, DCEN has been involved in many successful campaigns and advocacy efforts over the past 15 years. For instance, achievements have included restoring curbside recycling for city residents, saving parkland at picturesque Oxen Cove in Ward 8 by blocking a prison from being built along the shore, helping pass legislation to protect the Anacostia River by curbing the use of plastic bags and helping pass cutting edge environmental, housing and jobs creation standards for all new developments built along the Anacostia River.

  We constantly are looking for ways to identify the most efficient and effective ways to pull together scarce resources to achieve our shared environmental goals, says DCEN Director Chris Weiss.

Working in partnership with groups such as DC Fiscal Policy Institute, DCEN is currently focused on how D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray’s proposed budget will affect local environmental programs including those that fight global warming, restore area rivers and creeks, restore urban forest and protect the health and economic well being of District residents. Even with an increasingly vocal environmental community during the last two budget cycles, green priorities took numerous hits. “DCEN is not afraid to press city leaders to take the steps needed to raise enough resources to protect DC’s environment adequately,” said DC Fiscal Policy Institute’s executive director, Ed Lazere. “This kind of creative positioning makes DCEN a critical partner on a range of progressive policy issues.”

DCEN’s current advocacy campaigns are described on the organization’s web site, www.dcen.net. The public is invited to attend the organization’s monthly brown bag lunch discussions, which focus on a current topic of interest. “The program may be the focus of a current campaign, or may be the stimulus for a new one,” said Weiss. “Many of our accomplishments over the years grew out of these monthly discussions.” The next lunch meeting will be held May 5 at noon at Global Green USA, 1100 15th Street NW, 11th Floor, and will feature a presentation by DC Public Service Commissioner Richard Morgan. He will explain the role of the Commission on energy issues and will outline his top priorities for 2011-2015 including comprehensive renewable development policy for the District, the launch of a District electric vehicle initiative, and ensuring that smart meters work for District residents and environmental protection.

 

Local Green Resources

When it comes to our region's environment, there's so much to learn.  Some suggestions:

Alice Ferguson Foundation- Organization’s website lists resources as well as numerous programs that educate citizens, students and teachers concerned about the Potomac watershed and environment. Also listed are volunteer clean-up days.

Anacostia Watershed Society– Offers programs in environmental advocacy, education and stewardship for adults as well as students in grades K-12.

Coalition for Smarter Growth– Provides advocacy and education programs to ensure that transportation and development decisions accommodate growth while revitalizing communities, providing more housing and travel choices, and conserving natural lands and historic properties.

DC Appleseed– Advocacy organization with two environmental programs: Anacostia Waterfront Initiative and the Anacostia Watershed and River Restoration.

DC Environmental Network– Advocacy organization running numerous campaigns working toward a vision of rebuilding Washington, DC's neighborhoods and communities for long-term economic stability by protecting and restoring the city's urban environment.

E -- The Environmental Magazine -- First published in 1990, E offers compelling coverage of today's most important environmental threats.

Greenspace, National Capital Region, Inc. - Dedicated to fostering green real estate and economic development in the national capital region, developing and implementing green policies, and providing stewardship of our growing green communities.

Blog:  I Commit To Green  --  This blog offers an ongoing set of ideas for individuals, families and businesses for reducing our collective "footprints."

Blog:  Natural Resources Defense Council -- Provides an examination of environmental issues nationwide.

Potomac Conservancy– Offers numerous advocacy and education programs around the group’s strategic goals to protect water quality of the Potomac and its tributaries, preserve scenic landscapes and encourage responsible recreation.

Potomac Riverkeeper– Protects water quality via programs to stop pollution and to restore clean water in the Potomac and its tributaries through enforcement, advocacy and community engagement.

    

 

Other Ways to Get Involved

 

Volunteer.
One of the most popular, and abundant, volunteer opportunities in the Washington, DC region is watershed monitoring and cleanup. From the Potomac River and its many tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay, our waterways need citizen action to help them stay clean.  (Photo:  Woody Woodroof)

Regionwide:
Anacostia Watershed Society
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program
Potomac ConservancyPotomac Conservancy

District of Columbia:
Friends of Rock Creek
Watershed Protection Division

Montgomery County, MD:
Eyes of Paint Branch
Friends of Sligo Creek
Neighbors of Northwest Branch

Northern Virginia:
Alexandria -- Earth Day 2011 Stream Clean-up
Arlington -- Project Watershed Watch
Fairfax County -- Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program

Prince George’s County, MD:
Alice Ferguson Foundation
Patuxent Riverkeeper 

 

For young volunteers specifically, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation runs its Youth Conservation Corps program, which engages youth in a structured program of important conservation and park projects on public lands while providing learning that fosters teamwork, self-esteem, social responsibility and respect for the environment. Young volunteers work on projects such as restoration and preservation of wetlands, stream banks, endangered species and other wildlife habitats; foliage restoration, water quality testing, removal of non-native plants and weeds, watershed work, nursery management, landscaping, mapping, surveying, recycling and other community improvements; and trail restoration and construction.

 

"Adopt."
 Did you know that many communities’ roads, natural resources and green spaces are “up for adoption”?

For example, Rockville, MD’s “Adopt-a-Stream” program encourages local groups to get directly involved in improving local water quality by "adopting" one or more stream segments within Rockville. The adopting group agrees to hold two stream cleanup events per year; meanwhile, the City of Rockville provides trash bags, gloves, and other materials and collects all of the debris from the cleanup.
 
Similarly, Maryland’s Department of Transportation offers an “Adopt-a-Road” program in which volunteers dedicate themselves to keeping stretches of scenic byways litter-free.

In the District of Columbia, the “Park Partners” program maintains an Adopt-a-Park initiative in which neighborhood residents sign on to maintain and care for a city-run park or recreation site.

For another option, Northern Virginia residents can take advantage of The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s “Adopt-a-Trail” program, in which participants pick up litter, remove broken glass, trim stray branches, and report problems concerning maintenance of the trail.

Mentor.
Sharing nature with another person is a rewarding experience on so many levels. For young people, the environment provides the perfect backdrop against which we can teach them skills and values that will last them a lifetime. You can get involved and make a difference, too!

For example, mentors with Trips for Kids Metro DC provide important life lessons through fun and educational mountain bike excursions. The organization takes youth into Virginia, Maryland and DC parks and wildlife areas, combining confidence-building bike trips with education on the environment and the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Do your part at home and at the office.
-- Use compact fluorescent bulbs.
-- Recycle! Check with your community to learn what types of materials are acceptable.
-- Install low-flow shower heads or flow restrictors as well as faucet aerators.
-- Purchase only energy-efficient (“Energy Star”) appliances
-- Use the cold water setting in washing machines.
-- Select your dishwasher’s air-dry option.
-- Insulating your water heater and set it to 102 degrees for efficiency.
-- Set central air conditioning/heating systems to 68 degrees in winter and 72 degrees in summer.
-- Compost organic materials for garden use.
-- Harvest rain water runoff from your home in rain barrels for use in watering grass or garden.

 

 

 

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"Groupon" with Us and Support The Neighbors in Need Fund

Now through April 30, when you support our Neighbors in Need Fund by giving through Groupon, The Community Foundation will match your gift dollar-for-dollar.  Together, we can support our region's food banks, homeless shelters and other safety net nonprofits.

Learn more about The Neighbors in Need Fund HERE.

Give through Groupon HERE.

Join the Conversation on Our Expanded Facebook Page! 

Our Neighbors in Need Fund Facebook page has proven so popular that we’ve expanded to a general Community Foundation page. It’s a terrific way to stay up-to-date on Community Foundation news and events as well as new findings on philanthropy and helpful links to related sites. But that’s just the beginning, because our Facebook page is your Facebook page, too. Tell us -- which causes and nonprofits are most important to you? Share your stories and photos, promote your upcoming events, make new friends and strengthen ties with current ones. It’s a great way to get and stay connected to the nonprofit and philanthropic communities in our region. Connect to our Facebook page HERE.

 

Funders Briefing on Northern Virginia Advocacy Efforts Featuring the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis Thursday, May 5, 2011 12:00PM - 2:00PM Location (in Northern Virginia) to be announced The Institute’s President, Michael Cassidy, will brief funders on its current efforts to more effectively link Northern Virginia’s nonprofits to statewide issues, ensuring the voices and perspectives of Northern Virginia’s communities are considered by state decision-makers. Participants will learn more about the Commonwealth Institute’s work and current projects, challenges and opportunities for working on behalf of low-income communities in Virginia, and ways in which funders can help support the work. For more information: Ben Murphy, (202) 263-4765 or bmurphy@cfncr.org. Open to funders only. Working Group on Aging: Quality Jobs/Quality Care - Increasing the Supply of Professionally Trained Direct Care Workers Wednesday, May 11, 2011 9:30am – 12:00pm Eugene and Agnes E, Meyer Foundation 1250 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 800 Washington, DC Join Washington Grantmakers' Working Group on Aging, The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region’s Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative, and the Washington Area Women’s Foundation to learn about these vital job training programs and the low-income workforce that typically provide direct care work. Guest Presenter: Judith Berman, Deputy Director, DC Appleseed Panelists: Connie Spinner, Associate Dean for Workforce Development and Community Outreach, Community College of DC Dr. Charlene Dukes, President, Prince George’s Community College Judy Carver, Program Director, Montgomery College Allied Health Program Stephen C. Rupp, Healthcare Business Development Director, Workforce Development, Northern Virginia Community College Marla Lahat, Executive Director/President, Home Care Partners Aracelly Watts, Workforce Program Manager, Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School Karen Kinney (moderator) , Program Officer, The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Dr. Robert Templin, President, Northern Virginia Community College Learn more at www.washingtongrantmakers.org. Second Annual Nonprofit Forum, Presented by Rep. Donna Edwards Monday, May 16, 2011 8:30am - 4:30pm Silver Spring Civic Auditorium One Veterans Place Silver Spring, MD Info: (301) 516-7601 Designed specifically for Maryland-based nonprofits, the forum will address important nonprofit issues such as fundraising, marketing, board development, and capacity-building. Call for Nominations: The 2011 Linowes Leadership Awards Deadline: May 25, 2011 Do you know an “unsung leader” whose extraordinary dedication and service to our community has gone unnoticed? Here’s your chance to nominate him or her for this very special award which recognizes outstanding leadership, vision, creativity, and the ability to transform communities for the better. For more information and to download the nomination form, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org Putting Race on the Table: The Community Foundation’s 2011 Annual Meeting Wednesday, June 15, 2011 Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History Washington, DC Donors:  don't miss this provocative discussion forum, moderated by NPR's Michele Norris, focusing on the difficult issue of race and racism.  Afterward, enjoy a special advance preview of the traveling exhibition, RACE:  ARE WE SO DIFFERENT? This event is by invitation only.

Join Our Online Community     In our blog, "Giving It Some Thought," Community Foundation President Terri Lee Freeman and guest bloggers share their perspectives on regional issues and philanthropy. Read it and sign-up for RSS feeds HERE. Become a fan of our Facebook page and stay up-to-date on the latest Community Foundation news!  Find us HERE. Follow us @CommunityFndn and our President, Terri Lee Freeman, @TerriLeeFreeman   Community Foundation Donors:Go Green! Sign Up for E-Statements and Donor Central If you're a Community Foundation donor, you now can receive your quarterly statements electronically.  It's the fast, easy, efficient, and earth-friendly way to keep track of your fund profile.  Registering only takes a minute. Sign up HERE. Sign up for Donor Central!  This free, secure online service lets you recommend grants and check your fund activity 24/7.  Contact Starlet Hunter, Director of Development, at (202) 263-4763 or shunter@cfncr.org.

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About The Community Foundation

Founded in 1973, The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region promotes charitable giving and plays a leading role in finding innovative solutions to the Greater Washington region's most challenging problems. The Foundation is a community of givers – individuals, families and corporations have joined with the Foundation; as a result, the Foundation provides sound management of more than 800 funds and some $360 million in assets. In FY2010, The Community Foundation and its donors awarded some $50 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in the Washington, DC region and beyond. The Foundation has two affiliates – The Community Foundation for Montgomery County and The Community Foundation for The Prince George’s County. For more information, visit www.thecommunityfoundation.org.

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Regional Affiliate – The Community Foundation for Montgomery County
8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 202 | Silver Spring, MD 20910 | Phone: (301) 588-2544

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Regional Affiliate – The Community Foundation for Prince George's County
8181 Professional Place | Landover, MD 20785 | Phone: (301) 464-6706