Dec
9
12:00 PM12:00

December 2022 DMV Community Book Group

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Join our quarterly Book Group to hear from Dr. Manuel Pastor as we discuss his book, Solidarity Economics, co-authored with Chris Benner. To overcome the inequality and fragmentation caused by the status quo that undermines our economic wellbeing, the authors challenge us to imagine and build a more robust, sustainable, and equitable economy grounded in mutual cooperation. Solidarity Economics has been hailed as an essential read for anyone exploring how to shift our economic approach to generate prosperity and provide for all, while also preserving the planet.

For this session, we’ll focus our conversation primarily on three chapters:

  • 1) Reimagining Our Economy

  • 2) Solidarity and Prosperity

    6) Solidarity and Social Change.

There will also be time for your questions and perspectives from other sections of the book that inspire and move you.

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Nov
16
6:00 PM18:00

Celebration of Giving in Montgomery County

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Join us for the annual Celebration of Giving in Montgomery County which brings together our Community Champions plus hundreds of philanthropists, business leaders, elected officials, and leaders from the region’s premier nonprofits. In addition to celebrating all we have accomplished together, we look forward to honoring Mimi Brodsky Kress as the 2022 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year.

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Nov
10
6:00 PM18:00

2022 Civic Leadership Awards in Prince George's County

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The Civic Leadership Awards is the annual premier celebration highlighting outstanding community leadership in Prince George’s County. The Awards recognize individuals and organizations who have tirelessly demonstrated outstanding service and commitment to improving and enhancing the quality of life in our community, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Come celebrate with us as we ignite the power of philanthropy towards crucial causes in our community.

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Oct
11
10:00 AM10:00

2022 Annual Meeting Livestream

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The Greater Washington Community Foundation will host its annual fundholders’ meeting to celebrate a record-breaking year of growth and community impact, as we recognize the donors and community partners who help make this work possible.

The program will feature a conversation with nationally recognized experts on economic mobility: Nisha Patel, and Gary Cunningham, President and CEO of Prosperity Now. They will discuss proven strategies and policy solutions that create wealth-building opportunities for low-income communities, and how we might leverage this opportunity for investment in our region’s children, youth, and families.

Community Foundation partners and friends are invited to join us for a livestream of the program from 10-11 a.m.

Fill out my online form.
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Mar
2
9:00 AM09:00

'What A Wonderful World! A Celebration of Cultural Relevancy in Education in Montgomery County'

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The Children’s Opportunity Fund of The Greater Washington Community Foundation and National Education Association invite you to join us on Wednesday, March 2, 2022 -- for ‘What a Wonderful World! A Celebration of Cultural Relevancy in Education through Reading in Montgomery County’.

The event is part of Read Across America Day -- the nation’s largest celebration of reading which inspires individuals, both young and old, to pick up a book and read.

Hear from speakers including Montgomery County Council President Gabe Albornoz, Montgomery County Public School Board of Education Member Shebra Evans, Black and Brown Coalition Co-Founder Diego Uriburu, and others as they discuss ways to welcome our youngest learners to the wonderful world of reading.

Speakers will highlight the relationship between representation, literacy, and students’ academic success while drawing from their experiences at the local and regional levels. There will also be a read-aloud activity in both English and Spanish.

This event will be completely virtual, with new content released on our social media platforms (@communityfndn) at the top of each hour from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Even though the event is virtual, parents, students, and educators are encouraged to participate by using the hashtag ‘#ReadAcrossMoCo’ on social media.

We hope you will join us for this celebration of reading in our community!

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Feb
18
9:00 AM09:00

DMV Community Book Group

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Join our quarterly Book Group to read and discuss The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones. Building on the award-winning work of The New York Times Magazine’s "1619 Project", this new book weaves together essays, poems, and works of fiction that explore the legacy of slavery in present-day America and illuminate key moments of oppression, struggle, and resistance.

Our special guest speaker, Professor Anthony Cook of Georgetown Law, will offer reflections to help us think critically as we explore the implications of The 1619 Project for our aspirations to close the racial wealth gap in the Greater Washington region. Professor Cook is one of the founding stakeholders in the Critical Race Theory movement, teaches courses on Race and Democracy, and is the founder of the Georgetown Coalition for Racial Equity and Democratic Economy (CREDE) that focuses on building reparative and sustainable economies to close the racial wealth gap.

This quarterly Book Group series is designed as a space to foster growth, learning, and collaborative action among our donors and community partners of all races, places, and identities. We hope to promote courageous conversations as we come together to explore and reimagine the issues affecting the quality of life in our communities.

Our goal is to inspire and motivate our community as we work together towards creating a racially equitable, just, and thriving region where everyone prospers.

We hope you’ll join us!

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Nov
18
6:00 PM18:00

Celebration of Giving in Montgomery County

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The Celebration of Giving is a salute to our network of generous donors, philanthropic partners, and local nonprofit grantees for growing the spirit of giving throughout Montgomery County. The annual event draws several hundred people, including business leaders, wealth advisors, elected officials, and leaders from our local nonprofits. The 2021 event recognized Kevin Beverly as the 2021 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year.

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Oct
14
12:00 PM12:00

2021 Annual Meeting

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Join us at the Intersection

The Community Foundation exists as a point of intersection. We guide our donors on their philanthropic journeys while balancing the competing demands of today’s most pressing issues and the unforeseeable challenges of the future.

Join us on October 14 at our virtual annual meeting for an exploration of the intersection of wealth and need in our region and an exciting look at our future direction as a community philanthropy.

A distinguished group of philanthropic and financial experts will offer their personal and professional reflections on the racial wealth gap and its effects on the economy, educational outcomes, the environment and more. We will examine the possibility of redefining wealth to encompass multiple forms of capital that can help advance the health and prosperity of our community.

Our featured speakers include:

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

  • Michelle Singletary, Washington Post personal finance columnist and best-selling author

  • Sarah Moore Johnson, Founding Partner, Birchstone Moore LLC

You will also hear an update on The Community Foundation’s investment options and their performance. And, we will offer specific ideas for actions you can take that align with our focus on closing the racial wealth gap.

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This event is open to Community Foundation donors, funding partners, and professional advisors. If you would like to register for the event, please contact us at [email protected].

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Philanthropic Support for Direct Cash Assistance during the COVID-19 Crisis: What Have We Learned?
Sep
13
3:00 PM15:00

Philanthropic Support for Direct Cash Assistance during the COVID-19 Crisis: What Have We Learned?

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Philanthropists are increasingly willing to support direct cash assistance. Foundations and individual donors have supported a range of emergency cash relief for various crises throughout the years, and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the greater Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia region has been no exception. Private philanthropy is also working with the current wave of government-sponsored cash assistance pilots. This virtual convening highlighted Urban’s findings on philanthropic support and will gather speakers to reflect on the implications and future of philanthropic efforts aimed at transferring cash directly to individuals. 

 Research Presentation:

  • Benjamin Soskis, Senior Research Associate, Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, Urban Institute

  • Sonia Torres Rodríguez, Research Assistant, Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center, Urban Institute

  • Fay Walker, Research Analyst, Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center, Urban Institute

Panelists/Discussants:

  • Mary Bogle, Principal Research Associate, Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center, Urban Institute

  • Kevin Callaghan, Newark Philanthropic Liaison, Council of New Jersey Grantmakers and Office of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka

  • Nisha G. Patel, Creative Catalyst, Powered by Shakti

  • Paula Sammons, Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

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

  • Shena Ashley, Vice President, Nonprofits and Philanthropy, Urban Institute (moderator)

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Reflections on the 20th anniversary of 9/11
Sep
10
12:00 PM12:00

Reflections on the 20th anniversary of 9/11

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September 11, 2001, is a day that changed our country, and this community, forever. On this day, four commercial airliners were hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed in what is known as the deadliest terrorist attack in world history.

In the aftermath of the attack, local leaders from The Community Foundation came together with our donors and partners to launch the Survivors’ Fund to help victims and families directly affected by the attack on the Pentagon. Over the span of 7 years, the fund raised $25 million and helped 1,051 individuals to access the services and support they needed to achieve long-term financial and emotional stability.

In remembrance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we hosted a conversation with The Community Foundation’s former president & CEO, Terri Lee Freeman, about what she learned from spearheading this local multi-year crisis response effort and what advice our community should heed as we recover from the current crisis, and prepare for future crises.

Speakers included:

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

  • Terri Lee Freeman, Executive Director, Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture

  • Daniel K. Mayers, former Chair, Survivors’ Fund Governance Board

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Celebration of Community Champions
May
20
6:00 PM18:00

Celebration of Community Champions

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Over the past year, our community has come together to respond to the unprecedented challenges of a global pandemic, economic crisis, and racial reckoning. Thanks to your steadfast partnership and support, we were able to respond to our community's most pressing needs, while working toward an equitable recovery for our region.

On Thursday, May 20 at 6 p.m. our community gathered to hear inspiring stories of neighbors helping neighbors and to celebrate what is possible when we work together to support and strengthen our region.

Please visit our website for more information. To support, please contact [email protected].  

Become a Community Champion

By making a contribution, you become a Community Champion for our efforts to Build Thriving Communities in the Greater Washington region. Giving directly to the Greater Washington Community Foundation is a critical investment in strengthening our region and creating a brighter future for our most vulnerable neighbors.

Learn more about how your contribution ensures The Community Foundation can be flexible and vigilant in leading the response to today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges.

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Apr
16
8:30 AM08:30

Covid-19 Interfaith Memorial Service

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In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis, we were compelled to convene our community for a time to lament, heal, and hope together.

Reflections were led by:

  • Rabbi Shira Stutman, Sixth & I Synagogue

  • Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Esq., National Council of Churches

  • Imam Makhdoom Zia, MakeSpace

  • Tamara Wellons, Singer, Songwriter, Producer

  • Rev. Raedorah Stewart, Reverend, Scholar, Author, Writing Coach

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Read Across Montgomery County
Mar
2
11:30 AM11:30

Read Across Montgomery County

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Read Across Montgomery County featured a virtual panel celebrating the role that schools, the community, and families play in building a village that promotes the joy of reading!

Read Across America Day, the nation’s largest celebration of reading inspires individuals, both young and old, to pick up a book and read. As a member of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading Network, the Children’s Opportunity Fund is asking you to join National Education Association and many of America’s leading literacy, youth, and civic groups in bringing a nation of readers together for a flurry of reading excitement!

The Children’s Opportunity Fund hosted a virtual panel to discuss system, local, and individual approaches to reading that will support our youngest learners to achieve their full potential.

Speakers included:

  • Kareem Bernard: author of the children's book series Billy's Adventures

  • Jeanette Dixon: former member of the Montgomery County Board of Education

  • Tanushree Dutta Isaacman: associate organizer, Action in Montgomery

  • Craig Rice: councilmember and chair of education and culture committee, Montgomery County Council

  • Jennifer Sloan McCombs: director of the Behavioral and Policy Sciences Department; senior policy researcher, RAND Corporation

  • Kimberly Rusnak (moderator): project director of the Children’s Opportunity Fund, The Greater Washington Community Foundation

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Dec
10
9:30 AM09:30

Power of Our Community: A Virtual Convening for Prince George's County

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In both good and challenging times, you’ve been there for our community—responding in countless ways to make the hardships faced by Prince Georgians a little easier to bear.

Thanks to you, we’ve awarded more than $1.6 million in grants over the past year alone and started several new programs to ensure every person in Prince George’s County is afforded the opportunity to achieve their full human potential.

The Power of Our Community virtual convening for Prince George’s County highlighted our efforts to address the COVID-19 health and economic crisis and celebrated the generosity, cooperative spirit, and resiliency of Prince George’s County. Participants enjoyed amazing music from our nonprofit partners and engaged with community leaders from philanthropy, government, and education about what it takes to ensure that Prince George’s County remains a world class community. 


Our Panelists

Diana Leon-Brown Director of Strategic Partnerships, Prince George’s County

Diana Leon-Brown
Director of Strategic Partnerships, Prince George’s County

Dr. Falecia Williams, President, Prince George’s Community College

Dr. Falecia Williams, President, Prince George’s Community College

Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation (moderator)

Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation (moderator)


Become a Community Champion

At this special event, we will have a special salute to the people and businesses that support The Community Foundation. Known as our Community Champions, their support enables us to provide vital resources to civic and community organizations, incubate new ideas, convene partners to address community issues, and conduct programmatic initiatives and advocacy. Click here to learn how you too can become a Community Champion. 

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Dec
8
4:30 PM16:30

Power of Our Community: A Virtual Convening for Montgomery County

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During this virtual convening, we recognized and celebrated our nonprofits partners whose vital efforts helped save lives and support our neighbors hit hardest by the pandemic, our public and private partners who expanded these response efforts, and our generous community of givers for stepping up like never before to meet the unprecedented need. Together, we reflected on what we have learned and discussed what it will take to reconstruct a stronger, better Montgomery County where everyone truly has the opportunity to live, work, and thrive. 


Our Panelists

Mieka Wick, Executive Director of J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation

Mieka Wick, Executive Director of The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation

Alise Marshall, Director of Strategy and New Ventures of the Public Welfare Foundation

Alise Marshall, Director of Strategy and New Ventures of the Public Welfare Foundation

Crystal Carr Townsend, President and CEO of Healthcare Initiative Foundation

Crystal Carr Townsend, President and CEO of Healthcare Initiative Foundation

Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County, Greater Washington Community Foundation (moderator)

Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County, Greater Washington Community Foundation (moderator)


Become a Community Champion

At this special event, we saluted the people and businesses that support The Community Foundation. Known as our Community Champions, their support enables us to provide vital resources to civic and community organizations, incubate new ideas, convene partners to address community issues, and conduct programmatic initiatives and advocacy. Click here to learn how you too can become a Community Champion. 

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Impact Investing in Solutions to Address Housing Instability
Nov
18
11:00 AM11:00

Impact Investing in Solutions to Address Housing Instability

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From 2016 - 2018, WRAG and Enterprise Community Loan Fund led the Our Region, Your Investment initiative, an effort to bring new capital to the region’s growing housing affordability crisis. This initiative ended up raising over $12 million in investments to help preserve or produce over 650 housing units around the region.

In this 30-minute webinar, you will learn how local philanthropists, foundations, and businesses are once again coming together to help increase the supply of deeply affordable and supportive housing as part of the Partnership to End Homelessness, led by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. The Community Foundation has teamed up with Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc. (ECLF) to help build and preserve housing units for hundreds of people across the region. ECLF will discuss how impact investing is an innovative strategy to address the affordable housing shortage and help create more thriving, equitable, and enriching communities.

To learn more about Enterprise’s role with the Partnership to End Homelessness, click here.

Speakers include:

  • Ruth LaToison Ifill, Interim President & CEO, Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers

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

  • Rob Bachmann, Senior Director, Impact Investing, Enterprise Community Loan Fund Inc.

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Ensuring Equity for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Oct
29
12:00 PM12:00

Ensuring Equity for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

Having access to a good job is key to thriving in the Greater Washington region, but we know that the region’s overall economic growth is not experienced equitably. In our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey, more than 1 in 6 of our Black and African American neighbors rated the availability of good jobs in the area where they live as poor.

Small businesses are a key economic driver in Prince George’s County; ninety-five percent of businesses in the county are small businesses. Unfortunately, 50 percent of jobs created in Prince George’s County over the past five years were lost in the first two weeks of COVID-19.

This session featured thought leaders from three different sectors to explore how small business and entrepreneurship can be tools for addressing unemployment and ensuring economic equity.

Speakers included:

  • June Evans, Director, Innovation Hub

  • Anna Bard, Community Relations Manager – MD, DC & VA, Wells Fargo

  • April Richardson, Owner, Food Opportunity LLC

  • Moderator: Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation


This event is part of The Community Foundation’s Social Justice Town Hall series. The series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

The series will culminate in an opportunity for our entire region to come together for On the Table Conversations to consider how these issues impact our families and communities. The Community Foundation will then fund Community Action Awards to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action–committing at least $100,000 for community organizing, action, and social justice projects that can be implemented individually or collectively.

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Balancing Speed, Equity, and Impact During a Crisis
Oct
26
11:45 AM11:45

Balancing Speed, Equity, and Impact During a Crisis

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A special conversation with the authors of a new Urban Institute report offering an in-depth look at our region’s philanthropic response to the COVID-19 crisis. This discussion highlighted the challenges of developing and executing a coordinated emergency response strategy, while balancing speed, equity, and impact during a crisis. The event included a panel of cross-sector leaders who shared insights about responding to COVID-19, centering racial equity, and ensuring a more equitable future for our region. 

Speakers included:

  • Shena Ashley, Vice President, Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute 

  • Benjamin Soskis, Research Associate, Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute

  • Lindsey Buss, Senior External Affairs Officer, Community Connections, The World Bank Group

  • Diana Leon-Brown, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Office of the Prince George's County Executive

  • Samantha Davis, Founder & Executive Director, Black Swan Academy

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Food Security and Equity During COVID-19
Oct
15
12:00 PM12:00

Food Security and Equity During COVID-19

COVID-19 has exacerbated food insecurity across our region, with some areas experiencing a 60% increase in the number of people facing food shortages. This was already a major challenge before the pandemic. Our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that nearly 1 in 10 Black residents in our region rated food availability where they live as poor.

How do we address the food needs of families now and in the future?

This conversation with local leaders illuminated the challenges facing our food security system, and share insights about what’s needed to build a safe, equitable food system – one where everyone gets the nourishment they need to thrive.  

Speakers included:

  • Hon. Will Jawando, Montgomery County Councilmember

  • Radha Muthiah, President and CEO, Capital Area Food Bank

  • Christopher Bradshaw, Executive Director, Dreaming Out Loud, Inc.

  • Dr. Tollie B. Elliott, Chief Medical Officer, Mary's Center

  • Moderator: Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation


This event is part of The Community Foundation’s Social Justice Town Hall series. The series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

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PGC Leads: Eliminating the Wealth Gap in Communities of Color
Oct
6
1:00 PM13:00

PGC Leads: Eliminating the Wealth Gap in Communities of Color

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A special thanks to our sponsors

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UMD School of Public Policy

UMD School of Public Policy

We know that in the U.S. the net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family, and our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that 1 in 4 residents in Prince George’s feel they are worse off financially than their parents.

The Community Foundation and a panel of local and national leaders with expertise in financial services, community development, and race and inclusion discussed solutions for eliminating the racial wealth gap.

Speakers included:

  • Moderator: Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

  • Dr. Camille Busette, Director, Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, Brookings Institute

  • Lanta Evans-Motte, Investment Advisor/Financial Planner, Raymond James

  • Shelly Gross-Wade, President & CEO, FSC First

Thought leaders included:

  • Mark Lawrence, Inncuvate

  • Eben Smith, Build Prince George’s County

Participants had the opportunity to link up with Prince George’s County entrepreneurs Eben Smith, President & Founder of BUILD Prince George’s, and Mark Lawrence, Managing Partner, Inncuvate Consulting, for an open discussion to ask the tough questions and share ideas for real systems change.

About PGC Leads

PGC Leads is a series of thoughtful discussions on the issue of equity and economic mobility in Prince George’s County. The program brings together County residents, nonprofits, thought leaders, and key stakeholders to share information and strategies; and in partnership with others, facilitate the development of new practices, programs, polices, and collaborations to improve the economic status of Prince George’s County residents. These discussions will also help inform the Community Foundation’s philanthropic and community leadership work in the County.

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LGBTQ+ Discrimination in the Workplace, COVID-19 and Beyond
Sep
24
1:00 PM13:00

LGBTQ+ Discrimination in the Workplace, COVID-19 and Beyond

COVID-19 has upended the economy, with unemployment spiking to levels not seen since the Great Depression. A recent study by the Human Rights Coalition confirms that the economic fallout of the pandemic is hitting members of the LGBTQ+ community especially hard, with LGBTQ+ workers 30% more likely to have lost their jobs since May.

Our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that LGBTQ+ people are also more likely to have experienced discrimination during their job searches.

How can we work to ensure the LGBTQ+ community is able to live and thrive in our region during—and after—the pandemic? This event brought together local leaders to discuss these questions, share lessons learned about addressing COVID-19’s impact on the LGBTQ+ community, and to identify opportunities to support LGBTQ+ workers to achieve economic equity.

Speakers included:

  • Sultan Shakir, Executive Director, SMYAL

  • Laura Durso, Chief Learning Officer, Whitman-Walker Institute

  • Robert Burns, Senior Vice President & Greater Washington & Boston Market Manager – Community Investing & Development, Citi

  • Benton Murphy, Associate Vice President, Community Investment, Greater Washington Community Foundation

  • Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation


This event is part of The Community Foundation’s Social Justice Town Hall series. The series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

The series will culminate in an opportunity for our entire region to come together for On the Table Conversations to consider how these issues impact our families and communities. The Community Foundation will then fund Community Action Awards to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action–committing at least $100,000 for community organizing, action, and social justice projects that can be implemented individually or collectively.

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Annual Fundholders Meeting
Sep
16
9:00 AM09:00

Annual Fundholders Meeting

“Our work is transformative - and it would not be possible without your supportive partnership” -Katharine Weymouth, Board Chair, Community Foundation Board of Trustees 

At our 2020 Annual Meeting, Community Foundation donors networked with their peer philanthropists, received an update on our community leadership and impact work (including our regional response to COVID-19), and hear about what's next as we embark on a new strategic planning process.

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Equal Opportunity for Remote Learning
Sep
10
12:00 PM12:00

Equal Opportunity for Remote Learning

It's back-to-school time and there are still many uncertainties in the minds of families about their children's educational futures. What we do know, though, is that ensuring children receive a quality education is a top priority for our community.

Our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that 85% of residents of the Greater Washington region believe that local government should prioritize ALL children receiving a quality education.

How can we ensure our community’s children and youth are receiving quality education in this new, virtual environment? This event brings together local leaders to discuss these questions and share lessons learned about addressing learning loss, the digital divide, and family/community support. 

Speakers include:

  • Misty Allen, Vice President, Comcast, Government & Community Affairs, Beltway Region at Comcast

  • Everett Davis, Director, Student, Family and School Services in the Office of Student and Family Support and Engagement at Montgomery County Public Schools 

  • Craig Rice, Council Member, Chair of the Education Committee in Montgomery County 

  • Sulema Middleton Stewart, VP of Community Life Programs, Montgomery Housing Partnerships

  • Tonia Wellons, President & CEO, Greater Washington Community Foundation

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Advancing Equity Through Housing Justice
Aug
27
12:00 PM12:00

Advancing Equity Through Housing Justice

The current health and economic crisis has exacerbated the housing crisis and elevated the importance of housing – for our health, education, and workforce. 

Our VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that, even before COVID-19, 17% of Black households in our region were worried about paying rent or mortgage - compared to fewer than 3% of white households. Now, we know that over 70,000 renters in DC reported missing July rent or mortgage payment or have slight or no confidence that their household can pay next month’s rent or mortgage on time. A recent study also estimated that we could see a 40-45% increase in homelessness this year in the U.S.

How can we use this time to push for racial and housing justice? This event brings together local advocates and national experts to discuss what housing justice looks like and how we can all be a part of creating a more just and equitable region and nation.

Speakers:

  • Parisa Norouzi, Executive Director, Empower DC

  • Susan K. Thomas, President, The Melville Charitable Trust 

  • Robert Warren, Founder, People for Fairness Coalition

  • Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation

This event is part of The Community Foundation’s Social Justice Town Hall series. The series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

The series will culminate in an opportunity for our entire region to come together for On the Table Conversations to consider how these issues impact our families and communities. The Community Foundation will then fund Community Action Awards to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action–committing at least $100,000 for community organizing, action, and social justice projects that can be implemented individually or collectively.

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Policing Reform: Restoring Justice and Equity
Aug
13
12:00 PM12:00

Policing Reform: Restoring Justice and Equity

Our VoicesDMV Community Insights survey found that 1 in 10 Black residents felt discriminated against in interactions with the police over the past year, compared with less than 1 in 100 white residents.

These stark findings - especially within the context of current events - remind us that racial disparities permeate our country's criminal justice system. In this VoicesDMV Social Justice Town Hall, we discussed police reform, restorative justice, and how you can be part of affecting change. We convened with local stakeholders pushing for reform - to explore the intersection of violence and incarceration in our region.

Speakers include:

  • Seema Gajwani, Chief of the Restorative Justice Section, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia

  • Candice Jones, President & CEO of Public Welfare Foundation

  • Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA

  • Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation

The Community Foundation launched a Social Justice Town Hall series on Friday, June 19. This series will provide a forum for the community to learn more about the issues impacting our region and to start developing solutions to rebuild more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

The series will culminate in an opportunity for our entire region to come together for On the Table Conversations to consider how these issues impact our families and communities. The Community Foundation will then fund Community Action Awards to help transform ideas sparked during these conversations into action–committing at least $100,000 for community organizing, action, and social justice projects that can be implemented individually or collectively.

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Recordings: 20-Minute Tuesday Talks
Aug
5
8:30 AM08:30

Recordings: 20-Minute Tuesday Talks

Didn't catch our Tuesday Talks series? We’ve made it easy for you to catch up on what you missed by watching the recordings! This virtual series for Community Foundation donors, which ran from March through July, offered updates on our COVID-19 Emergency Response work and what learned about the needs of our community in the areas of hunger, housing and homelessness, medical access, employment and small business, the arts, and more.

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Investing in Solutions to End Homelessness:  A Year of Impact and What's Next
Jul
30
12:00 PM12:00

Investing in Solutions to End Homelessness: A Year of Impact and What's Next

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Personal experiences with homelessness are widespread across DC, according to our recent VoicesDMV Community Insights survey. Nearly 1 in 3 DC residents knows someone who has experienced or is at risk of becoming homeless. With the rate of homelessness expected to increase by up to 45% in the U.S. due to the impact of COVID-19 and the economic crisis, the need for more stable and affordable housing is now more important than ever for the health and well-being of our entire community. 

Last year, we joined forces with the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness to launch The Partnership to End Homelessness, the first-of-its-kind initiative in DC to bring together the public and private sectors to ensure homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring. This month, we are reflecting on our work and impact during the first year of the Partnership, and how COVID-19 has changed the way we provide services and support to our neighbors without a stable place to call home. 

On July 30, we hosted a webinar for Community Foundation donors and partners to learn about what we’ve accomplished in the fight to end homelessness, what’s next as we continue this work, and how to get involved.

Speakers included:

  • Jennifer Olney and Silvana Straw, Partnership to End Homelessness staff

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

  • Waldon Adams, a Leadership Council member who is an advocate with lived experience

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A Social Justice Town Hall: From Grief to Action
Jun
19
12:00 PM12:00

A Social Justice Town Hall: From Grief to Action

The recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd due to police brutality and racism have ignited protests across the country. These incidents of continued bias and abuse expose the systemic racism that is built into many of our systems, resulting in calls to dismantle the structures that perpetuate racism and unjust policing. While local demonstrations have garnered national attention, now is the time for our community to come together to support our black friends and neighbors and invest in solutions to end police brutality and anti-black racism.

This conversation was about racial justice and the concrete ways we can take action to support the black community. Speakers included:

  • Richard W. Collins Jr. and Dawn Collins, parents of 2nd Lt. Richard Collins III who was killed in an apparent hate crime three days before he was set to graduate from Bowie State University. The Collins family continues to serve as a vehicle for change to advocate for hate crime legislation in the state of Maryland.

  • Dr. Rashawn Ray, Rubenstein Fellow at The Brookings Institution, and Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Ray’s research addresses the mechanisms that manufacture and maintain racial and social inequality with a particular focus on police-civilian relations and men’s treatment of women.

  • Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, will moderate and share findings from our new VoicesDMV Community Insights survey of residents’ perceptions related to issues such as housing, safety, economic security, race relations, and community well-being.

*This virtual town hall series is part of The Community Foundation’s VoicesDMV community listening and civic engagement initiative. The series will explore the most pressing challenges facing our region, and solutions for collectively building more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

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Helping Clients To Give Effectively During Covid-19
May
20
4:30 PM16:30

Helping Clients To Give Effectively During Covid-19

Hear from The Community Foundation’s new President and CEO, Tonia Wellons, as she provides an overview of the Greater Washington region’s coordinated philanthropic response to the Covid-19 crisis. Learn from Community Foundation program staff about immediate funding needs and ways your clients can help now, and as the crisis continues to evolve.

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