At a time when strengthening community trust and civic engagement is more important than ever, civic and philanthropic leaders gathered for the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s 2026 Annual Meeting to discuss the state of our region and how we can work together to build a stronger, more connected community. The event marked a key moment of reflection and commitment –marking the mid-point of The Community Foundation’s 10-year strategic vision, during a time of economic and political uncertainty for much of the Greater Washington region.
Looking Back on FY26: A Moment of Reflection for the Organization and the Region
“This past year, institutions across our region have been tested in ways that we could have never anticipated,” shared Seán Morris, Chair of The Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
A member of the Board of Trustees since 2017, Seán co-chaired The Community Foundation’s strategic planning committee which helped pave the way for the organization’s 1o-year strategic plan to increase economic mobility and advance economic justice.
Five years later, Seán reflected with fundholders and partners about what this milestone means for a region that needs philanthropic support now more than ever.
“The question at this midpoint isn’t just ‘how far have we come’ – but do we have the foundation to go the distance. For the Greater Washington Community Foundation, I believe the answer is yes.”
“The Community Foundation has not pulled back when things got hard; it deepened its commitments, stood firm in its values, and supported the communities that needed its help the most.”
“Last fiscal year alone, this community disbursed more than $130 million in grants,” shared Tonia Wellons, President & CEO of The Community Foundation. “That is the highest annual grant payout in our organization's history.”
Read more in our 2026 Annual Report
“These numbers reflect something real and heartening: that in a difficult year, when this region faced unprecedented pressure, you showed up. You gave more, and that generosity made a world of difference for so many individuals and families struggling in our region.”
Among the examples that were shared included $1.25 million in grants through the Sharing Community Funds initiative, more than $14 million in combined grants through the Community Resilience Initiative, and over $15 million in investments through the Health Equity Fund.
This is in addition to $115 million in discretionary resources which The Community Foundation has raised and deployed over the past five years to advance economic mobility initiatives across the region-- including $77 million through the Health Equity Fund, $20 million through the Partnership to End Homelessness, $8 million through Brilliant Futures, $5 million through MoCo BOOST, $4 million through Thrive Prince George’s, and more than $500,000 through the Prince George’s Small Business Support Program.
“We know that in a moment when institutions are being tested — when the question of who shares your values and who will hold the line has never felt more urgent — your trust and partnership means everything to us.”
“Values-aligned philanthropy is not a new commitment for us. It is how we have always operated — and how we will continue to operate, in partnership with all of you.”
Looking Ahead: Promoting Civic Health & Lifting Voices Across the DMV
Following Tonia and Seán’s remarks, the focus of the program turned to the year ahead, with a panel that explored the state of civic health in the region.
“Civic health is the strength of the relationships people have with one another, with local institutions, and with the places they call home,” Tonia explained. “When those relationships are solid, communities are more resilient. When they erode, everything else we invest in becomes harder to sustain.”
The panel began with a deep dive into the latest VoicesDMV Community Insights Report.
Since 2020, The Community Foundation has partnered with Gallup to conduct a comprehensive survey of residents from across the region, designed to better understand how residents are doing, what challenges they are facing, what their hopes and dreams for the future are, and how they view important issues including homelessness, safety, and economic issues.
Click here to Learn More About VoicesDMV
The latest iteration of VoicesDMV was conducted in January 2026 and included questions related to federal job cuts and the economic and social repercussions related to federal policy changes.
“According to the survey, 52% of DMV residents are thriving,” shared Camille Lloyd, Director of Gallup’s Center on Black Voices. “That means we have to sit with the fact that 48% of our neighbors are rating their lives as struggling or outright suffering.”
The survey found that more than half of DMV residents were negatively impacted by federal job cuts and layoffs. More than 1 in 7 (14%) are considering leaving the region due to economic concerns including cost of living, housing, and job cuts.
At the same time, the survey found that eight in ten residents feel that they have little to no influence over local government decision-making – a key indicator for policymakers during an election year.
“Civic engagement is tied to the belief that you have control,” Camille shared. “If we want people to engage, they have to feel that their voices matter and that they are seen and heard within their communities.”
“This is an important election year — locally and nationally,” Tonia added. “Leadership is changing across this region, and the decisions new leaders make in their first months will shape community priorities for years to come. How philanthropy, nonprofits, and engaged civic leaders show up in this moment matters.”
Tonia then introduced Dale R. Anglin, Executive Director for Press Forward – a national network designed to strengthen local news to build civic health and engagement in communities across the country. Since 2023, the organization has helped invest over $400 million in local new organizations across its 48 local chapters.
Dale shared how Press Forward is taking a localized approach to funding local news – working with each chapter to identify specific community needs and how revitalizing local news can lead to greater civic engagement within communities.
“Local news is a cornerstone of our democracy,” Dale shared. “Press Forward takes a ground up approach by empowering local chapters to define what their local news ecosystem should look like and how it should evolve to inform, connect, and engage the communities around them.”
Dale was followed by Amy Vruno, Executive Director of DC Vote – a national citizen engagement and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening democracy in DC. Amy spoke about the work being done to build civic confidence in DC, as the city prepares for a historic election and a new incoming Mayor.
“This is the moment for civic engagement and telling the story of DC,” Amy shared, explaining how DC Vote and other organizers are stepping up to protect DC residents right to vote and encourage them to get involved with their local government – despite ongoing threats to DC Home Rule.
“DC has historically been a city at the forefront of advocacy and civic engagement – from the Civil Rights Movement to the Baby Bonds movement – DC has been a leader for the nation.”
“We are determined to protect and build on that legacy, as we look forward to the rest of 2026 and beyond!”
“Civic health is not a program,” Tonia added. “It’s a practice – it’s a daily decision to show up in community, in relationship, and in investment over time.”
“This is a time when the choices we make about how to show up — as voters, as civic participants, as funders and partners — carries particular weight. We have a genuine opportunity to shape what comes next to work for everyone. To ensure more people have access to economic opportunity, to housing they can afford, to all the benefits and the promise of this region.”
Thank you to all of our fundholders who joined us for the 2026 Annual Meeting! For more information, check out our 2026 Annual Report.