Celebrate Giving in Montgomery County

 
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SAVE THE DATE

Thursday, November 1, 2018
6:30 - 9:30 pm
Hyatt Regency Bethesda

Join us on Thursday, November 1, as we celebrate the growing spirit of giving throughout our community and salute the 2018 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year, Linda Youngentob.

When

Thursday, November 1, 2018 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Where

Hyatt Regency Bethesda
One Bethesda Metro Center
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814

Sponsorships

Click here for more information about sponsorship opportunities.

Contact Bridget Hanagan at 301-496-3036 x 169 or [email protected] to learn more about the event, sponsorship packages, and opportunities to give a personal message of congratulations in the program booklet. 

 

Helping local students pursue their higher education dreams

Donors across the region are helping to create pathways to success for more talented young people by opening scholarship funds at The Community Foundation. A scholarship fund is an opportunity to support local youth to further their education in nearly every area of study and at any level of education, from preschool to postgraduate work. Learn about some of our existing scholarship funds, funded by generous donors who believe in the value of education, and find out if this is the right approach for you.

Spivack Scholarship Fund

 
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Each year, donor Jack Spivack, a long-time DC area resident, makes it possible for area students to achieve their academic dreams and career aspirations. Recognizing the higher education affordability challenge many DC area students face, Mr. Spivack partnered with The Community Foundation to provide assistance. Through his generosity and partnership with The Community Foundation, Mr. Spivack has a built a powerful legacy that will provide perpetual awards to graduating high school seniors interested in continuing their education. Now in its fourth year, The Spivack Scholarship Fund has awarded a total of 53 scholarships of $1,000 each to every District of Columbia Public High School (DCPS) valedictorian attending a post-secondary institution. The 2017 Spivack Scholars represent some of the District’s brightest students. These 15 young women and men will attend colleges and universities across the country and embark on studies and later careers in areas as diverse as psychology, political science education, and engineering. Read more

The Bernie Scholarship Awards Program

 
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When Bernie Tetreault retired after 24 years of service as Executive Director of the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC), he and some of his friends wanted to come up with a special way to celebrate and continue to give back to the community that he had served for so long. In 1995, they established the Bernie Education Fund, precursor to The Bernie Scholarship Awards Program, which is now a component fund of the Community Foundation for Montgomery County. Scholarships are given to high school students as they head toward college and to adults as they pursue career training and education to prepare for employment or better employment. All are low-income residents of subsidized rental housing in Montgomery County, MD. The program continues to grow and has provided 461 scholarships with $536,200, as of May 2017, to help 406 low-income scholars pursue their higher education goals. Read more

LEARN Scholarship

The Landover Educational Athletic Recreational Nonprofit (LEARN) was established in 1996 to support education programs for Prince George's County youth residing in the vicinity of FedEx Field stadium. Since its inception, the LEARN Foundation has awarded close to $1 million in scholarships and grants to Prince George’s County students and community organizations. Embedded in the foundation’s mission is the belief that the future is now, and that through partnerships and collaboration young people residing in the targeted areas can benefit through post-secondary education opportunities. In 2002, the LEARN Foundation became a component fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Since that time, hundreds of students have benefited from scholarship awards toward college and other career preparation opportunities.

Footprints Scholarship Fund

 
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After losing her mother to cancer and later her father to a heart attack, Renee Morgan of Hyattsville, MD faced staggering challenges. During this time, Renée was fortunate to receive overwhelming support from her family, friends and the community to maintain high academic achievement throughout high school and beyond. Later in life, aware that higher education is increasingly difficult for families to afford, Renee wanted to help youth who have endured similar challenges. In 2011, she connected with The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County to create the Footprints Scholarship Fund which supports access to post-secondary education for students who have lost a biological parent. Renee, along with close friends Omar Boulware, Courtney DeRamus, and a following of corporate givers, has raised more than $100,000 through the Footprints Scholarship Fund. In 2015, the fund awarded a total of $40,000 to support three young women to attend the college of their dreams. Learn more


Starting a scholarship fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation is easy and rewarding and the best part, is that students, their families and communities will benefit from your generosity for years to come. For more information about creating a scholarship fund at The Community Foundation, please contact us at 202-955-5890 or [email protected].

A Framework for Building Thriving Communities

Dear friends and community members,

As a community foundation, having a finger on the pulse of our community is central to who we are and our ability to make a difference in the lives of those who call our region their home. Last year, in partnership with Urban Institute, we launched Voices of the Community: DC, MD, VA (VoicesDMV) to connect directly with the people and communities we serve and understand our neighbors’ experiences in their neighborhoods, jobs, schools, with local government, and with each other — and to identify the role philanthropy can play in enhancing or improving those experiences.

VoicesDMV revealed a region in which, while separated by income, education or geographic boundaries, all of us share similar hopes and dreams. We all want a better overall quality of life for ourselves and our families, including the opportunity to live in a safe and welcoming environment, obtain a quality education, earn a living wage, and build assets for a secure future. And yet, as prosperous as our region is, our survey found that deep disparities in income and opportunity persist and the gap continues to widen, preventing many of our neighbors, particularly people of color due to historical discrimination, from accessing the region’s economic growth and prosperity.

A decade ago, our Economic Security Framework was created as a direct response to the economic crisis and its impact on the region, with a focus on workforce development, safety-net services, and education. But the nature of today’s challenges requires a different approach, one that goes deeper toward addressing systemic issues to improve the economic and social well-being of people and communities who have long been marginalized, particularly communities of color. While economic security will remain part of our work going forward, we have taken this opportunity to refresh our focus areas to fully capture the range of efforts that are critical to building thriving communities. Our new Building Thriving Communities Framework will broaden our work with donors and partners across the region to disrupt poverty, deepen human connection, and prepare for the future of work.

With this refresh, we seek to deepen and expand existing work by leveraging new tools, prioritizing strategic partnerships across sectors, and developing innovative approaches to addressing the region’s most pressing challenges. This includes a new partnership with the District of Columbia Interagency Council on Homelessness to launch a broader public-private partnership that will build off the District’s plans to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring by making critical investments to accelerate our community’s response.

We are also deliberately centering racial equity and community voice in our community leadership efforts and in our grantmaking. For example, as our Workforce Development Collaborative celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, the focus will remain on supporting programs and policies which help workers advance their skills and credentials, but with a special emphasis on eliminating inequities based on race, ethnicity or gender and providing new career pathways and wealth-building opportunities.

We hope you see a connection between our Building Thriving Communities Framework and your own charitable giving plans. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how The Community Foundation can support your broader interests. You can also make an unrestricted gift to the Fund for Greater Washington to support our ongoing community change work across the region. Your continued partnership and support are crucial as we seek to build thriving communities today and for generations to come.

Sincerely,

 
Bruce McNamer, President and CEO

Bruce McNamer, President and CEO

Tonia Wellons, VP of Community Investment

Tonia Wellons, VP of Community Investment

 

Closing the Achievement Gap in Montgomery County

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paying Tribute to Nancy Fax

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

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

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

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

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

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Partnering with Donors to Pool Resources for Local Impact

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

Sharing DC

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

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

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

Sharing Montgomery

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

Sharing Prince George’s

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

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

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

The Resilience Fund: A Year in Review

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

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

Helping Immigrant Communities

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

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

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

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

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

Countering Hate and Intolerance 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

 
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Bruce McNamer

President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Nicky Goren

President and CEO

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

Resilience Fund Steering Committee

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

Harman Family Foundation

June Linowitz

Elaine Reuben

Rob and Sheri Rosenfeld

Mauri Ziff and Jeff Hamond

Honoring the Legacy of Cliff Kendall

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Winter/Spring 2018 Site Visit Schedule

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

February 20, Montgomery County: Making A New United People

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

March 1, Montgomery County: IMPACT Silver Spring

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

March 5, Montgomery County: Urban Alliance

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

March 9, Montgomery County: Sunflower Bakery

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

March 13, Montgomery County: YMCA Youth and Family Services

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

March 14, Montgomery County: Youth/Police Dialogue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10:00AM – 12:00PM CASA, Inc. is a volunteer-based organization that partners with the juvenile court to improve the lives of children living in foster care who have suffered from abuse and neglect. With a strong commitment to diversity, CASA trains and supervises volunteers from the community who advocate for the best interest of children, recognizing and respecting each child’s individual needs.

May 11, Prince George's: Mistaken Identity Foundation

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


2018 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year Nominations Now Open!

Nomination Guidelines

Purpose: To honor an individual who has made a positive impact in our community through giving, and whose philanthropic leadership sets an inspiring example for us all. 

Nomination Process:

Complete the official nomination form and a letter explaining why your nominee should be selected as the Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year. 

Please note that the cover form must be completed in its entirety in order for the nomination to be eligible. The Awards Committee will not accept nominations which rely solely on resumes, newspaper articles, annual reports or the like in substitution for concise responses to the criteria outlined below. Pending review by the Philanthropist of the Year Selection Committee, The Community Foundation staff may contact you for additional information. 

For inspiration, look no further than our past honorees.


Eligibility Criteria: 

All nominees must…

  • Be a resident of Montgomery County
  • Have a demonstrated track record of charitable giving to one or more nonprofit organizations based in and working in Montgomery County
  • Have made a positive impact in the lives of county residents through their giving
  • Encourage/motivate others to become philanthropic

Note: The level of charitable dollars given is secondary to its impact and potential to inspire others to follow suit. Creative approaches to philanthropy are welcome!  Nominees may be of any age.

In exceptional circumstances, the Award Committee may consider a former resident, a family unit, or a philanthropist who is deceased. 

Deadline: March 23, 2018

The nomination form and letter must be postmarked or emailed by close of business on Friday, March 23, 2018 to:

The Community Foundation in Montgomery County

Attn: Bridget Hanagan

8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 202

Silver Spring, MD 20910

[email protected]

The Community Foundation in Montgomery County will contact the selected awardee and her/his nominator by the end of May. All other nominations will remain confidential.

Questions: Contact Bridget Hanagan at [email protected] or 301-495-3036 x169.

Bridging Community Divides

By Jayne Park, Executive Director, IMPACT Silver Spring

Between income and wealth, culture and language, the newly arrived versus life-long residents, the divisions that separate people within Montgomery County’s diverse community are wide.  So when the Greater Washington Community Foundation reached out to IMPACT Silver Spring for support in organizing their Community Conversation in Montgomery County, we welcomed it as a positive step towards closing this divide.

We were admittedly a little unsure how many residents from IMPACT’s grassroots network would choose to come to this one-time event, with an organization they did not know.  We decided to do targeted invitations to people we thought might be inclined to participate, and did our best to explain who the Community Foundation is, and their goals. To our surprise, nearly all the 30 residents we spoke with showed up, to the point that we could barely fit everyone in the room.  The time and care IMPACT takes to nurture relationships of trust with members of our network are in large measure what led to the high community turn-out. 

 
 

Most certainly, our network’s participation in the event will help to infuse the foundation’s learning process with the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of grassroots residents, and not only the voices of the professionals serving the poor and low-income.  Our hope is that philanthropy will continue to press forward in figuring out ways to cultivate its own trusting relationships with grassroots residents through a long-term community engagement process.  Only then can foundations be assured that their giving priorities will be informed and shaped by the lived realities of the very residents they are trying to support, through a constant flow of mutual learning that comes when strong connections and relationships are in place. 

We witnessed the start of this relationship-building process at the event, when the foundation’s President and CEO Bruce McNamer pulled up a seat to join one of the tables reserved for IMPACT’s Spanish-speaking network members.  Bruce stayed with this group for the entirety of the 3-hour evening, and listened and spoke to the group in Spanish.  This simple yet powerful gesture was a first step towards overcoming the divide that often exists between philanthropy and the grassroots.  Imagine if it was more common practice for foundation CEO’s to take the time to meet with grassroots residents as equals, speaking in their language!  This could go a long way for establishing a more meaningful relationship-building process. 

 
 

The Children’s Opportunity Fund Announces Initial Grants in Montgomery County

July 17, 2017 -- The Greater Washington Community Foundation has announced the Children’s Opportunity Fund’s (COF) first grants of $625,000 to three high-impact nonprofit organizations in Montgomery County, Maryland.  All three groups provide life-changing educational opportunities for low-income children and reflect the COF’s innovative and systemic approach to closing the opportunity gap for children and youth in Montgomery County.  These first three grants include nearly $625,000 in public funding and will leverage an additional $625,000 in private matching funds, totaling a $1.25 million investment. 

Children’s Opportunity Fund Grants June 2017

The Children’s Opportunity Fund's initial grants will serve over 1,200 students in the following ways:

Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL) works to create high-quality learning opportunities for the children who need them most, so that they, too, can develop the skills, interests, and determination to excel.  BELL builds educational equality by mobilizing schools and communities and expanding learning time beyond the traditional school day and school year.  BELL exists to transform the academic achievements, self-confidence, and life trajectories of children living in under-resourced communities. The grant from COF will support educational services to students currently attending Montgomery County Public Schools Summer Program in partnership with the Norman R. and Ruth Rales Foundation, Montgomery County Government and MCPS.

The Urban Alliance Foundation, Inc. partners with businesses to empower under-resourced youth to aspire, work, and succeed through paid internships, formal training, and mentorship. The grant from COF will expand the Urban Alliance High School Internship Program into Montgomery County by providing career preparation and internships to low-income high school students in the east county area.

Family Services, Inc. (FSI) provides high-quality services for newborns to adults to foster health and well-being in the home, school, and community.  FSI currently serves over 27,000 of the most vulnerable residents through more than 36 programs throughout Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. The grant announced today supports the coordination of work around early childhood care and education for participants of the newly formed Thriving Germantown Collaboration.

Although Montgomery County is the 11th richest county in the United States, most people are shocked to discover that over 200,000 people are living below self-sufficiency levels and over a third of MCPS students quality for free and reduced meals  — widening the opportunity gap for children and families.  The latest U.S. Census data show 12 census tracts with poverty rates of 18 percent or more.

The Children’s Opportunity Fund is working to close the opportunity gap for children and their families; address the need for integration among health, education, and social investments for vulnerable children; and diminish the disparity in educational achievement between children from wealthy and low-income families.

About the Children’s Opportunity Fund

The Children’s Opportunity Fund (COF) is a component fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation (The Community Foundation) and its local office in Montgomery County. Funded jointly by the government of Montgomery County, Maryland, and Montgomery County Public Schools to leverage public funds to attract private investment, COF champions, plans and funds strategic investments that improve the lives of low-income children and families in the county. With a focus on innovative, evidence-informed efforts targeted at closing the opportunity gap, COF identifies priority areas for investment based on unmet need, aligns resources toward effective multi-sector collaborations serving the county’s most vulnerable youth and their families, and seeks new funding sources.

COF is guided by and works closely with a Policy Leadership Group and Steering Committee representing leaders from government, philanthropy, business and the community. These leaders include:

 Children’s Opportunity Fund Policy Leadership Group

  • Ike Leggett, County Executive, Montgomery County
  • Nancy Navarro, Councilmember, Montgomery County Council
  • Patricia O' Neill, Member, Montgomery County Board of Education
  • Jack Smith, Superintendent, Montgomery County Public Schools

 Children’s Opportunity Fund Steering Committee

  • Uma Ahluwalia, Director, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
  • Gabriel Albornoz, Director, Montgomery County Department of Recreation
  • David Asai, Senior Director of Science Education, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • Kevin Beverly, President and CEO, Social and Scientific Systems
  • Parker Hamilton, Director, Montgomery County Public Libraries
  • Anna Hargrave, Executive Director, Montgomery County, Greater Washington Community Foundation
  • Julian Haynes, Program Officer, Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation
  • April Kaplan, Executive Director, Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families
  • Agnes Leshner, Board Member, Montgomery's Kids
  • Maria Navarro, Chief Academic Officer, Montgomery County Public Schools
  • David Petr, President/CEO, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation

For more information on the Children’s Opportunity Fund, click here.

 

Contact:

Mala B. Thakur

Executive Director, Children's Opportunity Fund

Greater Washington Community Foundation

[email protected]

Anna Hargrave is Named Montgomery Women’s 2017 Rising Star

Montgomery Women recently presented its 2017 Rising Star Award to Anna Hargrave, Executive Director of the Community Foundation in Montgomery County. Hargrave received the award, given annually to a woman who has shown outstanding leadership, is a role model for others, and has made significant contributions to the community, at its 13th Annual Power Tea.

Also honored was Jacky Schultz, president of Suburban Hospital, who received the annual Shining Star Award.

“Our award winners showcase the mission of Montgomery Women—to advance common interest and support outstanding women in their quest for positions of leadership,” said organization president Rose Krasnow. “Jacky Schultz and Anna Hargrave are outstanding examples of what women can accomplish. I couldn’t be more delighted that we are honoring them.”

Hargrave received the award, which honors the life of visionary activist and founding member Phyllis Campbell Newsome, for her outstanding community leadership. A Montgomery County native, Hargrave is well-versed in program management, community outreach, and project development stemming from her experiences with the Office of the County Executive, Montgomery Youth Works and the Jewish Social Service Agency.  In her role with The Community Foundation, she works one-on-one with hundreds of Montgomery County donors to provide them the tools, resources and support needed to facilitate their personal philanthropy.

In her inspiring acceptance speech, Hargrave acknowledged the many women leaders who have inspired her. “Particularly now in my role at The Community Foundation, I literally spend my days with passionate, generous donors who want to make a difference, and visionary nonprofit leaders working to get the job done, “she said.

In her address to the more than 100 women leaders from all county sectors—public, private, and nonprofit—at the March event, Hargrave spoke about a hard-working single mom raising two young boys, a story she said “I keep circling back to. . .that I’ve been mulling over ever since I heard it.”

“Her boss decided to reward her with a raise.  Which sounds great, right? The trouble is, here in Montgomery County there is a chasm between the poverty line and what it actually takes to survive.  That raise catapulted her right smack in the middle.  She lost her childcare support and food stamps.  Before she knew it, they had lost their home and ended up at the Stepping Stones Shelter, right up the road here in Rockville.

“But this woman—she is the absolute epitome of grit.  She got herself into transitional housing and connected with Habitat for Humanity.  Today, thanks to her hard work, she’s a homeowner. That woman and the thousands like her are the unsung heroes of Montgomery County, working to raise their kids and lift whole families out of poverty. I realize that this award is not recognition of past accomplishments, but rather a call to action.  I understand that it’s my job to lift up and support women throughout our community, the same way you all have supported and inspired me.”

Hargrave ended with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it as not as dreadful as it appears, discovering that we have the strength to stare it down.”

 

Bobbi Shulman

Chair, 2017 Awards Selection Committee

Montgomery Women

Bridging Differences: Youth/Police Dialogue in Montgomery County

We were ushered into a small classroom near the side entrance to Gaithersburg High School where a group of 10 students were already gathered in a circle. About half of them were African American; the others were Latina. Included in the circle was a burly African American Montgomery County police officer, and two young African American women police officers.

On the floor was a colorful rectangular cloth surrounded by handwritten papers. Vanessa, the group’s facilitator, told me that these were depictions of the students’ values – “honesty, love, hope, faith…” — the people for whom they want to make the world a better place – “my little brother, my grandma, my friends, myself…” — and their safe places – a church sanctuary, a bedroom, a beach.

Not content simply to have us observe this program, Vanessa invited me, my colleague Anna, and our Grant Committee member to take the remaining open seats and to participate fully in the intense, raw, honest conversation that followed.

For the next hour and a half, we talked about our frustrations with those who had authority over us as adolescents – for some of us, a distant memory, for others, very much of the moment. “There are too many rules.” “They don’t trust me.” “They assume I’m screwing up before I even have a chance.” The students shared their questions and concerns about interactions they and their friends have had with police. “Why do police always stop my friend’s dad – a Muslim with a license plate that says ‘EGYPT’ when he’s driving around the County — and never my white friend’s dad?” “Why do you always assume the worst?” “Why did that SWAT team barge into my house, break all of our stuff, handcuff me to my bed, and terrify my grandma, when the guy you were looking for wasn’t even there?!”

The police officers told why they are called to this work, how it feels when they have to confront their neighbors, and how they perceive their duty to protect and serve. “I’m putting my life on the line for you and your family.” “Your parents work hard to pay for your car and your insurance. Do you want other people to get away with not paying for their registration and insurance? Your parents are gonna be stuck with the bill if an uninsured motorist causes an accident.” “I feel terrible when I have to bust into someone’s home, but I have to put on my emotional armor to protect myself and everyone there from the danger that might be lurking just around the corner.”  “I’m sorry that you had that experience; it must have been scary.”

This conversation, the fifth in a series of six sessions with this particular group of female students, is part of a Youth/Police Dialogue program funded by an anonymous donor through her fund at The Community Foundation. 

About two years ago, this donor and her family felt heartsick every time they saw another police-related shooting in the news. They were especially troubled by the pattern: shooting, protests, community meetings, lip-service responses, and then…nothing. No meaningful change. They wanted to make an investment in the deep relationship-building necessary to heal the distrust between police and communities, particularly communities of color in their own county. They turned to us.

Our Philanthropic Engagement staff in Montgomery County did some research, and found that one of our long-time trusted grantees, Identity, already had a program in partnership with Montgomery County Police and Public Schools, offering one-time youth/police summits.  The donor was impressed, but wanted to invest in a longer series that would enable the students and police to make real connections with each other. She wanted to remain anonymous, so our staff served as the intermediary to solicit a proposal and get all of the donor’s questions answered.

Together, we agreed on a program design involving six facilitated sessions (three with youth only, three with police joining the young people), focusing on youth who have interacted with law enforcement after participating in or witnessing violence or being involved with a gang, are crime victims, have served in-school suspensions, and/or have low conflict-resolution skills. Our staff invited other donors to join in supporting the project, raising sufficient funds to launch the program last fall in three public high schools, two community-based centers, and a Germantown library.

The school staff, Identity’s facilitators, and the police officers told us that the group of Latina and African American girls we met at Gaithersburg High School that day were chosen because they are leaders within their peer groups, but their voices are often drowned out by boys who join them for larger summits. With skilled help from Identity’s staff, these young women and the police who join them are opening up, bravely sharing their values, stories, and fears with each other, cultivating respect and empathy. They are engaging “power with” – the power of people and communities to connect and nurture trusting, healthy relationships.

At the end of the session, Vanessa asked everyone in the circle to answer one question: “Is there hope?” Coming from our very different perspectives – across race, ethnicity, gender, class, professional status – each of us answered, simply, “yes.” This is what philanthropy can make possible!  

If you are troubled by discord among our neighbors in Greater Washington and aren’t sure how your philanthropy can make a difference, please reach out and we would be honored to facilitate a connection between you and community organizations that are healing the divides among us. Together, we can bridge differences, cultivate empathy, and make our region stronger and more resilient.

Celebrating philanthropy in Montgomery County

On November 3, 2016, nearly 300 friends came out to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Community Foundation in Montgomery County (CFMC). We were thrilled that the audience included the past and present CFMC Board members, business leaders, local foundation representatives, wealth advisors, elected officials, leaders from the region’s premier nonprofits, and many of the people who house their giving funds at The Community Foundation.

To mark this special evening, the CFMC Board made three special salutes.

Cliff and Camille Kendall were both honored for having the vision to open the first CFMC family fund and for Cliff’s leadership as the founding Board Chair. Cliff and Camille devote their “retirement” energy to causes dear to their hearts, with a special focus on scholarships for low-income students. Everyone was moved to hear from their scholarship recipients about how these life-changing scholarship investments propelled them to achieve both in and out of school. We are especially grateful for their ongoing leadership which launched the Sharing Montgomery Fund and its endowment, which supports low-income Montgomery County residents.

Sally Rudney, founding Executive Director, was honored for her 17 years of thoughtful leadership during which she helped hundreds of people and businesses establish their own funds and gain a deep sense of satisfaction by giving to the causes close to their hearts. Most importantly, Sally is a connector. In addition to listening to donors, she also engages in the community, strategizing about how philanthropy can have the greatest impact.

The final salute of the evening was to our entire network of donors. Today, over 300 of the 775 funds at The Community Foundation were created by people and businesses in Montgomery County. We are honored to serve as the facilitator of their giving to causes all around the world. This year, we are especially proud of the $88 million they have given to organizations working to make Montgomery County a healthy and vibrant place to live.

Thank you to our Celebration sponsors!

Lead Celebration Sponsor – Community Champion

Connectors
Mary Pat and Darren Alcus
Bethesda Magazine
Clark Charitable Foundation
Clifford M. and Camille E. Kendall Fund
Leder Family Philanthropic Fund
Rick and Anne Rudman Family Fund
Cliff and Deborah White Family Fund

Collaborators
Brown Advisory
Patricia and Craig Ruppert Family Fund

Circle of Friends
Bainum Family Foundation
Scott and Patrice Brickman
Nancy G. Fax and Pasternak & Fidis, P.C.
Carl M. Freeman Foundation
AIM Charitable Foundation
John G. and Beverly A. Puente Advised Fund
Robert and Anna Trone and Total Wine and More

Society
Mildred Beverly Memorial Family Fund
Charles and Lisa Claudy Fleischman
Stephen Z. Kaufman
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation
The Meltzer Group
Max and Tai Meltzer
Tom and Denise Murphy Fund
Social & Scientific Systems, Inc.
Arne and Ruth Sorenson
Bob and Linda Youngentob Family Foundation

Patrons
Bailey Wealth Advisors
Virginia Cheung and Jeff Neeley
Okianer Christian Dark
EagleBank
Carole and Barry Forman
Susan, Chuck and Maddie Freed
Montgomery College
Tom Natelli
Pettit Family Charitable Foundation
Neal and Jennifer Simon
Sanford and Doris Slavin Foundation
Leslie K. Smith
Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC
Carol Trawick
Washington Gas
Wells Fargo Private Bank

Partners
Mozella Perry Ademiluyi, Love Is A Mountain LLC and Rising Sun Programs
Lena S. Barnett, Esq.
Hope Gleicher and Andy Burness
The Floyd E. Davis Family Foundation
Sol and Dorothy Graham
Anna Hargrave and Jimmy Hernandez
Intentional Philanthropy LLC
Rosalyn Levy Jonas
Jackie Judd
Intervise
Jackie and Clay Ogg
Shulman Family Fund
Morgan Sullivan & and JLL
Miriam and Jason Tai
United Solutions
Peter and Linda Welber