Faces of Sharing: Getting to Know Sharing Montgomery’s Alice Nappy & Jonathan Miller

When the husband and wife duo, Alice Nappy and Jonathan Miller, signed on as members of Sharing Montgomery’s advisory committee, they expected thoughtful conversations about giving. What they didn’t expect was how quickly the work would become personal—rooted in stories, people, and places that made Montgomery County’s needs (and its possibilities) feel close to home.

Alice brings a lifetime of professional experience in the nonprofit world—work that taught her the realities behind fundraising goals and tight budgets, and the difference a timely grant can make. Jonathan’s career, by contrast, has centered on affordable housing and consumer protection. Even in retirement, he’s drawn to the same question that shaped his professional life: how do communities build wealth—and keep it?

From Grantseeker to Grantmaker

Alice first encountered The Community Foundation from the other side of the table. As the Executive Director of VisArts for 15 years, she knew what it meant to apply for funding and to make the case for mission-driven work. Later, after retiring —and even spending time abroad—she found herself thinking about what it would look like to stay engaged locally in a new way.

Wanting to explore how they might take their philanthropy to the next level, she and Jonathan reached out to Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for Montgomery County at the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Together, they talked through ways to give and get involved—eventually joining the Sharing Montgomery advisory committee and opening a donor-advised fund with The Community Foundation.

In their first year, they jumped into proposal review, conversations with fellow committee members, and site visits that put faces to the issues on the page. They also found their own rhythm as reviewers: Jonathan tends to read for community impact and long-term outcomes, while Alice’s years as an executive director make her quick to notice whether a budget and fundraising plan feel realistic.

What surprised them most was how much they learned from one another along the way.

“All committee members were able to make contributions and we learned from each other,” shared Jonathan. “On the Zoom calls, members would stay on longer to debrief which was also very helpful. It was a very positive experience.”

Seeing the Work Up Close

Even with his experience serving on the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission, for Jonathan, serving on the Sharing Montgomery committee really gave him a new perspective of the demographic diversity and the very real economic challenges many of his neighbors face.

Alice & Jonathan joined the Sharing Montgomery committee on a site visit touring Emma’s Torch’s new location, currently under construction.

Having spent his public service career focused on national issues, Jonathan recalls facing a steeper learning curve than Alice. But that hasn’t stopped him from admiring and contributing to the energy he’s encountered: a deep bench of local organizations working creatively and persistently to meet those needs.

Two visits stayed with Alice and Jonathan. One was Emma’s Torch, a culinary training program that helps refugees and asylees build skills—and a path to stable employment. Another was a presentation from Latino Economic Development Corporation.  Again and again, they found that the most powerful moments came when participants themselves were part of the conversation, making the impact of each program feel immediate and real. “We got to talk to actual people they’d trained and that added even more color to the work,” Alice shared.

Expanding Horizons & Building Community

The experience has also nudged their giving closer to home. Inspired in part by Jonathan’s longtime involvement with the Combined Federal Campaign, the couple has been thinking about shifting more of their philanthropy toward local nonprofits—and doing it in community, alongside other donors.

“We aren’t funding the world, but this experience has made me think that I may want to do more of our giving locally through the Sharing committee,” Jonathan shared. “It makes me feel more empowered being a part of the process like this.”

Alice & Jonathan at a community tour with the Partnership to End Homelessness in October 2025

“Before we focused more on national organizations but there’s so many local organizations doing great things. The need is there and we just want to do our part to serve.”

As they look ahead, a few interest areas keep rising to the top—affordable housing, workforce development, and the kind of support that helps people not just land a job but keep moving forward.

Jonathan puts housing first: “If you don’t have decent housing, your healthcare is challenged, your education is impacted, etc.… it’s foundational.”

Alice, who expected her longtime arts background to steer her interests, found herself equally drawn to workforce programs that support people beyond the first step. “The places that did training and connected them to jobs and stayed with them after landing a job really resonated with me.”

Jonathan and Alice both hope that more people will learn what Sharing Montgomery is and what it can make possible. In their view, the nonprofits doing the work often know where to find support. The bigger opportunity is helping more residents see themselves as part of local solutions, and to understand that philanthropy doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.

For Alice and Jonathan, that’s the heart of Sharing Montgomery: listening first, learning together, and then stepping in—side by side with their neighbors—to help strengthen the community they call home.

Want to get involved in Sharing Montgomery New committee members are always welcome! Contact Anna Hargrave at [email protected] to learn more.