Growing Together: How Sharing NoVA’s Cohort is Building a Network of Caring

In the neighborhoods along Richmond Highway and Bailey's Crossroads, a lot of important work happens quietly — small organizations, often led by one or two people, serving communities that don't always make it onto a funder's radar. Sharing Northern Virginia was built to change that.

"Sharing NoVA isn't just fixing the problem," said Yolonda Earl-Thompson, Executive Director of LAZERA Ministries and facilitator of the initiative. "It's empowering the community to fix the problem and create solutions for their own community."

How it Works – and Who Makes it Work

Launched in 2024, Sharing Northern Virginia brings together a committee of community leaders and professional advisors to learn about nonprofits working across Northern Virginia.

Meet Lindsay Shetterly, one of our Sharing NoVA Committee Members!

After meeting with the partners and awarding the grants, each partner is then invited into a cohort — facilitated by Yolonda — where they learn from one another, form partnerships, and build the organizational capacity needed to sustain their work.

Kelvin Manurs, far right, Founder of Arm & Arm

Kelvin Manurs, founder and Executive Director of Arm & Arm, joined in the first year. His organization provides peer-to-peer recovery support, community health navigation, and wraparound services to individuals navigating mental health challenges, housing instability, and reentry. What surprised him wasn't the grant — it was the experience.

“Most of the time when you’re applying for grants, there’s not a whole lot of interaction – it’s not about the people behind the work — it’s about the paperwork,” Kelvin said. But Sharing NoVA was different.

“There was this connectedness — people who were interested in our organization and the growth and prosperity of our work. It felt like family. It still does.”

That sense of belonging lead Kelvin to find ways to broaden the circle, referring several organizations to Sharing NoVA — groups he'd encountered through his outreach across the region, many of them serving Ethiopian, Somali, and Afghan communities doing critical work without adequate recognition or support. After meeting with Yolonda and undergoing a brief but thorough review process, many of those groups were accepted into the cohort, as it’s newest members.

“I've become an advocate for you guys,” Kelvin said, “There are so many organizations out here doing the good work who don't know that there are opportunities to get support.”

Volunteers with CARE, Inc, one of the newest members of the Sharing NoVA cohort which provides support for Seniors living in Northern Virginia.

As a result, the cohort Yolonda facilitates today looks different than it did at launch.

“When they first came in, a lot of our partners needed direction,” she said. “They knew their purpose and their passion but needed the space and the capacity to recenter it.”

Two years later, the growth is visible. Partners who once worked in isolation are now building on each other's strengths – collaborating on community events and sharing information about growth, outreach, and funding opportunities.

“Sharing NoVA really encourages partners to lift each other up,” added Lindsay Shetterly, one of the professional advisors on the Sharing NoVA committee observed. “It’s not about just giving organizations money and walking away – it’s about walking alongside them and helping them grow.”

For Kelvin, the cohort has changed how Arm & Arm shows up for the people it serves. “By forming cohorts, we provide more touchpoints that our clients can get support from,” he said. “Whether it’s immigration services from Just Neighbors, transportation assistance with We Care Service Corp, or healthcare from Learn & Live – we know who we can direct folks to for help. The burden isn't just on one organization.”

Building for Sustainability

This year, Sharing NoVA introduced a new option for grantees: organizations can choose between general operating support or capacity building funding — a reflection of where the cohort now stands.

“The first year was phenomenal,” Kelvin said. “The second year, we started tightening up — building out our board, formalizing our curriculum. The more we learn and know that we need to accomplish, the more we can grow.”

Sharing NoVA partners are regularly invited to participate in cohort-lead yoga sessions, sound baths and other workshops to promote well-being and self-care.

Sharing NoVA is also intentional about creating space for the people behind the work, not just the organizations through mindful moments, sound baths, and creating space for self-care.

“A lot of these groups are moving from passion and soul,” Yolonda said. “Having a convening that honors the spirit in the room gives them a moment of self-care — and helps them see themselves differently.”

The intentional and holistic model is something that Ben Murphy, Director of Fund Administration and Special Projects, hopes that other funders will take note of and embrace.

“The peer-to-peer, network-building approach is a great way to honor community and get out of the way of community,” Ben said. “This is how we can be good funders and good neighbors.”

“A little bit of faith and funding can go a long way,” Yolonda reflected. “These partners have a wonderful mission. They just need big brothers and sisters to help them grow.”

Want to get involved in Sharing Northern Virginia and find ways to make meaningful investments in your community? New committee members are always welcome! Contact Benton Murphy at [email protected].