Magnifying Our Power for Change

By Karla Bruce, Chief Equity Officer for Fairfax County

Nationally and locally, there has been a growing understanding of the role of federal, state, and local government in creating and maintaining inequity—specifically racial inequity—through policy and practice. While overtly discriminatory acts based on race are now illegal, the effects of policies from previous generations, often considered “race neutral,” that regulated features of communities, including who could live where and how wealth could be built, still linger. 

Reports from the Urban Institute, and the Northern Virginia Health Foundation have documented this variance in opportunity and vulnerability within Fairfax County and across the region. The Equitable Growth Profile, produced for Fairfax County by PolicyLink in 2015, established that people of color are driving Fairfax County’s population growth, and their ability to participate and thrive is central to the county’s continued economic success. 

Adopting an Equity Lens

Fairfax County, as a local government and a community of committed service providers, has exerted considerable effort and resources to meet the basic needs of our most vulnerable residents, yet our work has not produced improvements in life outcomes at the scale desired.  The efforts, while well-intended, have focused primarily on the delivery of programs and services to individuals and families, often missing the root causes of these differences in outcomes.  

Through an “equity lens” however, the focus is shifting from centering on addressing perceived "lack” in people, to tackling the situations and conditions that are driving the inequities people face.

One Fairfax

November 2020 marks three years since the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board adopted the One Fairfax Policy, committing the county government and Fairfax County Public Schools to intentionally consider equity when making policies and delivering programs and services.

We are now gaining a better understanding of how opportunity varies, depending on who you are and where you live in the county. Our Countywide Strategic Plan is connecting our jurisdiction’s success to our ability to address the structural barriers to opportunity that exist—and build the productive capacities of all neighborhoods and residents. The plan is grounded in the concepts of Targeted Universalism and building Communities of Opportunity, which abandon a one-size-fits-all policy formula, in favor of an approach that is more place and population focused. 

Ultimately, inequities must be challenged and dismantled through the collective action of government and all aspects of community. The transformative institutional work happening inside government is informed, enhanced, and emboldened by the outside work happening with residents, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, business, and philanthropy.

Inclusive Prosperity  

The cornerstone of Fairfax County’s approach to advancing equity is addressing the wide gaps in income, employment, entrepreneurship, and other wealth-building opportunities by race and geography. With the Greater Washington Workforce Collaborative (an initiative of the Greater Washington Community Foundation) and support from Capital One, we are working with an expanding group of stakeholders, representing county agencies and nonprofits, to align efforts and fill gaps through the formation of an Inclusive Prosperity Network.  

This network will align, leverage, and develop strategies to create an ecosystem that will support the full integration of people of color into the economy, putting more residents on the path toward reaching their full potential. Initially focused on the Richmond Highway Corridor, but with a goal of applying successes and lessons learned to other lower opportunity areas across the county, the Inclusive Prosperity Network is positioned to inform the county’s future economic growth. And now, in the context of COVID-19, the Network is also positioned to foster sustained economic prosperity in Fairfax County in the county’s equitable recovery.

I appreciate having The Greater Washington Workforce Collaborative as a partner in the work of becoming One Fairfax.  

When we come together as institutions, government and philanthropy, and live into our unique roles, we are able to magnify our power to disrupt the status quo and dismantle the deeply rooted inequities that plague us and hinder our community’s progress.  Working together, we can bolster connections to the region’s assets and resources and facilitate full participation in and contribution to the region’s economic and social vitality and readiness for the future.

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About Karla Bruce

Karla Bruce has over 20 years of local government management experience and is known as a driver of innovation in public service delivery, bridging the efforts of local government with the collective action of residents and broad networks of partners to strategically address issues facing vulnerable populations and neighborhoods.  Karla currently serves as the Chief Equity Officer for Fairfax County, Virginia where she successfully championed the adoption of the One Fairfax Racial and Social Equity Resolution and Policy and provides overall management of the One Fairfax strategic framework, advising and supporting the Board of Supervisors and Executive Leadership in shaping and directing policy and practice to foster equitable opportunity for all Fairfax County residents.

#MakeADifference Monday: Workforce Development

These past several months, while exceptionally challenging at times, have also been inspiring. We’ve seen our community come together to care for our neighbors in need, springing into action to support those most adversely affected by the pandemic.

Through our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, were able to invest $10 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more. This would not be possible without our compassionate donors – a diverse group of individuals and businesses who helped us mobilize $10 million for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us to make a difference.

You can read about our impact here – and, below, learn more about how our nonprofit partners helped create this impact. Their stories of kindness and courage are truly inspiring.

CareerCatchers

With funding received from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, CareerCatchers hired additional staff and part-time contractors so that the organization could expand its reach and serve more clients during the pandemic.

Notable milestones include:

• Working with 355 clients to help them with upward mobility and stable employment

• Increasing the number of clients participating in work skills and trainings programs by 200 percent

• Helping more than 100 clients with unemployment insurance claims—through both one-on-one support and Zoom workshops

• Acting as a processing agency for Montgomery County Government’s Emergency Assistance Relief Payment (EARP) program, providing immediate financial assistance to households not eligible for federal or state COVID-19 aid

CareerCatchers will continue to fulfill its critical mission—providing personalized and individualized career counseling for survivors of domestic violence, people experiencing homelessness, immigrants, people with disabilities, returning citizens, youth aging out of foster care, and disconnected youth.

Future Harvest

Future Harvest advances agriculture that sustains farmers, communities, and the environment through mini-cash grants to farmer entrepreneurs who do not qualify for federal stimulus programs.

Future Harvest combined its Greater Washington Community Foundation grant funds with other sources to create the “Feed the Need” Fund, which awarded more than $60,000 to 22 small-to mid-sized, financially struggling family farm operations—14 of whom were BIPOC farmers.

One grant recipient, Owl’s Nest Farm in Upper Marlboro, MD, grows a diverse array of vegetables on 4 ½ acres of land. “Last year, we made a commitment to see how we can share our produce with people who otherwise couldn't afford it.” Each week, Owl’s Nest Farm provides CSA shares to families at the Richardson Dwellings public housing complex.

Funding from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will allow Future Harvest to continue advancing agriculture that sustains farmers, communities, and the environment.

New Futures

New Futures supports under-resourced young people who are pursuing community college as the launching point to further education and rewarding careers—young people who also provide in some way for their families or are their household’s primary financial provider.

In the earliest weeks of the COVID-19 crisis, many were laid off suddenly from part- or full-time jobs in the most vulnerable industries of food service, hospitality and retail, among others.

New Futures established a Scholar Emergency Fund to play a role in preventing Scholars’ sudden, short-term financial disruptions from cascading to devastating challenges that impacted their ability to persist in and complete their credentials. This fund is saving lives and preventing financial disaster.

“My family is so happy because of this support. Please, let all the New Futures personnel know that we are so grateful with this unconditional love and support.”

People for Change Coalition

Small businesses have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and pivoting business strategies has proven critical to staying afloat.

That’s why People for Change Coalition used its funding to create a COVID-19 Small Business Rescue (SBR) program—a program that ultimately helped 10 Prince George’s County small businesses and entrepreneurs develop a digital strategy to adjust to the new norms caused by Covid-19.

“Businesses were caught unexpectedly by Covid-19 and needed a rescue plan to keep their doors open, retain existing customers and clients, as well as secure new ones.”

The businesses who participated in SBR are using their new brand, look, and marketing materials to promote their business, get new clients and contracts, and increase their sales.

Washington Business Journal Recognizes Community Foundation with 2020 Citizenship Award

We are proud to share that the Greater Washington Community Foundation and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield are recipients of the 2020 Citizenship Award, part of the Washington Business Journal's annual Philanthropy Awards program. The award recognizes our partnership on the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield PPE Response Fund to distribute thousands of PPE units to frontline workers at health clinics across the region.

Pathways to Housing staff receive a shipment of PPE

Mission of Mercy provided free medical and dental care during COVID-19 using the gift of PPE from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield PPE Response Fund.

COVID-19 Response Fund Issues Over $10 Million in Emergency Grants

300+ Critical Nonprofits Across the Region Received Support to Weather Pandemic

The Greater Washington Community Foundation today announced an additional $2.04 million in phase three grants from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, reaching a combined total of more than $10 million in emergency support distributed to address the public health and economic crisis. The Fund’s rapid response grantmaking helped local nonprofits to expand critical services, ensure continuity of operations, transition to virtual service delivery, and counteract lost revenue due to closures or event cancellations. 

In total, the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund’s impact includes: 

• Over $10 million raised and invested in regional response efforts

• 300+ social service and health nonprofits funded

• Grants range from $1,000 to $250,000

• 50% of nonprofit partners led by people of color

Phase three funding was spurred in part by a $1 million dollar commitment from IKEA to support COVID-19 relief efforts in Maryland where some of its facilities are located. IKEA calculated unemployment claims submitted by its employees and donated that money back to the state through a partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to disperse the resources to communities in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. 

Phase 3 Grant Highlights

Improving Food Security

$250,000 to Capital Area Food Bank and its partners to address the dramatic increase in food insecurity among Northern Virginia residents in Fairfax, Arlington, and Loudoun counties and the City of Alexandria. CAFB’s goal is to provide an additional 9 million pounds of food in these areas, including to many disproportionately impacted communities of color.

A $200,000 investment in Dreaming Out Loud to address DC’s food security crisis by connecting fresh and nutritious food offerings from local Black-owned farms in our region to food insecure residents, including 1,300 weekly CSA shares and 150,000 prepared meals.

$188,000 allocated to help Food for Montgomery meet the urgent need for food, support restaurants and farmers by purchasing meals and fresh produce, and to strengthen our hunger relief system.

$200,000 to help resource Get Shift Done for DMV operations through the end of the year. The initiative is paying displaced hospitality workers to help local nonprofit providers prepare food and meals for neighbors facing hardship due to COVID-19.

$214,000 to support food assistance providers in Prince George’s County to make and/or deliver prepared meals, produce, and shelf-stable foods, and to connect food insecure households to additional food resources.

Support for Childcare

$188,000 allocated to the Children’s Opportunity Fund to expand affordable childcare and distance learning support options for up to 1,000 low-income families in Montgomery County.

$150,000 allocated to the D.C. Childcare Reopening Fund, in partnership with Mary’s Center, to invest in a network of local family childcare providers to ensure that low-income children and youth remain in licensed childcare programs that support healthy and safe development.

$50,000 investment in the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative, led by the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, supporting advocacy efforts to improve early childhood systems infrastructure, expand access to high quality early education programs, and help early educators effectively meet the needs of all children.

$100,000 invested alongside the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia to support local family-based early care providers through the Infant Toddler Family Day Care, a high-impact local provider that will directly support 85 Northern Virginia-based family childcare providers, all of which are led by women of color.

$50,000 to Prince George’s Child Resource Center to provide support and technical assistance to childcare providers to ensure their sustainability and ability to create healthy and nurturing environments for children by helping families and educating caregivers.

Expanding Employment Opportunities

$300,000 allocated to the Equity Fund in Prince George’s County to support programs selected through an open call for applications that are preparing workers for meaningful employment and ensuring that people facing barriers to employment can access high-quality education and job opportunities which pay a family-sustaining wage.

Eviction Prevention and Housing Stability

$150,000 allocated to The Partnership to End Homelessness for work with DC Bar Foundation and other funders to prevent evictions and help low-income residents maintain stable housing. Initial investments will focus on building the capacity of the system to make sure tenants are aware of their rights and can access the rental assistance and other resources that are available.

Previous Funding and Priorities

The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund was established on March 12, 2020 and administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, which also was a donor to the effort. Community Foundation staff in collaboration with a steering committee and working groups, comprised of regional philanthropic leaders, subject matter experts, and local government advisors, met regularly to discuss needs, vet proposals, and coordinate efforts.

The Fund received contributions from nearly 800 foundations, corporations, and individuals. A list of the major contributors to the Fund can be found here.  

More than 1,600 nonprofits across the region applied for approximately $60 million in grants. Priority was given to direct service providers with deep roots in the community and the ability to both address urgent needs and reach historically underserved populations.

Phases 1 and 2 (March-August) investments were made across five issue areas:

• To provide cash assistance to impacted workers, including hourly and gig economy workers, contractors, and workers excluded from unemployment or stimulus funds.

• To bridge the digital divide and expand resources for low-income families, youth disconnected from school or work, and students with special education needs. 

• To provide PPE and other equipment for frontline workers, expand medical care for marginalized communities, and increase access to mental health support services.

• To support individuals, families, and youth experiencing homelessness by expanding access to housing/shelter, health care, and other emergency services.

• To help stabilize nonprofits, expand emergency food assistance, address the uptick in domestic violence, and support the civil legal aid needs of individuals and families.

Phase two investments also included funding for advocacy and community organizing projects focused on improving systems for food security, violence prevention, medical care access, affordable housing, childcare, and more.

A full list of the Fund’s grantees can be found here. To learn more about the unique stories of the organizations supported by the Fund, click here for impact videos.

#MakeADifference Monday: Housing and Homelessness

These past several months, while exceptionally challenging at times, have also been inspiring. We’ve seen our community come together to care for our neighbors in need, springing into action to support those most adversely affected by the pandemic.

Through our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, were able to invest $10 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more. This would not be possible without our compassionate donors – a diverse group of individuals and businesses who helped us mobilize $10 million for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us to make a difference.

You can read about our impact here – and, below, learn more about how our nonprofit partners helped create this impact. Their stories of kindness and courage are truly inspiring.

Bethesda Cares

Bethesda Cares aims to prevent, ease and end homelessness in our community. Throughout the pandemic, Bethesda Cares has rapidly responded to individuals experiencing homelessness by pivoting its case management and counseling services to virtual “house visits.”

And, it has focused on decreasing homelessness as a further way to help clients self-isolate and reduce community spread of COVID-19.

As a COVID-19 Response Fund partner, notable milestones include:

• Helping 20 clients safely isolate in hotels and moving 9 individuals into permanent supportive housing. In addition to these programs, Bethesda Cares also helps individuals who have transitioned to permanent housing. 

• Providing hot meals to over 30 individuals daily that experience homelessness and food insecurity.

Mi Casa, Inc.

The economic impact of COVID-19 is unmistakable—lost jobs, leading to decreased and eliminated wages, leading to housing insecurity issues. This has made more urgent
Mi Casa’s mission to provide affordable housing in the Washington, DC, area in order to foster healthy, diverse, and thriving neighborhoods.

With the funding received from the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, Mi Casa has provided long-term support to more than 40 DC households, helping mitigate the impact of reduced wages or lost work.

Through its Emergency Rental Assistance and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance programs, it also helped more than 15 residents access critical housing resources. More than 400 households received virtual trainings around financial education, food banks, unemployment benefits, and the financial effects of the pandemic.

The Church of the Epiphany

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, The Church of Epiphany has partnered with Street Sense Media to expand their reach and serve more individuals. Grants from the emergency response fund have helped provide cleaning products, hot meals, clothing, and information about COVID-19 to individuals experiencing homelessness.

“We’ve been able to serve an additional 50 people with breakfast and other regular meals, we’ve utilized the church building to house homeless individuals. And through it all we have remained COVID-19 free and not seen any community transmission among those served.”

These funds allow The Church of the Epiphany to continue to feed the hungry, build diverse and inclusive community, worship as one, and give and receive the love of Christ.

FAIR Girls

FAIR Girls focuses on ending human trafficking through trauma and survivor-informed services, prevention, and advocacy. Through their COVID-19 grant award, FAIR Girls was able to address survivors needing housing during the pandemic by partnering with local hospitality partners to help them self-quarantine in hotels for two weeks before transitioning to their Vida Home.

This assistance was especially impactful for Tiffany (name changed):

Tiffany was being stalked by her trafficker. After ensuring Tiffany’s immediate safety, FAIR Girls was able to support Tiffany by providing her with temporary housing at a local hotel and through Vida Home, and ultimately enter a program farther away where she can begin a new chapter. Tiffany remains in contact with her FAIR Girls coordinator as she awaits out-of-state housing.

FAIR Girls continues to expand its services by increasing its crisis intervention hotline operating hours to 24/7, as well as creating Webinar Wednesdays, a tool that provides virtual trainings about human trafficking, that has reached more than 1,000 people since March.

Why Black Voices Matter

By Darius Baxter, Chief Engagement Officer at GOODProjects, Co-Chair, Black Justice Fellows (DMV)

My generation has been influenced by Barack Obama’s historic inauguration in 2008, as much as we were by the police killing of twelve-year-old Tamir Rice while he innocently played in a park. Our hope and righteous anger are fueling our moral courage to fight day after day in cities across America.

In June my team embarked on the Purpose Tour, traveling to 15 cities, from Washington, DC, to Oakland, California, to engage with Black leaders on the ground. We protested beside them. We listened to them. We danced with them. Our big finding: Black Leaders have been actively working for years to create a more just America, yet too many are underestimated, underfunded, and underrepresented.

We plan to change that. This is why we are working in partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to launch an effort to support Black Leaders. I am privileged to Co-Chair The Black Justice Fellows DMV alongside two visionary Black Women: Tonia Wellons and Cherrelle Swain, as well as Angela Rye and Linda Wilson who are serving on the selection committee. Their leadership is truly defining the way philanthropy and activism will look in the future.

The Black Justice Fellows is committed to supporting the activists, artists, and organizers that are defining the way Black leaders are respected, protected, and treated with dignity in America. We are investing in innovation for liberation. I believe that it is critical that we provide a generation of Black Leaders the opportunities, access, and platforms they deserve to lead their communities. 

Ten Black Leaders representing the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia will be selected to receive support, training, and the networks necessary to scale their activism. They will also receive a personal grant of $30,000 to support their work and living expenses for one year. Nominations for this cohort are now open. 

We are all impacted, in one way or another, by racism, inequality, and systemic oppression. Philanthropy is not exempt from this effect. The Black Justice Fellows is an opportunity to change what activism and philanthropy look like. I believe to truly make sustainable change we must get from a place of being reactive and go on the offensive for the protection of Black lives. In order to do that we have to empower Black leaders who are on the front lines of community change. 

The Black Justice Fellows DMV will help eliminate the economic hurdles Black Leaders face in today’s uncertain climate. Together, we are working towards community-led, people-focused models that identify and support those on the ground doing the real work towards racial justice.

If you know of an inspiring Black leader in your community, we want to hear from you. Nominations can be submitted directly on the Black Justice Felows (DMV) website.  

VoicesDMV: Putting Your Ideas On the Table

By Benton Murphy, Associate Vice President for Community Investment

On October 1, hundreds of residents from across the region came together for virtual or face-to-face small-group conversations on a single day to discuss and reimagine the future of our communities, through our VoicesDMV On the Table conversations.

We were so proud to be joined by a diverse group of community members to discuss issues ranging from how we can help support students to succeed in a remote learning environment to unpacking the impacts that hate, racism, and injustice have on our neighbors and communities. 

At The Community Foundation, we believe it is important to actively engage people and communities most impacted as we seek to develop solutions and identify investments to address community needs. In particular, our focus for the VoicesDMV initiative is to engage people who are often left out of these conversations to uplift and amplify the voices of communities who have been systematically unheard and silenced.

Created by The Chicago Community Trust in 2014, to date, the On the Table model has been adopted by more than 30 communities that have collectively engaged more than 300,000 people from coast to coast. Our Community Foundation chose to participate in the On the Table initiative with the knowledge that when we come together to talk with, listen to, and learn from each other, we have the power to improve the quality of life for everyone. 

Individuals, nonprofits, groups of neighbors, and major regional institutions all convened for our inaugural On the Table day of civic engagement and participation. We are so thankful for the partnership of organizations like American University, Leadership Greater Washington, Howard University, and Venture Philanthropy Partners, each hosted multiple tables for robust discussion across a diverse set of topics ranging from supporting educational outcomes in the early childhood space to boosting African American participation in COVID-19 clinical trials. 

On the Table was designed to bring diverse participants together to have a data-driven, action-oriented conversation on how to improve the lives of our neighbors in the DMV. Conversations were grounded in data that The Community Foundation gathered with survey partner Gallup earlier this year. Our Community Insights survey revealed a region characterized by deep inequity but also pride in our communities and deep values around topics like ensuring a quality education for young people. 

Stephanie Berkowitz, President and CEO of Northern Virginia Family Services, participated in a conversation on economic mobility, noted:

“The value of it was the diversity of the participation and the data-driven aspect of the conversation and the opportunity to get people in a room together that don’t naturally have opportunities to get together, especially in the middle of a pandemic.”

Carissma McGee, a student at Howard University, underscored the importance of channeling conversations into action:

“I think today really mobilized people to take action even after the conversation… instead of just looking back and saying oh there’s a problem in my community, its taking a step back and looking holistically at what people are facing and having empathy.”

This WDVM segment highlights how VoicesDMV On the Table conversations brought together residents throughout the DMV area both online and in small, face-to-face groups to talk about ideas for improving their communities.

Community Action Awards

We are excited that On the Table generated so much critical conversation and are looking forward to supporting these community leaders in taking action on the issues and challenges they discussed in their conversations. To ensure these conversations move from ideas to action, The Community Foundation is now offering Community Action Awards—grants of up to $2,000 to individuals and nonprofits working to make our region a more equitable and inclusive place for everyone to live, work, and thrive. 

Through the Community Action Awards, we are interested in supporting and advancing neighborhood-level projects that will engage diverse communities and help grassroots leaders to implement their ideas. We are especially interested in providing resources to enable ideas and activities that were generated through On the Table conversations.

The application process is easy, with just four questions to answer in an online application form. We also invite applicants to share a short video clip describing the change they are hoping to see for their community! 

We encourage anyone in the community who has an idea of how to make our region a better place to live and thrive to apply, and to share this opportunity with people who may also be interested in sparking positive change in their neighborhood.

Community Foundation Welcomes Racial Equity Expert to Board, Bids Farewell to Longest Standing Member

Dr. Rashawn Ray, Brookings Institution Fellow, Professor & Executive Director at the University of Maryland

Dr. Rashawn Ray, a David M. Rubenstein Fellow in Governance Studies at The Brookings Institution, is Professor of Sociology and Executive Director of the Lab for Applied Social Science Research (LASSR) at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is also one of the co-editors of Contexts Magazine: Sociology for the Public. Formerly, Ray was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley.

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. His work also speaks to ways that inequality may be attenuated through racial uplift activism and social policy.

He has written for the New York Times, Newsweek, Huffington Post, and NBC News – and, has published over 50 books, articles, book chapters, and nearly 20 op-eds. Selected as 40 Under 40 Prince George's County and awarded the 2016 UMD Research Communicator Award, Ray has appeared on C-SPAN, MSNBC, HLN, Al Jazeera, NPR, and Fox News.

Recently, we were excited to feature Dr. Ray in our inaugural VoicesDMV Social Justice Town Hall, presented by Wells Fargo: From Grief to Action, a conversation about racial justice and the concrete ways we can take action to support the black community. 

 “Hate groups in particular have increased in the United States by up to 100%. What we have to realize is there is a continuum of racial hate – and that is embedded in our social institutions. I am committed to moving us towards the needle of racial equity,” said Dr. Ray.

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 Dan Mayers

This fall, we bid a bittersweet farewell to Dan Mayers, the longest standing member of our Board of Trustees. Dan previously served as Chair of the Board of Trustees and of the Governance Board of The Community Foundation’s September 11 Survivors’ Fund. He also served as board chair of the Harvard Law School Visiting Committee, Legal Action Center, National Child Research Center, National Symphony Orchestra, Sidwell Friends School, and WETA.

Dan and his wife Karen credit The Community Foundation with informing their philanthropy and introducing them to the region’s most effective nonprofits going back many years.

More and more, they have focused their philanthropy on groups serving low-income individuals and families. Dan helped to guide The Community Foundation’s Neighbors in Need Fund, established during the recession to strengthen the region’s safety-net providers and services, and the couple were major donors to the fund.

Together we can end homelessness

In 2018, in an incredibly gracious act, Dan donated $100,000 to begin the Dan and Karen Mayers’ Challenge. The Challenge aimed to raise $1 million for the Partnership to End Homelessness. We are thrilled to announce that we met the $1 million challenge during the first year of the Partnership. 

“In the past, homelessness was seen as an intractable problem,” says Dan. “Today, we have the leadership, tools, plan, and political will to end homelessness. The only thing missing is critical resources.”

“This is what community foundations do—they respond to community need,” adds Dan. “Time and again, I’ve witnessed The Community Foundation galvanize the generosity of concerned residents. I’ve seen compassionate people rally around urgent community needs, from natural disasters to 9/11 to the recession.”

We are so grateful to have worked with Dan, and for his years of service. Thank you for your investment in bettering our community.

New Grant Opportunities for Nonprofits Serving Greater Washington

The Greater Washington Community Foundation has opened its Fall 2020 Grant Round and is now accepting applications for Community Action Awards and grants from the Children's Opportunity Fund in Montgomery County and the Equity Fund in Prince George's County. 

VoicesDMV Community Action Awards

VoicesDMV is a three-part initiative that tapped into Community Insights through a regional survey, convened residents for On the Table conversations and Social Just Town Halls to discuss the issues that matter in our communities, and now will provide funding for Community Action Awards to help advance ideas sparked during these conversations.

The application is now open for small awards of up to $2,000 for individuals and nonprofits in Greater Washington working to make our region a more equitable place for everyone to live, work, and thrive. These microgrants are intended to support and advance neighborhood-level projects that will engage diverse communities and help grassroots leaders to implement their ideas. We are especially interested in providing resources to enable ideas and activities that were generated through On the Table conversations, held on or around October 1. The online application closes on Monday, November 2, 2020.

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Children's Opportunity Fund

The Children’s Opportunity Fund is focused on funding innovation opportunities that close the achievement gap in Montgomery County, Maryland. As a member of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading network, the Children’s Opportunity Fund is using a participatory grantmaking process to fund organizations providing direct service, advocating for, or researching literacy skills with children ages birth to 8 and their families. The Children’s Opportunity Fund will provide grants up to $25,000 for organizations with a budget of less than $500,000, that are focusing on early literacy, family supports, and tutoring.

Applicants must submit a proposal via The Community’s Foundation’s online application system no later than 4:00 p.m. on Monday, October 26, 2020.

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The Equity Fund

The Equity Fund supports nonprofit organizations working to eliminate social and economic disparities and create pathways to economic success for Prince George’s County residents. The focus area for the 2020 Equity Fund grant cycle is workforce equity and economic mobility for low-income people inclusive of people of color and other marginalized or under-represented groups. The Equity Funds seeks to support a diverse range of impactful programs to ensure that people who face social and economic barriers have access to high-quality education and jobs which pay family-sustaining wages.

Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded for program support. Applicants must submit a proposal via The Community’s Foundation’s online application system no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2020.

Educational Equity in our Response to COVID-19, and Beyond

By Kimberly Rusnak, Project Director of The Children’s Opportunity Fund

“We do run the risk that the learning loss students experience now will be the enduring legacy of this pandemic.” - Ralph Smith, director of The Campaign for Grade Level Reading, a national advocacy group

During a typical school year, children only spend 15% of their time in school.  For the 2020-2021 academic year, we know that “school” is very different.  Throughout the DMV, all school districts are starting 100% online.  Unfortunately, there are many students who are not fully participating in online learning for a variety of reasons:

• Insufficient technical support or access to the internet; 

• Not having a supportive adult on hand for support; 

• Distractions from pets, siblings, tv, etc.; 

• Digital eye strain after 3-6 hours of Zoom each day; 

• Isolation, depression, and mental health challenges; 

• For older children, they may need to supervise younger siblings; and 

• Decreasing motivation from not having clarity about academic progress in the virtual setting.  

The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated and laid bare many long-standing inequities.  Unfortunately, without significant intervention specifically focused on the needs of children, the challenges will get much worse.  

Our Regional Response to COVID-19 for education

Several years ago, the Montgomery Public School System (MCPS) and Montgomery County Government partnered with the Greater Washington Community Foundation to create the Children’s Opportunity Fund. It works to plan, launch, and expand strategic investments to close the achievement gap by addressing racial inequities and expanding opportunities for marginalized children and families. 

The Fund’s leadership decided to focus on helping kids build a strong foundation for life-long success after discovering only about 50% of third-graders in Montgomery County were able to read at or above grade level.  Research shows third-grade literacy has been tied to dropout rates, higher rates of anxiety and depression and increased behavioral problems. Therefore, ensuring our kids have a strong start is key to the community’s economic viability.   

In response to the pandemic, the Children’s Opportunity Fund is focusing on important programs for elementary school age children, including tutoring, family supports and early literacy interventions. Moving into the 2020-2021 school year, we’ll focus on building out effective, evidence informed programs to expand tutoring for Elementary School age children in reading and math, providing families with supports such as Equity Learning Hubs and access to affordable childcare options for families who cannot afford it otherwise.  We are also partnering with Waterford Upstart, a national evidence-informed program, to provide a virtual kindergarten readiness program for a cohort of four year-olds in Montgomery County. 

Join Us to Make a Difference

Through our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, we’ve disbursed more than $7 million to local nonprofits—more than $1 million of which supported organizations helping to expand educational opportunities for children and youth, and advocacy around childcare system improvements.

We are proud to help advance educational equity in our region – and hope you will join us in helping to make a difference. 

Provide Critical Support to Advance These Efforts

• Donate to the Children’s Opportunity Fund.

• Learn more about and donate to DC Education Equity Fund.

•  Donate a digital device (or backpacks, activities, and school supplies) to the “Back to School Bash”

Learn More 

• “Equal Opportunity for Remote Learning.” VoicesDMV Social Justice Town Hall 

•  “DC had a Summer to Connect with Students and Close the Digital Divide. Did it?” Washington Post

• “A ‘Covid Slide Could Widen the Digital Divide for Students.” Wired Magazine

• “Education In a Pandemic: Remote Learning and The Digital Divide.” WAMU

• “As Distance Learning Pushes Parents into Pods, Some Look for Ways to Make the Model More Inclusive.” The 74

•  “‘A Whole System Failure’: Test Scores Indicate Half of MCPS Third-Graders Can’t Read At Grade Level.” Bethesda Magazine

#MakeADifference Monday: Education and Youth

These past several months, while exceptionally challenging at times, have also been inspiring. We’ve seen our community come together to care for our neighbors in need, springing into action to support those most adversely affected by the pandemic. 

Through our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, were able to invest $7 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more. This would not be possible without our compassionate donors – a diverse group of individuals and businesses who helped us mobilize $8 million for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us to make a difference. 

You can read about our impact here – and, below, learn more about how our nonprofit partners helped create this impact. Their stories of kindness and courage are truly inspiring. 

The Young Women’s Project

YWP Youth Leaders advocate for educational change

The Young Women’s Project (YWP) helps build the leadership and power of young people, engaging youth as peer educators, advocates, and employees. YWP’s work engages under-resourced youth of color, ages 14-21; most are women and 20% are LGBTQ, in care, dealing with unstable housing

When the COVID-19 crisis hit, they expanded their educational advocacy work to focus on the immediate mental health needs of their youth. As a COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund Partner, they utilized 35 youth leaders from all 24 public schools in the District of Columbia to advocate for in-school job programs and school-based mental health programs. And, developed a set of recommendations to strengthen school-based mental health programming.

In total, youth leaders presented 27 testimonies to Committees on Health and Education! Their advocacy efforts helped make a drastic difference for their peers:

•  $4.1 million was awarded to expand school-based mental health services

• $4.1 million was re-investing in students’ social and emotional learning

• Reversed the $9.5 million cut to the Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Program at the Department of Behavioral Health and add $300,000 for community-based mental health responses

Latino student fund

“Since receiving this grant, decisions regarding school closures for Fall 2020 were announced for public schools in the DC metro area. After a summer of planning for hybrid programs, families are now struggling to find support for a year of virtual learning.”

Latino Student Fund students and tutors on a virtual session.

Now more than ever, the Latino Student Fund’s year-round academic programs are essential in our community. This regional nonprofit offers 8 different tutoring and college preparation programs to underserved Pre-K-12th grade students—all of which they were able to continue throughout the pandemic.

As a COVID-19 Response fund partner, Latino Student Fund quickly shifted from in-person to virtual tutoring, serving over 400 students within three months. They have seen an increased attendance rate from 60% to 80% since starting their virtual programs. LSF recruited additional tutors to provide one-on-one support in multiple subjects, helping students adjust to virtual learning in last spring.  

By providing academic support and safe employment, families have had an increased sense of security for their child’s future and students were set on a path to remain in step with their peers when they returned to their virtual classrooms in the fall

free minds book club and writing workshop

Books for Free Minds inmates.

We know that knowledge is power—but can we harness it for the disempowered? Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop has certainly shown us how. Free Minds uses books and creative writing to empower young inmates, offering a remote reading and writing program, virtual workshops, a weekly Letter Writing circle, and their “Write Night” events.

Throughout the pandemic, Free Minds, a COVID-19 Response Fund partner, supported hundreds justice-involved youth housed within DC’s incarceration facilities, and children enrolled in programs with their community partners. For example, their “Write Nights,” a monthly poetry feedback program, connected youth with community members who provided feedback on their writing. Write Nights have seen a 250% increase from their pre-COVID numbers, now serving up to 350 people each virtual session.

“Free Minds did a remarkable job of making the virtual Write Nights [an impactful] experience of youth poetry. The presentations have been focused, direct, and incredibly moving. Watching made clear the extent of the community that Free Minds has forged.” -Write Nights volunteer

Free Minds notes that they will keep striving to fulfill their purpose of “filling the large educational gap created by the act of incarcerating young people.” The longer the pandemic persists, the more determined they are to stay connected. 

the alliance of concerned men

During their grant period, the Alliance of Concerned Men (ACM,) a COVID-19 Response Fund partner, served at-risk youth, many of whom were under court supervision from the DC Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. This DC-based nonprofit offers services for youth crime and violence intervention, including social services, cultural enrichment, and recreational activities.  

In response to the pandemic, they launched the Cyber Transformational Mentoring program, partnering with other local nonprofits including Inner City Collaborative Community Development Corporation, Life Deeds, Sasha Bruce Youthwork Inc, and many others. The program brought youth and community members together virtually on multiple platforms: Zoom, social media, email and phone calls. They also helped build community and facilitate better communication through a large-scale social media campaign to engage their 6-week annual Summer Youth Employment Program

A leader from the program said the following: 

“We gave one youth the opportunity to tell his story. This youth was involved in over 40 robberies before his 14th birthday - and has since transformed his life.” -ACM leader

Back to School Means Facing the Digital Divide

By Erin Sheehy, Partner for External Relations, Education Forward DC

DC students are back to school, but for the vast majority of DC’s students “back to school” means back to learning—from home.

In March, when all of our lives were upended, schools acted quickly, creating work packets to mail home, developing online instructional plans, and giving out limited stocks of laptops and devices. But schools did not have enough devices to give to every student and too many homes in DC lack access to high-speed internet.

So three organizations with deep roots in the community — the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the DC Public Education Fund, and the organization I work for, Education Forward DC, came together to quickly provide DC’s students with needed internet access, devices, and basic needs.

Thus, the DC Education Equity Fund was established.

Credit: DeeperLearning4All

The focus was clear: help those students most in need get the resources and materials essential to continue their education at the onset of this crisis. We believed that schools were the right entity to directly receive this funding because they both know what students need to continue with learning and know what their families and communities are struggling with as we navigate COVID-19. 

Funds were split between DC Public Schools (DCPS), the traditional school district, and DC public charter schools based on student enrollment. We focused specifically on adult students and students who are at-risk of academic failure (students who receive public assistance through TANF or SNAP, are in foster care, experience homelessness — and, for high school students — are at least two years behind academically). 

Nearly 250 donors gave small donations to the Fund, totalling more than $70,000 and 27 major donors contributed more than $2.1 million to the Fund. Schools used nearly half of the funding to provide devices to students and more than 40 percent of funding to provide internet access to households. The remaining support covered basic needs, including groceries, toiletries, and transportation needs. 

Schools supported more than 4,000 students with internet access and more than 3,000 students with personal devices from funding through the DC Education Equity Fund.

At Achievement Preparatory Academy, a public charter school in Ward 8, Founder and CEO Shantelle Wright used the nearly $12,000 grant to buy devices for 125 students, hotspots for 120 students, and covered basic needs for 35 students and families. 

“We distributed wellness packages with basic toiletries like soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, and deodorant; and we purchased grocery store gift cards for each family who received a wellness package,” said Wright. “We also used funds to support our Feed Our People program, where we provide hot meals to families in need.”

Moving forward, the DC Education Equity Fund is focused on addressing the digital divide that disproportionately impacts our most vulnerable students, and being nimble and supporting what our most vulnerable students need in an ever-expanding crisis.

We face great uncertainty about the long term health effects of COVID-19, when we will have an effective vaccine, when students can safely return to school, the economic losses to families, economic set-backs for DC, lasting unemployment issues, student and family mental health impacts, significant learning loss for students, widening achievement gaps, and if some students will fail to return to school or not pursue college.

But the focus of educators and schools, leadership of DC’s Mayor and elected officials, the commitment of mission-driven support organizations, and ongoing philanthropic support will mean that many of the challenges we face will be mitigated or even eliminated.

And, with an unrelenting focus on equity, we can rebuild what education and schools look like to better serve the students who were not well-served by the old system.

Learn more about the DC Education Equity Fund and donate to the Fund here. 

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Erin Sheehy joined Education Forward DC as the Partner for External Relations in 2016. Prior to that, Erin was general counsel at a DC public charter school and spent most of her career as a lawyer with the international law firm Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Earlier in her professional life, Erin worked in public broadcasting for The Kojo Nnamdi Show, The Derek McGinty Show, and The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Erin taught in a Providence high school as a student teacher in college and worked for an education policy research firm in DC after graduating. Erin earned a BA in History from Brown University, and a JD magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. She is a DC native who lives in Ward 6 with her husband, three children, and two dogs.

Greater Washington Community Foundation Invites Area Residents to Put the Future of the Region “On the Table”

Residents to Gather Through Virtual or Face-to-Face Small-Group Conversations on Thursday, October 1

WASHINGTON, DC – Residents from across the Greater Washington region will gather for virtual or face-to-face small-group conversations on a single day – Thursday, October 1, 2020 – to discuss and reimagine the future of our communities as part of VoicesDMV On the Table, presented by the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing calls for racial justice in health, policing, and economy highlight how far we have to go to address the deep economic inequities and social challenges experienced by so many residents of the DMV region,” said Tonia Wellons, president and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “As a community foundation, it is central to our mission to have a finger on the pulse of our community in order to effectively respond to the most critical issues affecting our region. On the Table is an opportunity for our community to talk with, listen to and learn from each other as we work to build a more resilient community where racial justice is prioritized and everyone has equal opportunity to thrive.” 

Hosts can plan their conversations to take place any time on Thursday, October 1. Virtual discussions can be convened through The Community Foundation’s free interactive online platform, which includes easy-to-use, built-in discussion guides, or through another preferred video conference tool. Face-to-face conversations can be convened using proper social distancing at homes, offices, parks, community centers and other locations.

The topics, issues and ideas discussed during each of the On the Table conversations will be driven by the unique perspectives of participants, and the opportunities and challenges that are most important to them. The Community Foundation will provide discussion guides on important issues, such as racial equity, education, housing and homelessness, economic security, employment and workforce, and more, that were identified through a regional survey conducted this spring by the public opinion research firm, Gallup, to better understand the diverse experiences of the people who live and work in the Greater Washington region. Thousands of residents shared their feedback about the most important issues facing the Greater Washington region. The full report, along with summaries of survey responses by geographic region and a customizable data dashboard that helps participants to explore the report, are available at www.VoicesDMV.org.

“We are grateful to the thousands of residents who shared their insights through the survey,” said Wellons. “And we hope thousands more will join us to discuss what we can do to make our communities stronger through On the Table conversations. Together, we have the power to improve the quality of life for everyone in the Greater Washington region.”

On the Table is part of The Community Foundation’s VoicesDMV initiative, which launched in 2017 as a way to explore the region’s challenges and opportunities related to housing, transportation, safety, economic security, race relations, and community well-being. This year, VoicesDMV returns as a three-part initiative that, in addition to the regional survey and On the Table conversations, will help to fund ideas sparked during those discussions through Community Action Awards of up to $2,000 to move ideas from the discussions into action.

Created by The Chicago Community Trust in 2014, to date, the On the Table model has been adopted by more than 30 communities that have collectively engaged more than 300,000 people from coast to coast.

American University will serve as The Community Foundation’s lead outreach partner in encouraging Greater Washington area residents and organizations to host and/or participate in these On the Table conversations.

For more information or to sign up to host an On The Table conversation on October 1, visit www.VoicesDMV.org.

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ABOUT THE GREATER WASHINGTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Since 1973, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has been a champion of thriving communities and a catalyst for change through local philanthropic engagement, effective community investment, and civic leadership. We work with donors and partners to enhance the quality of life in the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County by aligning resources and leveraging shared interests to amplify impact. As the region’s largest local funder, The Community Foundation has invested more than $1.3 billion to build more equitable, just, and enriching communities where all residents can live, work, and thrive.

Celebrating Community Foundation Servant-Leaders

The Power of Philanthropic Impact

“I believe that the measure of our lives is how we impacted others.” -John Terry Beaty

John Terry Beaty, former Community Foundation Trustee and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee, understands the power of philanthropy. He grew up watching his mother work at the New York City Community Trust, which is where he says he learned to “help other people.”

Terry is an investment advisor with Brown Advisory, and has worked in the investment field for 40+ years. Prior to joining Brown, he co-founded Beaty Haynes & Associates, Inc., where he counseled clients and sought out new, strategic investment opportunities.  

Earlier this year, he left The Community Foundation’s Finance and Investment Committee, completing a total of 11 years of service. We were sad to see Terry go—but are so very grateful for his commitment, counsel and friendship over the years. Thank you, Terry!

“The dollars we raised meant that we had more money to give to our community. I got a lot of satisfaction of helping create that added value,” said Terry. 

Terry’s legacy at The Community Foundation will live on, though. He recently established a bequest at The Community Foundation with his wife Anne Mehringer. The bequest is completely unrestricted, meaning funds can be used by organizations for core operating expenses. Beaty plans to continue giving to The Community Foundation, and staying engaged as an active part of the community. 

“I believe that the measure of our lives is how we have impacted others,” says Beaty. “I want to have a positive influence on our community, our families.”

A Legacy of Service

David Bradt, a longtime trustee and friend of The Community Foundation, recently concluded his final term on our Finance and Investment Committee. Prior to his Committee service, he served on The Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees, even serving as Board Chair. 

Bradt, who recently retired as Managing Director of Andersen Tax, has extensive experience in investment consulting, tax planning, and financial planning with individuals and companies throughout Greater Washington. He has also served in various volunteer leadership roles, including Chairman and Board member of Greater D.C. Cares, member of the Board of Venture Philanthropy Partners, and a volunteer and fundraising dinner chair for Share Our Strength.

Virtual 2020 Bradt Nonprofit Award Celebration

 In 2019, as a meaningful salute to his service, David’s friends and family surprised him by establishing the David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund at The Community Foundation. The fund’s purpose is to provide an annual award that will enable a nonprofit leader in the Greater Washington region to attend an intensive executive training program. 

We are proud to have worked so closely with David, and are grateful for his years of service. Thank you for your thoughtful investment in bettering our community.

“Both David and Terry generously shared their expertise and experience benefitting The Community Foundation’s fund holders for many years. We are deeply grateful for his time and service,” said Rebecca Rothey, Vice President of Development and Senior Philanthropic Advisor.

Celebrating new chapters

Goodbyes can be bittersweet—and staff departures are no exception. This spring, we bid farewell to Shannon Scott, former Chief Financial Officer (CFO), as she took on a new role as CFO at the New Venture Fund. After 4+ years with us, we were certainly sad to see her go – but very excited for her new chapter with New Venture. 

“The Community Foundation sees people, and engages its partners to see them, too. What greater purpose could there be? How great for me to have been part of that unveiling and truth-telling where others opened their eyes to the need and to the solutions,” said Scott.  

Following Shannon’s departure, we were excited to welcome Juliana Mitrojorgji as Managing Director of Finance. Juliana has worked at The Community Foundation since 2011, when she joined as Senior Director of Finance. 

As our new Managing Director of Finance, she manages the organization’s quarterly and annual financial reporting process, oversees all investments’ related activities, audits financial data for accuracy and compliance, and communicates accurate financial information to individual donors, organizations, and other interested parties.

“I am passionate about supporting an organization with such a strong community emphasis. Being promoted to this senior leadership position enables me to have a greater contribution to the mission that the Community Foundation supports,” said Mitrojorgji. “My goal is to make The Community Foundation more efficient in its accounting practices, which will help empower The Community Foundation to continue to achieve its mission.”

Transformative Approaches to Justice: DC Fund for Just and Peaceful Neighborhoods

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

Alise Marshall, Public Welfare Foundation

The best ideas bubble up from communities. It’s a philosophy that Public Welfare Foundation feels so strongly about that we recently shifted our grantmaking strategy to get closer to the communities where transformative approaches to justice are happening. This on-the-ground approach allows us to partner with proximate, community-rooted organizations that are working on promising solutions to systemic problems.

We began this work in our hometown of Washington, DC. The District has many governance and structural traits that make it unique nationally, but it is these same traits that make it particularly challenging when it comes to the administration of justice. Yet the city is ripe for reform, offering leaders and policymakers with a willingness to test new solutions and practices. Some of our early insights were captured in this analysis we published last year on DC's justice systems.

As we met with, and learned from, DC’s community leaders, it became clear that community-rooted work at the intersection of race, criminal justice, and violence required greater investment. Part of our grantmaking strategy was the creation of the DC Fund for Just & Peaceful Neighborhoods with the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

Launched in the Summer of 2019, the Fund provides targeted, immediate support to neighborhood-based groups responding to the interconnected challenges of violence and incarceration. The DC Fund for Just and Peaceful Neighborhoods is fueled by the urgency to shift how our community and its systems respond to justice-involved youth and young adults, principally young people of color who bear the brunt of the nation’s gun violence and incarceration crisis.  

DC has long been a city divided, but that divide has grown more pronounced over the past two decades. DC is one of the heaviest policed cities in the country, with police interactions disproportionately taking place “East of the River” in Wards 7 and 8; racial disparities permeate every point of the system; and there is a growing need to address the intersection of violence and incarceration among DC’s young adult population.

There have been over 100 homicides in DC so far this year, an 18 percent increase from this same time in 2019. To change course and transform lives, we must reimagine what is possible for youth and young adults who experience violence or come in contact with the criminal justice system by investing in community-centered models of support that reflect the needs of young people; and building capacity among proximate organizations in the most affected neighborhoods.  

The DC Fund provides supports for select frontline organizations working to respond to violence through:

• Violence prevention, intervention, and building community cohesion

• Development and implementation of alternatives to incarceration and restorative justice practices

• Building voice and power across the justice-impacted youth and young adult community

• Concentrated efforts to repair the harm perpetuated by cycles of violence and incarceration in impacted communities

In January 2020, the DC Fund made awards to eight nonprofit organizations which are working to engage and mobilize individuals who have been impacted by violence and the criminal justice system through programs including job training and reentry supports, access to trauma informed services, policy education sessions, and the creation of safe spaces for youth and young adults.

The DC Fund for Just and Peaceful Neighborhoods is directing support to organizations working to interrupt violence in some of the most impacted parts of the city. Groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Returning Citizens and The TraRon Center – two DC Fund recipients founded by native DC residents who have answered the call of service in their communities and are helping those affected by gun violence address harm through the principles of conflict management, healing, and restorative justice.

Public Welfare Foundation is committed to advancing more transformative approaches to justice that are community-led, restorative, and racially just. And above all else, we believe in going where the need is greatest and where investment in bold responses to fractures in the local justice and safety context are lacking. We know, and research demonstrates, that true healing and restoration of those most impacted by incarceration and violence must take place in community-based settings-not in the punitive, restrictive settings that continue to define the American justice and public safety systems.  

Your Generosity Made a Difference

A lot has changed over these past five months. The one thing that has not changed is our shared commitment to support and strengthen our community.  

In times of crisis, The Community Foundation serves as our region’s philanthropic first responder. As our region faces a trifecta of crises that threatens our health, economic security, and racial justice, The Community Foundation has galvanized people and resources in response to these challenges and supported high-impact nonprofits serving our communities. With one-third of nonprofits in our region potentially closing or merging before the economy recovers – we knew this partnership was crucial.

On March 12, we launched the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to deploy critical resources to meet the urgent health and economic needs of this region. Our community responded with a strong statement about the power of generosity in the face of hardship and tragedy. 

You and a diverse group of businesses, foundations, individuals, and families stepped up to help us mobilize $8 million - with gifts ranging from $5 to $1 million - for coordinated relief and recovery efforts. Thank you for standing with us during our community’s time of need.

Caring for Our Neighbors in Need

These funds were quickly deployed to care for our neighbors directly impacted by the pandemic, and to provide aid to low-income families and communities of color who have been disproportionately affected due to pre-existing inequities exacerbated by this crisis. 

Our staff led working groups which reviewed more than 1,600 requests for funding totaling more than $60 million - a figure nearly seven times the amount raised to date. We were able to invest $7 million to support low-wage workers who have been laid off, expand access to medical care, equip frontline workers and clinics, address the digital divide, provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness, increase food access, and so much more.

Take Generation Hope for example, a nonprofit helping teen parents earn their college degrees while preparing their children for kindergarten. With support from our COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, Generation Hope moved its services online, providing student parents with virtual education, career readiness programming, and mental health support. 

“Our families are among the hardest hit by COVID-19," said Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO. "With this support, we've been able to really provide [our clients] with the critical services they need to weather this storm.” Hear more from Nicole in her two-minute COVID-19 Impact Story video. 

In It Together

We have witnessed some inspiring examples of our community coming together to meet this unprecedented moment with unprecedented generosity and creativity.

The Community Foundation was proud to team up with our donors and partners to advance educational equity for DC students, increase food security in Montgomery County, support small businesses in Prince George’s County, and help displaced workers earn an income by filling gaps in volunteer shifts at local nonprofits. These are just a few examples of the many ways in which our community has stepped up to meet this challenge. It is proof that we are all in this together!

Our newest initiative, the Arts Forward Fund, aims to help small and mid-sized arts and culture organizations make the shifts needed to successfully navigate this crisis and continue their essential role in our communities and lives. It is a collaborative partnership with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Harman Family Foundation, the Weissberg Foundation, and many other individual and institutional contributors. 

Partnering for the Future

As we prepare for what comes next, our goal is not to go back to the way things were before, but to work together to build a more equitable future for our region. Your continued partnership and care for our community inspires hope for what we can accomplish together.  

This is the final message in our COVID-19 response series, and we are using this opportunity to give you an inside look at what your support has made possible. Click here to view our Interim COVID-19 Impact Report with stories from our coordinated regional response efforts. A more detailed impact report is in the works and will be released later this fall. 

Thank you for supporting our efforts to ensure our region comes out of this crisis stronger and more resilient. We are so grateful for your support and partnership.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons
President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation and Cafritz Foundation Launch $1 million Arts Forward Fund

Grants Will Address Impact of COVID-19 on the DC Region’s Arts and Culture Sector

Recognizing the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on arts and culture organizations throughout the region, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has joined with The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation and eight other grantmakers to launch the Arts Forward Fund, a million-dollar initiative to provide critical support to help arts and culture organizations in the DC region to stabilize, adapt, and thrive despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Arts Forward Fund will award grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to help arts and culture organizations make the urgent changes needed to continue their work through the pandemic and beyond. The Arts Forward Fund also recognizes the need to address systemic inequities in arts and culture organizations and in our communities that have amplified the impact of the pandemic for Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, and will prioritize support for organizations founded and led by people of color and organizations that primarily serve communities of color.

The Arts Forward Fund was launched in July with a lead grant of $500,000 from The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, with additional support from the Harman Family Foundation, Weissberg Foundation, Linowitz Family Fund, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, S & R Foundation, Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation, Lois and Richard England Family Foundation, and Philip L. Graham Fund. The Fund will be housed at and administered by the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has altered the programs and finances of the region’s nonprofit sector in ways that even the most forward-thinking organizations could not have anticipated,” says Cafritz Foundation President and CEO Calvin Cafritz. “In helping to launch the Arts Forward Fund, we want to ensure that arts and culture nonprofits continue to carry out their missions, serve their communities, and pursue new paths during this crisis. We are happy to work with the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Harman Family and Weissberg foundations, and many of our colleagues, to help our local arts institutions continue their work and find opportunity in this moment.”

“The Greater Washington Community Foundation and our donors have a long history of investing across the arts ecosystem – from supporting anchor institutions to small theaters, visual arts programs, arts education, and individual artists. In order for our communities to truly thrive, we must continue to cultivate a broad-based arts sector where creativity can flourish and foster diverse and inclusive spaces for human connection and understanding,” says Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “We are proud to partner on the Arts Forward Fund to bring much needed relief to organizations that enrich our communities and touch our lives.”

According to a 2017 Americans for the Arts study (using 2015 data), the Greater Washington region’s arts and culture organizations contribute at least $3.75 billion in economic activity and nearly 60,000 jobs to the region’s economy on an annual basis.

Nationally, a white paper released in May by SMU DataArts estimated that the impact of COVID-19 on arts and culture organizations across the United States will be a net loss of $6.8 billion between February 2020 and March 2021—the equivalent of a 25 percent operating deficit for the average organization, even after significant reductions in expenses.

Interviews with dozens of small and mid-sized arts organizations in the DC region by the Cafritz Foundation in May found groups struggling with the financial and programmatic impact of shuttered facilities and the cancellation of performances and in-person fundraising events. More than a third had already laid off staff, with more layoffs anticipated as federal Payroll Protection Program funds run out.

All the organizations interviewed reported challenges with making the transition to online and digital programming. These challenges included production limitations that impact the artistic quality of online offerings, contractual and intellectual property barriers, and barriers to online participation as a result of inequitable access to the internet and technology -- particularly among youth-serving organizations. Generating revenue from online content is especially challenging.

Arts Forward Fund aims to help organizations address these challenges by providing grants to support short-term capacity-building, training, and innovation. Arts and culture organizations with annual revenue of less than $10 million in their most recently completed fiscal year are eligible to apply, provided they serve the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, and Arlington and Fairfax counties and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax in Virginia. More details and the call for applications are available here.

Funders and individual donors interested in joining Arts Forward Fund should contact Rick Moyers.

The Partnership to End Homelessness Welcomes New Leadership Council Members

The Partnership to End Homelessness is proud to announce the members of its Leadership Council, including leaders in business, health care, philanthropy, and academia; national experts; developers; and advocates for affordable housing and ending homelessness—all committed to ending homelessness in Washington, DC.

The Partnership, launched by the Greater Washington Community Foundation and the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness, is the District’s first-of-its-kind initiative to bring together the public and private sectors to expand DC’s supply of deeply affordable housing and to help people experiencing homelessness obtain and maintain stable housing.

“Homelessness is too big a problem for government alone to solve,” said Leadership Council Chair David Roodberg, CEO and President of Horning Brothers. “As a real estate developer, I’m committed to expanding housing opportunities for people who’ve experienced homelessness, but everyone in the business community has a role to play. This is an issue that affects all of us in one way or another and it is our responsibility together as a community to ensure everyone has a safe, stable home.”

On any given night, nearly 1 in every 100 DC residents experience homelessness, living on the streets or in the city's emergency shelters. Lack of stable housing makes it difficult for people to obtain or maintain employment, address health needs, and keep families together. 

Homelessness and the lack of affordable housing is a systemic challenge, and the Partnership approaches this challenge by aligning public and private sector resources to create systems level changes that allow people to be housed more quickly and to maintain housing stability. 

Homelessness is also an issue of racial justice—86 percent of people experiencing homelessness in DC are Black, compared to 46 percent of DC residents as a whole. We are committed to approaching this work with a focus on how we can address these disparities and make sure that everyone can access safe, stable housing. 

“Homelessness is projected to increase as much as 45% this year due to COVID-19. In DC, we urgently need to increase affordable housing in every ward of the city,” said Tonia Wellons, President and CEO of the Greater Community Washington Foundation. “The members of our new Leadership Council bring diversity, wisdom, experience, and commitment to ending homelessness in DC. With their support and dedication, the Partnership will work to advance proven solutions to ensure all DC residents have a safe and stable place to call home.”

 The Partnership’s Leadership Council will meet quarterly to advance the Partnership’s work to engage the private sector more deeply in combating homelessness.

The Partnership’s Leadership Council members include:

• Waldon Adams, Consumer Representative

• Neil Albert, DowntownDC BID

• Amanda Andere, Funders Together to End Homelessness

• Natalie Avery, DC BID Council

• Robert Burns, Citi

• David Daniels, Bainum Family Foundation

• Madi Ford, MidCity Developers

• George Leventhal, Kaiser Permanente

• Debbi Jarvis, Howard University 

• Bruce Jones, Howard University

• Nan Roman, National Alliance to End Homelessness

• David Roodberg, Horning Brothers

• Mike Schwartz, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

Partners include:

• David Bowers, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.

• Kristy Greenwalt, DC Interagency Council on Homelessness

To date, the Partnership has raised and committed nearly $10 million from partners including the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, Bainum Family Foundation, Diane & Norman Bernstein Foundation, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, and MidCity Developers, along with gifts from individual donors. This includes more than $2 million in support for the Grantmaking Fund to support nonprofits working with individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. Learn more about our grantee partners through our grants announcement and on endhomelessnessdc.org

The Partnership has also secured $7.9 million in investments for increasing affordable housing in our region through the Enterprise Community Impact Note offered by Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc. The Greater Washington Community Foundation is proud to have committed $5 million from its own combined investment fund to this program-related investment.

A Year of Impact and the Road Ahead

By Jennifer Olney, Community Investment Officer, Partnership to End Homelessness 

On any given night, nearly 1 in every 100 DC residents experience homelessness, living on the streets or in the city's emergency shelters.

The Community Foundation’s recent VoicesDMV Community Insights report found that nearly one in three residents know someone who has experienced homelessness or who is at risk of becoming homeless - and that many residents are struggling to find affordable housing. Lack of stable housing makes it very difficult for people to stay safe, obtain or maintain employment or an education, address health needs, and keep children in school and families together.  

DC has a plan to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring, and that plan is based on proven solutions; and prior to the current crisis, we know that plan was working. But we know that government alone cannot end homelessness or solve our region’s affordable housing crisis. It will take all of us coming together to do our part to ensure every DC resident has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

Last year, the Greater Washington Community joined forces with the DC Interagency Council on Homelessness to launch the Partnership to End Homelessness. The Partnership is the District’s first-of-its-kind public-private initiative focused on ensuring homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring in DC. By joining together, we aim to increase the supply of affordable housing for extremely low-income households and to help our neighbors obtain and maintain stable housing.

In the Partnership’s first year we have celebrated a number of accomplishments.

• We held a corporate symposium focused on corporate social responsibility strategies to address homelessness and affordable housing. Featured speakers included DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and Rashema Melson, as well as senior executives from Kaiser Permanente, Zillow Group, Salesforce, and Cisco Systems, Inc. The symposium was highlighted in a Washington Business Journal article which called on the private sector and philanthropy to step up its investments and use its convening power to accelerate our community’s response to ending homelessness.

• We announced the first round of grants for “flex funding” programs to support local nonprofits that provide Permanent Supportive Housing: Miriam’s Kitchen, Open Arms Housing, Pathways to Housing and Friendship Place.

• Jennifer Olney and Silvana Straw co-lead the Partnership to End Homelessness and the Housing and Homelessness Working Group. The Working Group was created as a subcommittee of the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund at The Community Foundation to address the unique needs of people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis. To date, this fund has granted over $1.25 million to support 36 nonprofit organizations working with and on behalf of people experiencing homelessness and housing instability to help maintain housing and access to shelter, medical care, and other critical services.

• We partnered with Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc. to help fund the development and preservation of deeply affordable and supportive housing. The first set of investments supported the development and preservation of 448 affordable units providing housing for formerly homeless individuals living with HIV/AIDS and for extremely low-income families in NE DC. Learn more about this initiative.

• We established a Leadership Council made up of private sector leaders and people with lived experience who are committed to ending homelessness. These individuals represent key sectors and will work with us to champion the issue and commit resources to this work.

• We held a Donor Learning Series to bring together our donors with nonprofit leaders and people with lived experience to discuss solutions to address the affordable housing crisis and chronic homelessness.

• With the help of the Daniel and Karen Mayers’ Challenge, we have raised over $2 million for our grantmaking fund to invest in nonprofits working with individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness to fill critical funding gaps, support innovative programs, meet emerging needs, build nonprofit provider and developer capacity, and support advocacy efforts.

• We launched a quarterly newsletter for the Partnership which provides updates and opportunities to get involved. Sign up today!

While we celebrate these accomplishments, we also know that with everything that has happened over the past few months – a pandemic, an economic crisis, and a movement for racial justice – if anything, our work to end homelessness is more important now than ever.

With the advent of COVID-19, and the economic crisis, the number of people experiencing homelessness in communities across the country, many for the first time, could rise by nearly 45%.

We have seen the housing crisis deepen and a growing number of households worried about how they will pay rent next month. As with the pandemic and economic crisis, we know that systemic racism continues to mean our Black and African American neighbors are disproportionately impacted.

As we move forward in our work to ensure everyone in DC has a safe, stable home that they can afford, we commit to continuing this work with a focus on how we can address the disparities in the homeless service system and in the housing systems in DC. We feel the urgency and we know that the time is now to work together and step up to make sure that everyone in DC has a safe, stable place to call home. 

We hope you will join us. 

Stuck Inside: Ending Women’s Homelessness During Coronavirus

Over the last four months, Calvary Women’s Services has focused on just one thing: keeping women safe.

As COVID-19 hit, people experiencing homelessness in DC were immediately at higher risk of contracting the virus because of their living situation—whether that was living unsheltered without access to water to wash their hands, or living in group situations, such as emergency shelters, where the virus could easily spread.

Calvary runs housing programs in the Anacostia neighborhood, providing single women who have found themselves experiencing homelessness with a place to stay and with critical support to help them find a permanent home. These women are often fleeing domestic violence and coping with health problems. Most are employed, working full-time or part-time jobs in restaurants, hotels, and retail. In DC, a quarter of all single adults experiencing homelessness are women.

As COVID-19 kicked in, these women lost their jobs, and with it the money needed to buy food, personal protective equipment, and other essentials. Housing moves were put on a complete hold.

“For so many women trying to move out of homelessness, coronavirus really knocked them off track,” said Calvary CEO Kris Thompson. “One of our residents, Angela, describes it as a tidal wave. She was on a path--she had a job, was saving money and the next step was finding an apartment--but now she’s back to square one.”

Calvary quickly responded by adding to the number of meals it provides residents, increasing from two to three meals daily, and purchasing face masks, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies to make sure everyone had what they needed to stay safe. It also increased staffing, to help ensure congregate households followed safety practices to stem the spread of COVID-19.

With a commitment to ensuring no disruption to the important services it offers women--from health care to educational and employment programs—Calvary quickly switched to remote, giving tablets to women who don’t own smart phones so they could participate. To enable some therapy sessions and addiction recovery meetings to continue in person, Calvary reduced groups sizes along with instituting physical distancing and face masks.

“The women told us: if we’re going to make it through this, we can’t lose our meetings,” explained Thompson. “We wanted to make sure that the women have a chance to check in with each other every day, while staying safe.”

Throughout the emergency order, the Calvary households stayed locked down, with residents only leaving for essential reasons. Like all of us, the women needed things to do while stuck inside, and so Calvary organized a variety of activities to give the women a different focus – from a walking group that goes out six feet apart along the Anacostia river, to gardening in masks, and socially-distanced games such as bingo.

Calvary was able to respond rapidly thanks in part to support from the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “I really commend local philanthropy and The Community Foundation for acting so quickly and very generously to the needs we have on the ground. The process moved fast, which mattered so much in April and May,” said Thompson. “I’m proud that we have such solid local philanthropy. It kept women safe in our program and kept people safe across the city. It saved lives for sure.”

After what has felt like a long time of sitting tight, women at Calvary are now starting to look forward.

It feels like we’ve all just been holding our breath,” said Thompson.

As the city begins to gradually reopen, Calvary is kicking its employment services back up so women can get back to job searches. Two women have already interviewed. As apartment complexes begin accepting new tenants again, Calvary is also helping women restart their search for a new home and secure rental assistance.

“What we know for sure from the pandemic is that you have to have a place to stay inside. Without a safe place to live, you’re at enormous risk not just for COVID-19 but for a host of health issues. It’s harder to maintain recovery from addiction, and to stay healthy physically and mentally, when you don’t have a home. Women experiencing homelessness are also more vulnerable to violence and sexual abuse,” explained Thompson. “It’s absolutely critical that all the women in our community have a safe place to live. We won’t end homelessness without it.”

Through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, The Community Foundation has leveraged its experience co-leading the Partnership to End Homelessness to support high-impact nonprofits working to protect individuals, families, and youth experiencing homelessness and to prevent community spread. It has also funded organizations like Calvary to both combat homelessness and address the uptick in domestic violence and other forms of abuse.