The Impact of Hands-On Grantmaking in the District

This post is part of a series highlighting the amazing impact that results when our generous donors take a hands-on approach to the grantmaking process through our various Sharing Funds.

Sharing Funds in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and DC represent The Community Foundation’s community-led grantmaking approach through a collection of philanthropic funds that provide financial support to local nonprofit organizations. The initiative helps donors strategically leverage their resources to create even greater impact in their own communities by pooling resources in support of effective nonprofits. It also brings donors, and other stakeholders, together to learn first-hand about the challenges facing the area’s most vulnerable residents. They engage in a peer-led grant review process to identify and support organizations that are effectively responding to the most critical needs.

Sharing DC supports nonprofit organizations based in and directly serving low-income children, youth, adults and families in the District of Columbia. Its focus for the most recent grant cycle was on youth post-secondary success, with a primary goal to help DC youth access and be successful in post-secondary education and training, including traditional college, university credentials and industry recognized certifications.

If you’re like me, donating to charity requires a certain amount of finger-crossing. You have a few favorites you give to every year, because you know they do a good job. But then there are all the others: a little here to one group, and a little there to another. Maybe their literature caught your eye, or a friend told you about them, or you read about them somewhere. I often feel like it’s a shot in the dark. But Sharing D.C. is different. The support from The Community Foundation’s staff and the evaluations I conduct with my fellow donors make me comfortable that our money is going to good causes.

—    Marcus Rosenbaum, Sharing DC Committee Member

In 2017, the Sharing DC fund granted $140,000 in awards to nonprofits across Washington, DC. Urban Ed, Inc. was one of the seven recipients in the latest round of Sharing DC awards.

Urban Ed’s mission is “to provide District of Columbia children, youth and adults with technology-driven education, information and skill development for sustained futures.” The organization helps DC residents gain marketable workplace skills in information technology and coordinates educational initiatives that address truancy and low literacy with the use of various levels and forms of technology.

With more than 19,000 people out of work, half of which are youth between 18-29, these high levels of unemployment perpetuate several community issues such as crime rates, substance abuse, domestic violence and ongoing high poverty. Helping young people find careers in high growth occupations establishes the footing for personal and family sustainability [and alleviates] many societal issues, particularly within the Ward 8 community.

Having strategic funding partners, like The Community Foundation and this Sharing grant, is essential to the growth of our TechnoForce program (now called the STEMAcad) and our ability to reach our goals to provide the city more career pathways in IT and serve more residents in need. With this grant, we were able to expand our program to provide 4 career pathways, bring accredited IT curriculum to the ward 8 community, and build a pool of 75 local minority IT talent for regional employers. [We are] bridging more corporate partnerships to support IT workforce development, diversity, and inclusion, [and] we are now conferred as a non-degree granting educational institution by OSSE.

—    Roxanne J. Williams, President

The Community Foundation is happy to announce the next grant round for the Sharing Funds is opening on June 4, 2018. To stay updated on our grant availability, visit our nonprofit page or join our mailing list.

June 5 President's Forum on Ending Homelessness

Please note: This event is exclusively for local private foundations and The Community Foundation’s donors and fundholders. 

Washington, DC, like every major city across America, faces an affordable housing crisis. Lack of stable housing makes it difficult for people to obtain or maintain employment, address health needs and keep families together. Housing plays a critical role in disrupting poverty, providing stability and creating a foundation for success in life. In DC, it is estimated that over 40,000 households face “worst case housing needs” which means they are paying more than half of their monthly income for rent and/or are living in overcrowded or substandard housing. However, approximately 4,700 households (or 6,900 people) at any given point in time are literally homeless – living on the streets or in the city’s emergency shelters.    

Please join us for an important conversation on June 5 with recognized leaders in the fight to end homelessness as they discuss the key challenges, opportunities and best practices from both a local and national perspective.

SPEAKERS

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

• Nan Roman, President and CEO, National Alliance to End Homelessness

• Amanda Andere, CEO, Funders Together to End Homelessness

• Kristy Greenwalt, Director, DC Interagency Council on Homelessness, Executive Office of the Mayor

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is dedicated to building thriving communities where all residents have a chance to lead healthy and productive lives. We focus on supporting marginalized people in our region to find pathways out of poverty, creating diverse and inclusive spaces that foster human connection, and preparing workers to succeed in our region’s changing economy. The President’s Forum is a quarterly series of conversations on a range of topics designed to help donors learn about critical issues facing our region and potential solutions. 

For more information and to register please contact [email protected].

Barbara Bush's Literacy Legacy

Official Portrait of Barbara Pierce Bush, taken in the residence of the White House, 1989

Photo credit: George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

While former First Lady Barbara Bush had many passions, none was more personally identified with her than teaching children and their parents to read. More than 25 years after leaving the White House, Mrs. Bush’s legacy continues through the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy which focuses on breaking the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy by developing and supporting family literacy programs.

All of us at The Community Foundation were deeply saddened to learn of her recent passing. The Community Foundation was proud and honored to be the home of her Foundation for more than two decades. We will remember Mrs. Bush’s passion, leadership and devotion to fostering family literacy.

Aware of The Community Foundation’s successful record of managing charitable funds for other national figures, in 1989 Mrs. Bush asked the Foundation to help establish her literacy organization. She was drawn to The Community Foundation because of our previous work with Former First Lady Nancy Reagan, who established a fund in 1985 to support anti-drug abuse programs dealing with the increase in drug use among the nation’s youth.

“The Community Foundation structure was uniquely suited to our needs,” said Benita Somerfield, Founding Executive Director of the Barbara Bush Foundation, adding that Mrs. Bush valued the high rate of return on investments, and knowing that assets go toward literacy programs, not overhead.

Since its creation, the Foundation has been sharply focused on its core mission: “to establish literacy as a value in every family in America, by helping every family in the nation understand that the home is the child’s first school, that the parent is the child’s first teacher, and that reading is the child’s first subject.”

Mrs. Bush firmly believed that family literacy programs help prepare children to start school ready to learn and that reading together brings families together. She also recognized how “literacy provides adults with the skills essential to getting a job, earning a paycheck, and attaining self-sufficiency.”

From 1989 through 2011, the Foundation awarded more than $40 million in grants to support the development and expansion of more than 900 literacy programs in 50 states and the District of Columbia. These community-based organizations and programs were found in schools, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, libraries, faith-based organizations and other nonprofit agencies.

“We would not be able to thrive and grow the way we have without the support and fine work of The Community Foundation,” Mrs. Bush said in 2003.

Ms. Somerfield credited The Community Foundation with helping to make Mrs. Bush’s vision possible by providing transparent and efficient back office support and grants administration. This included providing administrative support for the Foundation’s signature National Grant Program, where organizations across the country applied for highly competitive grants, and State Initiatives with grantmaking focused on Maine, Texas, Florida, and Maryland.

Although The Community Foundation is no longer the home of the Barbara Bush Foundation, her literacy legacy lives on. You can find more information at www.barbarabushlegacy.org. The Foundation is inviting anyone interested in honoring her legacy to share a personal tribute or make a memorial donation.

New Grants from Catalyst Fund Support Wealth-Building and Entrepreneurship

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is excited to announce $250,000 in grants through the Catalyst Fund, a new initiative focused on community-based efforts to support small business, micro-enterprise development, and entrepreneurship. The Catalyst Fund is an outgrowth of the Community Foundation’s long-standing support for job training and workforce development solutions, and also represents a shift in our strategy to consider the changing nature of our region’s workplaces and economy. According to an Association for Enterprise Opportunity report, the median net worth of business owners is almost 2.5 times higher than non-business owners. For people of color, the distinction is even greater—for instance, a Latino man who owns a business has a net worth that is approximately 5 times higher than his peers, while for a black woman the difference is 10 times.

“These Catalyst Fund grants underscore the importance of investments in wealth-building and entrepreneurship, as well as signal a need for more philanthropists and funders to invest in preparing workers for The Future of Work. The Community Foundation will make this one of the hallmarks of our forthcoming strategy to disrupt poverty and build thriving communities across the Greater Washington region,” said Tonia Wellons, VP of Community Investment at the Greater Washington Community Foundation.

Catalyst Fund Grant Awards

Life Asset

In the District of Columbia, the Fund is investing in Life Asset’s microloan and small business training program for low-income entrepreneurs. Life Asset works to alleviate poverty in the Greater Washington area by empowering people through affordable financial products, services, and education, thereby promoting self-help and self-respect and expanding social and economic opportunities for lower income residents. The Catalyst Fund’s $75,000 investment will help Life Asset scale its work to double its loan capacity in 2018.

"Life Asset is grateful for the partnership with The Community Foundation and excited to scale up our proven microloan program. Our goal for the next 12 months is to provide microloans coupled with business training to 800 low-income entrepreneurs - creating jobs and financial self-sufficiency through business ownership."

- Executive Director Markus Larsson

CASA

In Maryland, the Fund is making investments in a trio of community-based groups, each working to build wealth in grassroots communities using different and innovative approaches. This includes CASA, the foremost Latino and immigrant organization in the region with a mission to create a more just society by building power and improving the quality of life in working class and immigrant communities. The Catalyst Fund’s $50,000 investment will support CASA’s efforts to ensure that small local businesses along the International Corridor (spanning the neighborhoods of Long Branch in Montgomery County and Langley Park in Prince George’s County) are not displaced during the construction of the new Purple Line Light Rail.

“With the construction of the Purple Line having already begun, we have an historic opportunity to ensure that small businesses in the International Corridor not only survive the construction, but thrive in their revitalized neighborhood. CASA is so excited to expand our work in supporting the small businesses in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties affected by the Purple Line by offering technical assistance and advocacy, thanks to the additional support we will be receiving through the Catalyst Fund.”

- Jennifer Freedman, CASA’s Chief of Development and Finance

Impact Silver spring

The Fund has also invested $75,000 in IMPACT Silver Spring, whose vision is for every resident to lead a full and quality life in a racially and economically equitable Montgomery County. The Catalyst Fund’s grant will support IMPACT Silver Spring's ongoing efforts to build a local economy ecosystem that enables low-income residents of color to build and own a network of micro, small, and cooperatively-owned businesses - leading to increased financial security, assets, and community wealth. 

"We applaud the Greater Washington Community Foundation for investing in strategies that go beyond managing symptoms to root cause solutions.  While jobs can help people get out of poverty, they need assets to stay out of poverty."

- Jayne Park, Executive Director of IMPACT Silver Spring

Crossroads Community Food Network

Finally, the Fund has invested $50,000 in Crossroads Community Food Network, a Montgomery County-based nonprofit that works to bolster the local food system through programs that support and unite those who grow, make, and eat fresh, healthy food. Our investment will support the Microenterprise Training Program & Community Kitchen, a free, bilingual entrepreneurship and business support program for underserved aspiring food entrepreneurs.  Graduates are eligible to apply to use Crossroads’ brand-new Takoma Park Silver Spring Community Kitchen for entrepreneurs to create their products to potentially be showcased at Crossroads’ own Farmers Market.

“Funding at this critical juncture in our program will enable us to scale up our food entrepreneur training program to ensure our new community kitchen reaches full capacity. These two initiatives extend the opportunity of entrepreneurship to people who are often left out. We're thrilled to be able to provide more economic opportunities for low-income immigrants.”

- Christie Balch, Crossroads’ Executive Director

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The Community Foundation is thrilled to support these high-quality nonprofits in their efforts this year. If you would like more information about these organizations, the Catalyst Fund, or to learn more about how you can work to support workers and entrepreneurs to succeed in our region’s changing economy, contact Benton Murphy at [email protected].

Bowser Administration Announces $1.2 Million in Grant Awards to Nonprofit, Community Organizations

The Bowser Administration announced 25 awardees of the City Innovation Fund’s Safer, Stronger DC Community Opportunity Grant Competition. The grants, which total $1.2 million, are part of Mayor Bowser’s Safer, Stronger DC initiative.
 
“By working together with community organizations to take a smart, holistic approach to public safety, we are building on our progress and providing more Washingtonians and neighborhoods the opportunities and resources they need to thrive,” said Mayor Bowser. 
 
The 25 organizations were selected through an independent grant-making process managed by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Selected organizations serve children, youth, and families in the following selected priority Police Service Areas (PSA): 302, 304, 305, 404, 506, 507, 602, 603, 604, 702, 704, 705 and 706. These PSAs encompass the neighborhoods of Columbia Heights, Brightwood Park, Trinidad, Carver/Langston, Deanwood/Lincoln Heights, Fort Dupont, Benning Ridge/Marshall Heights, Fort Stanton/Garfield Heights/Woodland, Douglass, Congress Heights, and Washington Highlands. The grant period is for one year.
  
“These general operating grants will help build and enhance the internal capacity and operations of community organizations doing critical work in our neighborhoods with some of the hardest to reach and most at-risk residents,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services HyeSook Chung.
 
In all, 106 organizations applied for funding this round. This year, the Bowser Administration continued to offer technical assistance with the grant process through a partnership with Project 500. Project 500 is a business development program to help diverse businesses and nonprofits scale in terms of revenue, staff, and investment retained. 
 
“This final slate of City Innovation Fund grantees represents the diversity and complexity of issues facing our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Bruce McNamer, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “These organizations have demonstrated their capacity and commitment to providing access, equity and opportunity to all. The Community Foundation will continue to support the District of Columbia Government in its efforts to ensure that all residents benefit from the city’s economic growth and prosperity.”
 
The following organizations are being awarded grants:

Access Inc.
College Tribe
Community Services Agency of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO
D.C. Law Students in Court Program, Inc.
D.C. Creative Writing Workshop, Inc.
Do the Write Thing Foundation of DC
Excel Automotive Institute
Exodus Treatment Center, Inc.
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Generation Hope
Good Projects
Healthy Babies Project, Inc.
Innercity Collaborative Community Development Corporation on behalf of Saving our Next Generation (SONG)
Jah Kente International
Just 4 Us Foundation, Inc.
Latin American Youth Center
Metro DC Community Center Inc.
My Sister’s Place
Nomis Youth Network
One Common Unity
Sasha Bruce Youthwork Inc.
Schooltalk Inc.
Teens Run DC
Urban Ed, Inc.
Young Ladies of Tomorrow

“We are extremely grateful to receive this grant award,” said Pastor Gary Hill, Executive Director of Exodus Treatment Center, Inc. “The Woodland Terrace community has suffered more than its fair share of violent crime and related trauma. We serve as a safe haven of opportunity. Our programming mitigates idle time by providing productive and supervised training and activities for the community. This grant will provide the necessary resources to increase and build capacity for our pre-apprentice program.”  
 
The disbursement of grant payments is contingent on organizations successfully satisfying all District of Columbia business and tax requirements. 

For more information, contact Manon P. Matchett at [email protected].

A Surprising Benefit of the New Tax Law

Rebecca Rothey writes for Bloomberg Law and the Daily Tax Report about how donors can maintain or increase their charitable giving under the new tax law while preserving the tax benefits of such giving.

On the 50th Anniversary of MLK's Assassination

The anniversary of MLK’s assassination is a reminder of Dr. King’s remarkable legacy and how his message is both timeless and still so timely today. It is one that I often reflect on when thinking about The Community Foundation’s work and of our responsibility to our own community. But this particular anniversary also has special significance to myself and the donors and staff of The Community Foundation who have the opportunity every day to live the legacy of leadership of our former CEO Terri Freeman. For 17+ years, Terri led The Community Foundation’s efforts to advance equity, social justice, and the well-being of all in our community, doing so in ways that were reflective of Dr. King’s own leadership, commitment and vision. We are especially proud of the leadership role Terri now plays in advancing Dr. King’s dreams as the President of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis – located at the site of his assassination on this day in 1968. I hope that on this anniversary, you will join us in recommitting to his legacy, and in acknowledging Terri’s lifetime of effort to make his dream a reality.

Bruce McNamer

President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation

The Resilience Fund: A Year in Review

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

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

Helping Immigrant Communities

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

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

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

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

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

Countering Hate and Intolerance 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

Bruce McNamer

President and CEO

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Nicky Goren

President and CEO

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

Resilience Fund Steering Committee

Greater Washington Community Foundation

Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation

Harman Family Foundation

June Linowitz

Elaine Reuben

Rob and Sheri Rosenfeld

Mauri Ziff and Jeff Hamond

Honoring the Legacy of Cliff Kendall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How the Resilience Fund Reshaped One Couple’s Philanthropy

Rob and Sheri Rosenfeld opened a donor-advised fund at The Community Foundation in December 2007. A native Washingtonian, Rob is a real estate developer and investor who was previously a Managing Partner of JBG Rosenfeld Retail. Sheri is a native of Chicago who has lived in the Washington area for nearly 30 years. She is a psychotherapist and was in private practice. Over the years, the Rosenfelds have donated their time serving on nonprofit boards and contributing to causes near and dear to their family, such as the arts and cancer research. However, they decided to expand their approach to philanthropy when they heard about The Community Foundation’s Resilience Fund. The Fund was created in March 2017 to support the critical needs of nonprofits working on behalf of vulnerable communities affected by changes in federal policies. Rob and Sheri recently spoke about their experience serving on the Fund’s steering committee. 

What drew you to the Resilience Fund? 

When we learned about the Fund, it felt like an “aha” moment. We both had been searching for what one person or what one couple could do to speak to the troubling direction that this new administration was taking. Rather than moaning and groaning about changing policies, we wanted to take action. The Resilience Fund spoke to us.

What inspired you to join the steering committee? 

We took great comfort in knowing that both The Community Foundation and Meyer Foundation were involved in creating the Fund. We recognized the value of the two foundations, along with other foundations and individuals, joining forces to have a greater impact. While we were prepared to make a significant financial contribution, we wanted to do more than just write a check. We saw this as a significant time in our country, in terms of the political and social climate. If we were going to make a material commitment of our time and resources during our lifetime, it felt like this was one of those times.

How do you feel about the committee’s decision to focus on immigration, deportation policies, the rise of intolerance and the adverse impact of the federal budget on our region? 

Some may see these issues – especially immigration – through a partisan lens. We see them through a humanitarian and economic lens. In fact there are people on both sides of the aisle who see the merits of a robust immigration system. Having friends and colleagues from many different backgrounds, we feel that ALL people deserve the same rights and freedoms, including due process. We feel this in our bones and in our hearts. It’s heartbreaking to watch so much social and economic progress be rolled back. The Resilience Fund is ensuring that our neighborhoods “remain resilient, thriving, and more equitable and inclusive places to live despite policy shifts and ‘anti-other’ sentiments.” 

How does the steering committee make its decisions?  

The committee has conference calls or meetings at least once a month. We ask critical questions about potential grantees: Is the organization strong enough? Will this funding make a difference? Is this an urgent need? There are so many groups doing good work. It’s our job to determine which organizations will have the greatest impact. For instance, in September, we made an emergency rapid response grant of $25,000 to support Ayuda. That is exactly what this fund is intended for. At the time, Ayuda was addressing the urgent need for emergency clinics to prepare and file Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewal applications in DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland before the filing deadline. Our rapid response funding also provided legal services and consultations to advise DACA recipients about avenues of relief available to them. 

Would you recommend this Fund to friends? 

Absolutely. For the past year, we’ve been raising money from our friends and colleagues – and we aren’t done yet. Our goal is to raise support from friends toward the Fund’s ultimate goal of $1 million. In every administration there’s going to be a rollback of something. But this time, things are happening so fast and with such a large sweeping hand.  Together, we hope to soften the blow from these shifting policies. 

Learn more about the Resilience Fund's focus areas and recent grants.

Thank you for celebrating with us!

On March 12, more than 700 nonprofit, philanthropic, business, civic and government leaders came together to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Greater Washington Community Foundation and honor Carol Thompson Cole’s life-long dedication to our region. Thanks to the generosity of so many, the 2018 Celebration of Philanthropy raised a record-breaking $645,000 – with proceeds expanding charitable resources that enable The Community Foundation to ensure equity, access, and opportunity are available to all.

At the event, our President and CEO Bruce McNamer said: “This is a historic evening for The Community Foundation, as we celebrate our 45th anniversary. That is 45 years of strengthening the Greater Washington region. 45 years of bringing people and resources together for community change. 45 years of driving the region’s tremendous giving spirit. We are proud of this rich history and the meaningful work we have led in our community over the past 45 years. And we are honored to be our communities’ trusted advisor and steward, guiding the region’s philanthropic response to community needs.”

Greater Washington Community Foundation President and CEO Bruce McNamer, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, and 2018 Civic Spirit Award honoree Carol Thompson Cole

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser highlighted the impact of local philanthropy on our region: “It is our nonprofits who are right there by our side, connecting residents to opportunity and empowering Washingtonians across all eight wards. And it is so great to have a partner like The Community Foundation, which gives out nearly $80 million annually to support a diverse range of issues in DC and beyond – including their generous support of the Safer, Stronger Opportunity Grant Fund.”

Before a standing room only crowd, including four generations of her family, friends, mentors, and colleagues, Civic Spirit Award Honoree Carol Thompson Cole remarked on the significance of the evening and the award: “I am proud and truly honored to receive the 2018 Civic Spirit Award. Many thanks to The Community Foundation for recognizing my life’s work to help make this city and region one of the best places to live, go to school, work and do business.”

Carol reflected on her distinguished career in local government – most notably serving as the first and only female appointed as City Administrator – and explained how she was drawn to the work of Venture Philanthropy Partners after meeting Co-Founder Mario Morino and relating to “his vision for using a business approach to philanthropy and focusing on improving outcomes for our most vulnerable youth.” She encouraged all of us – donors and philanthropists, nonprofit and business leaders, educators and government officials – to “lean into the challenges facing our communities… and to embrace collaboration and think of ways that you can to continue to be a civic leader for our Greater Washington region.”

We are so grateful to all of the incredibly generous friends who contributed to the evening’s success and who have joined us in the fight to make our region a stronger, safer, and more enriching place to live. We extend the deepest gratitude to Celebration Co-Chairs David Bradt and Katharine Weymouth, our premier sponsor Kaiser Permanente, and all of the individuals and organizations whose sponsorship helped make the Celebration possible.

A special thank you to all of the performers and exhibitors from Arts for the Aging, Community Bridges, DC Youth Orchestra Program, D.C. Creative Writing Workshop, GALA Hispanic Theatre and Flamenco Aparicio Dance Company, Justin Trawick and The Common Good, Paula Brown Performing Arts Center, Young Artists of America, The Art League, Art Works Now, and Vanny.

Click on the gallery below to see more pictures. Photo credit: Digital PX

Announcing TNI Grants to Support Community-Based Groups

The Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI) Fund for Community Innovation was established in 2014 by The Office of the Prince George's County Executive and Prince George’s County Public Schools to support community-based organizations providing quality free and/or affordable out-of-school time programming for youth, ages 0-18, and families living in the Prince George’s County’s TNI communities. A total of $125,000 in grants were awarded to:

• Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington to provide 300 at-risk middle school youth with high quality out-of-school learning to enhance literacy and problem-solving skills, and the beginnings of preparation for a successful adulthood.

• CM Educational Program Services Inc to help at-risk youth and underprivileged families overcome recurring issues by providing Academic Financial Literacy Skills (AFLS) to the Suitland community.

• Leep To College Foundation to expand its capacity to provide developmental and supportive services which contribute to increased high school graduation rates and subsequent college attendance to additional high schools in the TNI communities, including Northwestern, Oxon Hill and Suitland High Schools.

• Scholastic Olympics, Inc. to expand visits from 3 to 10 Prince George's County high schools to offer academic workshops, afterschool study sessions and other activities that not only introduce students to Scholastic Olympics but prepare them for classroom rigor and the academic challenges of the competitions.

• Strive To Tri, Inc to empower the youth of Prince George’s County, ages 7 to 17, to adopt a healthy lifestyle through regular physical activity, participation in sports, and promoting positive eating habits.

• Take Charge Juvenile Diversion Program, Inc. to support Just For Her girls programs and Leadership Development and Life Skills boys programs at Andrew Jackson, Crossland High School and Suitland High schools to help reduce juvenile delinquency and recidivism and increase academic performance and graduation rates.

• Vine Corps, Inc. to provide students in Bladensburg/Riverdale, Woodlawn/Lanham, and Kentland/Palmer Park with weekly study halls to include tutoring, mentoring, and college and career preparation; open gym sessions; and leadership development experiences such as community service and outdoor activities.

Winter/Spring 2018 Site Visit Schedule

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

February 20, Montgomery County: Making A New United People

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

March 1, Montgomery County: IMPACT Silver Spring

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

March 5, Montgomery County: Urban Alliance

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

March 9, Montgomery County: Sunflower Bakery

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

March 13, Montgomery County: YMCA Youth and Family Services

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

March 14, Montgomery County: Youth/Police Dialogue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May 11, Prince George's: Mistaken Identity Foundation

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

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Exploring Our Community: Site Visits in Prince George's County

The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County has launched a new initiative to strengthen relationships between local individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. Each year, our donors and other community members join us in visiting several local organizations, to celebrate, support, and learn more about the important and diverse work happening across the County. It is our hope that building strong networks between our donors and effective nonprofits serving County residents will enhance the philanthropic experience and grow positive community impact.

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Highlights from Places We've Gone

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Computer CORE is a job training program that offers technological and professional skill-building courses for low-income adult residents of Northern Virginia to improve their careers and transform their lives. During a site visit to one of the organizations many locations, Executive Director Lynn O’Connell and Business and Community Partnerships Director Quincy White taled to us about the program’s successes, its challenges, and invited donors to sit in on a beginners excel class and interact with students.

“I’m not only learning things that will help me grow my business, but I’m also learning things to help me organize my daily life.”

— Student Participant

“The teachers here are really patient and truly care.”

— Student Participant

Our donors gained a deeper understanding of Computer CORE’s mission and values. Many of their questions were answered and the experience promoted program advocacy in a new way.

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House of Ruth Maryland is leading the fight to end domestic violence against women and their children. This local nonprofit provides victims with tools and professional resources to build appropriate safety

plans and reduce harm. Program Counselor Asjoure Brown engaged donors in a simulation activity called “In her Shoes”, introducing some of the challenges faced by victims of domestic abuse. We discovered the complexities of this type of work and the diverse way in which cases are handled.

Attributing all we learned, we can consider realistic program practices when evaluating outcomes and impact. The overall experience was rated both informative and meaningful.

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COMING SOON

The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County will begin touring other nonprofit sites starting in March 2018. Get ready to explore a variety of nonprofit organizations working on a diverse set of issues, including affordable housing, education, criminal justice, family and youth support, media projects, and much more!

If you are interested in attending one of our site visits, please contact Monique Riley at [email protected] or (301) 918.8480 ext. 164.

New grant opportunities from the Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative

We are excited to share a new grant opportunity offered through the Greater Washington Workforce Development Collaborative, a partnership comprised of local foundations, philanthropists, and businesses. Our workforce investments help workers acquire the skills and credentials they need to launch successful, family-sustaining careers, and help businesses attract, retain, and advance the skilled workforce they need to provide critical services to our community and remain globally competitive. Our work is focused on low-income, underemployed, and unemployed residents of the Metropolitan Washington region.

The Workforce Collaborative seeks qualified nonprofits to provide workforce development services to residents of the area within a one-mile radius of 965 Florida Avenue, NW. This area encompasses most of ANCs 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2B, 2F, 2C, and 5C. Proposals from invited nonprofit organizations to support the following activities will be considered:

Education, Training, and Employment programs that help older youth (16-24) and adults who are residents of the targeted neighborhoods improve their basic skills, employment prospects, and earnings. Eligible programming includes:

·     Work Readiness Programs

·     Adult Basic Education and Literacy Instruction

·     English for Speakers of Other Languages

·     Job Training and Placement Programs

One-year grant awards of up to $50,000 are available through this opportunity. To apply, and to learn more about eligibility criteria, please follow the link below.

Please contact Benton Murphy with questions at [email protected].

2018 Montgomery County Philanthropist of the Year Nominations Now Open!

Nomination Guidelines

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

Nomination Process:

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

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

For inspiration, look no further than our past honorees.

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Eligibility Criteria: 

All nominees must…

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

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

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

Deadline: March 23, 2018

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

The Community Foundation in Montgomery County

Attn: Bridget Hanagan

8720 Georgia Avenue, Suite 202

Silver Spring, MD 20910

[email protected]

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

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

Reflecting on the Significance of MLK Day in 2018

The arrival of Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year seems particularly urgent.  We have come so far as a country since Dr. King lived and died. Yet here we are, in 2018, in a society still so beset and with new permission for intolerance, divisiveness, and racism. Overt acts of injustice and discriminatory policies chip away at the highest ideals that our country was founded on and at the very fabric – the people – who make it great. But the daily negative images, narratives, and rhetoric that allow us to rationalize inequity and injustice are particularly oppressive to people of color and to our national conscience.

On this MLK Day, as we acknowledge these challenges, we must also reflect on and commit anew to Dr. King’s vision and belief that while "the arc of the moral universe is long, it bends towards justice." We must not forget the important role we play, along with you our community of givers, to every day be the “benders”.  

Today, we once again affirm our unwavering commitment to this community and to all who call the Greater Washington region home, including our most vulnerable neighbors. We aim to remove barriers and facilitate access so that children and families can live in a safe environment, earn a living wage, and build assets for a secure future. For a region that is free of discrimination and preordained disadvantage based on race, income, gender, or zip code. In order to accomplish this vision, we will be even more deliberate and intentional about creating effective partnerships that work to disrupt generational poverty that is rooted in historical inequity; to foster solutions alongside those most impacted; and to adjust our proposed interventions responsively, based on current context, need, and opportunities. 

In our work, and particularly on this day, we are inspired by the courage, commitment, and indomitability of Dr. King. Working alongside donors, nonprofits, and community members, we see the promise and potential to realize Dr. King's dream for what a great America could really mean.

We invite you to learn more about our community investment work and initiatives which inspire neighbors – donors, community organizations, government, and the private sector – to work together to improve the economic conditions and social well-being of our entire community. Through them we invest directly in people, nonprofit organizations, communities, and changing systems to solve social problems and improve lives. 

Thank you for your continued support of our work to strengthen the Greater Washington region.

Sincerely,
Bruce McNamer
President and CEO

Journey to Security: An Immigrant Woman's Path to Launching a Career in IT

When Betty Gebremariam, an Ethiopian immigrant, sought a new position in the US to support her family, she knew a few challenges lay ahead. Most of her work experience was in Ethiopia, and English was her second language. And, though educated at Admas College in Ethiopia, Betty had no United States based training or education. Her husband was employed, but with two children, the family still struggled financially.

Motivated and determined, Betty decided to focus her energy not only on getting a job, but on launching a career with longevity and financial security for her family. She knew that the IT industry was in-demand and saw many opportunities in the field, so Betty set her sights on a position as a help desk technician.

In February 2016, Betty turned to the Skillsource Group, a nonprofit organization that offers employment and training services to Northern Virginia area employers, job seekers and youth. The Northern Virginia IT Employment (NVITE) Partnership, led by Skillsource, was one of three grantees selected by The Community Foundation’s Workforce Collaborative to provide unemployed and underemployed low-income job seekers with intensive case management, employment coaching and skills training to launch or advance them into entry-level Information Technology living wage careers as Computer User Support Specialists.

That May, Betty started training at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) and earned a JAVA programming certification. Intellectual Point, a technology company in Reston, had an open position for a help desk technician. Betty’s case manager submitted her resume, now equipped with a new skillset, for the On-the-Job Training (OJT) opportunity, and Betty was hired after interviewing with the owner. She excelled and retained employment with Intellectual Point, earning $15 an hour.

“I am so grateful to Skillsource Group for assisting me in training and job placement. I am now starting my dream job path,” Betty says. “I have been energized to traverse the road ahead in success.” Betty adds her financial distress is gone, and remarks how patient and helpful Skillsource Group and her new employer Intellectual Point were in her journey.

The Workforce Collaborative congratulates Betty on her new career — Betty is the very first job candidate to graduate and achieve a job placement through the Collaborative’s Greater Washington Works initiative.

The Workforce Collaborative is a coalition of local workforce investors who share a common commitment to addressing poverty and income inequality by helping workers advance their skills and credentials so they can earn family-sustaining wages. Current Collaborative partners include The Community Foundation, the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase & Co., the Consumer Health Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, the Moriah Fund, Northern Virginia Health Foundation, the Weiss Fagen Fund, the Marian Osterweis Fund, United Way of the National Capital Area, and the Washington Area Women’s Foundation.

Greater Washington Works is a $1 million grantmaking initiative of the Collaborative designed to address local employer hiring challenges by meeting the talent needs of local IT and Healthcare employers. Greater Washington Works will support at least 250 local workers to launch living-wage careers in the IT and Healthcare sectors.

To learn more about The Workforce Collaborative, visit www.gwwdc.org.

A Season to Give Thanks to Our Valued Friends and Partners

As 2017 comes to a close, we are so thankful for the generosity of The Community Foundation's donors and for the commitment of our nonprofit partners who make our community development work possible. Together, we are contributing to a more vibrant, equitable, and inclusive community for all who call the Greater Washington region home.

For going on 45 years, The Community Foundation has brought together people and resources to tackle critical community issues. We want to acknowledge and extend our deepest thanks this holiday season to the amazing nonprofit partners that work tirelessly to help strengthen the Greater Washington region.

We are excited to share with you the robust list of organizations who were rigorously vetted and selected to receive one of the nearly 200 grant awards issued through our competitive and discretionary grant rounds during our current fiscal year to date! These grants, totaling in excess of $6 million, include investments across the region focused on a diverse set of issues from education and workforce development, support for immigrant communities, strengthening the safety net, and preserving the natural environment.

On behalf of everyone here at The Community Foundation, we look forward to continuing to work with you in the new year to strengthen the Greater Washington region.

Sincerely,
Tonia Wellons,
VP Community Investment

The Resilience Fund Announces New Grants Targeting the Climate of Hate and Intolerance in the Greater Washington Region

The Resilience Fund, a component fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, today announced $135,000 in new grants to organizations working to address the recent increase in hate, intolerance and incivility in the Greater Washington region. With this new round of grants, the Resilience Fund is supporting several local grassroots organizations working to build community cohesion through powerful conversations and neighbor-to-neighbor engagement. This round also invests in national organizations offering local anti-bullying/anti-bigotry interventions and techniques for teaching young people how to identify “fake news.” 

• $50,000 grant to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to expand the number of schools in the region benefitting from the No Place for Hate program, which provides an organizing framework for combating bias, bullying, and bigotry, leading to long-term solutions for creating and maintaining a positive school climate.

• $25,000 grant to the News Literacy Project to expand the reach of its checkology® virtual classroom – an online platform for teaching middle and high school students how to sort fact from falsehood in the digital age – and to co-sponsor a NewsLitCamp that places educators in a local newsroom for training and workshops with journalists.

• $20,000 grant to IMPACT Silver Spring to strengthen social cohesion and bridge racial and socio-economic divides in diverse communities by hosting a series of events and community conversations to raise individual awareness and understanding of the connection between historical and structural racism and today’s challenges.

• $15,000 grant to Progressive Maryland to expand staffing capacity to train and mobilize a newly-expanded volunteer base of Maryland residents who are ready to build community cohesion by acting to ensure fair elections, increase the minimum wage, and improve access to healthcare.

• $15,000 grant to Many Languages, One Voice (MLOV) to support monthly "Community Center Sundays" as part of the DC Immigrant Organizing Center, providing cultural celebration, healing, and information and education sessions for community members.

• $10,000 grant to the Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund to support its Seat at the Table program, an effort to strengthen community and a path to progress by creating space to discuss issues that matter most to Prince George’s County residents.

The Resilience Fund was created in early 2017 as a collaborative partnership of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, and other foundation and individual contributors. It seeks to address the critical needs of nonprofits responding to changes in federal policy and budget priorities, as well as the climate of intolerance and hate, both of which are disproportionately impacting people of color, and immigrant and refugee communities.

Over the summer, the Resilience Fund awarded its first grants — three grants totaling $110,000 — to community organizations working throughout the region to support residents and families affected by changes in international travel, immigration, and deportation policies. The grants supported the region’s networks of immigrant-serving organizations to expand their collaborative work to ensure that community members understand their legal and civil rights, take precautions to stabilize their families in the event they are detained, and receive legal representation.

In early September, following the President’s decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the Fund announced a $25,000 emergency response grant to Ayuda. The grant helped Ayuda address the urgent and immediate need for emergency clinics to prepare and file DACA renewal applications in DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland before the October 5 filing deadline. Ayuda also provided legal services and consultations to advise DACA recipients regarding possible avenues of relief that may be available to them.

“A recent study from the Greater Washington Community Foundation and Urban Institute found that although our region is diverse and generally more accepting of people from different backgrounds, discrimination remains a very real concern for many residents,” said Tonia Wellons, VP of Community Investment for The Community Foundation. “The Resilience Fund is responding to community needs to ensure our neighborhoods remain resilient, thriving, and more equitable and inclusive places to live despite the implications of policy shifts and ‘anti-other’ sentiments that impact us locally. We invite those who are concerned about what is happening in our communities to stand with us against hate and intolerance by contributing to this Fund today.”

The current round of grants reflects the Resilience Fund’s interest in supporting broader efforts across the region to address the climate of hate and intolerance, and the uptick in violent incidents linked to race, religion, national origin, and other differences. Grantee organizations were identified through an open call for ideas conducted by the Fund’s Steering Committee to identify community-based solutions that work to limit intolerance and build community cohesion.

The Fund has raised more than $500,000 to date, and has expanded its goal to reach $1 million by March 2018. More information is available online at www.thecommunityfoundation.org/resiliencefund. 

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The Resilience Fund Steering Committee

Greater Washington Community Foundation
Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation
Harman Family Foundation
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
June Linowitz
Elaine Reuben
Rob and Sheri Rosenfeld
Mauri Ziff and Jeff Hamond