Mentoring Matters

Guest post by Rev. Judie S. Martin, Executive Director, InnerCity Collaborative Community Development Corporation

This is the second post in a new blog series on “Building A Safer, Stronger DC,” featuring stories from grantees of the City Fund Safer, Stronger DC portfolio. View the full series here.

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On a 95-degree day, high risk intervention strategist (mentor) Ronnie Myers ventured to Lincoln Heights to pick up five youth, ages 13-19. He gazed across the street to see what they see on a daily basis – crime, drug deals, fancy cars pulling into and out of the public housing complex, elderly women at the bus stop and young mothers with children just hanging out on the block. The youth thank Mr. Myers for coming to take them out for a meal at Chipotle and to talk about the upcoming school year. The conversation is mixed with highs and lows. The highlights are around going to school and having somewhere else to go every day. The lows are wondering whether they will make it through the year, as they begin to recount the friends that have been shot, bullied and even killed, just going to or from school. But despite all of that, they are eager and glad to hear about programs offered by the InnerCity Collaborative Community Development Corporation, including mentoring, housing assistance, counseling, and other social service referrals. 

Through the Credible Messenger Initiative of the District’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services and with funding support from Safer, Stronger DC, InnerCity Collaborative CDC has been able to work with some of the toughest youth, engaging in some of the riskiest behavior. These children and adolescents are at important periods of development and are vulnerable to taking the wrong step, which is why mentors are important for them. Mentors may not be able to change how fast a child’s brain develops or force a child to make certain decisions, but mentors can share their worldviews, experiences, knowledge, support and advice, as well as provide a positive influence. By introducing youth to new experiences and sharing positive values, mentors can help young people avoid negative behaviors and achieve success.

For example, another youth in our program has turned her artistic talent into a t-shirt that is being promoted as the DYRS call to action for anti-gun violence campaign, GUNZ DOWN DC. She and several other youths from our program are helping to promote this CTA on several media outlets throughout the city. Many of these youth, who have been victims of violent crimes themselves, have also made a song to accompany their message. 

Research studies have found that there is a benefit of program participation for youth, with at-risk youth being most likely to benefit. A study of 46 programs for delinquency (e.g., aggression, drug use and academic achievement) found mentoring for high-risk youth to have a positive effect on delinquency, academic functioning, aggression and drug use.

Above all, mentors are motivators and role models, who believe in their mentees, see their potential and help them get to where they want to go. Children and adolescents, in contrast, have more limited worldviews and experiences, are individuating themselves, and are beginning to rely less on parents and more on peers. This is even more complex for adjudicated youth with whom the work of the InnerCity Collaborative CDC has as its primary focus. We provide high risk mentoring and wrap around support for the family as well as the youth. This type of engagement highlights the greatest need of the communities we support, family nurturance and guidance. If you think back to when you were a teenager, you may remember trying to figure out who you were and how to navigate through social norms. And most of us had a responsible adult that helped us to make those life choices. Such is not the case for many of the District’s inner-city youth and their families.

Despite the importance of mentorship for youth, one in three young people report never having an adult mentor while growing up. This statistic translates to approximately 16 million youth, including 9 million at-risk youth, reaching age 19 without ever having a mentor. For children and adolescents, finding a mentor can be more difficult. But thanks to the Safer, Stronger DC opportunity and the DYRS Credible messenger initiative we are changing lives and communities.

A Monarch Butterfly Spreads His Wings

Guest post by Karen Gardner, Executive Director, Reading Partners

This is the first post in a new blog series on “Building A Safer, Stronger DC,” featuring stories from grantees of the City Fund Safer, Stronger DC portfolio. View the full series here.

Right around this time last year, we first got to know Anthony* as a charismatic second grader who really liked to tell tales. Tall ones. One of the stories he liked to tell was about a shark in his bathtub, which included what the shark ate, how the shark got into his bathtub and even where it went when the water was drained. Anthony was an imaginative thinker who had thoughts and opinions on just about any topic. But when you asked him to read, the normally outgoing student would transform into a shy one, barely uttering a word.

Anthony found decoding and reading fluently a challenge. It caused him to daydream in class and rarely engage in reading, so his teacher recommended him for Reading Partners, a one-on-one literacy tutoring program for kids struggling with reading. Thankfully, Anthony’s school, Malcolm X Elementary in Ward 8, was one of two schools where Reading Partners’ program expanded significantly with the support of the City Fund just two years prior.

Anthony was about a year below grade level. When the site coordinator assessed him, she noticed that because he struggled to decode words, he would just skip over a word if he didn’t know it. He was quickly paired with two seasoned community tutors, Ms. Layla and Ms. Beth, who both had experience with shier students.

To help Anthony move past his shyness and gain more confidence, his tutors worked with their site coordinator to find ways to incorporate his own stories into the lessons. They figured if they could get him to talk about something he was really interested in, he might become more comfortable with them and therefore more comfortable reading aloud.

One day, Anthony was completing a normal lesson with Ms. Layla. The site coordinator was listening in on their session because they were always full of energy. After reading a book about butterflies, Anthony began asking Ms. Layla questions about the text just as she would have done. The site coordinator listened more closely and realized he was quizzing Ms. Layla specifically about the Monarch butterfly and was utilizing information from a previous session. She was so astounded at his confidence that she sat back in awe. Anthony went on to show Ms. Layla where in the text certain answers were and shared the information he previously learned.

This interaction showed that all his hard work had paid off. He was able to decode larger words, understand the text, and relate it to his own prior knowledge. This once shy student had developed into a now confident super reader that read literally everything on the walls as he walked the hallway with his site coordinator!

Reading Partners gave Anthony a place where he could move away from feeling like he might make a mistake, to where he had the courage and knowledge to correct a mistake. In the reading center, he could be himself. Now, in class, he is more inclined to raise his hand and readily speaks up. Anthony learned how to use the context clues in the text to better understand vocabulary words and no longer shies away from multisyllabic words. He is a much more fluent reader and now reads with expression.

Without Reading Partners, Anthony’s full potential might not have been realized. He would have continued to be afraid to read for fear of making a mistake and he most likely would have fallen even further behind.

If not for the literacy skills he acquired, Anthony also might not have discovered that he loves facts and that non-fiction books are his thing! And he might not have made new friends in Ms. Layla and Ms. Beth, who truly loved listening to his stories, no matter how tall. Their commitment to Anthony’s success contributed to the fact that he’s now on a path to a brighter future. I’m thrilled to share that Anthony finished the school year on grade level. He now understands that reading matters.

Reading matters because it is the foundation for all future learning. Yet nationwide, 80% of students from low-income households are not reading proficiently by fourth grade. In addition, not reading proficiently by the end of fourth grade makes students four times more likely to drop out of high school. Illiteracy in our country is an epidemic with serious consequences for our communities — but it’s a solvable problem. In fact, research shows that no one factor can so dramatically shape a person’s chance of success and well-being as learning to read.

Reading Partners is fully committed to strengthening our communities by working with students like Anthony. At Reading Partners, community tutors from all walks of life come together to share their love of reading and learning, empowering the next generation to succeed in school and in life. Anthony’s accomplishments are a great example of what can be achieved when a community comes together and encourages a child to excel.

In the words of his site coordinator, “Without Reading Partners, Anthony may not have blossomed into such a wonderful, brilliant student. He always has a tall tale and he can go on and on about these stories. I can see him writing a script for a children’s movie someday. When I think of Anthony, I think of the Monarch butterfly.”

*Names have been changed.

“Inner City Blues”: The Dual Reality of Building a Safer, Stronger DC

By Manon P. Matchett, Community Investment Officer, Greater Washington Community Foundation

As a proud and happy resident of the Hillsdale community for the past 15+ years, I have dutifully crossed the Anacostia River every day to travel to work. Most of that time has been spent working in philanthropy. The landscape has changed significantly these last few years.    

The optics of my commute change as I travel downtown. As I exit the Frederick Douglass bridge and drive past the new DC United Audi and the Washington Nationals stadiums on each side of me, I am reminded of how change has come, slowly and sometimes painfully. Neighborhoods that were crime-ridden and desolate are now thriving communities with quaint restaurants, trendy boutiques and high-rise luxury apartments. Streets have awoken from their coma with a promise never to sleep again. This is a new city hustle and bustle, that is energizing, even calming. Yet, not all communities are experiencing the region’s progress and prosperity in the same way.

The reality of the work that I do at The Community Foundation and how our focus on improving our communities personally affects me and my family has hit home in recent weeks. Within the last month, yellow crime tape has decorated my street. Shots were fired. On the street where my family lives. The most frightening experience was watching Metropolitan Police officers canvassing my block for bullet casings. I walked away after the twelfth marker was placed on the street. Last Sunday, a young man, with a bright future was gunned down on his way home from the corner store. I purposely drive in the opposite direction, so I do not have to see his deathbed – a small plot of bloodstained grass.

As a community leader, funder, convener and advocate, The Community Foundation has a long history of responding to urgent and emerging community challenges by addressing both short-term needs and creating long-term solutions. Most recently as the number of violent crimes committed in the District has surged, particularly in communities like mine which are located East of the River, I have participated in conversations with the philanthropic community, community-based organizations, and the District Government to identify ways we can contribute to and accelerate various violence prevention strategies. As a result of these conversations, The Community Foundation has mobilized the generosity of local funders to support the implementation of a pilot program that targets a small set of District neighborhoods using the Cure Violence methodology. While this program is just beginning to launch, I am heartened by the ongoing work of local community groups who are already offering a range of solutions to address violence prevention in our homes, in our schools, and in our communities.

In 2016, the Greater Washington Community Foundation assumed grantmaking for Mayor Bowser’s Safer, Stronger DC initiative. This was a targeted, place-based approach to meet the unique and varying needs of high crime neighborhoods. Since then, we have successfully conducted three grant rounds totaling $4 million to 95 organizations serving 13 Police Service Areas in Wards 1, 5, 7, and 8. I am immensely proud of what this portfolio of organizations is achieving.

Over the next few weeks, grantees from the City Fund Safer, Stronger DC portfolio will share their stories of how their respective organizations provide necessary safety-net, violence prevention and violence intervention services to some of the most vulnerable populations and under-resourced communities in the District. None of them will tell how grueling and sometimes discouraging their work can be. Many mask the pain of being unable to help everyone. Quite a few are still grieving the loss of life and potential of those they have served. Yet, all of them wake anew each day ready to start all over again filled with hope and courage.

My own commuting mentality is evolving. On good days, I am not just crossing the river, I am crossing a bridge. I am coming home to new residences, redeveloping commercial corridors and more options for shopping and dining. Despite all this, I make the journey home filled with anxiety and trepidation because I do not know what to expect. To ease my spirit, I hum the lyrics to “Inner City Blues” from the iconic and native Washingtonian Marvin Gaye. Some days “it makes me wanna holler and throw up both my hands.” My heart calms as I turn onto my street and see an MPD cruiser parked nearby. It is temporary solace knowing that my community has one more night of peace.

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Building A Safer, Stronger DC Blog Series

Building A Safer, Stronger DC is a new blog series featuring stories from grantees of the City Fund Safer, Stronger DC portfolio.

• A Monarch Butterfly Spreads His Wings, by Karen Gardner, Executive Director of Reading Partners

• Mentoring Matters, by Rev. Judie S. Martin, Executive Director, InnerCity Collaborative Community Development Corporation

• Defending Procedural Justice in DC, by Abigail Scott, Esq., Co-Director, Civil Protection Order Project of DC Law Students in Court

• We Are All About Community, by Lizzie Majewski, Director of Operations at Teens Run DC

• Art with Purpose, by Jessica Truitt, Deputy Director, Kid Power, Inc.

• Hope for the Girl in the Twirling Skirt, by Andrea Powell, Founder and Executive Director, FAIR Girls

Fund Combats Domestic Violence in Prince George's County

Photo provided by Community Advocates for Family & Youth

“We have seen a dramatic reduction in crime in Prince George’s County over the last decade, but some of the most horrific violent crimes that have occurred in recent years stem from domestic violence,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III.

That is why in March 2017 the County Executive established the Domestic Violence Community Assistance Grant Fund to assist nonprofit organizations who are working on the front line to protect women and men from domestic violence.

“The effects of domestic violence are deep and long lasting,” said Jackie Rhone, Division Manager of the Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Division of the County’s Department of Family Services. “When we know better we do better; through education, prevention and partnership we can end the cycle of abuse.”

Since its creation, the division has been working to address domestic violence in multiple ways – from education and prevention to direct services for survivors. For instance, says Rhone, her office implemented an evidence-based curriculum called “Safe Dates” that has been used in County middle schools, sponsored a series of men’s conferences on domestic violence and developed a partnership with House of Ruth Maryland and other nonprofits in the County.

The County’s Domestic Violence Community Assistance Fund was established at the Greater Washington Community Foundation with an initial contribution of $250,000 to provide annual grants and capacity building support to nonprofits to support enhanced services for individuals and families directly affected by domestic violence. The goal is to help families achieve a greater level of independence, strengthen families’ ability to cope with healing, and rebuild the family unit by helping to remove challenges to gaining self-sufficiency – such as providing legal services, counseling services, support groups, employment, training and housing.

“We are passionate about our work, but we quickly realized government can’t do this work alone,” said Elana Belon-Butler, Director of the Department of Family Services. “That’s why we collaborate with others such as the Greater Washington Community Foundation. The Community Foundation is a great partner because of their knowledge of both domestic violence and of our community needs. They also share our sense of urgency, accountability, follow through and reporting. These are things that can’t be minimalized.”

In 2017, some of the critical services that the Domestic Violence Community Assistance Fund supported included: public awareness campaigns that targeted certain areas heavily impacted by domestic violence; services to individuals and families directly affected by domestic violence; legal issues (protective orders), counseling and family services; emergency and basic needs to survivors as well as other kinds of wraparound supports. In 2018, the Domestic Violence Community Assistance Fund will include support for survivors of human trafficking. 

“Domestic violence can affect anyone – regardless of income, background or location,” says CAFY CEO Arleen Joell, who received a grant in the amount of $75,000 from the fund.

Community Advocates for Family & Youth (CAFY) supports victims of crimes in Prince George’s County – from those affected by breaking and entering crimes to family members who have lost a loved one to homicide. But the largest percentage of their clients – 52 percent – are victims of domestic violence. Those clients face multiple challenges. Thanks to the Domestic Violence Community Assistance Fund, nonprofits like CAFY are increasingly able to address those challenges with wraparound services such as legal and mental health services, security deposits, first month’s rent and transportation assistance.

For instance, CAFY recently helped a client who had a protective order and was in the process of moving to another city by putting her up in a hotel for several nights, paying to store her worldly possessions until she found a new job and place to live, and covering the cost of a U-Haul when she was ready to relocate. When another woman with a protective order needed her locks changed, CAFY took care of that critical need for her. They also provided legal counsel, so she could file for child custody and begin divorce proceedings. The client would not have been able to afford these costs on her own.

Desiree Griffin-Moore, Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County, points out that this is not the first time the Community Foundation has partnered with the County. The Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative Fund was established at The Community Foundation 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 and families. “We have a longstanding relationship with the County which has always valued our transparent, equitable process and our knowledge of the community,” she said.

Adds Jackie Rhone: “The work is easier when we don’t have to educate someone about the County and its demographics.”

“This is hands down one of the best partnerships Prince George’s County government has entered into,” adds Belon-Butler. 

How You Can Help with Hurricane Florence Relief Efforts

As heavy rain and rising floodwaters continue to threaten residents and communities across North Carolina and South Carolina, many of you have asked how to aid recovery and relief efforts to help people impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Florence.

When disaster strikes, it is a good idea to seek out information from the local community foundation regarding how you can best support recovery efforts. Community foundations have deep community knowledge and a lasting commitment to community improvement.

In anticipation of the effects of Hurricane Florence, the Foundation For The Carolinas established a relief fund to support those affected by the unprecedented storm. Donations to the Hurricane Florence Response Fund will be directed to nonprofits in North and South Carolina providing relief to victims of the storm. Grants will be distributed to areas of greatest need once the full impact of the hurricane is realized. You can find more information and make a donation via credit card by visiting www.fftc.org/HurricaneFlorence. If you would like to make a contribution via a donor-advised fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation, you can make a grant request in Donor Central or contact or submit a grant recommendation form to Kathy Matthews, Grants Manager at 202-263-4773 or [email protected].

If you are looking for additional ways to help, here is a list of other local and national organizations that are accepting donations to aid victims and recovery efforts:

• Central Carolina Community Foundation One SC Fund — The fund provides grants to nonprofits that are providing relief, recovery, and/or rebuilding assistance to affected individuals and families. 100 percent of monies donated will go directly to help Hurricane Florence relief efforts.

• North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund — The North Carolina Community Foundation reactivated its Disaster Relief Fund to help North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Florence. All funds raised for the NCCF Disaster Relief Fund will go directly to nonprofit organizations serving the needs of local individuals and communities in the impacted areas of North Carolina.

• The Center for Disaster Philanthropy 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund will focus on medium- and long-term recovery needs, including rebuilding homes and businesses; meeting the needs of young children; and supporting mental health (among other needs).

• American Red Cross. To make a financial donation, visit their website or call 1.800.RED CROSS.

Join us for a screening and discussion of America to Me on September 27 at 6 pm

The Greater Washington Community Foundation has partnered with Education Forward DC and the DC Public Education Fund to host a citywide screening and panel discussion of America to Me, a ten-part docu-series about race and equity in America’s public schools commissioned by Participant Media. Directed by Academy-Award nominee Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Life Itself, The Interrupters), the series follows a year in the life of students, teachers, and administrators at Oak Park and River Forest High School, a racially integrated high school near Chicago. 

Please join us on September 27 for the screening followed by a discussion with former U.S. Secretary of Education and CEO of Ed Trust, John King; Interim Chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools, Amanda Alexander; former Washington, DC Deputy Mayor for Education, Abigail Smith; and series-featured student, Jada Buford.
 
You can find more information in the invitation below. Please RSVP by clicking here.

Remembering 9/11

On the 17th anniversary of September 11, 2001, we honor and remember the innocent people who lost their lives in the horrific terrorist attacks carried out on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We mark this tragedy by finding hope in the response of our community which came together to help victims and their families during a time of immense devastation and loss. Following the attack on the Pentagon—which claimed the lives of 184 innocent people and directly affected thousands of other individuals and families—the Survivors’ Fund was established at The Community Foundation to direct the charitable response and caring spirit of some 12,000 donors, including families who sponsored lemonade stands and bake sales to major corporations and foundations contributing millions of dollars. Their generosity and care amounted to a $25 million fund, the largest dedicated solely to the Pentagon attack, which aided 1,051 victims and their families by providing access to both financial support and case management services needed to achieve long-term financial and emotional stability. Donors’ contributions, compassion and hope helped to sustain the Fund and, in turn, survivors of that terrible day, for nearly seven years (from 2001-2008). As our country reflects on these tragic events, we find inspiration from the stories of the individuals and families helped by the Fund and the generous contributions of our community. You can read more about the Fund and the people it served in a final report to the community released in 2008.

Sharing DC: Immersive Grantmaking

What if you could visit a nonprofit, talk with key staff, and get a behind the scenes tour before deciding to give? What if you could get together with like-minded individuals to share your observations and learn about important issues facing Washingtonians every day? Sharing DC, an initiative of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, provides an opportunity to do just that. It allows donors and stakeholders alike to experience philanthropy in a visceral and meaningful way.

Meeting in early spring, the Sharing DC Committee gathers to learn about pressing community issues in the District. A lively discussion among members is facilitated by The Community Foundation’s dedicated Community Investment team, and a decision is made about which issue to focus on for the year.

This year, the Committee’s focus area is homelessness prevention and intervention. Our goal is to help single adults, families and youth exit homelessness and move to permanent housing by providing funds to help them meet key needs and address barriers to homelessness.

Starting in late September, Committee Members will travel across Washington, DC to visit nine amazing organizations that have been selected to apply for funding. The Committee will meet one last time, in early December, to share feedback and learnings and collectively make funding decisions.

The Sharing DC process helps answer our most fundamental questions about philanthropy: what are the most pressing issues in the District, what questions should I be asking of an organization I’d like to support, how can I ensure that my grant will have a meaningful impact? These are some of the questions we explore through Sharing DC’s hands-on, collaborative and donor-centered approach. This is the perfect opportunity for anyone who may wonder if they are making wise investments to immerse themselves in a grant review process.

Sharing DC is a remarkable program. Just ask the many participants who join us each year on visits to some of DC’s most promising programs, or read about one of our grantee organizations and its mission to provide DC youth with technology-driven education, information and skill development for sustained futures. This is but one example of The Community Foundation’s efforts to encourage philanthropy in our region and to bring people together. Collectively, we’re making a real difference in the lives of our neighbors and communities.

To join us for one or more visits, please contact Gisela Shanfeld.

Celebrate Giving in Montgomery County

SAVE THE DATE

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

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

When

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

Where

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

Sponsorships

Click here for more information about sponsorship opportunities.

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

For Both Donors and Scholars, 'We Take Away the Worry'

Denton Scholars at the 2018 Awards Banquet

When journalist Herbert Denton Jr. died suddenly in 1989, his Washington Post colleagues were heartbroken. A distinguished reporter, editor and foreign correspondent who was a champion of black achievement in his profession and mentor to numerous black journalists, Denton was remembered by colleague Juan Williams. “What Denton did was to establish black journalists at The Post and make a way for black journalists in the future in a way no lawsuits and no rhetoric have ever approached,” Williams wrote in a Post column at the time. “And in the process, he increased the newspaper’s awareness of black Washington. This…puts him among the legends of journalism.” 

Another Washington legend – former Washington Post publisher Donald E. Graham – along with coworkers such as Milton Coleman, came up with a fitting way to honor their friend: the Herbert H. Denton, Jr. Memorial Scholarship.

The scholarship has been awarded annually since 1990 to a graduating senior from a list of participating area high schools. Criteria include general character and academic achievement, demonstrated ability in non-fiction writing, and financial need. The 2018 scholar, Rhema Jones, is a graduate of KIPP DC College Preparatory and will begin at McDaniel College this fall. Past scholars have graduated from colleges large and small, private and public, and have gone on to careers in medicine, investment banking, education, government, public health, journalism and others. Alumni who make up “the Denton Scholar family” include Curtiland Deville, clinical director and chair of Sibley radiation oncology at Johns Hopkins; Erin Michele Roberts, a published short story writer; and Benjamin de la Piedra, who teaches oral history workshops and is writing a biography of Denton, among many others. 

Graham established a scholarship fund with the Greater Washington Community Foundation in 2004. Since then, The Community Foundation “has been an ideal partner,” said Graham. The staff “couldn’t be more helpful.”

Pam Kendrick, a former Post employee who serves as administrator of the scholarship program and works closely with The Community Foundation staff, agrees, adding that the fund pays for everything from tuition to room and board (including off-campus housing and study abroad) to the many expenses that financial aid does not typically cover, such as books, computers and other school supplies.

“We take away the worry – for both the donor and for the scholars,” says Amina Anderson, The Community Foundation’s Director, DC Office of Philanthropy and Donor Services. “That way the donor can focus on awarding scholarships and the students can focus on their education.” The Community Foundation manages several scholarship funds in a variety of ways, from administering payments and managing assets to being involved in the selection of scholars.

“The Denton scholarship has brought a lot of really impressive young people into the Washington community – doctors, lawyers, businesspeople,” Graham said. Equally impressive, he adds, is that they are “very dedicated to those who come after them.” For instance, when one candidate said she wanted to be a doctor but didn’t know anyone to talk to about the field, a former scholar who is a physician came forward and offered to guide her. It left her speechless. That is the power of the Denton Scholar family.

Coleman heads the selection committee. “For some,” he says, “the scholarship has meant being able to go to a four-year college, instead of a community college. For others, it meant graduating from an Ivy League school with no debt. And for some, it meant the difference between going to college – or not going at all.”

Learn more about the life of Herbert Denton and the scholarship fund named in his honor by visiting www.dentonscholars.org.

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

Helping local students pursue their higher education dreams

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

Spivack Scholarship Fund

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

The Bernie Scholarship Awards Program

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

LEARN Scholarship

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

Footprints Scholarship Fund

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

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

Leveraging Community Collaboration for Back-to-School Success

As students around the DMV prepare to start another school year, Raise DC is facilitating two collaborations that strengthen the back-to-school experience and ensure students begin the year on the right foot.

Raise DC, an independent education partnership incubated at the Greater Washington Community Foundation, convenes partners throughout the District of Columbia to improve outcomes for children from birth through age 24 in five goal areas:

• kindergarten readiness

• high school graduation

• reconnection to school and/or work for those who have dropped out

• postsecondary enrollment and completion

• preparedness for a sustainable career

Using data to guide its citywide work, Raise DC brings together schools, government agencies, nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, and the business community to collectively position students for success through their entire academic journeys and into the workforce. Among Raise DC’s current efforts is a focus on two key academic transition points – high school and postsecondary education.

Bridge to High School Data Exchange and Kid Talk

Data Exchange

DC’s school choice model allows middle school students the opportunity to choose among dozens of high school options throughout the District. However, there was previously no guarantee that important information about the student – including course grades, standardized test scores, and attendance data – would reliably accompany him or her to the chosen high school.

Why focus on the transition to 9th grade? According to a 2014 comprehensive study of DC high school students, 26% of the variation of a student’s chances of graduating high school could be explained by factors in 8th grade (which the Bridge to High School Data Exchange now tracks). The study also found that roughly half of first-time 9th graders were already off track to graduate by the end of their freshman year.

Raise DC’s 9th Grade Counts Network – comprised of school leaders, government partners, and community-based organizations – partnered with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to create the Bridge to High School Data Exchange, a coordinated way for DC public middle and high schools to consistently share data on students during the 8th-to-9th grade transition. Through the Data Exchange, participating middle schools pass along key data most predictive of high school successes on exiting 8th graders:

Data Exchanged in Bridge to High School

• Attendance
• Demographic information
• Special Education (primary disability and level) and English Language Learner (ELL) status
• “At-risk” status (one or more of: homeless, in foster care, qualifies for TANF/SNAP, or student who is one year older or more than expected age for grade in which he/she is enrolled)
• Free and Reduced Lunch status
• Standardized test scores (such as PARCC)
• 8th grade math and English grades and course names
• Optional anecdotal information about students’ strengths

During the next school year, high schools share back freshman data with the “sending” middle schools, allowing middle schools to better understand how their alumni are faring and using these insights to improve the 8th grade experience.

Now in its third year, 95% of eligible DC Public Schools and public charter schools are participating in the Bridge to High School Data Exchange, representing more than 4,000 first-time 9th graders.

Kid Talk

In addition to the Data Exchange, Raise DC and OSSE host an annual Kid Talk as an opportunity for middle and high school staff to partner in person and use this data for action. The gathering offers counselors, assistant principals, and data managers the chance to discuss strategies to best support students transitioning from 8th grade through their freshman year.

This year’s Kid Talk saw participation from 26 DC Public School and public charter school campuses, which doubled 2017’s participation.

Feedback from Kid Talk attendees highlighted the importance of making person-to-person contact with counterparts in other schools, gaining insight not explained by quantitative data to support programmatic planning, and providing high school staff an advantage in building meaningful connections with incoming freshman in the early weeks of school. 

Combating Summer Melt through Texting

Local data revealed that approximately 25% of DC public high school graduates who are admitted to college do not ultimately enroll or attend – a challenge commonly called “summer melt.” Raise DC is supporting two partners – DC College Access Program (DC-CAP) and American University’s Center for Postsecondary Readiness and Success – in reducing this rate through a tool in nearly every student’s pocket: their cell phone.

The partners launched a texting platform in May to reach incoming college freshmen and sophomores with text messages that provide reminders about a number of topics.

Themes for Text Reminders

• Enrollment deadlines
• Financial aid
• Housing
• Payments
• Orientation
• Class registration and scheduling
• Housing
• Connecting with an advisor
• Choosing a major

American University hired graduate student employees to provide timely responses to recipients’ follow-up questions. The weekly text messages will be sent through mid-September and have reached more than 3,000 DC youth. More than 75,000 individual text messages have already been sent. After its completion, Raise DC will use an analysis of the summer melt campaign’s effectiveness to inform its postsecondary strategies in 2019.

Get Involved

While back-to-school time is an important annual milestone, Raise DC works year-round with its more than 250 local and national partners to ensure the District’s children and youth have opportunities to succeed. To learn more about the organization and to join the community-wide movement to achieve better outcomes for our students, visit raisedc.org.

You can also join The Community Foundation and Raise DC for a breakfast series on local education data. On September 5, we'll review 9th grade and high school graduation data and discuss work underway to support youth transitioning from middle to high school, as well as those who are off track to graduate. Find out more and RSVP here.

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Raise DC was formed in 2012 in DC’s Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education after stakeholders throughout the District – convened by The Community Foundation – called for a collective impact strategy to foster coordination among DC’s sectors. In later 2013, Raise DC was spun out of government and incubated by The Community Foundation, which now provides shared office space, back office support and additional resources. We are proud to partner and support Raise DC in its efforts to collectively improve educational outcomes for DC’s young people.

New Grant Opportunities Available for Fall Round

The Community Foundation is now accepting proposals for grants from Sharing Prince George's; the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families; and the Resilience Fund.

Sharing Prince George's County

Sharing Prince George’s County is a strategic funding effort representing a collection of philanthropic resources, including the Prince George’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund and the MGM National Harbor Fund established by The Community Foundation. Its aim is to increase economic security for residents of Prince George’s County by providing support for:

• safety-net programs which help individuals in crisis to lift themselves out of poverty,

• educational activities that prepare young people for a successful transition to adulthood, and

• workforce development opportunities that will help residents earn a living-wage.

Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded for program support addressing one program objective. The deadline to apply for grants through The Community Foundation’s online application system is Monday, September 10 at 4:00 pm.

Fund for Children, Youth, and Families

The purpose of the Fund for Children, Youth, and Families is to support organizations providing services and programs across the following focus areas: 

• Stable Homes, Stable Families - Investments will target families who are homeless and those who are participating in housing-based service programs.

• Foster Care and Adoption - Investments will support children in the foster care system in two critical areas: promoting permanency and helping youth leaving the system to achieve self-sufficiency.

• Academic and Career Success - Investments will support the closing of academic achievement gaps that exist between students of color, low-income students, and their peers through investments in early childhood education, academic achievement for school-age children, and college preparation and career training.

Applicants may request between $5,000 - $50,000, for general operating or project/program support. Applicants must submit proposals via The Community Foundation’s online application system no later than 4:00 pm on Friday, September 21, 2018.

The Resilience Fund

The Resilience Fund is interested in identifying community-based solutions which respond to federal policy shifts impacting our region. Interested organizations located in or serving communities in the Greater Washington region may submit a letter of inquiry for a rapid response grant to address current or emerging issues. The Fund will entertain inquiries linked to immigration, other regulatory roll-backs, and efforts that expand access to citizenship and democracy. The Fund is also interested in work happening regionally that may have been impacted by the humanitarian crisis at the US border with Mexico, particularly work that centers around legal support for detained parents or children who have been separated and are now being held in the Greater Washington region. Grants may support special projects, programs, or include general operating support. Grant awards may range from $10,000-$50,000. 

The Community Foundation Welcomes New Advisory Board Members in Prince George’s County

The Community Foundation is excited to welcome Lanta Evans-Motte, Monroe Harrison, Jr., and Walter Simmons to our Advisory Board in Prince George’s County. We are proud to welcome these new members into a diverse and vibrant group of individuals who have a passion for providing for the needs of the most vulnerable in our community. Advisory Board Members are responsible for advising on the challenges and opportunities specific to Prince George’s County, sharing their knowledge on issues of community leadership.

“I am excited to welcome Lanta, Monroe and Walter to The Community Foundation family. They each bring a wealth of experience and expertise in their respective fields and a commitment to enhancing opportunities for County residents,” said Desiree Griffin-Moore, Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County. “Their knowledge of Prince George’s County, and the broader Greater Washington region, combined with a desire to serve will help us expand philanthropy to build thriving communities for years to come.”

Lanta Evans-Motte

Financial Advisor, Raymond James Financial Services

Lanta Evans-Motte is a licensed financial advisor who provides personalized financial planning, business consulting, retirement planning, and investment management services for professionals, families, and businesses. Ms. Evans has more than 20 years professional experience assisting individuals, businesses, and faith-based organizations to develop custom solutions to improve their finances. Ms. Evans-Motte is a 2011 graduate of Leadership Prince George’s. A community advocate, she has received national recognition for her contributions and leadership with numerous community service and non-profit organizations.

Monroe Harrison, Jr.

Director of Public Affairs, Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center

Monroe’s career with Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center began in April 2007 as the Director of Public Affairs. In this current responsibility, he leads the government affairs and community relations efforts in building good corporate citizenship for the property in the Washington, DC Metro Area. Since moving to the area, he has become an active supporter for tourism by serving on the Prince George’s Community College Executive Advisory Board for Hospitality and Tourism Institute, Executive Committee Member on the Maryland Hotel Lodging Association and the Prince George’s County Conventions and Visitor Bureau. He is a graduate of Leadership Prince George’s County, Leadership Greater Washington and a current class member of Leadership Maryland. 

Walter Simmons

Prince George’s Economic Development Corporation, Workforce Services Division

Walter Simmons has extensive experience in workforce and economic development, serving in various roles in Prince George’s County, Washington, DC, and around the country. In his role with the Prince George’s County Workforce Services Division (WSD), Walter provides leadership and guidance to the Local Workforce Development Board regarding Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) activities, policy development, and the operations of the Prince George’s County Public Workforce System. WSD is the link between job seekers looking to begin or change careers, and businesses looking for skilled workers to maintain competitiveness in a changing labor market. Walter is also the President and CEO of Employ Prince George’s, Inc., which ensures the continuity of the Prince George’s County Local Workforce Development Area. 

The Resilience Fund Releases Call for Proposals

The Resilience Fund is interested in identifying community-based solutions which respond to federal policy shifts impacting our region. Interested organizations located in or serving the Greater Washington region may submit a letter of inquiry for a rapid response grant to address current or emerging issues affecting our neighbors and communities. We will entertain inquiries linked to immigration, justice reform and civil rights roll-backs, and efforts that expand access to citizenship and democracy including voter registration and participation efforts (GOTV).

Grants may support special projects, programs, or include general operating support. Grant awards may range from $10,000-$50,000. Contact Melen Hagos with questions at [email protected].

New proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed by the Resilience Fund Steering Committee in 2019.  

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. The Fund's main objective is to provide funding in response to both urgent and systemic issues facing our community ̶ in the near-term and long-term ̶ and to be nimble in responding to new issues as they emerge. Since the Fund’s inception, we’ve granted out $380,000 to 12 organizations supporting residents and families affected by the new Administration’s changes to international travel, immigration, and deportation policies as well as building community cohesion and combating anti-other sentiment.

A Framework for Building Thriving Communities

Dear friends and community members,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

Bruce McNamer, President and CEO

Tonia Wellons, VP of Community Investment

Resilience Fund Announces Grants to Support Family Reunification and Immigrants’ Rights

Releases Call for Proposals to Identify Community-Based Solutions Addressing Policy Shifts Affecting the Region

The Resilience Fund has announced $80,000 in emergency grants to two local organizations working to assist with reuniting immigrant families separated at the border and to protect the civil rights of immigrant children detained in Maryland and Virginia. 

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. The Fund's main objective is to provide funding in response to both urgent and systemic issues facing our community ̶ in the near-term and long-term ̶ and to be nimble in responding to new issues as they emerge.

Since the Fund’s inception, it has raised and leveraged more than $1 million and made rapid response grants to 10 organizations working in the areas of immigrants’ rights, grassroots community engagement, anti-bullying and anti-bigotry. Last fall, the Fund initially focused on changes to international travel, immigration, and deportation policies affecting residents and families in the Greater Washington region. Its first round of grants supported four immigrant-serving organizations working 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. Soon after, the Fund responded to increases in incidents of hate, intolerance and incivility in the Greater Washington region by focusing its second round of grantmaking on building community cohesion and combating anti-other sentiment. The Fund made grants to four local organizations focused on grassroots community engagement and to two national organizations to expand educational programs in local schools that teach news literacy as well as tolerance, respect and inclusion.

Grant Awards

The Resilience Fund’s latest grants will support:

• CAIR Coalition will receive a $50,000 grant for its Detained Children’s Program which provides Know Your Rights presentations, individual legal screenings, and pro bono representation to unaccompanied minor children. This program has screened over 40 children separated from their families at the border and detained in facilities in Maryland and Virginia while they wait to be reunified with their parents. CAIR is working to find and interview separated parents and assist them with obtaining support services to fill out the required paperwork to sponsor their children. Grant funds will allow CAIR to expand its staff capacity to match families with local service providers to ensure each child has pro bono representation in Immigration Court. Currently, CAIR Coalition is the only nonprofit legal services organization assisting separated children and adults in detention facilities in Maryland and Virginia.

• The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs will receive a $30,000 grant to expand staff capacity to respond to the urgent civil rights needs of the immigrant community, including a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of unaccompanied immigrant children detained at a juvenile center in Virginia. The suit alleges systemic discrimination by staff, use of excessive force, inappropriate use of restraint and/or seclusion and routine denial of necessary mental health care. The children range in age from 10 years old to 17 and are all refugees fleeing from violence in Central America. Grant funds will help to engage professional interpreters for clients who have limited English or do not speak English at all, help to locate children who have been released to a family member or sponsor to collect and preserve their testimony about the facility, and to support staff time for this case

Call for Proposals

The Resilience Fund is interested in identifying additional community-based solutions that will respond to current or emerging issues impacting our neighbors or communities. Interested organizations located in or serving the Greater Washington region may submit a letter of inquiry for a rapid response grant. We will entertain inquiries linked to immigration, other policy roll-backs that disproportionately impact various communities in our region, and efforts that expand access to citizenship and democracy. The Fund is also interested in work happening regionally that may have been impacted by the humanitarian crisis at the US border with Mexico, particularly work that centers around legal support for detained parents or children who have been separated and are now being held in the Greater Washington region. Inquiries related to other emerging issues are welcomed.

Grants may support special projects, programs, or include general operating support. Grant awards may range from $10,000-$50,000. For more details on proposal submission guidelines, click here. Letters of inquiry may be submitted through our online application system. Contact Melen Hagos with questions at [email protected].

Family Takes Care of Family at Marriott

The Marriott Disaster Relief Fund was originally established at the Greater Washington Community Foundation in 2005 by Marriott International to help Marriott associates, their families and communities directly impacted by Hurricane Katrina. The Fund has been activated a number of times since then, most recently in August 2017 to aid recovery efforts following several natural disasters in the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America. The Fund is designed to provide immediate assistance to Marriott managed and franchised associates and communities, including for basic needs, and also supports longer-term recovery efforts. As part of the 2017 “Family Takes Care of Family” campaign to support the Marriott Disaster Relief Fund, Marriott International donated $400,000, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation donated $500,000, and individual donors, associates, business partners and hotel owners from around the world – from Paris to Buenos Aires to Aruba – donated about $400,000 to support the Fund.  A Marriott associate shared:

“I want to contribute to this fund because [Marriott International] has a 'Spirit to Serve' and I want to be a part of that.” 

The Marriott Disaster Relief Fund provided nearly $1.8 million in support for 2017 relief efforts, including:

• The distribution of food, mosquito nets, tarps, flashlights, batteries, home rebuilding supplies, toiletries and generators, among other immediate need items.  
• The generation of thousands of meals in partnership with World Central Kitchen (WCK) for Puerto Rican communities in need from late 2017 through 2018. During the 2017 year-end holidays, the Fund partnered with WCK to provide 6,000 meals to Puerto Rico-based associates wearing the Marriott name badge and their families. A few weeks later, an additional 22,000 meals were provided to Puerto Rico communities in need, and from year-end 2017 through February 2018 the Fund supported additional meal generation costs into the summer. 

“The Community Foundation’s experience and expertise in collecting and distributing funds enabled Marriott to get support to our associates and communities quickly and efficiently.”

— Niki Zoli, Director of Social Impact at Marriott International

NextGen Philanthropy at The Community Foundation

Gen Xers and Millennials are set to collectively become the most impactful generation of philanthropists ever. At the same time, the Greater Washington region is undergoing changes that challenge what it means and what it takes to live, work, and thrive here. As a catalyst for community change, the Greater Washington Community Foundation tackles these challenges with philanthropists, businesses, and local government.

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Pool your resources for greater impact.

Our collaborative funds address some of the most urgent challenges in our region. By pooling your resources with other donors, you can leverage civic engagement and make an even greater impact than you could alone. Learn more about the mission and impact of each of the collaborative funds below.

Workforce Development Fund

The mission of the Workforce Collaborative is to address poverty and income inequality by helping workers advance their skills, credentials, employment and wages. The Collaborative has helped more than 6,500 local workers to launch family-sustaining careers.  

LEARN MORE

Sharing Funds

Our Sharing Funds in DC, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties allow donors to pool resources for greater impact in education, workforce development or safety-net services – in their own local communities.

LEARN MORE

A Partnership to End Homelessness in DC

The Community Foundation is preparing to launch a public-private partnership focused on ending homelessness in the District by ensuring that homelessness is a rare, brief, and non-recurring event. There is an immediate opportunity to align public and private sector resources and strategies to tackle this persistent challenge with renewed vigor and innovative solutions.

LEARN MORE

Resilience Fund

Launched in 2017 as a collaborative response to changes in federal policies disproportionately impacting people of color, immigrant and refugee communities. The Resilience Fund has supported local organizations to educate 7,000+ immigrants on their legal and civil rights, foster grassroots community engagement and expand school programs which combat hate, intolerance and anti-other sentiment.

LEARN MORE

Fund for Greater Washington

Giving directly to The Community Foundation helps support our ongoing work to create lasting change in our community. Your contributions are used to make grants to effective nonprofits, to incubate new ideas, and to support our programmatic initiatives, operations, and advocacy as we invest to make this a thriving, resilient, and enriching place for all who call our region home.

Learn more

Neighbors in Need Montgomery Fund

Established in 2008 as a response to the economic crisis and its deep impact on County residents, The Neighbors in Need Montgomery Fund has supported critical direct services, including food, clothing, shelter, and emergency assistance to help prevent evictions. It currently focuses on responding to immediate needs while also investing in strategic solutions to improve our safety-net system and help neighbors build pathways out of poverty. 

learn more

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Good Reads

Looking for an inspiring read to help guide your giving? An interactive data tool to better understand the quality of life in the region? This is what we recommend:

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Events and Site Visits

We regularly host site visits and round tables for our donors to learn about the needs of our region, discover great organizations, and share ideas with other donors looking to make an impact. Stay tuned for upcoming events or contact our donor services team!

Announcing the David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund Nonprofit Leadership Award

David Bradt is a quietly effective leader for and champion of the Greater Washington region. In addition to serving as a Managing Director of Andersen Tax, he has invested considerable time and talent into numerous volunteer leadership roles, including as the former Chair and Member of the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Board, former 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.

Seeking a meaningful way to salute his years of service, David’s friends and family surprised him by establishing the David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund as a new component fund at the Greater Washington 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. Through investments in leadership development, the David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund will have a long-lasting, tangible impact on our community by enhancing the capacity and influence of the region’s most effective nonprofits.

AWARD DETAILS

The David Bradt Nonprofit Leadership Award will grant up to $15,000 for leaders to participate in professional development programs that will enhance their leadership, creative thinking, strategy, and management skills. The selection committee will prioritize applicants who wish to participate in cohort programs which will expand their professional networks while also deepening their skills. Click here to download a list of pre-vetted programs. Other leadership programs will be given consideration on a case-by-case basis.

Awardees have up to two years to use the award. The award will be primarily applied to the tuition/fees of the selected program but a portion may be allotted for related travel expenses.

Once selected, the awardee must apply and be accepted to a leadership program. The awardee then will update The Community Foundation on the cost of the program and related travel expenses as well as any other aid awarded by the program itself. As a final step, the David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund will make a grant to the awardee’s organization which will pay both the tuition and travel costs directly.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Eligible applicants must currently work in a senior leadership role at a nonprofit that directly serves the Greater Washington region. Priority will go to applicants with at least five years of senior leadership experience in the nonprofit sector or equivalent leadership experience from government/business sectors.

Ideal candidates should demonstrate:

• Dedication to making a positive impact
• Passion and the ability to instill passion in the people with whom they work
• A collaborative spirit when working with other people and organizations as well as across sectors
• Drive to bring innovative ideas forward and to fruition
• High integrity and ethical behavior

The selection committee will not consider applications from organizations with a national or international focus (i.e. organizations which are headquartered in the Greater Washington region but provide no direct service to local residents).

APPLICATION PROCESS

Understanding that there are many worthy leaders serving our region who may be interested in this opportunity, the selection committee will have a two-stage process to help streamline the time and effort required:

Stage 1: Letter of Interest

Applicants may submit a brief (1-2 pages max) Letter of Interest explaining the mission and work of their nonprofit, their particular role in advancing their organization’s mission, and their professional development goals.

Additionally, the selection committee will accept a nomination letter if a CEO/Executive Director would like to nominate someone from the organization’s senior leadership team.

All nominations and Letters of Interest must be submitted electronically using the form below by 5pm on Thursday, July 26th.

Stage 2: Full Application

By early October 2018, the selection committee will identify finalists who will be invited to submit a more formal application which will include:

• Resume
• A personal statement which includes details about their goals and the professional development programs they would like to attend.
• Overview of the organization (history, major accomplishments, descriptions of the programs managed by the applicant and outcomes achieved)
• 2 letters of support

The selection committee will conduct personal interviews in November before announcing the inaugural awardee by early December 2018.

QUESTIONS

Should you have any questions, contact Kevin Donnelly at [email protected]. No phone calls, please.

Application Form

Please use the following form to submit your nomination or Letter of Interest by 5pm on Thursday, July 26th.

Fill out my online form.