Resilience Fund Announces New Grants to Nonprofits Supporting Immigrants and Sexual Assault Survivors

The Resilience Fund has announced $90,000 in grants to three local organizations conducting advocacy on behalf of immigrants and victims of sexual assault and providing direct support for immigrants facing deportation or applying for benefits. These grants fit within the Fund’s overall focus on responding to federal policy shifts affecting our neighbors and communities in the Greater Washington region.

The Resilience Fund’s latest grants will support:

• $35,000 grant to Civic Nation’s It’s On Us program to conduct advocacy with local and national partners to combat harmful proposed rule changes to Title IX that will infringe on the civil rights of sexual assault survivors on college campuses.

• $30,000 grant to support Northern Virginia Family Services’ immigration legal services program to provide consultations and representation to more than 1,700 individuals annually in deportation defenses and applications for immigration benefits.

• $25,000 grant to support Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy to engage at least 20 immigrant congregations in advocacy on policies to make Virginia more welcoming to immigrants and to build relationships between 50 ally congregations and immigrant leaders.

According to Tracey Vitchers, the executive director of It’s On Us, “The grant received by Civic Nation for It's On Us will empower our staff and students in the Washington, DC area to fight back against the Federal Department of Education's harmful proposed rule changes to Title IX that will make college campuses less safe and leave survivors more vulnerable to ongoing harm. We are grateful to the Resilience Fund for supporting our work to combat sexual violence.”

“NVFS Immigration Legal Services strives to respond to the needs of vulnerable immigrant communities in Northern Virginia by ensuring access to competent, trauma-informed, affordable legal advice and representation,” said Tori Andrea Babington, NVFS Director of Legal Services. “This has been challenging in recent years given the rapid and continuing changes to immigration policy and the fear that our immigrant neighbors are experiencing in response. We are so grateful to the Resilience Fund for supporting these critical legal services, giving us the flexibility to go where the need is greatest.”   

Kim Bobo, Co-Executive Director of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, said, “Thanks to the timely grant from the Resilience Fund, we’re reaching out to immigrant congregations around the state to engage them in advocating for a Driver’s Privilege Card for immigrants and in-state tuition for immigrants students. ‘Welcome the immigrant,”’ a core tenant of faith communities, is especially poignant for immigrant congregations and we need their engagement on these critical fights.”

These three grants show the range of the Resilience Fund’s investments in both policy interventions through Civic Nation and Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and nonprofits providing direct service work through Northern Virginia Family Services.

About the Resilience Fund

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 local people of color, and immigrant and refugee communities.

Forward With Hope: Remembering 2nd LT. Richard W. Collins III

Guest Post by Richard Collins II

On May 20, 2017, a local tragedy occurred when 2nd Lieutenant Richard W. Collins III was fatally stabbed in an apparent hate crime three days before he was set to graduate from Bowie State University. We are honored to share this post from his parents, Richard and Dawn Collins, who have decided to pay tribute to their son’s legacy through a memorial fund at The Community Foundation.

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Richard Collins II

We first learned of the Greater Washington Community Foundation through a long-time family friend who happens to be an attorney.  Following the tragic death of our son, my wife and I contacted the foundation to discuss establishing a foundation to continue his legacy and build a lasting tribute to honor our son’s memory.

Our vision for creating our foundation was two-fold.  First, we believe that it is important for us to make sure that our son’s life is given purpose even though he can no longer be present with us physically.  While the pain of no longer being able to speak with him or hear his voice is at times overwhelming, the work involved in continuing his legacy through our foundation provides us with some measure of comfort. 

Secondly, we intend to use our foundation as a vehicle of change through which private citizens are educated of their civic empowerment under the law in the communities where they live. It is intended to raise individual awareness of the civic duty of all of us to acquire and act upon the knowledge of the law regarding individual rights and protections. In addition, we must hold our elected officials and civic institutions accountable to ensure that the law protect, respect, and value the right to life of all citizens.

We partnered with The Community Foundation when we realized we did not know anything about starting a foundation on our own. We concluded we’d be able to get up and running faster if we used the experience of an established organization. 

2nd Lieutenant Richard W. Collins III

We officially launched our foundation four days prior to our son’s 25th birthday on December 12, 2018.  Although taking this step provided us with a sense of accomplishment, it was also a bittersweet reminder of the reason that we found ourselves on this path in life. 

As the date marking the second anniversary of our son’s murder approaches, we still struggle to understand why God chose our family to experience this horrific ordeal.  It is a date that for us marks the month of May with dread rather than the anticipation that normally accompanies the spring season.  It is our hope and prayer that at some point, our heartbreak will transform itself into a state of consciousness that provides us with a sense of peace.  We feel it is our purpose to stay connected with our son by turning sorrow into an opportunity to bless the lives of others.  Our goal is to use the platform we have been placed on to bring attention to the need for confronting the challenge represented by hate and bias violence and to help provide education opportunities through our foundation.  We believe our foundation provides us the best avenue to have a positive impact in the lives of people and in their communities.

Help Victims of the Landover Hills Fire

On Tuesday morning, our community was shocked to learn a fire has severely damaged an apartment complex in the Landover Hills neighborhood of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Thankfully, all residents escaped the fire. Three firefighters and one resident sought treatment for injuries suffered during the fire. The former residents will need assistance relocating and other support after the loss of their homes.

If you would like to support the Landover Hills residents in this time of need, you can make a gift (or grant from your fund) to the Prince George’s County Neighbors in Need Fund. The Community Foundation will work in partnership with the Department of Social Services to support the immediate needs of those impacted including temporary housing, clothing and food.

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How Tax Laws May Be Shaping Your Giving

By Rebecca Rothey, Vice President, Development and Senior Philanthropic Advisor

Well, you’ve made it! You have filed your 2018 income tax returns. You may have even received a modest or larger than expected return and might be considering ways to expand your charitable giving this year.

At The Community Foundation, we always consider how tax law impacts our community’s giving spirit. While many had feared that the Tax Cut and Jobs Act would result in a decrease in giving in 2018, a report prepared by the Blackbaud Institute indicates that overall giving was up by 1.5%. However, this increase was not evenly distributed across the nonprofit sector. Fundraising by large organizations (those raising $10 million or more) was up by 2.3%, while giving to smaller organizations (those with budgets of less than $1 million) was down 2.3%.

There are advantages to giving to larger organizations. Many of our donors have funded breakthroughs in health and education and provided essential support for the arts. At The Community Foundation, we are honored to assist donors who choose to fund these goals as their area of impact.

Yet, we can’t forget that smaller nonprofit organizations are pioneering new ideas and implementing change-making strategies. They are organizations working on challenging social issues with extremely limited resources. They are focused on the local communities they serve, and they can make change based on direct community feedback. They are innovative, idealistic, and hopeful about our society’s future. And they need the funding to realize these dreams.

Our professional staff work locally with thousands of community-based organizations and would be happy to assist you with identifying organizations that match your interests. I also encourage you to visit The Catalogue For Philanthropy, which is supported by The Community Foundation, to learn about such organizations in the region.

As you reflect on what you have learned this tax season, I encourage you to think about how the new law impacted your philanthropy. Many of our donors chose to bundle their giving, either in 2017 to take advantage of the higher charitable income tax deduction, or in 2018 to bundle giving to get above the standard deduction. This consolidated giving provides an opportunity to ask:

• What impact do I want my philanthropy to make?

• How will I know I’ve made it?

• Do I wish to keep supporting the same organizations or find new ones?

• Is it time to narrow the focus of my giving?

• Should I support large, established organizations or scrappy startups?

• When is the right time to involve my children/grandchildren in giving?

As you think through these questions, please consider The Community Foundation staff as a resource to help you identify the best strategies to achieve your charitable goals. Contact a member of our donor services team, or email [email protected], to discuss your goals for impacting our community and beyond.

Highlights from the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy

On March 25, a standing-room only crowd at Arena Stage celebrated the civic leadership of former DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams, and the incredible giving spirit of the national capital region at the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy.  

In addition to honoring Anthony Williams, CEO of the Federal City Council, with the 2019 Civic Spirit Award, the evening raised more than $670,000 to support local causes, and showcased performers and artists who make up the region’s vibrant local art scene and have benefited from The Community Foundation’s support.  

Proceeds will help The Community Foundation expand charitable resources to ensure that our communities are equitable, just and thriving all who call the region home. The Community Foundation is the largest funder of nonprofits in Greater Washington – having invested more than $1.2 billion in thousands of nonprofit organizations since 1973.

At the event, Community Foundation President and CEO Bruce McNamer said:

“Tonight we gather to celebrate community philanthropy and civic spirit, including the individuals and organizations who dedicate their time and resources to help make our region a more vibrant, equitable and inclusive place to live. Their actions inspire so many of us and demonstrate that in communities throughout the Greater Washington region, we take care of each other. This generous spirit of neighbors helping neighbors is central to our work at The Community Foundation, where we focus on Building Thriving Communities that are ripe with opportunity for all who call our region home.”

Last year, The Community Foundation granted more than $96 million to about 2,600 nonprofit organizations, 68% of which directly serve the Greater Washington region. In addition, it received more than $80 million in contributions during the year — a testament to the generosity and commitment of our community of givers.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton was on hand to congratulate Anthony Williams, and she thanked The Community Foundation for its “wise philanthropy to improve the lives of our citizens and to strengthen the many aspects of our City which make the District of Columbia unique.”

Civic Spirit Award Honoree Anthony Williams remarked on the significance of the evening:

“In these tough times, we’ve got to hang in there, we’ve got to believe, we’ve got to reach, we've got to dream, and then figure out a practical way to do it."

David Bradt and Katharine Weymouth served as co-chairs of the Celebration. Major sponsors included Brown Advisory, Morgan Stanley, Nancy and Jorge Kfoury Foundation, 2030 Group, Capitol One, CareFirst, Kaiser Permanente, PNC Bank, Washington Gas, Pepco, FiscalNote and other businesses, philanthropists, and local civic leaders.

The evening featured performances and exhibits from:

• CityDance Dream

• Foundation for the Advancement of Music and Education – FAME

• Halau Nohona Hawaii

• The Keegan Theater’s production of From Gumbo to Mumbo

• Strathmore Artist in Residence Josanne Francis

• The PB Eclectic Steppers

• B-Roll Media and Arts Inc.

• Luis Peralta Del Valle

Photo credit: Platinum Photography by Kevin Fennell

Feeling at Home: Going on a Sharing Montgomery Site Visit

Guest Post By Bobbi Shulman

Editor’s Note: Sharing Montgomery is a strategic, donor-led funding effort for community members who want to give where they live. This year the Sharing Montgomery Fund granted out $385,000 to 62 nonprofits that provide educational, workforce development, safety-net or capacity-building services in Montgomery County. Sharing Montgomery Committee members not only review grant applications – they go out into the community to visit the nonprofits making a difference for low-income children, youth and families. In our latest grant round, the Sharing Montgomery Committee went on 33 site visits from October 2018 to March 2019. Bobbi Shulman contributed this post to share her personal experience serving on the committee.

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I’ve been on the Sharing Montgomery Committee since 2015. My family has been connected to The Community Foundation for more than five years, beginning when we started our foundation. I particularly enjoy going on site visits because I am constantly amazed by the depth, scope, and professionalism with which organizations do their jobs. 

Last January, I visited Rebuilding Together Montgomery County with fellow Sharing Montgomery Committee members. Rebuilding Together offers low-income homeowners (50% of area median income) safe and healthy home repairs at no cost to the recipient. In 2018, they completed 240 projects in 113 homes.

I was under the impression that Rebuilding Together was all about construction and repair of homes.  I had no idea of the aggressive wrap-around services they provide by becoming actively involved with the homeowner and engaging a variety of other non-profits to provide them needed services, including facility maintenance. It wasn’t until we conducted a site visit to Jill’s home that I fully understood the depth of their work. Due to unfortunate circumstances, Jill’s house had deteriorated to the point where the house was condemned, and she was forced to move in with friends. Rebuilding Montgomery learned of her difficult situation and pitched in to repair drywall, electrical, plumbing, flooring, and more. The ultimate success of the project allowed Jill to avoid permanent homelessness and return to live in her own home in safe and healthy conditions.

Rebuilding Together Montgomery County volunteers renovate Jill's House

After work by Rebuilding Together Montgomery County Volunteers

Jill's Kitchen During Renovation

Jill's Kitchen after Renovation

Bobbi Shulman and other Sharing Montgomery Committee members visit Jill's home with Rebuilding Together Montgomery County

This deeper connection to the community continues to give back, as evidenced by Jill telling Rebuilding Together she hopes to give back by volunteering and paying it forward.

What I learned by visiting Rebuilding Together is just one example of the surprises uncovered in site visits! For the past 40 or so years, my work has been on the policy level, particularly in workforce development.  Sharing Montgomery has given me the opportunity to observe organizations doing the work on a grassroots level.  I appreciate the opportunity to provide input into improving the grantmaking process.  I have seen many positive changes in the quality of the grant applications and in the process of evaluating them. 

I’m so glad that Sharing Montgomery has brought me in contact with a group of people who care about improving the lives of residents of the county.

Bobbi Shulman (the fifth person on the right side of this photo) and other members of the Sharing Montgomery Committee visit Interfaith Works, another nonprofit in Montgomery County.

Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope

Anna Hargrave, The Community Foundation Executive Director, Montgomery County, and Jackie DeCarlo, Chief Executive Officer of Manna Food Center.

On Thursday, March 28th, the Manna Food Center saluted The Community Foundation as its Community Partner of the Year.  We were proud to accept this award on behalf of all our fundholders who have generously supported Manna over the years as well as the many contributors to our Neighbors in Need Montgomery Fund. Collectively, all those gifts over the last 20 years have tallied up to nearly $1 million. 

Our partnership with the Manna Food Center has evolved significantly in recent years.  A key turning point was in Fall 2008, when the economic downturn was heating up.  We were disturbed to hear that Manna was experiencing a 40% increase in demand.  In fact, people who used to donate during the holidays had to turn to Manna for help.

Cliff White, a newcomer to our Grants Committee at that time, challenged The Community Foundation to do more. 

“Many of us have a financial cushion and are able to weather an economic storm of this magnitude,” he said. “And for those of us who are, we need to give more than ever.”

Believing that people would step up if they were made aware of the growing needs, Cliff helped lead the creation of our Neighbors in Need Montgomery Fund to bolster support for the county’s safety-net providers. This effort galvanized donors of all levels (from $5 to $50,000) by providing them with an easy mechanism to support our key safety-net nonprofits providing food, shelter, clothing, and emergency assistance to prevent evictions.  For Manna in particular, our support enabled them to quickly replenish their supply of food while the need rose exponentially.

After the 2008 economic downturn, the Neighbors in Need Montgomery steering committee decided to take stock of its investments and explore what would be the most strategic use of our dollars going forward.  After listening sessions with community partners, the group challenged itself to pursue giving opportunities which both respond to the immediate needs of our neighbors in crisis while also transforming our safety-net systems to serve more people effectively.

Photo courtesy of Manna Food Center.

Again, the Manna Food Center stepped up.  While impressively serving 30,000 people between their headquarters, 6 satellite locations, and 11 partner drop-off sites, they understood those efforts only met about half the need in Montgomery County. To reach even more deeply into our underserved communities, they requested start-up funds to convert a retired school bus into an innovative new kitchen-classroom and mobile food pantry on wheels.  During its inaugural year, this first-of-its-kind bus (nicknamed “Manny”) brought fresh produce to 300 County residents, including many isolated low-income seniors. It also hosted 1,238 class participants in hands-on cooking classes, helping kids learn to enjoy healthy and delicious veggies. 

Photos of programs, staff and volunteers inside Manna Food Center’s bus that serves as a kitchen-classroom and mobile food pantry on wheels. Photos courtesy of Manna Food Center.

The most rewarding aspect of our work at The Community Foundation is helping people connect with high-impact local nonprofits and discover the joy of making an impact in our home region.  We are grateful to the Manna Food Center for being a great partner for everyone who wants to fight hunger and foster hope throughout our community. 

Thank You for Supporting the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy

By Bruce McNamer, President and CEO

CityDance Dream students perform at the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy.

Thank you for supporting the 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy! It was a wonderful time to enjoy networking, food, and entertainment with our entire community of donors, nonprofits, businesses, local government, other partners, and special guests of all ages. We were proud to recognize former Mayor Anthony Williams with the 2019 Civic Spirit Award for his contributions over so many years in government and now as CEO of the Federal City Council; and to showcase the incredible talent of local artists and nonprofits supported by The Community Foundation and our donors.

I want to extend a special thank you to the Sponsors, Host Committee, and everyone who contributed to making this Celebration possible. Thanks to your generosity, the Celebration raised a record-breaking $673,000! Your support facilitates critical investments which strengthen our communities. Proceeds from the Celebration of Philanthropy go to the Fund for Greater Washington, which underwrites our work to Build Thriving Communities by making grants, incubating new ideas, convening partners to address community needs, and conducting programmatic initiatives and advocacy work. Your support makes it possible for us to help our marginalized neighbors find pathways out of poverty, deepen culture and human connection, and prepare workers to succeed in our region’s changing economy. 

Accepting the 2019 Civic Spirit Award, Anthony Williams said, 

“In these tough times, we’ve got to hang in there, we’ve got to believe, we’ve got to reach, we've got to dream, and then figure out a practical way to do it." 

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, our President and CEO Bruce McNamer, and former Mayor Anthony Williams.

By being part of the Celebration of Philanthropy, you’ve already started. We are so grateful to you for supporting and advancing our work to make the Greater Washington region a more vibrant, just and equitable place to live.

There’s still more work to be done. We hope you will help us continue the important and urgent work to address systemic challenges with renewed focus and determination. To join us in this effort, I encourage you to contact me or anyone from our staff to discuss your priorities for making change in our community.

Victories in Advocacy

What do paid sick leave in Maryland, limiting drinking water contamination in Virginia, and protecting housing for Chinese Americans in DC’s Chinatown all have in common? These are victories that were made possible by advocacy, led by our nonprofit partners.

Advocacy—activities that can influence public policy, including work connecting community members to other decision-makers—is a key tool we use to build thriving communities.

“Investing in advocacy is a critical part of creating real and lasting social change,” says Silvana Straw, Senior Community Investment Officer and Philanthropic Advisor at The Community Foundation. “Advocacy efforts increase public awareness and public will, increase public and private funding, and strengthen public policy.”

One example of a recent victory is the work of Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), which we have helped fund. WIN’s campaign in DC’s Northwest One neighborhood engaging community residents and leaders in housing advocacy, led to a plan to build 518 units of affordable housing at 33 K Street NW, formerly Temple Courts. WIN and former tenants have been working with the developer to secure jobs commitments for former and current tenants.

Building on 30 years of experience, including advocacy which preserved $80 million of public funding for safety net services in the region, Straw’s current work focuses on housing and ending homelessness.

DCFPI is a key partner of the Way Home: the campaign to end chronic homelessness in Washington DC and helps organize major advocacy events led by the campaign.

Straw also works with the DC Fiscal Policy Institute (DCFPI), a key partner in the fight for affordable housing and ending homelessness in DC. Their research revealed that in the past decade DC lost more than half of its affordable housing. Last year DCFPI laid out a blueprint for the investments needed to fully address DC’s housing needs. DCFPI’s research shows that extremely low-income families face the greatest need and supports advocacy for DC’s Local Rent Supplement Program, including a 2019 increase which was the largest in years.

Another victory is thanks to Housing Counseling Services (HCS). Their advocacy has helped tenants at Wah Luck House, mostly Chinese American seniors, keep their housing in DC’s Chinatown. They helped tenants exercise their Purchase Rights when their building went up for sale. Ultimately, tenants successfully negotiated a contract with the purchaser that preserves the HUD subsidy for 20 years and guaranteed an entire building upgrade.

Workforce development remains another key advocacy area for The Community Foundation. Benton Murphy, Senior Director, Community Investment, says,

“Over my years at The Community Foundation, my grants portfolio has included a large number of advocacy projects focused on things like encouraging transparency in our local and state government funding and budgets, advocating for better working conditions and rights for undocumented workers and day laborers, and helping more adults with literacy challenges receive better, more targeted education and job training supports.”

Last March, members of Job Opportunities Task Force spent the day in Annapolis, marching, advocating, and meeting with legislators to advance key issues, including colleges and universities removing the arrest/conviction question from applications.

Some recent workforce victories include the passage of the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act. This act will require employers with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven days of paid sick days in one year thanks to work alongside Job Opportunities Task Force and Maryland Center on Economic Policy. Another victory with these groups was the passage of the Maryland Fair Access to Education Act that requires colleges and universities who do not use a third-party admissions application to remove the arrest/conviction question from the initial admissions application, ensuring more equitable access to education.

In DC, the DC Adult and Family Literacy Coalition led by a Steering Committee (Academy of Hope Public Charter School, Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, DC Public Library, Literacy Volunteers & Advocates, So Others Might Eat, Southeast Ministry and YWCA National Capital Area) convened at the Community Foundation’s offices, successfully advocated for the District to provide free public transportation to adult learners. This is important because many students miss class and fail to complete their programs if they don't have bus or subway fare. The 2018 DC budget included $2 million so that adult learners can travel for free using public transportation to and from class

Advocacy remains a key practice for community foundations and nonprofits to make the region more equitable for all our neighbors, including our most vulnerable populations.

To read about advocacy in action, check out this blog post from the Potomac Riverkeeper Network about how they worked to ensure passage of a bill to properly dispose of more than 27 million cubic yards of toxic coal ash currently sitting in holding ponds, safeguarding Virginia residents at risk of toxic contamination from pond leakage.

Protecting Our Community from Unsafe Drinking Water

Guest Post by Emily Franc, Vice President of Development/Philanthropy, Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN)

The Greater Washington Community Foundation manages The Spring Creek Environmental and Preservation Fund, of which the Potomac Riverkeeper Network was a grantee in 2019, 2018 and 2016. The Spring Creek fund was created to support local nonprofit organizations with a demonstrated track record in successfully preserving, protecting or encouraging sustainable use of exceptional natural or built environments in the Greater Washington region, particularly those environments affecting low-income populations.

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Possum Point is a sleepy rural community of families and military veterans who live a simple life along Quantico Creek and the Potomac River. Dan and Patty Marrow chose to raise their three children on Possum Point Road because they believed it was a safe, wholesome community. Little did they know that carcinogens had been leaching from toxic coal ash ponds owned by the nearby Dominion Power Plant through ground water, slowly poisoning their drinking wells.  Residents of Possum Point and other communities across Virginia were unaware of the dangers of living next to coal ash ponds.  

That is until newly hired Potomac Riverkeeper, Dean Naujoks, came on the scene in 2015, fresh from battling Duke Energy and its leaking ash ponds in North Carolina. Those lessons learned proved invaluable in the fight to bring polluters to justice and uphold regulations that protect human health and our drinking water supply.

We assume when we turn on our tap, clean water will come out.  The Clean Water Act legitimizes our right to clean water, but right here in the Washington, DC, region, our Riverkeepers uncover illegal pollution regularly.  Ensuring enforcement of Clean Water laws, Riverkeepers become the last line of defense, protecting our waterways on the public’s behalf.  

Photos from Possum Point, showing ash piles being bulldozed into Pond D. Photos by Alan Lehman, Potomac Riverkeeper Network.

What Dean uncovered at Possum Point was alarming – water containing heavy metals called seeps had been leaking from unlined ash ponds for decades into the creek.  Independent lab test results of private drinking wells around Possum Point, commissioned and paid for by Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN), proved “untreated water from the wells at the properties addressed [on] Possum Point Road should not be used for potable purposes.” The wells were contaminated by a cocktail of carcinogenic metals linked to coal ash proving ground water contamination had moved off-site into residential drinking wells. 

“It is not easy to tell someone you believe their drinking wells are contaminated and unknowingly poisoning them,” said Naujoks, “but at the same time they have a right to know if their water is safe to drink!”

With growing momentum, PRKN hosted public forums attended by hundreds of people, engaged elected officials, and mobilized coalition partners and the public to join our “Move Your Ash” coal ash campaign. Property owners on Possum Point Road became outspoken after learning that their children had been exposed to unsafe well water for decades. Our coalition’s outreach committee generated over 1,000 calls, emails, and letters to elected officials in support of coal ash legislation.

In January of this year, the Virginia legislature passed a bill requiring at least 7 million of the 30 million tons of coal ash in the state to be recycled and the rest safely landfilled within 15 years! Without a Riverkeeper conducting investigations, informing the public, and pressuring state agencies to take action, these decades of unimpeded pollution would have continued.

This story is just one of dozens of toxic threats we investigate annually.  Taking the time to deeply investigate and understand the nature of threats to water quality, while locating the actual individual sources of pollution is critical to our approach, credibility, and success.

We are grateful for the support of the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s family of donors and the Spring Creek Environmental Fund for their stalwart support of our efforts.  Together, we took on Dominion and took back our right to clean water.

Potomac Riverkeeper Network works to protect the public’s right to clean water in our rivers and streams by stopping pollution to promote safe drinking water, protecting healthy river habitats, and enhancing public use and enjoyment. Learn more.

Farewell to Desiree Griffin-Moore

By Bruce McNamer, President and CEO

This week, we bid a sad farewell to Desiree Griffin-Moore, Executive Director of our local Prince George’s County office. Desiree has been tireless in her efforts, her outreach and her leadership at The Community Foundation for more than 20 years. As Executive Director in Prince George’s County, she has played a vital role in building community, strengthening the capacity of non-profits, engaging with the government and private sectors and raising money to support our work. Underlying all of her work as been her passionate commitment to social justice—a passion that has driven her entire career.

Desiree arrived at The Community Foundation in 1998 with extensive experience working in the nonprofit sector to advance low-income and marginalized communities through roles with the Freddie Mac Foundation, the United Way of the National Capital Region, and the District of Columbia Department of Human Services. As Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County, she led the way in creating corporate relationships with, among others, the Peterson Companies, Walton Group, and MGM National Harbor.

In times of crisis, Desiree crafted solutions that worked to bring stability and security to our community. During the 2008 housing crisis, she worked with United Communities Against Poverty on foreclosure prevention efforts. And around the same time she helped launch the Neighbors in Need Fund. During her tenure she also initiated Sharing Prince George’s, a communal grant making program; the PGC Coalition for the Enrichment of After School Programs; the PGC Education Initiative Socratic Forum; and the Partnership for Prince George’s County, which raised over a million dollars to support capacity building for non-profits in the County. 

Photo of President and CEO Bruce McNamer, guest Terese Taylor, former Executive Director of The Community Foundation in Prince George's County Desiree Griffin-Moore, and Chair of The Community Foundation's Prince George’s Advisory Board, Bill Shipp, at the Civic Leadership Awards in Prince George's County.

On a day-to-day basis, she was the face of the Foundation in the County, continually engaged with Foundation donors, and acted as our touchstone with literally hundreds of dedicated non-profits. In 2006, she and the Board of Advisors launched the Civic Leadership Awards, which to this day powerfully lift up the civic contributions made in different spheres by so many in building a thriving County.    

And there was more. As important and imaginative as her work has been, we who know her also respect and love her for how she has worked. She is a natural leader and a wonderful human being. Seemingly so comfortable as a speaker, listener, counselor, cheerleader, or friend, Desiree is able to inspire with her passion and her eloquence, to connect with her warmth and great sense of humor, and to lead with purpose, intellect and heart. She is special. We will miss her.

Promoting Civic Engagement through the Arts

The “DIVAs” may sound like the name of a band or a reality TV show. In fact, it’s a 14-year-old giving circle comprised of about a dozen Montgomery County women who pool their funds and invest in groups that provide life-changing arts experiences to disadvantaged and at-promise youth. “Donors InVesting in the Arts,” or “DIVAs,” is one of the many giving circles managed by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. 

Each year the group, which includes a number of artists and community leaders, focuses its grantmaking on how to use the arts to empower kids and youth. This year’s focus was using the arts to reflect on our democracy and promote civic engagement, “a topic that is always important and relevant, especially at this moment in time,” said DIVAs member Esther Newman, CEO Emeritus and Founder of Leadership Montgomery.

Anna Hargrave, executive director of The Community Foundation’s local office in Montgomery County, agrees:

“Residents of our region are hungry for ways to connect with causes and organizations that are meaningful to them and that have an impact,” she said. “By helping young people develop a voice and shape our democracy now and into the future, the DIVAs are making an investment in the leaders of tomorrow.” 

Newman credits Hargrave with introducing the group to arts organizations with a strong track record. “Anna’s experience and knowledge of Montgomery County-based organizations and her facilitation of our meetings has been invaluable,” said Newman. “With her help, we know our money is being wisely spent.” 

This year, the group made grants to two groups: Young Artists of America (YAA) at Strathmore for its “Hear the People Sing!” social media initiative and Gandhi Brigade, a youth media organization which uses multimedia as tools to promote community building, multicultural understanding and the common good.

YAA provides professional level music theatre training and performance opportunities to the region’s most talented middle and high school instrumentalists and vocalists, resulting in fully-orchestrated works of music-theatre in high-profile venues. As a follow up to last year’s popular performance of “Ragtime,” this spring, YAA will present “Les Misérables,” based on Victor Hugo’s book and featuring YAA’s 60-piece youth symphonic orchestra.

Young Artists of America at Strathmore (YAA) and Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO) present RAGTIME: In Concert on April 15, 2018 at the Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda, MD.

Titled after one of the most rousing songs in the Les Mis score, YAA’s “Hear the People Sing!” initiative challenges students to make connections between the social challenges in Hugo’s time and those of today, such as class inequity and gender-based oppression. Performers, as well as invited student audience members from low- and moderate-income families, are encouraged to participate in social media journaling and post-rehearsal discussions to spark dialogue, extending and deepening the conversation to a larger audience.  

“We want to make it cool for students to talk about these topics with their peers and get further involved in local issues,” YAA Executive Director Lisa Larragoite said. “Our vision is to help every student ‘take the stage,’ and by that we mean both the literal stage and the stage of life. Specifically, we want students to see how art can help individuals begin to consider social issues they may not directly face but which are important to society at large.”

“To get a grant from such a well-respected group as the DIVAs allows us to work with students on a deeper level and validates our work,” Larragoite added. 

The DIVAs also made a grant to Gandhi Brigade Youth Media, a Silver Spring-based afterschool program that empowers young people to use multimedia tools to promote community building, multicultural understanding and the common good. The funding allows Gandhi Brigade to expand its free afterschool programs in which participants learn media skills, research and interview techniques and produce short films on timely topics. The program not only benefits participating students, but also the broader Montgomery County community by providing an outlet for youth to share their thoughts and perspectives with peers, neighbors and community leaders. Recent films have addressed such pressing issues as bullying, immigration reform, juvenile justice and police accountability. 

Student filmmakers from the Gandhi Brigade Youth Media 2018 summer documentary program.

“Not only do young people need vehicles to talk about difficult issues, the larger community needs to hear what they have to say,” said Gandhi Brigade Executive Director Anna Danielson. 

The opening of Gandhi Brigade’s new studio later this year will allow the organization to have more of a public face. In turn, the new editing space and screening room will provide opportunities for students to share their work more broadly, through community screenings of their videos, original podcasts and intergenerational activities with seniors. “The grant from the DIVAs is a real vote of confidence in our civic engagement work,” Danielson said.  

To learn more about how The Community Foundation is enhancing community well-being by promoting philanthropy and civic engagement, supporting arts and culture, and advocating for equity, inclusion and justice, please contact Silvana Straw at [email protected].

Nominate an Executive for a David Bradt 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 the Chair and Member of the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Board, 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 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 investing in the leadership of the region’s most effective organizations, the David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund will have a long-lasting, tangible impact on our community by enhancing the capacity and influence of those groups.

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, the organization’s impact on people living in the Greater Washington region, and their professional development goals. Applicants should also submit a copy of their resume. If you have already identified specific professional development courses/programs you wish to attend, we encourage you to note them in the application.

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 by 5pm on Thursday, April 18th.

Stage 2:  Full Application

By early June 2019, the selection committee will identify finalists who will be invited to submit a more formal application which will include:

• 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 September before announcing the awardee(s) by early November 2019.

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, April 18th.  

Announcing the Inaugural David Bradt Nonprofit Leadership Awards

Our new awardees with members of the selection committee. From left to right: Alex Orfinger, Diane Tipton, Lauren Shweder Biel, Patricia Funegra, David Bradt, Adam Rocap, Lidia Soto-Harmon, Lyles Carr, and Tamara Copeland.

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 the Chair and Member of the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Board, 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.

A few years ago, Alex Orfinger, wanted to find a meaningful way to salute David’s many years of service to our local community.  Teaming up with David’s wife, Diane Tipton, they invited friends and family to join them in establishing the David Bradt Nonprofit Education Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Their vision was to provide an annual award that will enable a nonprofit leader in the Greater Washington region to attend an intensive executive training program.

As you may imagine, David was shocked and touched by the incredible outpouring from friends and colleagues who rallied to create this special award.  He also was thrilled to discover this award will have a long-lasting, tangible impact on our community by enhancing the capacity and influence of nonprofit leaders and the organizations they serve.

With facilitation by The Community Foundation staff, the steering committee recently selected the inaugural awardees: Lauren Biel, Patricia Funegra, and Adam Rocap.

Lauren Biel is Co-Founder and Executive Director of DC Greens, which works to create a more equitable food system in our community. Nominators specifically recognized for her collaborative spirit in her work.  Biel says,

“I believe it is one of the keys to the success of our movement in the District - our recognition that we are strongest when we stand together, and that all boats rise in the tide. At DC Greens, we have a culture of elevating other organizations, and of working to benefit more than just our own organizational interests.” 

For her award, Lauren is currently selecting an intensive upper level management course that will propel both her and DC Greens forward. 

Patricia Funegra is the Founder and CEO of La Cocina VA, which uses the power of food to generate workforce and economic development opportunities. Having started in a church basement, La Cocina VA is now getting ready to move to a state of the art Training and Entrepreneurship center. Patricia is known for her passion and the ability to instill similar passion in the people with whom she works serving up grit and determination daily. She explains,

“We [at La Cocina VA] believe that it is not only about what we do, but how we do it. We develop expertise and thought leadership on the intersections of innovation, job creation, and advocacy, to provide systemic opportunities for economic stability.”

Patricia looks forward to using her award to attend the Women's Leadership Forum of the Harvard Business School.

Adam Rocap serves as Deputy Director of Miriam’s Kitchen.  Adam is driven to bring innovative ideas to fruition, and he has been instrumental in shifting the organization’s focus to ending chronic homelessness in DC. Reflecting on the organization’s evolution during his tenure, Adam says,

“Miriam’s Kitchen moved from an agency that historically just provided high-quality meals and case management to homeless individuals to an agency with an expanded portfolio of advocacy, permanent supportive housing, street outreach, and SOAR disability benefits programs that are strategically aligned for Miriam’s Kitchen to help end chronic homelessness at the individual and system-wide levels.” 

Adam plans to split his award between a local leadership course and an Executive Education program at the Harvard Business School.

Bruce McNamer, President & CEO, says:

“On behalf of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, I want to congratulate the awardees and also give thanks to Diane and Alex for their vision, all the friends who gave to make it possible, and David for being the inspiration for this award.  Your investment in these and all the future awardees will have a profound impact on our region for years to come.”

Surprising Stats from VoicesDMV

As a community foundation, your perspectives – the voices of our community – are key to our work. We are committed to responding to our community’s needs through responsive grantmaking and by amplifying local voices in public and private sector conversations. To best speak in partnership with our community, we have to listen. We have 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.

About a year ago, the Greater Washington Community Foundation proudly announced the release of Voices of the Community: DC, Maryland, Virginia. Designed to amplify the voice of the people—those who live and work in our region—VoicesDMV included a survey of more than 3,000 of our regional neighbors as well as community conversations with hundreds of stakeholders across the region. This allowed The Community Foundation to hear directly from locals about the region’s strengths, challenges, and overall quality of life.

We saw this as a way to better understand the story of our region. We launched this initiative recognizing that although our region is data rich, few efforts systematically capture the voices, experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of people who live here, especially across jurisdictions.

VoicesDMV was envisioned as a north star for The Community Foundation – a way for us to ensure our grantmaking and community leadership efforts are aligned to the needs most strongly felt by our neighbors. We have also offered the data collected through this initiative as a public good, available to anyone seeking to do good in our region. And we made a commitment to revisit this survey every two years to keep our finger on the pulse of our region.

Our efforts have paid tremendous dividends. Through VoicesDMV we learned so much more about our region, especially our neighbors experiences in their communities and the role philanthropy can play in enhancing or improving those experiences.

A community member speaks at a community conversation in Northern Virginia.

Photo by AOTA Creative Group.

VoicesDMV revealed that even as our region continues to prosper, deep disparities in income, education and opportunity persist and the gap continues to widen:

• Nearly one in five residents has faced some form of housing or food insecurity in the past 12 months. That number increases to one in three people for our region’s black and Hispanic populations.

• One in three people would not have enough savings to continue to live as they do today for more than two months if they lost current income sources.

• The cost of living, especially renting or owning a home, was raised as one of the most challenging aspects of our region.

• Nearly a third of Prince George’s County and Montgomery County respondents rated access to education and training as a “major” barrier to finding a job.

• One in four people were discriminated against in the region in the past year, and the majority said it was because of their race or ethnicity.

VoicesDMV has influenced The Community Foundation at its very core. These findings drove the development of our new Building Thriving Communities framework, which underscores the importance of our continued focus on affordable housing in our region and led us to explore new opportunities to support entrepreneurship and prepare for the Future of Work.

And while we have put so much new work into practice as a result of VoicesDMV, our work to stay in touch with the community is not over. In the nearly two years since we initiated our first VoicesDMV survey, we have seen the birth of the #MeToo movement, new administrations taking the reins of power throughout our region, and Amazon deciding to set up shop.

With so much change happening, we are excited by the opportunity to circle back to the community for our second VoicesDMV survey, this time with a few new bells and whistles and plenty of opportunities to engage with us on the results. Stay tuned for more from The Community Foundation on ways that you can be engaged with VoicesDMV!

If you’d like to sign up for news and more information about our VoicesDMV initiative, please contact Benton Murphy at [email protected]. 

Performers Announced for 2019 Celebration of Philanthropy

Our annual Celebration of Philanthropy is the region’s largest annual celebration of local philanthropy. This year, even our performers – live musicians, actors, poets and dancers – are nonprofits and local artists who are supported by The Community Foundation and our community of givers. We are so excited to announce the organizations who will entertain you at our Celebration on Monday, March 25, 2019.

Musicians

Josanne Francis*

Josanne Francis is a Strathmore Artist in Residence, a program which provides emerging musicians with mentorship, professional development, and performance opportunities. Born and raised in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Josanne is an internationally known steelpan performer and music educator. Josanne’s music blends together and draws influences from traditional Calypso music, Jazz, Indian, Funk, Rock and Classical music - a unique mix which is not typical for the instrument. She currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Cultural Academy for Excellence, Inc. and teaches at the International High School at Langley Park.

FAME – The Foundation for the Advancement of Music & Education, Inc.

Founded in 2004, FAME’s mission is to positively impact the lives of youth through access to quality music, education, programs, and experiences. FAME brings equity to the educational system by ensuring that young people, regardless of social and economic need, have access to quality music and music education. We prepare youth for college and career through a four-pronged approach: Music Instruction, Educational Support, College Preparation, and Work Readiness. The 18-piece FAME Jazz Band features a group of inspired and talented middle and high school students who live or attend school in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Actors and Poets

The Keegan Theatre

The Keegan Theatre’s mission is to take audiences to the vital heart of the theatre experience, featuring extraordinary artists in an intimate setting exploring the human condition.

Keegan’s performance includes an excerpt from the upcoming production of FROM GUMBO TO MUMBO, an original play based on a spoken-word piece developed by the show’s co-stars, Dwayne Lawson-Brown and Drew Anderson. Centering around a narrative about the realities of growing up black and male in DC, FROM GUMBO TO MUMBO combines theatre, spoken word, and hip-hop to explore contemporary themes. 

Dancers

The PB Eclectic Steppers*

Through a partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools and Step Afrika!, Strathmore’s Step Up East County program provides professional step instructors to empower four youth step teams by teaching them the core values of step (teamwork, commitment, and discipline). Part of Strathmore’s Bloom initiative in eastern Montgomery County, The PB Eclectic Steppers reign from Paint Branch High School. They excel in the classroom and on the stage and are dedicated volunteers in their communities. When these ladies hit the stage, be ready for an ECLECTIC and ELECTRIC performance!

CityDance DREAM

Founded in 1996 with a mission to transform lives and communities through dance, CityDance pursues a vision of a thriving DC arts community where every child has access to the benefits of an arts education and world-class dance is available to all. CityDance DREAM uses dance as the vehicle through which students develop core competencies for reaching their full potential. DREAM provides free after-school programs, summer camps and in-school performances to thousands of students in underserved neighborhoods. DREAM’s signature work, Warrior, is a high energy, Afro-Contemporary original piece bringing together the force, power and grace of 13 students in 7th–12th grades. 

Halau Nohona Hawaii

Hālau Nohona Hawai`i (HNH) is a Hawaiian cultural school with a mission to cultivate, protect, and perpetuate the cultural practices, knowledge, and traditions of nā kūpuna (elders) through the teachings of hula, language, chant, protocols, music, and history. The school was founded in 2014 for those who have a desire to learn from the heart, nurture Hawaiian practices with integrity, and live a life of Hawaiian core values; and to unite people, organizations, and resources to build a stronger Hawai`i community in the National Capitol region. HNH will demonstrate two types of hula: auana (modern) and kahiko (traditional), with an oli (chant), accompanied by live music in both English and Hawaiian.

We hope you will join us to see these wonderful artists on March 25! Tickets are now on sale.

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*Josanne Francis and The PB Eclectic Steppers join us courtesy of the Strathmore Hall Foundation, Inc.

Strathmore Hall Foundation, Inc.

Strathmore presents and produces exemplary visual and performing arts programs for diverse audiences; creates dynamic arts education experiences; and nurtures creative ideas and conversations that advance the future of the arts.

Resilience Fund Grants Respond to Ongoing Impact of Shutdown

The Resilience Fund announced that it has made grants to local nonprofits responding to the most pressing needs of federal workers, contractors and small business owners impacted by the partial Federal Government shutdown. These grants have provided support for emergency response, including funding for emergency cash and food assistance, as well as to help nonprofits restock, replenish and recover from the unexpected increase in demand for their services.

“It is heartening to say that the outpouring of support from our community has been incredible! We have more than doubled our original gift of $50,000 by raising an additional $125,000 in individual donations and institutional commitments, including gifts ranging in size from $10 to $50,000,” said Tonia Wellons, VP of community investment for the Greater Washington Community Foundation, and Terri D. Wright, VP for program and community for the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, who co-chair the Fund’s Steering Committee.

The Resilience Fund’s latest round of rapid response grants provided support to:

• The Capital Area Food Bank to distribute produce and other grocery items at free pop-up markets held each Saturday of the shutdown at locations across the region. In the first week alone, the food bank served more than 2,400 individuals, nearly twice as many as expected.

• United Communities Against Poverty in Prince George’s County to restock its food pantry and to provide cash assistance for expenses like gas, medicine, and other household needs.

• Manna Food Center in Montgomery County waived eligibility requirements for food assistance recognizing that the ripple effects of the shutdown are reaching into the community far beyond federal employees.

• Greater DC Diaper Bank working in partnership with World Central Kitchen and the Coast Guard to distribute more than 200,000 diapers, feminine hygiene products, formula, and other items to families directly affected by the shutdown.

• The Excellence in Education Foundation for Prince George’s County Public Schools and the Dine with Dignity Program of Montgomery County Public Schools Foundation to support students who could not afford a hot meal for breakfast and lunch, so they can focus on learning and not hunger.

Volunteers sort produce the Capital Area Food Bank provided to furloughed federal workers and contractors at popup markets around the region during the government shutdown. Photo provided by the Capital Area Food Bank.

This announcement comes as parts of the Federal Government reopened this week following a 35-day partial shutdown affecting an estimated 300,000 federal workers and contractors in our region. While this provides some relief for federal workers who will eventually receive back pay, we remain concerned for local contractors, small business owners, childcare providers, and service sector workers, among others, who may not be able to recover lost income and could continue to fall behind. The Community Foundation will continue to work with the Resilience Fund’s Steering Committee and donors to determine how to further allocate resources to address the ongoing impact of the shutdown on our region. 

You can help support our neighbors in need by making a donation to the Resilience Fund. You can choose for your donation to support nonprofits helping our neighbors affected by the shutdown or to contribute to one of the Resilience Fund’s other funding priorities, including immigration policies, justice reform and civil rights roll-backs, and efforts that expand access to citizenship and democracy.

ABOUT THE RESILIENCE FUND

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. The Fund has raised and leveraged more than $1 million and made grants to nonprofits responding to changes in federal policy and the resulting climate of intolerance and hate, disproportionately impacting local people of color and immigrant communities. Grants have supported immigrant-serving organizations responding to changes in immigration and deportation policies by providing advocacy, legal or medical services, training on legal and civil rights, and assistance to reunite families separated at the border. The Fund has also supported efforts to build community cohesion and combat anti-other sentiment by funding grassroots community engagement, voter education services, and the expansion of programs teaching tolerance, respect and inclusion.

Six Things The Community Needs You To Know About The Shutdown

Editor’s Note: Though the federal government has reopened for the next three weeks, we recognize that contractors, childcare providers and many other parties that Tonia Wellons highlights in this blog post may never receive backpay, and certainly still suffer from the consequences of the shutdown. In addition, if no budget is reached by February 15, the partial federal shutdown may resume. In light of these ongoing concerns, Wellons’ reminders and recommendations for ways to help still remain deeply relevant to our community.

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By Tonia Wellons, Vice President, Community Investment

It has been one month since the partial Federal Government shutdown began and our neighbors in the Greater Washington region, especially in Prince George’s County, continue to be impacted. Most of you have heard the news stories, may be experiencing this first hand, or you have seen the long lines of working families in search of food and other forms of assistance.

We all know that when shocks like this hit the country, they hit communities of color the hardest. With incomes typically lower, personal savings often thinner, and access to networks with deep pockets limited, communities of color suffer the most and often have the longest recovery time. 

In my role at the Greater Washington Community Foundation, I have had the opportunity to work closely with nonprofits and funders who have organized very quickly to respond. Here’s a summary of what we have learned and how you might be able to help:

• While federal workers are directly impacted, we must not forget that contractors, small business owners, and child care facilities are also affected. We should also be mindful that offices like child support enforcement can’t disburse what they can’t collect.

• Local food pantries and food banks need to be replenished. The demographic impacted is unaccustomed to navigating human and social service systems. The response from local grocers, restaurants, and food markets has been welcomed. 

• Prince George’s County Public Schools has received as many as 500 new applications for free and reduced lunch because of the federal shutdown.

• There is an increase in concern about eviction prevention, particularly as we move into proximity of a second missed pay cycle. 

• Child care is an expense that families are most likely to cut first since they are home. There is a ripple effect on child care providers, children, and workers; and it is often difficult for families to return once they leave.

• Families need food and cash assistance to cover the cost of everyday household expenses and medicine.

A community member sorts produce at a local food center.

This week as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it is only fitting that we look to his words to guide our steps. His life and his legacy represent the importance of pressing forward to change and challenge federal policies that impact the poor, working class, and especially people of color. His life and legacy is one of vision, advocacy, and action. In his honor, I invite you each to consider several ways that we can support our neighbors affected by the shutdown.

““The time is always right to do the right thing.””

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

How You Can Help Our Neighbors During and After the Shutdown

1.       Ask your friends and neighbors what they need. Reach out to people you know who work for the Federal Government and ask them what they need. Now is the time to get to know your neighbors, to reach out to your friends, and make yourselves available to them. Invite them over for dinner or offer to pay for their children’s school lunch.

2.       Donate food and cash to help families meet immediate needs. You can make a donation to your local foodbank, church or school pantry, or school lunch fund. Several of our nonprofit partners throughout the region have mobilized to offer pop-up markets, hand out food or gift cards, and provide support for household essentials and other resources. We have compiled a list of resources to help furloughed federal employees and contractors in need of assistance – and local governments in DC,  Montgomery County and Prince George’s County have released resource lists.

3.       Encourage those impacted to reach out to their creditors to defer payments. Local banks, utility companies and several other institutions have offered to work with customers to offer loans, flexible payments, and more. The United Way of the National Capital Area has opened four Financial Empowerment Centers located throughout the region, offering direct access to high-quality financial services and guidance at no cost to the client. Check our list of resources for more details.

4.       Consider supporting nonprofits addressing the long-term challenges facing our communities. Even after the shutdown ends, the long-term effects will continue to impact our community. Local nonprofits throughout the region will continue their work to support families in need and find solutions for disparities in income, access and opportunity in our communities. The Community Foundation can help you identify nonprofits working to alleviate poverty and hunger, expand access to a quality education, provide training to obtain a living wage job, and improve the quality of life for our region’s most vulnerable residents. Contact us to discuss.

If you are in a position to help our neighbors who may struggle to meet critical needs for food or other financial assistance during this period of uncertainty, please consider giving to our Resilience Fund. Established by individual and institutional donors in March 2017, and housed at Greater Washington Community Foundation, the Resilience Fund’s mission is to respond to changes in federal policy that negatively impact the most vulnerable in our communities. The Fund has set aside $50,000 to help local nonprofits address the most critical needs. With your support, these organizations can increase capacity to do more during this time of uncertainty for our friends, families, and neighbors. Contributions to this fund will support our neighbors now and in the future.

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Tonia Wellons leads the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Community Investment function, which includes competitive and discretionary grant-making, community engagement efforts, and strategic partnerships. She has over 20 years of experience spanning senior leadership roles at the Peace Corps and the World Bank Group to social entrepreneurship for a community-based fund that she founded. In 2016, Tonia was named one of NBC’s Women of Washington.

MGM National Harbor: A Dedicated Philanthropic Partner

MGM National Harbor is well-known for its stunning views of the Potomac River and expansive resort, but it has also contributed to the local economy while working to make positive contributions that benefit its employees, its community and the environment. When it opened in late 2016 in National Harbor, Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan called the entertainment destination “one of the most important economic development projects in Maryland history.” 

From the beginning, MGM set out to enhance its community by making meaningful investments in workforce development, economic inclusion, and community engagement. Soon after signing a community benefits agreement with the County, MGM chose the Greater Washington Community Foundation to manage its grantmaking through the MGM National Harbor Community Fund. 

“We bring to the process a long history in the County, our knowledge of community needs and a commitment to being transparent throughout the grantmaking process,” said Desiree Griffin-Moore, executive director of The Community Foundation’s local office in Prince George’s County. “In turn, MGM adds value to the community as a responsible corporate partner who is actively engaged in multiple ways. Over time, our relationship has truly blossomed.”

For instance, MGM Resorts International Regional Vice President of Community Engagement Danielle White serves on The Community Foundation’s Advisory Board in Prince George’s County, MGM National Harbor has hosted The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County’s Civic Leadership Awards for several years and Community Foundation staff have been invited to brief MGM’s internal grants council on pressing community needs. “It’s a tight-knit relationship,” says White.

MGM National Harbor employees volunteer at local nonprofit Food & Friends.

Nowhere is that more evident than the confidence MGM has placed in The Community Foundation’s management and distribution of $150,000 in annual grants through Sharing Prince George’s. This funding goes to effective nonprofit organizations addressing the economic security needs of county residents by providing education, workforce development and safety-net services. “The bottom line is The Community Foundation makes sure Prince George’s County is successful by identifying funding opportunities that provide a direct impact to the people,” said White.

“Through the course of time The Community Foundation has developed strong partnerships with local nonprofit organizations.” says White. “When they make a recommendation, it involves a rigorous review of large and small institutions that may be unfamiliar to us.” For instance, White was recently introduced to Nick’s Place, a 20-year old organization with a mission to assist young men in their journey through the disease of addiction and alcoholism. 

“We are seeing so many young men who are desperate to have a sober and safe community,” said Rhea McVicker, founder of Nick’s Place, named for her son, Nicholas Cristarella, whose life ended at age 22 as a result of the disease of addiction and alcoholism. “We don’t receive funding from the government, so any grant we receive is meaningful, but the $20,000 grant from Sharing Prince George’s is especially meaningful,” said McVicker. The funding will support the organization’s relapse prevention education and weeknight dinner program. 

In addition to Nick’s Place, the full list of 2018 Sharing Prince George’s grantees is available here. You can learn more about Sharing Prince George’s here. 

The Community Foundation has a long history of helping businesses establish and manage their philanthropic investments to create benefits for communities throughout the Greater Washington region. The DC Convention Center and Jack Cooke Kent Stadium (now FedEx Field) are among many examples over our 46-year history. If you are interested in learning more about our philanthropic advisory services for businesses, including the facilitation and execution of Community Benefit Agreements, please contact Rebecca Rothey. 

Bringing Community Voices to the Table

By Desiree Griffin-Moore, Executive Director, Prince George’s County

Growing up in the DC area, I have seen the city transform from a small sleepy government town to become the principal city of a major metropolitan area comprised of more than 6 million people. As the seat of our nation’s government, this area has grown exponentially and is quickly being recognized as a bastion for economic growth by corporations and private markets.   

Throughout the city and its surrounding areas, new developments and increasing interest from corporations, including Amazon, are stimulating the region’s economic growth and prosperity and creating new jobs and new business endeavors for many. Still, questions arise such as: Who is benefiting from this growth? How do traditionally marginalized communities gain access to these opportunities? Can the field be leveled and if so, how?   

Our Voices of the Community survey of more than 3,400 local residents found that:

• Nearly one in five residents has faced some form of housing or food insecurity in the past 12 months, and that increases to one in three people for our region’s black and Hispanic populations.

• The cost of living, especially renting or owning a home, is one of the most challenging aspects of our region. Nearly a third of people knew someone in the region who had to move in the past two years for a reason other than their own choice, typically due to high housing costs or job loss.

• Nearly a third of Prince George’s County and Montgomery County respondents rated access to education and training as a “major” barrier to finding a job.

The region’s explosive growth is now extending into Prince George’s County as corporations are seeing the County, its people and its land as valuable assets. As a native Washingtonian, and currently a Prince George’s County resident, I am seeing history repeating itself. While I am excited by the growth and celebrate the decisions of companies like MGM, National Harbor, Washington’s professional football team, and others, to relocate here, I also find myself worrying if the displacement of people that took place as a result of the growth in DC will now duplicate itself in Prince George’s County. Will families who have called Prince George’s County home for generations and contributed to its vitality suddenly find themselves fleeing because they can no longer afford to live here? Are there ways to thoughtfully encourage growth and, at the same time, ensure that the fabric of our communities remain intact? 

The racial and economic inequities that continue to plague our entire region could hinder our progress unless our area’s business, community and philanthropic leaders work together to address these challenges and advance racial equity and inclusion. 

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is tackling these issues by prioritizing strategic partnerships across sectors and developing new approaches to address the region’s most pressing challenges. With more than 45 years of community-based philanthropy experience, our knowledge of local needs and the most impactful nonprofits provides our corporate partners with important connections which are essential to their success. For example, you can read about how our partnership with MGM National Harbor expanded its ability to support and enhance the surrounding community in Prince George’s County.

We continue to play an important role by leveraging our relationships with businesses, nonprofits and local communities to help broker new partnerships that will ultimately provide necessary community input, diverse voices and broader perspectives as development continues to take place. In my years of service to this community and region, I have found that the relationships which emerge through these partnerships are essential .

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Desiree Griffin-Moore joined The Community Foundation in September 1998 as executive director of The Community Foundation in Prince George’s County where she has provided leadership in strategic giving, development, and donor engagement activities. A committed advocate of civil rights and social justice, Desiree has extensive experience working with the nonprofit sector to advance low-income and marginalized communities.