2026 David Bradt & Alex Orfinger Nonprofit Leadership Award

The David Bradt and Alex Orfinger Nonprofit Leadership Award will grant between $5,000 to $10,000 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.

(Visit this link 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 and Alex Orfinger 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.  If you work for a national organization, you will need to provide specifics about the direct service the organization provides to local residents and its local governance structure in your application.

Knowing this award can make a deep impact for both the individual awardee and their nonprofit, the steering committee has determined they will not select candidates who work at the same organizations as past award recipients.  This includes:

Academy of Hope, ACT for Alexandria, Ayuda, Carpenter’s Shelter, Community Bridges, Community Forklift, Dance Institute of Washington, DC Greens, Edu-Futuro, English Empowerment Center, FRESHFARM, The Grassroot Project, Horizons Greater Washington, Jubilee Housing, La Cocina VA, Life Asset, Martha’s Table, Miriam's Kitchen, Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area, School Leader Lab, Spur Local, The Women’s Center, Voices for a Second Chance

This will help maximize the number of organizations that can benefit from the award, thereby advancing the missions of many important nonprofits serving our community.

If applicants have applied to this opportunity more than twice, the steering committee encourages them to hold off on reapplying until there have been significant updates to share. i.e. a change to one’s role, major organizational updates or accomplishments, etc.

Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 20, 2026

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.  In addition to completing the online cover form, applicants must upload the following:

• A brief (1-2 pages max) Letter of Interest explaining the following

  • the mission and work of the applicant’s nonprofit;

  • the applicant’s specific role in advancing the organization’s mission; 

  • key internal and/or external achievements and how those efforts have enabled the organization to deepen/improve its impact on people living in the Greater Washington region;  and

  • the applicant’s professional development goals and, if known, the name of the program for which they are seeking this award. 

• A copy of their resume (2 pages max)

Applicants should note they must submit both the letter and resume as a single document.  PDF is preferred.  The Letter of Interest should appear first within the file, with the applicant’s full name and contact information included in the header.

Tips: When preparing to submit a Letter of Interest and resume, applicants should keep in mind that the committee is trying to understand what they have already accomplished and how this award might help them further strengthen their organizations and thereby, make a deeper impact on our community.

If applicants have already identified specific professional development courses/programs they wish to attend, the steering committee strongly encourages naming the specific program(s) in Letter of Interest. 

If applicants have not yet selected a specific program, they should clarify the types of programs they are considering and the skills they wish to gain/strengthen. 

Please note that applicants that fail to list professional development goals or programs of interest are not likely to advance to the second stage.

Stage 2: Full Application & Interview

By April 2026, the selection committee will identify finalists who will be invited to submit a more formal application which will include:

• A personal statement which includes more details about their accomplishments to date, future 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 interviews with the finalists over the summer.  The cohort of awardees will be announced at a reception in the fall of 2026. 

Questions:  For any questions on the proposal guidelines and next steps, please contact Olivia Hsu at [email protected]. No phone calls, please.

For additional information about this award, read the full Request for Proposals Below