by Catherine F. Schott Murray, Esq., Odin Feldman Pittleman
Many attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors will share that one of the reasons their clients love working with a community foundation is because the foundation is truly part of the community. Whether a client has established a multi-million dollar field-of-interest fund, an endowed fund or a donor-advised fund to organize thousands of dollars of annual charitable gifts, a client gains full access to a community foundation’s charitable giving expertise and deep knowledge of the needs in the region in which they live or the specific mission and vision they want to support.
Continuing the Conversation about Health and Safety of Northern Virginia Youth
April 7, 2025 at 12:00 pm - 12:30 pmIn April, we took a deeper dive into the critical issues impacting the safety and well-being of youth in Northern Virginia. We explored key challenges related to students' perceptions of safety, mental health concerns, and trends in substance use across the region. This session continued conversations from the Shape of the Region Conference on March 25. Senior Director of Insight Region®, Denise Bellows was joined by doctoral candidate in the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at George Mason University, Dylan V. Scarton. Dylan has worked closely with Dr. Holly Matto, who was on our panel at Shape of the Region. Dylan shared his work using the iCONNECT app to prevent adolescent risk behaviors and support youth facing substance use challenges.
Learn more by watching our recording and reading our recap questions.
Shaped by a deep commitment to breaking barriers and empowering others, Beth Wadle’s journey is an inspiring one. As a young woman, fields like math and science were not considered a traditional career path. Nevertheless, she pressed on, and her determination earned her two engineering degrees. She went on to a more than 30-year career as one of the few women in her field of choice, the intelligence community. Although she was often the youngest person in the room during that time, Beth used her standing to encourage other women to follow in her footsteps and pursue STEM careers.
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia convened hundreds of leaders, community members, and changemakers for its annual Shape of the Region conference, an essential gathering focused on the pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the region’s future. This year’s event focused on the urgent challenges facing Northern Virginia’s youth—including bullying, school safety, substance use, and mental health access—while also highlighting solutions that can create lasting impact.
At the heart of the conference was the launch of the Insight Region® Data Report: A Portrait of Northern Virginia's Youth 2025, a groundbreaking research initiative from the Community Foundation. This report delivers critical data on the state of youth well-being in our region, equipping policymakers, educators, and community organizations with the insights needed to drive meaningful change. Expert panelists explored the report’s key findings and discussed actionable strategies to improve youth mental health services, expand access to resources, and strengthen community resilience.
by Ann Summerson, Director and CFP®, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange / SIPC
Until recently, an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor’s relationship with many client couples has tended to focus on the male partner. Driving this dynamic is that male advisors historically have been the norm; according to at least one study, only 15% of advisors are women. This has been the case even though women make up almost 51% of the U.S. population.
But the environment is changing, especially where charitable giving is concerned.
On Tuesday, March 4th, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia reached out to our 2025 discretionary grant applicants and sent them a Pulse Survey regarding federal funding impacts. Out of the 225 organizations that received the request, 113 completed the survey. Of those that responded, about 53 receive federal funding and 60 do not. For the organizations that DO receive federal funding, the range is 1% to 95% of their overall budget. The key takeaways we learned from those who receive federal funding are that:
Faith Boettger’s path to collective philanthropy began with her passion for making a meaningful impact in her local community and involvement with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia.
When CFNOVA launched the Business Women’s Giving Circle, the idea of collective giving (also referred to as giving circles) appealed to Faith as a way to meet like-minded women and invest in programs to support girls and women’s success. Recognizing that her own path faced discouragement in high school about pursuing a math-based career, the idea of inspiring and encouraging others to overcome obstacles was appealing. As a founding member and the first Chair of CFNOVA’s Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC), Faith encouraged the group’s members to make a difference for girls and young women throughout Northern Virginia by applying their collective strength to support STEM programs over the past ten years.
In 2024, Clean Fairfax leaped forward in reducing plastic waste at local farmers' markets by developing the Plastic-Free Farmers Market Toolkit. Funded by a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation’s Environment Fund, this resource equips market managers and vendors with practical strategies to transition away from plastic bags. Featuring success stories, actionable solutions, and a bilingual cheat sheet, the toolkit helps reduce plastic usage and fosters policy changes for long-term environmental impact.
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is helping build a region that works for everyone. This story highlights the profound impact of collaboration between donors to the Environment Fund, Clean Fairfax, and the Community Foundation team. By working together, we explore innovative solutions in our shared pursuit of a more resilient Northern Virginia.
On November 7, 2024, Belong! (a 2024 grantee of the Child and Youth Development Fund) welcomed Sari Raskin and Amanda Bomfim from the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia (CFNOVA) during an after-school session at Cunningham Park Elementary School. Serving Fairfax County, Belong! offers weekly after-school mentoring to 81 immigrant and refugee children from low-income families in grades K-8. The organization received a $15,000 grant to enhance resources (such as math and reading curriculum materials) and support staff capacity. Our team had the opportunity to see those resources at work during the visit, as mentors and mentees worked on puzzles, completed homework, or played Jenga, cards, and Legos.
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