Impact Stories

Advancing Equity in Northern Virginia

Learn about our impact on the local community and beyond. Since its inception in 1978, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $90 million in cumulative grants and scholarships. Here’s how we are putting philanthropy to work.

If you would like to contribute to an impact story please contact Tara Nadel, Vice President of Marketing and Events.
December 15, 2014
Members of the Business Women's Giving Circle
Nancy K. Eberhardt is a founding member of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia's Business Women's Giving Circle.

For two decades I have been frustrated about the pace of growth of young women as leaders in entrepreneurship, business, and the science, technology and math professions here in Northern Virginia. It was 20 years ago that I served on an Advisory Board at George Mason University attempting to accelerate the number of young women graduating with business, math, engineering and science degrees. Many other advocates, with greater commitment and more concentrated efforts, have been at work on this issue for a long time.

November 1, 2014

Award Winners

The Loudoun Impact Fund announced the winning organizations of its 2014 competitive grant cycle. A total of $50,000 has been awarded to five nonprofit organizations in Loudoun County to support programs serving children and youth through age 18.  This is the second grant cycle of the Loudoun Impact Fund, dedicated to supporting organizations in Loudoun County, and brings total grants through the fund to $100,000.

October 23, 2014
Richard Duvall and members of the Holland & Knight team at the 2014 Sweet Home Virginia Gala

Annual Sweet Home Virginia Gala Raises Record Funds and Engages Over 100 Donors to Support Critical Needs in Northern Virginia

Richard Duvall, a partner at Holland & Knight LLP in the Government Contracts and Litigations practices, and the Holland & Knight firm were be recognized by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia for their philanthropic leadership in the Northern Virginia area with the 2014 Community Leadership Award. The longest standing community based recognition award in Northern Virginia that honors outstanding community service, it was presented at the Community Foundation’s annual Sweet Home Virginia Gala on October 10, 2014 at the Sheraton Tysons Hotel.

September 11, 2014
Dye Scholarship
Bernice Murray, previous recipient of the Cameron and Virginia Dye Scholarship from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, has been inspired to give back to her community. She shared her story with the Foundation.

August 11, 2014
Veterans Have Earned the Right to Local Resources
We’ve all been there—waiting on hold to talk to a ‘customer service representative,’ endlessly navigating Google for answers to questions we haven’t formed yet, and getting frustrated and tired getting the run around when all we want is someone to listen. Like veterans across the country, Northern Virginia veterans deal with these inefficiencies all the time when trying to access healthcare, benefits, or employment services that, frankly, I feel they have earned.

August 1, 2014

For the 2014-2015 School Year

The Community Foundation is pleased to announce the 2014 Healthy Kids Grants supporting school and community based programs in Northern Virginia that either encourage more activity or encourage better nutrition for students during the 2014-2015 School Year.

July 16, 2014
2014 Innovation Fund Grants

$50,000 Awarded to Seven Schools and Nonprofits Taking Innovative Approaches to STEM Education in Northern Virginia

Children's Science Center's Museum Without Walls ProgramThe Community Foundation for Northern Virginia has awarded a total of $50,000 to seven schools and nonprofit organizations through its Innovation Fund with grants of $5,000 or $10,000 each to support their innovative approaches to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education across Northern Virginia.  This is the second grant cycle of the Innovation Fund, created to support programs that nurture inventiveness, creativity and new design, and brings total grants through the fund to $100,000.

July 1, 2014
2014 Scholarship Award Winners
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia was pleased to award $208,200 in scholarships to 79 students in June 2014. Congratulations to all the scholarship award winners!

June 18, 2014
BWGC

Women Empowering Women to Innovate, Lead and Succeed

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia has launched a new Business Women’s Giving Circle, the first group of its kind in the region comprised of women who are successful business leaders looking to empower girls and women of all ages through philanthropy in the Northern Virginia region.

June 9, 2014
Supporting Our Region's Veterans

Commits to multi-year funding collaborative to support coordination of services

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, in partnership with the United Way of the National Capital Area and with the support of Deloitte Consulting, released “Supporting Our Region's Veterans,” a report that assesses the demographics and network of support services available for post-9/11 war veterans, transitioning service members, and military families in the Northern Virginia region. The report is one of a series of publications commissioned by the Community Foundation to inform, inspire meaningful dialogue, and increase philanthropic and public investment surrounding critical community needs. It was developed to gain a more sophisticated, data-driven understanding of support available to Northern Virginia’s veterans, and to provide the Community Foundation, United Way NCA, and other local community-based organizations and philanthropists with the insights needed to strategically target and coordinate grant dollars toward the greatest needs. The full report can be downloaded here.