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.
May 15, 2017
Ted Howard, President and Co-Founder, The Democracy Collaborative

2017 Chairman's Awards Honor Recipients, Innovation Breakfast Focuses on Community Wealth Building

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia held an Innovation Breakfast Series event on May 11, 2017. The event was focused on, “Community Wealth Building – A New, Inclusive Systems Approach to Economic Development,” and featured speakers Ted Howard, President and Co-Founder, The Democracy Collaborative, and Yanique Redwood, President and CEO, Consumer Health Foundation. The goal of Community Wealth Building is to create inclusive, sustainable, and equitable models of economic success.

May 9, 2017
Diana Katz
This is an interview with Diana Katz, who recently established the Latino Engagement and Achievement Fund (LEAF) with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. Diana is also a co-founder of the Giving Circle of HOPE.

May 1, 2017
Community Investment Fund 2017 Grants

Grants Awarded in 2017

Grants of more than $282,000 were issued to 29 Local Organizations and nonprofits in 2017.

May 1, 2017

2017 Awardees

George Mason University Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Honey Bee Initiative - $25,000
Serving all of Northern Virginia
To accelerate the program and its work of leveraging George Mason University innovators, educators, student teams and community partners to develop multidisciplinary and entrepreneurial approaches to honey bee sustainability.

April 17, 2017
Latino Engagement and Achievement Fund Launches

Anonymous Donor Challenges Community with $50,000 Matching Gift

The Community Foundation launched the Latino Engagement and Achievement Fund (LEAF) to promote and invest in the civic engagement, education, economic success, naturalization, health, leadership development, volunteerism, and advocacy of the Latino community in the Metro DC region. Inspired by a 2016 Aspen Institute Latinos & Society Program report titled “Unlocking Latino Civic Potential: 2016 and Beyond,” two visionary Northern Virginia leaders, Paty Funegra and Diana Katz, formed this committee advised fund at the Community Foundation to create a source of strategic, permanent funding that will strengthen and encourage the Latino community now and for generations to come. Abigail Golden-Vazquez, Executive Director of the Latinos & Society Program at the Aspen Institute and author of the report stated, “I am confident that the Latino community and many more will benefit, because when you have a fully participatory and inclusive society, you have a stronger healthier community and democracy for all.”

March 29, 2017
2015-2016 Annual Report

2015-16 Annual Report

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia released its 2015-2016 Annual Report, “A Year of Seeding Innovation,” highlighting the many ways the Community Foundation has worked to seed innovation throughout the community in the past year by investing in some of the most important initiatives, nonprofits, schools and ideas that have the potential to transform the region.

March 17, 2017
Deb MatthewsDeborah G. MatthewsThis is an interview with Deborah Matthews, a local trust and estate attorney devoted to supporting foster children in our region, who recently established the Our Children Fund with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia.

What is the Our Children Fund?

This fund is focused on the needs of foster children, which are immediate and present every single day. It will help provide foster care children access to “normalizing” items and experiences and to address their otherwise unmet medical, social, emotional, and educational needs. These children in the Fairfax County foster system are between the ages of birth and 17 years, and young adults between the ages of 18 and 21, if permanency (return to home, relative placement, or adoption) is not achieved. Some examples of what might be supported include fees for before or afterschool activities, tutors, field trips, camps, elective activities, sports-related fees, and dental and health services.

February 27, 2017
GOOD BUSINESS Magazine

Winter 2017 Edition Celebrates Corporate Philanthropy

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia released its fifth issue of GOOD BUSINESS magazine, a bi-annual publication that features stories of local businesses that play a key role in the community through philanthropy and volunteerism.

January 17, 2017
NOVA Parks
Did you know that funds at the Community Foundation are not just for individual donors? Paul Gilbert is the Executive Director of NOVA Parks, a regional nonprofit organization that recently opened two funds to support its work: the NOVA Parks Fund and the Outdoor Kids Fund. Read our interview with him to see how how we partner with local nonprofit organizations through dedicated funds at the Community Foundation.

December 19, 2016
2016 Grantee: SHINE For Girls

Five Organizations Awarded Grants for STEAM Education, Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programs

The Business Women's Giving Circle (BWGC), comprised of accomplished women who are community leaders drawn together by a passion to empower girls and young women through collective philanthropy, announced the winners of the third annual grant cycle today.