Impact Stories

The Community Foundation’s Resilient Communications: Cutting Through the Noise During Challenging Times webinar, offered through the Beyond the Grant series, was a great learning experience for 43 nonprofit leaders, seeking to strengthen their missions through more intentional storytelling and messaging. Participants learned that organizations that consistently prioritized effective communication and emotionally resonant stories were better equipped to deliver on their missions, inspire donors, and offer hope during challenging moments.

Five Grants Totaling $70,000 for Northern Virginia’s Young Women and Girls

January 6, 2026 (Fairfax, VA) - The Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC), established at the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, is proud to award $70,000 in 2025 grants to five outstanding organizations delivering programs to girls and young women that provide STEM exposure and training along with leadership and entrepreneurship skills.

Leesburg, VA (December 16, 2025) – The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties and the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia announce that the Loudoun Impact Fund and Creighton Gives have awarded $246,000 in grants to 29 nonprofit organizations providing services to Loudoun residents in need.

A Legacy of Stewardship Lives On

When ANSER launched their Community Giving Fund in partnership with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, the goal was clear: to make a meaningful difference in the communities where its employees live and work. For the inaugural grant cycle, ANSER chose to honor one of its own—Tom Apperson, Senior Advisor at Avalon Net Worth, a dedicated Board member who served for more than 20 years and retired this November.

President and CEO, Renée Byng Yancey, was featured on the November 21 episode of Give Better Get Better as part of their CEO Series. In this conversation with host, Josh Dukelow, Renée discussed the critical role of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA)—and how we’re working to maximize charitable impact during a time of unprecedented need.

When federal funding shifts, the ripple effects are immediate.   Individuals and families feel it in closed parks, scaled back after-school and Head-Start programs, and food banks and pantries stretched thin. These services often mark the line between stability and crisis for members of the community and the nonprofit organizations serving community needs across the Northern Virginia region.  

At the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, we asked: How are nonprofits in Northern Virginia weathering this storm? What can we do – as funders, donors and partners –  to help?

(Pictured above, from left to right: Amy Wells Mackay, Truist Wealth; Renée Byng Yancey, CFNOVA; Mike Frost, Truist Wealth; Sarah Dovere, National Center for Family Philanthropy; Chris Komosa, Truist Wealth)

At a time when the philanthropic landscape is shifting, CFNOVA and Truist brought together a dynamic panel of experts to explore how donors can make the most of their giving in 2025 and beyond. The conversation was rich with insights, strategy, and heart — all centered on one key theme: giving with purpose in a changing world.

Fairfax, VA (October 23, 2025) – The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia hosted the 2025 Raise the Region Gala, its annual premier event, on October 17 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner. Hundreds of local philanthropists, changemakers, and supporters gathered to celebrate regional impact and help build a Northern Virginia that works for everyone. The room was filled with individuals and families deeply committed to meeting the current and future needs of our region.