Impact Stories

The Annual Event Marks More than Four Decades of Celebrating the Area’s Philanthropy and Community Leadership   

Fairfax, VA (September 29, 2026) – The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA) will honor two of the region's most impactful leaders, Gil and Liz Blankespoor and Inova Health, at the annual Raise the Region Gala on October 16 from 6:30pm to 10:00 pm at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, bringing together more than 400 business, civic, and philanthropic leaders for an evening of celebration, connection, and community impact.

When Renée Byng Yancey, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA), joined host Dennis Glasgow on the Community DC podcast, she brought an important message to listeners across the region: Northern Virginia is a place of tremendous opportunity, but building a community that works for everyone requires all of us.

The conversation offers listeners a deeper look into the role CFNOVA plays as the region's trusted philanthropic partner and the ways philanthropy can help address some of Northern Virginia's most pressing challenges. From economic mobility and housing affordability to nonprofit sustainability and long-term community investment, Renée shared how CFNOVA connects generosity with community needs to create lasting impact.

For Gil and Liz Blankespoor, community has always been more than a place to live—it is a responsibility to invest in the people and possibilities that make Northern Virginia thrive.

As longtime Reston residents, the Blankespoors have spent decades championing the vision that inspired Reston's founding: a community where people of diverse backgrounds could succeed. Their commitment to that vision led them to establish the Reston Scholarship Fund (RSF), which helps qualified South Lakes High School graduates pursue higher education and career training opportunities.

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.

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.

Fairfax, VA (September 17, 2025) – The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia will honor Warren M. Thompson, Founder and Chairman of Thompson Hospitality at the 2025 Raise the Region Gala, the Foundation’s premier annual event celebrating community leadership and philanthropic impact.

Fairfax, VA (October 24, 2024) – The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s 2024 Raise the Region Gala, held on October 18, gathered hundreds of supporters to celebrate the power of local philanthropy. The evening featured a silent auction, a dinner program, and a live auction led by Antiques Roadshow’s Matt Quinn of Quinn’s Auction Galleries. This year’s gala emphasized the transformative impact of charitable giving in the region.

The Community Foundation’s Manager of Marketing, Communications, and Events, Amanda Bomfim, recently spoke with Sumeet Shrivastava, President and CEO of Unissant, about his recognition as the 2023 Community Leadership Award honoree. Sumeet possesses great humility and grace; indeed, when he learned he would be the 2023 Raise the Region Gala’s honoree, he was blown away. “It’s not something you expect,” he told Amanda.

Fairfax, VA (September 24, 2024) – The 2024 Raise the Region Gala, hosted by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, is scheduled for Friday, October 18 at the McLean Hilton in Tysons Corner. This black-tie affair welcomes hundreds of Northern Virginia’s leaders in business, philanthropic, public, and civic sectors. The purpose of the Gala is to celebrate the impact of local charitable giving and empower the vision of the Foundation which is to build a community that works for everyone.

Annual Gala Raises $570,000 to Support Critical Needs in the Northern Virginia Region

Annual Gala Raised $636,000 to Support Critical Needs in the Northern Virginia Region