by Nicole Acosta | Aug 10, 2020 | Uncategorized
About the PAW Fund The Pay-it-Forward Animal Welfare (PAW) Fund seeks to support nonprofit organizations focused on animal safety, education, adoption, health, and overall animal welfare in Loudoun County, and is now accepting applications for its first grant cycle. The PAW Fund was founded as a giving circle in 2018 by a group of local veterinarians of the Loudoun County Veterinary Medical Association. As a giving circle, the PAW Fund pools together donations made by individuals and veterinary practices to make grants available to eligible nonprofit organizations. Eligibility Requirements Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity in good standing with the IRS; Applicants must be headquartered in and serving Loudoun or Northern Fauquier Counties. Grantmaking Priorities The PAW Fund seeks primarily to fund organizations and/or projects focused on the following: Animal safety Animal adoption Animal health and wellbeing Animal education and training The PAW Fund may also consider funding proposals focused on animal-assisted human therapy services. Application Deadlines and Reviews Applications must be submitted electronically through https://funding.communityfoundationlf.org. Applications will be accepted starting Monday, August 10, and are due by Thursday, October 1, 2020, 5:00 p.m. The PAW Fund members will review applications and make funding recommendations to the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors for approval. Grant Size, Notification, Final Reporting It is expected that the PAW Fund will award up to four grants of $2,500 each. Grants will be announced no later than December 1, 2020. No final grant report will be required; however, grantees must expend their grant funding within one year from when funds will be awarded and funds must be expended for the purpose described...
by Nicole Acosta | Jul 31, 2020 | Uncategorized
About the Ursula Landsrath Animal Rescue Fund The Ursula Landsrath Animal Rescue Fund (ULARF) was founded in 2019 as a tribute to Ursula Landsrath. In addition to her career as a fashion model, movie stunt driver, skydiver, hotel manager, fashion boutique manager, and real estate investor, Ursula was a steadfast animal welfare advocate. In 2001, she founded the Animal Rescue Fund of Virginia that distributed more than $1 million in grants around the Commonwealth. ULARF continues her legacy and is now considering applications for funding in 2020 from nonprofit organizations serving or rescuing needy animals in Virginia. Eligibility Requirements Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity in good standing with the IRS; Applicants must be an animal welfare organization; Applicants must be incorporated and operational in Virginia, and Organizations may only submit one application to ULARF per year. Grantmaking Priorities Spay/neuter, Trap Neuter Return programs for feral cats; Emergency medical funds, supplies, and equipment for farm, domestic, or wild animals; Costs of emergency repairs to organization facilities (unanticipated electrical/plumbing/water heaters, etc); Public outreach and education program expenses. What ULARF Will Not Fund ULARF will generally not consider funding for wages, salaries, personnel, or training expenses. ULARF will not provide funding for fundraising or development costs. ULARF will generally not consider funding for vehicle purchases. ULARF will generally not consider funding for animal-assisted human therapy services. Application Deadlines and Reviews Applications must be submitted electronically using our online grant portal through https://funding.communityfoundationlf.org. Applications will be accepted starting Friday July 31, 2020 and are due by Thursday, October 1, 2020, 5:00 p.m. The ULARF Grants Committee members will review applications...
by Nicole Acosta | Jul 30, 2020 | Uncategorized
Do you want to learn more about the needs in Loudoun? Are you interested in investing in your community through grantmaking, but don’t know where to start or want to increase the impact of your donation? The Loudoun Impact Fund is now accepting gifts for its upcoming grant cycle – consider joining this engaged group of local philanthropists who pool their gifts together, and make grants together, for maximum impact. What is the Loudoun Impact Fund? The Loudoun Impact Fund is a giving circle of engaged Loudoun County donors managed in partnership by the Community foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties and the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. As a giving circle, donors pool their gifts together to make bigger and more meaningful impact. What is its Purpose? The Loudoun Impact Found Invests strategically in Loudoun County to address critical needs facing the community each year, as determined by the Loudoun Impact Fund donors. How Can I Become a Member? Members make an annual, tax deductible contribution to the Loudoun Impact Fund through either the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties or the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. Minimum membership contribution levels are $1,000 for individuals, and $5,000 for companies. If you wish to contribute but not at the membership level, donations of any amount are welcome. What are the Benefits of Membership? A seat on the Loudoun Impact Fund Grants committee, a volunteer community-based group that makes all final grant recommendations to the Loudoun Impact Fund; The opportunity to learn more about needs and important nonprofit services in your community; Connecting and meeting fellow philanthropists...
by Nicole Acosta | Jul 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
About the Grantmakers The Loudoun Community Cabinet was established in 2019 as a component fund of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties. The Loudoun Community Cabinet is a group of philanthropists who have pooled their resources to address unmet human service needs in Loudoun County through high-impact grantmaking as community investors. Grantmaking Requirements The Loudoun Community Cabinet seeks to support and invest in Loudoun human services nonprofit organizations that need financial support to withstand financial crisis caused by COVID-19. To be considered, organizations must (1) provide critical services to vulnerable populations in Loudoun County (vulnerable populations include people with disabilities, older adults, children or youth, people of color, English language learners, unemployed/underemployed, or housing-insecure or low-income residents) and (2) can demonstrate significant financial need directly resulting from lost income or increased demand for services in 2020 due to COVID-19. Two sources of funding are available to an applicant: (A) general support funding and/or (B) capacity building funding. An applicant may apply for one or both sources of funding. (A) General support funding will be considered for general operations, support, and programmatic sustainability. This grant program is designed for organizations that are experiencing and can demonstrate acute financial hardship caused by COVID-19. (B) Capacity building funding will be considered to strengthen or expand internal operations in order to respond to increased or new demands related to COVID-19. Examples of capacity building initiatives include, but are not limited to: Engaging with consulting services to address: fundraising/development, improved or revamped operational practices, or dynamic strategic planning during a crisis; Hiring additional contract positions to expand/strengthen the organization’s infrastructure or...
by Nicole Acosta | Jul 16, 2020 | Uncategorized
We invite you to review our newly released 2019 Report to the Community: Learn more about our grantmaking…more than $1 million into our community; Take a look at our fiscal year-end financials; See the varied funds your neighbors and fellow philanthropists have set up; Read more about setting up a donor advised fund or personalized fund that reflects your charitable vision, forever. Download the full...
by Nicole Acosta | Jul 14, 2020 | Uncategorized
Today the Community Foundation launched its first session of the Leadership Institute, a new initiative of our Social Impact Institute program. Fifteen nonprofit leaders were selected to participate in a six-session leadership development course that will strengthen and hone each participant’s management and supervisory skills. Led by Terrie Glass of Zelos LLC, participants will explore topics essential to all leaders, including communicating effectively, conflict resolution, developing others, change management, and leading teams. The 2020 Leadership Institute participants include: Nicole Acosta, Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties Lorna Campbell Clarke, Loudoun Commission for Women and Girls Therese Cashen, Loudoun Habitat for Humanity Katrina Cole, Friends of Loudoun Mental Health Susan Mandel Giblin, Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers Priscilla Martinez, Loudoun Literacy Council Monti Mercer, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Zanelle Nichols, ECHO Amy Owen, Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties Valerie Pisierra, Loudoun Cares Rose Rogers, Middleburg Humane Foundation Daphne Sanders, Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter Clark Seipt, Community Coalition for Haiti Jennifer Smith, INMED Partnerships for Children Erwin Stierle, American Red Cross of Loudoun and Prince William Counties To learn more about the various programs of the Social Impact Institute, visit: ...
by Nicole Acosta | Jun 24, 2020 | Uncategorized
This week we congratulate the newest graduates of our Social Impact Institute’s Leading for Success leadership program for nonprofit leaders: Megan Belden, Deputy Director of Program Services, Legal Services of Northern Virginia Charlotte Fosque, Executive Director, Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Samantha Kuhn, Executive Director, JK Community Farm Nicole Morris, Executive Director, Women Giving Back Olivia Rogers, Executive Director, Middleburg Community Center Kim Thornburg, Director of Development, Girls on the Run of NOVA Leading for Success participants completed this year-long program that builds leadership skills of nonprofit executives through executive coaching. Participants engaged in both individual and group coaching sessions with Leigh Shields of Leigh Shields and Associates. As an experienced consultant in executive coaching and leadership development, Leigh has now completed four years of coaching cohorts with Loudoun’s nonprofit leaders. “In the corporate world, executives frequently benefit from leadership coaching. However, nonprofits often lack the financial resources required to engage in quality executive coaching for their leaders,” said Nicole Acosta, Director of Grants and Nonprofit Programs for the Community Foundation. “The Community Foundation is grateful to be able to offer Leigh’s phenomenal coaching skills to our nonprofit leaders who might not otherwise have access to a program like this. We commend the organizations that participated for investing in their leadership through this program.” About the Social Impact Institute The Social Impact Institute offers deep-dive professional development programs for nonprofit leaders. 2020 programs of the Social Impact Institute include the Board Chair Roundtable, Leading for Success, the Learning Lab series, and Racial Equity Framework....
by Nicole Acosta | Jun 23, 2020 | Uncategorized
The following was written by Tracey White, who serves as Chair of the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors, as part of our Board Perspective blog series. By now everyone has seen the wonderful gestures of appreciation and thanks that communities around the globe have shown to the front line health care workers that have been caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a proud employee of a health care organization, it has been wonderful to see this outpouring of support for my colleagues who go above and beyond every day to care for the people in our hospitals and clinics. But, we have also seen countless other people serving on the front lines during the pandemic – restaurant and grocery workers that kept us fed, construction and service professionals that kept our vehicles and homes operational, teachers that continued to connect with students online and nonprofit workers who assisted those most vulnerable in our communities just to name a few. They kept working to fulfill our day-to-day needs despite the risks and challenges. Many of these members of our community have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic through the loss of work or reduced hours and benefits (if they had any), increased expenses and other challenges. Do you ever wonder how you might be able to help and thank them for their service and sacrifice during this unprecedented time? The Community Foundation of Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties has an answer for you! The Community Emergency Relief Fund was established to accept and strategically disburse funding to address COVID-19 emergency relief needs in Loudoun and Northern Fauquier...
