by Nicole Acosta | Oct 12, 2018 | Uncategorized
The following editorial was published by Loudoun Now on October 11, 2018. Next week in Ashburn, Loudoun leaders will gather for the county’s annual Philanthropy Summit. This is not a forum for nonprofit managers to compare notes on the overwhelming challenges of meeting growing needs on ever-shrinking budgets. This is the opportunity for a community conversation on the importance of charitable giving and the very tangible results those investments are having. It’s not just that these organizations—largely fueled by volunteers—improve lives of our neighbors in need; in many cases they are saving lives. This year’s program will have a particular focus on behavioral health, teen wellness and substance abuse. After years of alarming increases, the community’s efforts to combat suicide and opioid abuse are gaining traction. Those results powerfully demonstrate what can be achieved when the community invests money and time into solving critical challenges. The conversation occurs in an environment in which the level of charitable giving in Loudoun continues to lag behind that of neighboring counties—and even the statewide average. Is there any other income-related statistic in which Loudoun performs below the state average? Even just matching Virginia’s average giving levels would add more than $150 million annually to build a stronger local safety net. Want to better understand why philanthropy matters? What to see the difference you can make in the community? The summit runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18 at the Loudoun County School Administration Building in Broadlands. It’s free. Register at communityfoundationlf.org....
by Nicole Acosta | Oct 4, 2018 | Uncategorized
We are pleased to announce this week a newly created giving circle to benefit animal-serving organizations. The PAW Fund (Pay-it-Forward Animal Welfare Fund) will support nonprofit organizations focusing on animal safety, education, adoption, health, and overall animal welfare, as well as animal-based human therapy organizations. As a giving circle, the PAW Fund will pool together donations made by individuals and businesses to make grants to eligible organizations. Donors contributing to the PAW Fund will have a seat at the table during the grantmaking process. The PAW Fund was created by a group of local veterinarians of the Loudoun County Veterinary Medical Association, led by local veterinarian, Dr. Bill Tyrrell. Tyrrell and the PAW Fund founders saw great need in the community that trickled down to the pets in their care. They wanted to find a way to give back to the community in which they practice, and to the pets, service animals, horses, and livestock in Loudoun County. Tyrrell previously participated another local giving circle within the Community Foundation, and experienced firsthand how giving circles provide an opportunity to make high-impact grants to local organizations. “We never want someone to have to decide between feeding their family or caring for their pet. Also, many organizations utilize animals as therapy for children and adults with special needs or who have suffered a traumatic event,” said Tyrrell. “The aim of this giving circle under the Community Foundation is to help provide some very needed funding for the nonprofit organizations that support these animal related causes.” The PAW Fund joins our portfolio of giving circles. “Giving circles amplify support for causes its...
by Nicole Acosta | Oct 2, 2018 | Uncategorized
100WomenStrong, a group of concerned philanthropists seeking to strategically invest in organizations and programs that enrich the lives of Loudoun County residents, will begin accepting Letters of Intent from area nonprofits on October 1 for 2019 grants. Organizations that are headquartered or operate in Loudoun County and wish to receive 2019 grant funds from 100WomenStrong for programs in the areas of health, hunger, education and shelter, must file a preliminary Letter of Intent between 7 a.m. on Monday, October 1, 2018, and 5 p.m. on Friday, November 1, 2018. According to 100WomenStrong member Stephanie Place, Letters of Intent should be no more than one page long, should be in 11-point font or larger and should include: Name and purpose of nonprofit organization – must be based in or have programs in Loudoun County Dollar amount of grant request What the money will fund – outline how you would utilize the grant money Why this project(s) is important to those you serve and to Loudoun County and its residents Letters should be emailed to LettersofIntent@onehundredwomenstrong.org as a .pdf attachment with the name of the organization in the subject line of the email. Every applicant will receive an email confirming receipt of the Letter of Intent. If an email confirmation is not received, double check to ensure that your email was addressed correctly. Nonprofits who submit a Letter of Intent will be notified of the status of their applications on or before 12/14/2018. Only those nonprofits invited to apply will be requested to submit a full grant proposal by January 18, 2019. Visit http://www.onehundredwomenstrong.org/grants/application-process/ to learn more. Questions about the grant process can be directed...
by Nicole Acosta | Sep 28, 2018 | Uncategorized
Join us on October 18, 2018 for a series of conversations with needs and solutions in mind. Learn more from our nonprofit and human service leaders as we explore our community’s roadmap to behavioral health, teen wellness, and substance abuse. Be a part of the dialogue about why philanthropy matters, and how we can work together to strengthen our community. Summit Details Date: October 18, 2018 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building, 21000 Education Court, Ashburn, VA 20148 Registration: There is no cost to attend; however, registration required. Register Here Summit Preview Registration 9:00 to 9:30. Program 9:30 to 1:00. Census 2020: Gary Bass, Executive Director of the Bauman Foundation, will kick off our morning with an overview of the importance and challenges of a fair and accurate count during the 2020 Census, and collaborative strategies to overcome those hurdles. Teen Wellness: Suzy Bartel of the Ryan Bartel Foundation will introduce us to practitioners who aid teens in our community. Panelists include Dr. John Walker (Loudoun County Department of Family Services), Tom Sweitzer (A Place to Be), and Jennifer Wall (Loudoun County Public Schools). Substance Abuse:Stacey Metcalfe of Inova Health System will moderate a panel discussion focusing on trends and resources in our community to address substance abuse. Panelists include: Dan Luczak (Loudoun Club 12), Amy Paratore (HCA StoneSprings Hospital Center), and Jim Freeman (Loudoun County Community Corrections). Behavioral Health: Carol Jameson of HealthWorks for Northern Virginia will help us understand some of the behavioral health services in our community. Panelists include: Joey Coburn (Friends of Loudoun Mental Health), Michelle Mullany (Inova Health System), and Margaret...
by Amy Owen | Sep 20, 2018 | Uncategorized
Last week’s Washington Post Headline caught my eye—as it must for every other U.S. tax payer, “New estimate: GOP’s second tax cuts would add $3.8 trillion to deficit.” Regardless of your views on politics, tax cuts, and deficits, this newly proposed legislation further erodes incentives for one of America’s most bipartisan and long-held values: charity. As many Loudoun County residents know, we face some of the most lackluster charitable giving rates in the U.S. Blinded by the fresh paint on the homes and businesses in one of the fastest growing and high-income counties in America, our residents don’t see the need that is, in fact, here. But, this is larger than what we face here in our community. Take, for instance, the estate tax: one of the most pro-social engines to establish legacy gifts in the U.S. Newly proposed legislation offers even deeper cuts to the estate tax paid by only 5,000 of the wealthiest families in America. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ratified in December 2017 made the first changes to how Americans report their charitable gifts. Philanthropic researchers at Philanthropy Outlook have scoured existing data to anticipate how these new laws may affect charitable giving. Consider that, in years prior, 30% of U.S. households itemized their taxes, providing a vehicle to reduce taxes liability with each charitable gift reported. With the new standard deduction rules beginning in 2018, the number of households that will qualify for itemization is expected to be reduced to 5% from 12.5%. It will be the larger income earners in our nation who continue to have the option to itemize. And, if...
by Amy Owen | Aug 31, 2018 | Uncategorized
In our backyard, there are two families who are likely to never meet. The first just lost the transmission in their car and depend upon three jobs to make ends meet. Thankfully, there are a number of nonprofit organizations that will help them stretch their dollars until they are back on the feet. The other family has been fortunate here in Loudoun County. They are eager to give back. As President/CEO of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, my job brings me into contact with both. We often say that our work is to “connect donors who care with causes that matter.” It is what inspires our FacesofLoudoun.org community service campaign. It is what makes Loudoun County such a great place to grow up and grow old. We have a number of fund “instruments” to help our donors fulfill their charitable vision. One of the most well-known, donor advised funds or DAFs, are a philanthropic tool used by many different entities. In our organization, they play an important role in our community. The fact is, over our 19 years serving Loudoun County, we have developed deep expertise in our nonprofit landscape and keen understanding of our community’s needs. DAFs allow us to work directly with caring individuals who seek to philanthropically invest in our community to ensure their gifts achieve the greatest good. Donor advised funds are very nimble and flexible. This is critical when a crisis hits or unexpected opportunities arise: whether it’s advancing a newly identified need or responding to a natural disaster. What’s more, DAFs are actively invested alongside our community endowments allowing...
by Nicole Acosta | Aug 30, 2018 | Uncategorized
As summer comes to an end, the Community Foundation is busy planning and preparing our fall programs. Don’t forget to mark your calendar and register for our upcoming events! Nonprofit Academy The Human Element to Business Development Tuesday, September 11, 2018 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Leesburg Junction Register Here Pam Jones, of Extraordinary Transitions – Long & Foster, will facilitate a two-part discussion during this workshop that will begin with focusing on Communication Skills and Secrets and will conclude with an Evaluation Plan of Results. Building a Wills & Bequests Program for Your Nonprofit Thursday, October 25, 2018 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Leesburg Junction Register Here Amy Owen, President and CEO of Community Foundation, will guide you through building a Wills and Bequest program. Explore ways you can build a program that will attract your donors to your mission with a final gift, often of high impact and generosity. (New to the Nonprofit Academy? Learn more here.) 2018 Philanthropy Summit Thursday, October 18, 2018 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building RSVP Here Join us for a series of conversations with needs and solutions in mind. Learn more from our nonprofit and human service leaders as we explore our community’s roadmap to behavioral health, teen wellness, and substance abuse. Be a part of the dialogue about why philanthropy matters, and how we can work together to strengthen our community. Other Noteworthy and Upcoming Events Making Sense of Today’s Economy and Investing Tuesday, September 11, 2018 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Register Here Estate planning professionals: join the Loudoun Estate Planning...
by Nicole Acosta | Aug 24, 2018 | Community Issues
Faces of Loudoun has some new neighbors for you to meet – and new community needs to learn more about. Have you met Keely? Keely’s perseverance as a mom, coupled with help from a Loudoun nonprofit speech and hearing center, helped her child get the care that he needed to live a happy, healthy life. Have you met Amado? Amado’s resilience, coupled with help from a Loudoun food pantry and community health center, helped him maintain a healthy, sober life after his recovery from alcohol addiction. Have you met Carol? Carol’s passion for making change in our community, coupled with her expertise and leadership skills, help her lead one of Loudoun County’s safety net organizations providing health care to Loudoun residents. What is Faces of Loudoun? Working with leaders from varied backgrounds (educators, grantmakers, grant seekers, faith based, government, and business) the Community Foundation has zeroed in on a missing ingredient in Loudoun County: a strong sense of charitable giving and philanthropy. The Faces of Loudoun is a community service campaign sharing true stories of our neighbors in need to help increase local knowledge, spark increased charitable giving, and promote volunteerism. Don’t miss out on our new stories – follow us on Facebook. Check out more stories at: http://www.facesofloudoun.org....
by Nicole Acosta | Aug 14, 2018 | Endowment
The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties (CF) is honored to announced that a newly gifted scholarship fund has been created to benefit graduates of Loudoun County High School (LCHS). Henry C. Stowers’s estate created the Loudoun County High School Scholarship Fund with a $665,000 endowment and will make an annual award of approximately $20,000 per year to four students. The award will be renewable for four years for a potential of $20,000 in total support to each LCHS graduate recipient. The first scholarship was awarded to Danning Bisaga, a 2018 graduate of LCHS who plans to attend the University of Virginia this fall and pursue her interest in studying psychiatry or psychology. “This is a wonderful opportunity. Thank you,” stated Bisaga. “This fund is a substantial gift to Loudoun County. We are honored to have been chosen to steward its growth to ensure hundreds of graduates of Loudoun County High School benefit from this incredibly generous gift,” said Amy Owen, president of the Community Foundation. “By all accounts, Henry was a very kind soul who was a ‘giver, not a taker.’ This scholarship fund is an example of his spirit of giving.” Stowers was a lifelong farmer and an avid photographer. He served on the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors from 1972 to 1979 and on the Loudoun County Soil and Water Conservation District from 1980 to 1986. He also held leadership positions in many Loudoun County and regional organizations, including service on the boards of the Loudoun County Farm Bureau, the Southern States Cooperative, the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee, and the Planters’ Club. He...
by Nicole Acosta | Aug 7, 2018 | Blog Thoughts
Calling grant seekers! Does your organization serve low income, at-risk, or special needs youth, older adults, or people with disabilities? The Loudoun Impact Fund, a partnership between the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties and Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, is currently accepting proposals for programs that advance youth and elderly welfare, and services for people with disabilities. The Loudoun Impact Fund is a giving circle of annual philanthropic investors who review and recommend grants into our Loudoun community. Each year, members of the giving circle select their top priorities for grantmaking in Loudoun. We request proposals for funding that will positively impact the priorities they selected; you submit a carefully prepared application, requesting funding for your good work. So, you wonder, what might nudge your application to be selected as one of the top-ranked proposals? Here are our tips to help your proposal stand out: The details matter. Carefully reviewing your narrative and budget to ensure you completely answer each question in the application requirements is an important step to make sure the reviewers have all the information they need. But, keep it simple. The art of crafting detailed yet concise messaging related to your organization’s work comes with practice and careful editing. It’s tempting to wax poetic about your proposed project or program; after all, your organization is doing great things, and probably a lot of them! But keep in mind the reviewers are reading many proposals. You want yours to be easily digested and understood. Avoid assuming. Remember, our reviewers may not be familiar with your organization, even if your organization is a previous...
