(Photo caption: 2022 Loudoun Impact Fund members)

The Loudoun Impact Fund recently awarded $112,000 in grants to 14 nonprofit organizations serving Loudoun County. Grant awards were made possible through the generosity of approximately 50 individuals and businesses that pooled charitable gifts.

The Loudoun Impact Fund brings together individuals and businesses interested in grantmaking administered through a joint effort of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia and the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties.

Participants make a gift of $1,000 per individual or $5,000 per business to join the giving circle.  Members review proposals submitted from local nonprofits and decide together which charities to grant.  More than $633,000 in grant requests were received from 59 organizations, highlighting significant community needs that continue to increase in the wake of the pandemic and rising inflation.

Nicole Acosta, Vice President of Grants and Nonprofit Programs of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, noted the long-term impact of the giving circle’s grantmaking.  “Since 2014, the Loudoun Impact Fund has granted $911,725 into the community,” she said.  “We’re very grateful for the tremendous generosity of this year’s donors who truly understand the importance of supporting their community through philanthropy.”

In addition to individual members, this year’s corporate donors to the Loudoun Impact Fund included Backflow Technology, Fortessa Tableware Solutions, ILM Capital LLC, Madison Wealth Management, and Tony Nerantzis and Associates at Raymond James.

“One of the most rewarding elements of joining the Loudoun Impact Fund is when we meet to review the grant requests. We gain a broader knowledge of the challenges facing Loudoun families and the tireless efforts of the nonprofits working to help them,” said Loudoun Impact Fund donor and member Steve Fraser.  “We get to learn about all the wonderful work that our nonprofits do. And seeing the breadth of the need, we’re committed to grow the membership and to do more to contribute.”

2022 Loudoun Impact Fund grantees

Donors of the Loudoun Impact Fund reviewed grant proposals focused on funding initiatives serving at-risk children and youth, seniors, and people with disabilities, and recommended the following grants:

  • $7,000 to A Farm Less Ordinary to support packaging, food safety training, and management of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in finished goods and employment training program
  • $5,000 to All Ages Read Together to support free, quality preschool and in-class community experiences for preschool aged children residing in Loudoun County
  • $10,000 to A Place To Be to support therapeutic social groups for youth and young adults with disabilities
  • $5,000 to Crossroads Jobs to support job search training, job placement and post placement support services for low income Loudoun County residents
  • $7,000 to Dulles South Food Pantry to support infants and seniors in Loudoun County who are facing food insecurity and other needs
  • $13,000 to LAWS Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services to support trauma therapy and advocacy services for child victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Loudoun County
  • $5,000 to Friends of Loudoun Mental Health Inc. to support homelessness prevention program providing housing subsidies to Loudoun County residents in mental health treatment
  • $5,000 to Legacy Farms to support workforce training for neurodivergent individuals with disabilities 16 and older in Loudoun County
  • $7,000 to Loudoun Cares to support emergency financial assistance and referral program for low-income families with children and seniors facing instability
  • $9,000 to Loudoun Hunger Relief to support emergency grocery program for low-income senior adults in Loudoun County
  • $8,000 to Loudoun Education Foundation to support in-school food pantries for low-income students in need in Loudoun County
  • $9,000 to Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers to support services for aging in place including assisted transportation and supportive services
  • $10,000 to The Arc of Loudoun to support people with disabilities and their families in Loudoun County who need emergency financial relief
  • $12,000 to Ryan Bartel Foundation to support for FORTitude series of youth suicide prevention programs for teens and parents

For more information about joining the Loudoun Impact Fund, visit: https://communityfoundationlf.org/lif/