Getting personalized support and specialized training are rare opportunities for nonprofit executives and professionals. The Social Impact Institute offers that kind of support. In 2020, we launched three initiatives: (1) The Leadership Institute, a leadership development program for nonprofit executive leaders and managers, all of whom face the challenges of care and feeding of their board of directors, fundraising pressures, supervision and management, and making sure their organization’s mission and strategic goals are on track. Sound easy? This is a program that appreciates those diverse demands, and works to advance the professional to the benefit of the charity. (2) The Board Chair Roundtable, providing local nonprofit board chairs an opportunity to network, learn, and work together to hone their board leadership skills, and (3) The Learning Lab, a series of full-day workshops on topics including grant writing and board development.
Launched in 2020, the Racial Equity Framework provides a series of programs for nonprofit leaders, government service providers, and community stakeholders to address racial equity and justice in our community. Recent programs include (1) The Onion Dialogues, an interactive workshop presented by Amy Owen and Tamara Copeland that helps participants learn to talk candidly about race and racism, (2) Allyship, a workshop presented by Whitney Parnell of Service Never Sleeps that gives participants tools to become stronger allies for racial justice, and (3) Racial Equity Audits for 2-3 nonprofit organizations that will undergo an organizational audit of its policies and practices. Participating organizations will receive feedback and recommendations for strengthening racial equity efforts from professional consultant Tamara Copeland.
In partnership with the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce and its Nonprofit Initiative, the Community Foundation launched an ongoing workshop and training program for area nonprofits called the Nonprofit Academy.
Each year, more than 200 attendees join workshops on fundraising, administration and HR, and publicity and outreach to teach such topics as Fundamentals of Fundraising, Board Speed Dating, Quickbooks training, Grantwriting and Grantor Research, Leadership Development, Meet the Media, and more.
Grant proposals are funded that impact youth, and often written and submitted by students for projects in their school, place of worship, or local nonprofit. Learn more about Forward Turn and its program partnership with the Loudoun Youth Advisory Council and Loudoun Youth.
In 2019, we published Profiles of Loudoun, an extension of the Faces of Loudoun campaign highlighting local needs through a meta-analysis of data and research addressing issues such as homelessness, financial insecurity, housing instability, and health in Loudoun.
Dozens of Loudoun and Fauquier charities join together to join our local crowdfunding event called Give Choose. For 24 hours, each May, gifts of $10 or more benefit a charity of donor choice. Many participating charities have challenge funds, doubling each gift a donor makes. Crowdfunding events are one of the fastest growing sources of income for nonprofits across America. The Community Foundation provides training for our local agencies and the platform here at home you to give where you live. Mark your calendar for Give Choose 2023: March 28!
Workforce Housing Now is a public awareness campaign amplifying Loudoun’s voice for workforce housing as the missing ingredient to our community’s prosperity – because housing is foundational.
From government leaders, to businesses and nonprofits, to you and your neighbors, we hope to work together and elevate the conversation, find solutions, and ensure that our community and its homes are some of the best in which to grow up, and grow old. Everyone deserves a place to call home.