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The Community Foundation for a greater Richmond is pleased to announce a significant commitment to increasing affordable housing in the region with two new grant awards of $1 million each to Better Housing Coalition and Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT). Funding will support construction of over 600 new affordable apartment and housing units in the region, as well as financial coaching and wrap-around support for residents.
The Community Foundation is highly focused on investing in long term solutions that close racial wealth gaps and provide opportunities for residents to achieve upward economic mobility. Its emphasis on housing is based on the belief that quality, affordable housing affects nearly every aspect of a person’s life and that it is fundamental to a thriving and economically competitive region. With this newest commitment, the Foundation and its donors have invested over $10 million to local housing efforts since 2018.
“While the Community Foundation has invested in housing for years, the Richmond Regional Housing Framework allowed us to align to something bigger and more consequential for our region – a collaborative action plan that calls on all residents, local government, business and philanthropy to unite around solutions that will make Richmond stronger with a variety of housing options for all,” said Sherrie Armstrong, CEO of the Community Foundation. “As a partner and catalyst in this work, we hope our grants can instill a sense of confidence and urgency for others to join us in investing their dollars as well.”
The grant to Better Housing Coalition is part of a $10 million campaign, which has also secured significant contributions from Altria and The Cabell Foundation. These gifts will leverage development of rental units and single-family homes for individuals who are at 40 to 60% of the average median income, as well as seniors, in Richmond, Chesterfield and Henrico.
“We’re fortunate that elected officials, leaders of our local business, and philanthropic organizations are recognizing that affordable housing can help address social and racial equity disparities in our region in a significant way. By allocating the majority of this generous grant to capital for affordable housing, the Community Foundation will accelerate our ability to produce 1,000 additional units over the next three years,” said Greta Harris, President & CEO of Better Housing Coalition.
Established in 2016, Maggie Walker Community Land Trust is already considered among the top 10% of community land trusts in the country, having constructed 50 owner-occupied homes as of January 2021 and projecting 50 more in the next two years. Following a $1 million grant in 2018, this is the second large commitment from the Community Foundation to support the continued acquisition and subsidy of new properties that create permanently affordable home ownership opportunities for people of low- to moderate-income and who typically work in essential jobs like teachers or first responders.
“One of the most hopeful developments in recent years is far greater alignment of the public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors—all leveraging their assets to meet the housing needs of our neighbors. The recent Community Foundation grant of $1M to the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust is an excellent example,” said Laura Lafayette, Immediate Past Chair of MWCLT. “The City of Richmond provided 15 tax delinquent parcels to MWCLT, and the Community Foundation’s grant will support the development of 38 new, permanently affordable homes. MWCLT will seek to recruit buyers of color for these units, as home ownership is a key element in any effort to close the racial wealth gap. The Community Foundation’s leadership on this front and its strategic generosity will change lives for generations to come.”
Through its model, homes are sold to eligible buyers while the trust retains ownership of the land, which creates a permanent subsidy and ensures that the homes will remain permanently affordable. MWCLT estimates that by 2060, 228 households will have been stably housed in these homes, securing the benefit of building wealth through ongoing home equity.
The Community Foundation is proud to partner with Better Housing Coalition to bring new affordable housing units to downtown Richmond as part of the proposed Navy Hill project. On November 1, Mayor Levar Stoney described the project to transform a 10-block area north of Broad Street as the "largest economic development project in our City's history," as well as the largest empowerment project for residents. In addition to modernizing several entertainment venues and city streets to create a thriving, walkable community, the project also calls for a significant increase in affordable housing units and jobs. It will also expand the City's tax base and generate new revenues that will be used to improve schools and enhance critical public services.
We are excited to be part of an effort to bring new vitality and opportunity to residents of our City. The Community Foundation's $5 million lead gift to Better Housing Coalition - the largest single grant ever awarded - helps exceed the original expectation that 10% of all new residences will be affordable. The core development will include 280 affordable rental units as part of the core development, while Better Housing will construct an additional 200 to 220 units within the surrounding downtown area.
In the early 1900’s, Navy Hill was a thriving African American neighborhood in and around 4th and Jackson Streets. It was later torn apart by the construction of Interstate 95 and the Richmond Coliseum. Today, the Navy Hill project aims to redevelop the neighborhood by adding new residences, new jobs, a state-of-the-art transportation center and more.
> Learn more at navyhillrva.com
We believe that affordable housing, quality public education, and living wage jobs are fundamental to economic stability and family success across generations. Not only will our $5 million investment begin to create much-needed affordable housing units, but it also will create opportunities for individuals and families to participate in and contribute to the incredible transformation underway in our City, with ripple effects for our entire region. We also believe that when a community is thriving and connected, it also will yield deeper investment in our schools and young people.
Throughout our history, local donors have come together to build a community endowment so that resources would be available when opportunities like this emerge. There is currently a high level of collaboration among government, business and the philanthropic sector partners that helps builds credibility and confidence in this project. We believe this is the right time to put our resources to work, allowing Better Housing Coalition to develop and steward affordable housing that will transform lives across generations.
> See how this builds on our previously announced grant of $1 million to the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust.
The full project details will be submitted to Richmond City Council and, and after careful consideration, they will hold a vote whether to approve the deal. As more details become available, we will share them with you.
Made possible by donor established funds, the Community Foundation announces its 2019 Community Impact grant awards, totaling over $3 million to 83 organizations across the region. Community Impact grants are awarded through a competitive process and support local nonprofits whose strategies and outcomes align with the Foundation’s four focus areas: community vibrancy, economic prosperity, educational success, and health and wellness. Within these areas, the Community Foundation has adopted funding priorities in education, housing, and workforce development initiatives that will increase access and opportunity for low-income residents in Richmond.
Here are a few notable highlights from this years’ selection of grants:
“While we will always support program delivery,” Scott Blackwell, Chief Community Engagement Officer for the Community Foundation said, “we are growing our support for systems level and policy work. We need all three strategies to make lasting change for our community.”
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that community members enjoy good quality of life, with access to and an appreciation for the arts, cultural opportunities, and natural assets.
Art 180 - $35,000 To create and deliver innovative arts-based programs to youth in challenging circumstances.
CultureWorks - $60,000 To support CultureWorks service and leadership for the Richmond and Tri-Cities region. (third year of a three-year grant)
Richmond Ballet - $20,000 To support afterschool dance programs for students in Greater Richmond.
Richmond Symphony - $20,000 To fund the Big Tent Festival and ongoing music education programs.
SPARC - $30,000 To support out-of-school time arts programs that address the needs of low-wealth youth in Greater Richmond.
Science Museum of Virginia Foundation - $20,000 To support a year-round "applied STEM learning" pipeline for Richmond students in grades 5-8.
Virginia Museum of History and Culture - $40,000 To support the exhibition, "Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equality."
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation - $20,000 To support the exhibition, "Working Together: Louis Draper and the Kamoinge Workshop."
Virginia Repertory Theatre - $25,000 To support live theater productions communicating to Greater Richmond youth about human trafficking.
Virginia Voice - $15,000 To support equitable access to information, culture and community for individuals with disabilities through technology and the human voice.
Visual Arts Center of Richmond - $20,000 To continue the growth of art education and youth mentoring programs.
Leadership Metro Richmond - $10,000 To support two Leadership Quest scholarships for community leaders in low-wealth communities.
Re-Establish Richmond - $10,000 To support programs that empower refugees and immigrants in Richmond to rebuild their networks and become self-sufficient.
Sports Backers - $50,000 To advocate for equity-based transportation infrastructure through the development of safe and accessible places for people to bike and walk in greater Richmond.
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities - $30,000 To fund inclusion and equity workshops, retreats, and assemblies for students, educators, business leaders, law enforcement, elected officials, and citizens.
Blue Sky Fund - $20,000 To provide educator support and hands-on outdoor learning opportunities for elementary school students facing disadvantages.
Capital Trees - $15,000 To complete the Low Line and restore 2.5 historic acres of land between the 17th Street flood wall and Great Shiplock Park.
Enrichmond Foundation - $28,000 To provide landscaping- and horticulture-based job skills training for Richmond residents working to reclaim Evergreen, East End, and Paupers Cemeteries.
James River Association - $15,000 To protect the James River, improve water quality and connect people to the river for enhanced community vibrancy and individual health.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden - $30,000 To support a corps of community volunteers trained to lead urban greening initiatives in their own neighborhoods.
Maymont Foundation - $20,000 To implement the Maymont Explorers Program for Richmond youth.
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that the region’s resources are sustainable, and its residents are economically stable and secure.
Better Housing Coalition - $60,000 To support operations and fund consulting work to develop a business plan for resident services.
Habitat for Humanity Powhatan - $15,000 To support general operating costs and enable hiring of additional Habitat Store staff.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia - $75,000 To support work with housing choice voucher clients to help them find affordable housing in high opportunity neighborhoods.
Partnership for Housing Affordability - $25,000 To support collaborative work among community members, nonprofit leaders and local government representatives to create the Regional Housing Framework.
project:HOMES - $50,000 To support the Immediate Response Fund that quickly addresses hazardous living conditions of low-income families.
Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity - $50,000 To revitalize homes in the Maymont and Randolph neighborhoods.
CARITAS - $35,000 To support case management and shelter staff in the CARITAS shelter.
HomeAgain - $20,000 To support general operations of emergency shelters and community housing programs.
Homeward - $50,000 To support Homeward’s collaborative work with over 30 public and nonprofit homeless service providers of the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (third year of a three-year grant).
Housing Families First - $35,000 To support general operations, expand housing program capacity, and prepare for future rapid re-housing program expansions.
St. Joseph’s Villa - $40,000 To support families and individuals in Greater Richmond who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Virginia Supportive Housing - $35,000 To help our community end homelessness by providing permanent supportive housing services to ensure formerly homeless individuals remain stably housed.
Side by Side - $15,000 To support programs for LGBTQ+ youth ages 18-25 who are experiencing housing instability in the Richmond region.
HumanKind - $30,000 To support individuals as they build their financial well-being through employment, financial and benefits coaching or through facilitation of a fair-interest vehicle loan.
Neighborhood Resource Center - $30,000 To support NRC Works, Out-of-School-Time and Food Programs.
Richmond Opportunities, Inc. - $150,000 To support the Executive Director's salary, technology and data, and strategic communications.
Sacred Heart Center - $30,000 To support the general operating costs of the Sacred Heart Center, in providing educational and human service programs to adults, children, youth, and families.
Thriving Cities Group - $30,000 To support RVA Thrives' efforts to increase neighborhood leadership in the Jefferson Davis Corridor and disseminate the Community Voice Blueprint to improve how local organizations engage historically marginalized communities.
Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation - $20,000 To support continued work convening residents and partners to develop plans and actions that uplift the Northside neighborhood.
Center for Nonprofit Excellence - $15,000 To provide salary support for the consultant coordinating the Workforce Development Coalition.
Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia - $50,000 To support co-locating skill-building training, career advising, digital literacy and job placement and retention services at two pilot sites in coordination with the Work Access Collaborative.
IT4Causes - $20,000 To support programs that help low- to moderate-income technology students build on-the-job experience, soft skills and professional networks.
Reynolds Community College - $50,000 To support the new Kitchens at Reynolds facility located in the East End.
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that young people achieve in school, engage in their community and are prepared for the workforce.
FutureRVA - $50,000 To support FutureRVA’s three-year talent development and school-to-job strategies in high schools (third year of a three-year grant).
Partnership for the Future - $35,000 To support programming for low-income, college-bound students.
Boys & Girls Club of Metro Richmond - $50,000 To support high-quality staffing, learning programs and mentorship programs in Richmond and Petersburg.
Chesterfield Education Foundation - $25,000 To grow the operating capacity to support a growing school division.
Communities In Schools of Chesterfield - $25,000 To support expansion of programming to L.C. Bird High School.
Communities In Schools of Petersburg - $25,000 To support Integrated Student Support services in all Petersburg City Public Schools.
Communities In Schools of Richmond - $100,000 To deliver the Integrated Student Support model across 32 high-poverty Richmond Public School sites.
Henrico Education Foundation - $25,000 To support a Trauma-Informed Education Coordinator position at Glen Lea Elementary School.
Higher Achievement - $50,000 To support Summer and Afterschool Academies for underserved middle school students.
Junior Achievement of Central Virginia - $20,000 To provide financial literacy, workforce readiness, career discovery and entrepreneurship education for middle and high school students.
The Literacy Lab - $35,000 To support rigorously-trained, full-time tutors in high-need K-3 classrooms.
NextUp RVA - $200,000 To coordinate and deliver high-quality afterschool programs in four Richmond middle schools and expand services into Albert Hill Middle School.
Peter Paul Development Center - $50,000 To support afterschool and summer educational programs that help strengthen the academic performance of students in grades 2-12 in Richmond's East End.
The Podium Foundation - $15,000 To continue youth writing programs in Richmond, expand into Henrico County, and implement a trauma-informed care approach.
Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation - $25,000 To support general operations as the Foundation transitions its focus to fundraising in support of RPS' strategic goals.
Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation - $75,000 To continue the Richmond Teacher Residency - Petersburg program, creating a sustainable pipeline of highly effective teachers committed to the students of Petersburg City Public Schools for the long term.
Virginia Mentoring Partnership - $20,000 To support training, technical assistance, quality assurance and evaluation services for youth mentoring programs.
YMCA of Greater Richmond - $50,000 To support out-of-school time programs for low-wealth students in Richmond and Petersburg,
Family Lifeline - $25,000 To sustain the Early Childhood Home Visiting initiative serving vulnerable families in Richmond.
FRIENDS Association for Children - $25,000 To provide high-quality early childhood, preschool and school-age development programs.
Partnership for Families - $35,000 To implement programs that ensure Northside youth have the literacy skills necessary for kindergarten.
Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond - $100,000 To provide capacity building support (third year of a three-year grant).
Smart Beginnings Southeast - $25,000 To support quality and access to the early childhood system in Petersburg through Westview Early Learning Center.
SOAR365 - $25,000 To support services for children with disabilities by supporting therapists' travel to the child's natural environment and translation costs for non-English speaking families.
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation - $20,000 To support a Community Liaison position to work with families and service providers in the East End.
Virginia Literacy Foundation - $25,000 To support a project that helps achieve equity in kindergarten readiness and family literacy among children and families in Petersburg and Richmond's Southside.
YWCA of Richmond - $40,000 To provide operating support to create access to opportunities, strengthen resilience, and advance equitable systems for lifelong success.
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that community members are healthy and safe.
Central Virginia Health Services - $50,000 To establish a school-based health center at Petersburg High School.
Conexus - $25,000 To support mobile vision clinic services in Chesterfield, Petersburg, Henrico and Richmond schools.
Free Clinic of Powhatan - $15,000 To support operating expenses vital to patient care, including salary support, prescriptions, dental services, medical and office supplies and marketing resources.
Richmond City Health District - $75,000 To support the Community Health Worker program.
Feed More - $50,000 To deliver healthy meals to food-insecure and homebound seniors and disabled adults in Central Virginia.
Greater Richmond Fit4Kids - $15,000 To equip parents and amplify their voices to lead policy and systems change efforts to improve their children's health and wellness.
Shalom Farms - $25,000 To improve the health and increase self-sufficiency of low-income communities with limited access to healthy food, resources, and supports to improve health.
Tricycle Urban Ag - $20,000 To increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in Richmond and Henrico.
ChildSavers - $50,000 To support quality early care and mental health care to help children overcome trauma through resilience.
Greater Richmond SCAN - $25,000 To reduce the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), build community resilience, and reduce the prevalence of ACEs in the region.
The James House Intervention/Prevention Services - $25,000 To provide trauma informed care, safe shelter, and advocacy for children and adults in the Tri-Cities affected by sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking, and child abuse and neglect.
Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging - $25,000 To support education and advocacy programs that increase equitable access to services, address the changing needs of our community, and enable more people to remain in their homes and communities.
A generous $20M bequest will support nonprofits in Richmond and Mount Airy, NC.
James M. (“Jim”) Frye died in April 2015, leaving a philanthropic legacy to the communities he loved. The $20 million bequest to The Community FoundationServing Richmond and Central Virginia endows an unrestricted fund that will enhance local grantmaking, as well as restricted endowments that will provide ongoing support to over 30 eligible organizations in Richmond and Mt. Airy, NC. In addition to the bequest to The Community Foundation, his estate provided direct charitable bequests to a number of organizations.
At age 84, Jim looked back on a life of singular accomplishment. He rose from depression-era poverty in Mount Airy, North Carolina to become Director of Government Relations for Phillip Morris, one of the world's largest and most profitable public companies. After retirement in 1988, he served the company as a consultant for 19 more years, completing a remarkable 55 years of service. Jim and the many leaders who worked alongside him helped build the company into the leader in the tobacco industry.
Jim was known for his deep friendships, his good humor, and his integrity in business and in life. He graduated from the University of Richmond in 1953, gaining admission on a football scholarship. Then he joined his lifetime employer as a management trainee, earning an MBA from Richmond while working full-time. He served his country two years in the Army, including a year in Japan right after the Korean Conflict.
His potential for leadership was recognized in 1966 with a posting to the Brookings Institution as a Public Affairs Fellow, and there he served Congressman Gerald Ford, who would go on to be America's 38th President. That relationship would result in a lifelong friendship. The President's balanced and unselfish approach to problems influenced Jim in business and philanthropy.
Jim knew that both organizations and community needs change over time. This made him reluctant to set aside significant capital for a cause unless he could be assured that the organization would be monitored and his committed funds managed professionally. Jim learned of The Community Foundation in 1997 and, true to his creed, investigated it. He crafted a careful plan to give nearly all of his savings to charitable causes after the death of he and his wife, Virginia Nash Frye. In the meantime, he gave generously and always anonymously each year. His plan included meaningful capital gifts to selected charities including St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church (his church), Virginia Home for Boys and Girls (board member for 15 years) and others in Mount Airy.
The balance of his estate was gifted to The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia to fund endowments for ongoing support of his chosen causes, but with 25% reserved to address community needs as identified by the Foundation. Of particular importance to Jim Frye was the duty of the Foundation to monitor the organizations selected and to move endowment support to other organizations if they failed to perform effectively or if the need served dwindled.
Always a very private person, Jim requested toward the end of his life that the details of his plan be publicized after his death. This was not for his aggrandizement ("After all I won't be around," Jim said with typical wry humor) but to encourage others to give.
Frye’s philanthropy was influenced by his life experience – growing up during the Depression when basic things were scarce; mentors during his life who coached and encouraged his talent and leadership; the loss of loved ones due to health considerations; and, his faith. His legacy of philanthropy is captured in the themes of helping children, promoting the dignity and well-being of less fortunate persons, supporting health and expressing faith through community outreach. Jim’s wife of 47 years, ‘Lucky’ as she was known to her close friends, died in 2010. In addition to his charitable gifts, Jim Frye left meaningful bequests to his and Lucky's extended family members and a few close friends.
During the time Jim worked with Philip Morris, the company was making its first charitable grants. Today, the company’s philanthropic legacy spans 50+ years, setting a corporate culture of giving and community engagement by company leaders and employees. Jim was fully invested in Philip Morris, and contributed significantly to the company’s strong performance during his career. In his eulogy to Frye, long-time friend Bill Leidinger exclaimed that “Jim just didn’t work for Philip Morris. Jim was Philip Morris! He was Philip Morris personified.”
Friends report that Frye never sold a share of Philip Morris and he would acquire the stock whenever he could. The Philip Morris Companies (now Altria) investment story has been an amazing one in its own right. A $360 investment in just 10 Altria shares in 1970 would have grown to more than $500,000 today, with reinvested dividends. But it was Frye’s investment acumen and discipline that Jim brought to actively managing his own money in retirement that proved to be brilliant and produced the wealth that enabled his philanthropy.
Jim’s loyalty to Altria, his entrepreneurial spirit and his compassion for others translated into millions for the communities he loved and will now benefit countless people through this bequest to The Community Foundation.
Organizations benefiting from Frye’s Estate are as follows:
Learn more about establishing a fund at The Community Foundation.
The Jenkins Foundation is pleased to announce support of 17 local nonprofits with $930,000 during their fall grants cycle. The Jenkins Foundation is focused on providing equitable access to primary care and mental health care services, as well as preventing and treating substance use disorders in the Richmond region. The result is a more efficient health care delivery system and a safer, healthier and more productive Greater Richmond community.
Below are the grant recipients and descriptions:
Capital Area Health Network $50,000 to provide access to quality health care at John Marshall High School and Henderson Middle School through a mobile health clinic.
Circle Center Adult Day Services $50,000 to provide high-quality care and support that enables high-risk older adults to live at home with their families for as long as possible, regardless of ability to pay.
CrossOver Healthcare Ministry $80,000 towards salary support for the Medical Director, nurse practitioners, dental hygienist and licensed professional counselor. (First installment of a three-year, $240,000 grant.)
Family Lifeline $50,000 supporting Long Term Support Services for older adults, people with disabilities and their caregivers, helping residents stay healthy and safe in their own homes. (First installment of a three-year, $150,000 grant.) Family Lifeline $30,000 to support the Early Childhood Development Initiative.
Health Brigade $80,000 towards general operating funds to support integrated health care and outreach efforts.
Free Clinic of Powhatan $40,000 for salary support as well as costs of dental care, prescriptions and marketing.
GoochlandCares $65,000 to support programs that provide a medical home for uninsured adults with no other access to care. (First installment of a three-year, $195,000 grant.)
Jewish Family Services $40,000 to support low-income seniors with the physical, mental and emotional health care they need, allowing them to age in place with dignity and social support.
Lucy Corr Foundation $40,000 to provide primary health care to seniors in Metro Richmond by addressing dental and periodontal disease.
Richmond City Health District $75,000 to support community health workers who help residents experiencing effects of inequitable policies connect with primary care, community services and tools for substance use disorder prevention.
Rx Partnership $15,000 to support collaboration with CrossOver Healthcare Ministry in distributing medication for Virginia's uninsured residents.
Virginia League for Planned Parenthood $75,000 to provide high-quality, affordable health care while helping patients manage costly and life-threatening conditions. (First installment of a three-year, $225,000 grant.)
Gateway Homes $50,000 to help individuals reach psychiatric stability and independent living through outpatient psychiatry, counseling, occupational therapy and primary care.
Richmond Opportunities, Inc. $50,000 to support the Family Transition Coach program, addressing social determinants of health by providing residents of Creighton Court with holistic case management services.
Safe Harbor $40,000 to support counseling and case management programs to help survivors heal physically, emotionally and mentally.
Virginia Supportive Housing $50,000 to provide comprehensive supportive services to individuals in Richmond with histories of homelessness and co-occurring mental health conditions or substance use disorders.
Elk Hill $50,000 to provide multi-intervention support for youth and families with drug and alcohol problems.
About the Jenkins Foundation: The Jenkins Foundation is a supporting organization of the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond whose mission is to improve the health of Greater Richmond through strategic and impactful philanthropy. Formed in 1995 following the sale of Retreat Hospital, the Jenkins Foundation honors the legacy of the hospital’s founder Annabella Jenkins, who was committed to providing compassionate care for the medically underserved. Today grant making and leadership efforts are focused on health care services, working collaboratively with philanthropic partners and learning with local health organizations. Since inception, the Jenkins Foundation has awarded over $37 million in grants to local organizations. http://jenkinsfoundation-va.org/
Despite a rich tradition of giving that spans generations, Black communities tend to be underrepresented in conversations about philanthropy. Through the Giving Black®: Greater Richmond initiative, the Community Foundation has partnered with the region’s African American giving circles, SisterFund and Ujima Legacy Fund, to change the narrative and uplift the power and influence of Black philanthropists.
The Giving Black® study, shepherded by researchers at New England Blacks in Philanthropy, launched in August 2019 as an opportunity to study the trends, capacity and impact of Black philanthropy in Greater Richmond. This study included the analysis of over 350 surveys completed by local Black philanthropists, in addition to numerous interviews and focus groups. In January 2021, the completed report was released during a special online event with 200 attendees from across the nation.
The event summarized several key takeaways from the report, including:
Ranking the most important social issues to Black people Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents ranked economic equity as the most important social issue.
Do you volunteer your time? Nearly all Black donor respondents reported volunteering their time.
In the past 12 months, how much did you give philanthropically? One-quarter of Black donors’ reported donations were at least $5,000 or above.
Economic opportunity by income: Do you think Richmond is a place of economic opportunity for Black people? Lowest-income Black donors are among the most positive on Richmond as a place of economic opportunity.
Watch: Giving Black® event video
“We implore you to take the findings of this study, and—in addition to working with us on collective strategies going forward—use this study to change the narrative,” said Veronica Fleming, co-founder of SisterFund and Giving Black® steering committee member. “Use this to speak the truth, to inform and direct everything that is done with your dollars within your peer circles, your neighborhoods, the funding community, your advocacy and public policy strategies, and in your churches.”
Read the Giving Black®: Greater Richmond report
The Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, together with its donors, is pleased to announce Community Impact grant awards for 2018, totaling $2.83 million to 78 organizations across the region. Community Impact grants support local nonprofits whose strategies and outcomes align with the Foundation’s four focus areas: community vibrancy, economic prosperity, educational success, and health and wellness. Over the past year, the Foundation has adopted funding priorities in education, housing, and workforce development initiatives that will increase access and opportunity for low-income residents in Richmond.
A significant number of grants were awarded in the City of Richmond, where economic challenges tend to be the highest, with a focus on the East End, Northside and Southside (including the Jefferson Davis Corridor) neighborhoods. Ten grants were also awarded in the Petersburg area, primarily in education. The awards support nonprofit partners who are focused on high quality programming, systems, and advocacy and policy.
Art 180 - $25,000 To create and deliver innovative arts-based programs to youth in challenging circumstances.
Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia - $30,000 To execute and expand Hands on History, the BHMVA's ongoing mission of providing invaluable opportunities to experience history and culture.
CultureWorks - $40,000 To support CultureWorks service and leadership for the Richmond and Tri-Cities region. (second year of a three-year grant)
Richmond Performing Arts Alliance - $25,000 To transform and expand Early Literacy Learning through the Arts programs to additional Pre-K classrooms.
Richmond Symphony - $20,000 To fund community-led Big Tent festivals and programming.
SPARC - $20,000 To support operating costs of SPARC’s outreach programs.
The Valentine - $30,000 To provide free access to interactive Richmond history programs in partnership with RPS and CIS.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation - $20,000 To expand and diversify its presence in the community through its Family and Community Outreach programs.
Virginia Repertory Theatre - $20,000 To support operations of the model access program.
Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers - $50,000 To advocate for equity-based transportation infrastructure through the development of safe and accessible places for people to bike and walk in greater Richmond.
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities - $25,000 To fund inclusion and equity workshops, retreats, and assemblies for students, educators, business leaders, law enforcement, elected officials, and citizens.
Capital Trees - $15,000 To restore and enhance Richmond's urban green spaces and to support agency infrastructure.
Maymont Foundation - $30,000 To support operations and Immersive STEM Summer Camp pilot in partnership with Peter Paul Development Center.
Children's Home Society of Virginia - $20,000 To support the Possibilities Project, a collaborative program providing youth who age out of foster care with housing and life skills.
Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, Inc. - $40,000 To support planning for GCCVA to lead a consortium of partners to improve workforce development services for challenging populations.
RVA Rapid Transit - $20,000 To advance the work of educating, organizing, and advocating for regional public transportation.
The READ Center - $20,000 To support adult literacy programs that include reading, writing, math and digital skills to at least 250 adults in our community.
CARITAS - $40,000 To support case management staff in the CARITAS shelter.
HomeAgain - $20,000 To support general operations of emergency shelters, bridge housing for veterans, rapid rehousing, and permanent and supportive housing.
Homeward - $50,000 To support Homeward’s collaborative work with over 30 public and nonprofit homeless service providers of the greater Richmond Continuum of Care and the development of strategic cross-sector partnerships (second year of a three-year grant).
Housing Families First - $40,000 To support strategic plan implementation and operation of Hilliard House and Building Neighbors.
St. Joseph’s Villa - $40,000 To support general operations of the Flagler Housing and Homeless Services Program, and educational and mental health services.
Virginia Supportive Housing - $40,000 To help our community end homelessness by providing permanent supportive housing services to ensure formerly homeless individuals remain stably housed.
HumanKind - $40,000 To support individuals as they build their financial well-being through employment, financial and benefits coaching or through facilitation of a fair-interest vehicle loan.
Neighborhood Resource Center - $40,000 To serve 460 individuals through NRC Works and Case Management, Out-of-School-Time, gardening, and food programs.
Sacred Heart Center - $40,000 To support the general operating costs of the Sacred Heart Center, in providing educational and human service programs to adults, children, youth, and families.
Thriving Cities Group - $40,000 To further develop the RVA Thrives steering committee and the development of collaborative, community-rooted projects on the Jefferson Davis Corridor.
Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation - $20,000 To implementation neighborhood revitalization strategies in Highland Park.
Better Housing Coalition - $40,000 To support BHC’s operations as they address the affordable housing shortage in our community and work to empower their 2,100 residents.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia - $75,000 To provide mobility counseling to deconcentrate poverty, integrate schools, and reduce barriers that prevent Housing Choice Voucher holders from living in neighborhoods of opportunity.
Project:HOMES - $40,000 To support the Immediate Response Fund that quickly addresses hazardous living conditions of low-income families.
Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity - $40,000 To revitalize 12 homes acquired from RRHA in the Maymont/Randolph neighborhood into safe, affordable, mixed-income housing for local individuals and families.
FutureRVA - $50,000 To support FutureRVA’s three-year talent development and talent attraction strategies (second year of a three-year grant).
Partnership for the Future - $40,000 To support programming for low-income, college bound students.
Blue Sky Fund - $20,000 To support the Explorers program to over 2,700 Richmond Public School students.
Chesterfield County Education Foundation - $25,000 To grow the operating capacity to support a growing school division.
Communities In Schools of Chesterfield - $25,000 To support expansion of programming to Meadowbrook High School.
Communities In Schools of Petersburg - $25,000 To support Integrated Student Support Program at the elementary level and develop and implement a Middle School Transition Program.
Communities In Schools of Richmond - $100,000 To support coordination services for students in RPS, including targeted services for Latino students in Southside Richmond.
Goochland Education Foundation - $25,000 To provide broadband devices for at-risk students to actively engage in learning outside the classroom.
Henrico Education Foundation - $25,000 To develop and implement trauma-informed care practices at Glen Lea Elementary School.
Junior Achievement of Central Virginia - $25,000 To provide financial literacy, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship education for 900 middle and high school students at JA Finance Park.
Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation - $25,000 To support general operations and the strategic needs of the RPS Superintendent and School Board.
The Literacy Lab - $25,000 To support 47 rigorously-trained, full-time tutors in high-need K-3 classrooms.
VCU Foundation - $100,000 To support the Richmond Teacher Residency program and a pilot in Petersburg to create a sustainable pipeline of highly-effective teachers committed to the students of RPS and PCPS for the long term.
Boys & Girls Club of Metro Richmond - $50,000 To support work in out-of-school time including creating and implementing trauma-informed systems within the five clubs and four neighborhoods they serve.
Higher Achievement Program, Inc. - $25,000 To support intensive program of expanded learning, mentorship, and opportunity for underserved middle school students.
NextUp RVA - $150,000 To expand a citywide afterschool network for Richmond’s youth through a unique model that multiplies the impact of investments by eliminating fragmented, duplicated services and removing cost and transportation barriers.
Peter Paul Development Center - $50,000 To support the after-school and summer educational program that helps strengthen the academic performance of students in grades 2-12 in Richmond's East End.
The Science Museum of Virginia Foundation - $25,000 To support the first-year programming and strategic audience development of a broad range of applied STEM skills and affiliated career pathways through project-based learning.
United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg - $50,000 To support delivery of continuous improvement process for up to 50 sites, improvement of Richmond YPQI, expansion of professional learning community to regional youth program providers, and design/delivery of advanced trainings for staff.
Virginia Excels - $15,000 To support pilot operations and programming of comprehensive advocacy training to parents and community members of Richmond Public Schools.
YMCA of Greater Richmond - $50,000 To support youth and teen programs in Richmond and Petersburg.
FRIENDS Association for Children - $25,000 To support early childhood, preschool, and school-age development programs.
Greater Richmond ARC- $20,000 To support services for children with disabilities by supporting therapists' travel to the child's natural environment and translation costs for non-English speaking families.
Partnership for Families - $40,000 To support a comprehensive planning process for a model that ensures child/parent success in early learning.
Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond - $100,000 To provide capacity building support (second year of a three-year grant).
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation - $20,000 To support Richmond Area Service Alliance (RASA) and steps to bolster two-generation supports for families in concentrated poverty.
Virginia Literacy Foundation - $40,000 To support a project that helps achieve equity in kindergarten readiness, and family and health literacy among Richmond’s Southside children and families.
YWCA of Richmond - $50,000 To provide operating support to create access to opportunities, strengthen resilience, and advance equitable systems for lifelong success.
Family Lifeline - $25,000 To support early childhood development initiatives.
ChildSavers - $50,000 To support general operations and programs in outpatient children’s mental health and child development services.
Side by Side - $20,000 To support transgender youth by increasing access to mental health services.
Central Virginia Health Services - $25,000 To give access to behavioral health services for underserved areas in the Petersburg region using interns in counseling and case management.
Daily Planet Health Services - $25,000 To provide specialized trauma-informed care.
Free Clinic of Powhatan - $25,000 To support various operating expenses vital to patient care.
Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services - $25,000 To support medical, dental, and mental health services.
Pathways - $40,000 To address otherwise untreated mental health issues for youth participants. (third year of a three-year grant)
Richmond City Health District - $75,000 To empower leadership and connectivity in public housing residents and providers through a collective impact model.
Virginia League for Planned Parenthood - $25,000 To support the operations for comprehensive, high-quality primary health care.
FeedMore - $50,000 To support Meals on Wheels and Senior Nutrition Programs.
Virginia Home for Boys and Girls - $20,000 To support the Group Care Services program to help children heal from trauma so they can transition to foster care, adoption or biological family.
Virginia Voice - $20,000 To give individuals with vision impairments equitable access to newspapers, magazines, and live theater performances.
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