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Style Weekly recently recognized Michelle Nelson in its latest class of "Top 40 Under 40." Michelle is the Chief Financial Officer of The Community Foundation and a leader committed to the nonprofit sector. She brings personal and professional attributes that complement her knowledge and grounding in the finance work of community foundations. In 2009, Michelle joined TCF as Controller and since has earned her position in senior leadership of the organization. She oversees important finance functions including audit, tax & regulatory filings, operational accounting and budget development. She has served on the CARITAS Board of Directors since July 2009. In her time as Treasurer, she has been key in stabilizing a merged organization, putting CARITAS on firm ground with a positive trajectory. "Michelle is one of a kind -- smart as a whip, steadfast, innovative and always thinking of ways to improve both the financial health as well as the visibility of the organization...and she does that with a calming demeanor that is very atypical of someone who crunches numbers all day! She always presents with a smile and a twinkle in her eye like she's keeping a great secret." - Karen Stanley, Executive Director, CARITAS Michelle also serves on the board of the Midlothian YMCA and is an active member of AICPA, VSCPA and FAOG, a national network of Financial Officers that serve in the field of community foundations.
While current law disallows QCD gifts to be used to establish or add to a Donor Advised Fund, there are several other fund types that will allow you to support your community, a field of interest or a specific nonprofit.
A donor used her Qualified Charitable Distribution to establish a designated fund for three of her favorite nonprofits, ensuring that her giving continued annually during her lifetime and in perpetuity. By creating a designated fund, she could discontinue her annual gift to each of these organizations, knowing that it was replaced by an annual grant from her designated fund.
Each year, a portion of The Community Foundation’s grantmaking is awarded through a competitive process, in which local organizations apply for funding for programs and operations. We invite submissions in partnership with The Jenkins Foundation, one of TCF’s six partner foundations, which focuses its grant program on improving health care in the region. The process is guided by a framework in which the Foundation identifies nonprofit partners that are effectively, and many times collaboratively, working to lift up Richmond as a place where all of its residents can thrive.
As part of this collective vision for our community, our grants align with four priority areas – Cultural Vibrancy, Economic Prosperity, Educational Success and Health & Wellness – that we believe are the cornerstones to a healthy, vibrant community.
We are pleased to announce our latest grant awards, totaling just over $2 million, to the following organizations:
CULTURAL VIBRANCY Goal: to ensure that community members have access to and an appreciation for arts and cultural opportunities.
Capital Trees $25,000 to provide programming and operational support for projects to restore and enhance Richmond's urban green spaces. CenterStage Foundation $25,000 to facilitate the strategic planning process. CultureWorks, Inc. $120,000 to support awareness of the rich arts and cultural offerings in the Richmond region. Richmond Symphony $30,000 to fund community-led Big Tent festivals. School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community $40,000 to advance performing arts education outreach programs. Virginia Repertory Theatre $30,000 to support work with TRG Arts.
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY Goal: to ensure that the region’s resources are sustainable and its residents are economically stable and secure.
CARITAS $50,000 to support the CARITAS Shelter and Case Management Program. Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, Inc. $50,000 to support Business Development integration and Customer Service certification training. Greater Richmond Bar Foundation $25,000 to expand the Pro Bono Clearinghouse program. Homeward $150,000 (over 3 years) to support the convening and coordinating of 30+ public and nonprofit homeless service providers. Housing Families First $30,000 to provide families and single women experiencing homelessness with permanent housing and stabilization services. Junior Achievement of Central Virginia $50,000 to support programming to tenth-grade students and sponsor of the Philanthropy Center at Junior Achievement Finance Park. Neighborhood Resource Center $35,000 to support NRC Works as well as youth development programs for individuals and families in Greater Fulton. Sacred Heart Center $40,000 to build organizational infrastructure to grow and serve the Latino population in Greater Richmond. Virginia Supportive Housing $50,000 to support permanent supportive housing services to ensure formerly homeless individuals remain stably housed.
EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS Goal: to ensure children enter school ready to learn and receive effective academic and social support throughout their educational experience.
Armstrong Priorities Freshman Academy $30,000 to support the Third Pilot Year of the Armstrong Priorities Freshman Academy. Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond $50,000 to support ongoing core programs to over 400 youth daily at four Clubs in the City of Richmond. ChildSavers $50,000 to support quality early child care and education. Communities In Schools of Richmond, Inc. $100,000 to support coordination services for students in Richmond Public Schools. Friends Association for Children $30,000 to provide operating support for childcare and youth development programs. Higher Achievement Program, Inc. $50,000 to support the growth of programming focused on expanded learning, caring role models, and high expectations for low-income 5th-8th grade children. Partnership for the Future $50,000 to support programming for low-income, college bound students as well as to support a strategic plan to evaluate program expansion. The Literacy Lab $30,000 to support 36 full-time tutors. The Podium Foundation $15,000 to support middle and high school academic-year writing programs. VCU Foundation $54,000 to support the Richmond Teacher Residency. Virginia Mentoring Partnership $25,000 to provide general operating support. YWCA of Richmond $50,000 to support the Sprout School.
HEALTH & WELLNESS Goal: to ensure that Central Virginia residents are safe and healthy.
Access Now Jenkins $40,000 to support access to donated specialty medical care for low-income, uninsured patients. Better Housing Coalition Jenkins $40,000 to support the Senior Coordinated Care program, which provides health and wellness supports to older adults. Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation Jenkins $15,000 to expand a prevention-based mental health program into additional high schools. Chesterfield CASA Jenkins $20,000 to support training and supervision for volunteers serving as court advocates for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. CHIP of Virginia $30,000 to support the merger of CHIP of Virginia and Prevent Child Abuse Virginia.
The Daily Planet Jenkins $50,000 to provide access to medical transportation for older adults, promoting health and wellness in underserved communities.
Family Lifeline Jenkins/TCF $75,000 to support early childhood home visiting programs. FeedMore Jenkins/TCF $100,000 to support Meals on Wheels and Senior Nutrition Programs. Full Circle Grief Center Jenkins $25,000 to support community-based bereavement support groups. Gateway Homes Jenkins $40,000 to provide training, counseling, and support for individuals with serious mental illness. Greater Richmond SCAN Jenkins/TCF $100,000 to support Trauma Informed Care services that provide weekly intensive treatment groups for families affected by abuse. Henrico CASA Jenkins $25,000 to support training and oversight of additional volunteers serving as court advocates for abused or neglected children. Honoring Choices Jenkins $35,000 to implement an electronic health record system. Jewish Family Services Jenkins $12,500 to implement an electronic health record system. McShin Foundation Jenkins $25,000 to provide residential and wraparound services to clients in substance abuse recovery. Senior Connections Jenkins $25,000 to support Family Navigators who help families navigate and access children's mental health resources. Side by Side $30,000 to support transgender youth by increasing access to mental health services. St Joseph’s Villa Jenkins $30,000 to develop patient and family-centered educational tools. Virginia Dental Association Foundation Jenkins $25,000 to support the Crisis Stabilization Unit, which serves youth experiencing mental health crises. Virginia Treatment Center for Children Jenkins $40,000 to support a Clinical Practice Manager position to oversee operations at the Children's Mental Health Resource Center.
Learn more about how to apply for a grant
We are pleased to announce combined grant awards, totaling just over $2 million, to the following organizations:
Art180 $40,000 to support free young programs led by professional artists trained in creative youth development best practices.
Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia $25,000 to support the access to and availability of history and cultural activities.
Maymont Foundation $50,000 to secure ongoing care, programming, and vibrancy of Maymont .
Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers $100,000 to support Bike Walk RVA, a program designed to build safe and accessible infrastructure for people to bike and walk in all parts of the Richmond region.
Richmond Performing Arts Alliance (formerly CenterStage) $50,000 to support the expansion of BrightLights Education Initiatives.
The Valentine $22,000 to support the opening of a new exhibition, Nuestras Historias: Latinos in Richmond.
Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation (ICA) $50,000 to support free admission to temporary art exhibitions over three years and engage a broad array of visitors.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation $15,000 to support VMFA’s need to accurately track its existing space, determine its best usage and plan for optimum space utilization for near-term usage.
Virginia Repertory Theatre $30,000 to support the improvement and expansion of Virginia Rep's innovative health and wellness programs.
Virginia Voice $20,000 to support our new Live Audio Description program so that theater patrons with low vision can have equal access to the performing arts in Central Virginia.
Visual Arts Center of Richmond $30,000 to support the Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s programs and partnerships that will deliver free arts education and adult mentoring to 1,504 Richmond youth.
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
Goal: to ensure that the region’s resources are sustainable and its residents are economically stable and secure.
$25,000 to support the Inside Out Community Strengthening Model in the Brookland Park community.
HomeAgain $25,000 to enhance case management support for households residing in HomeAgain's emergency shelters and those enrolled in rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing programs.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc. (HOME) $75,000 to support mobility counseling to deconcentrate poverty, integrate schools, and tear down barriers that prevent Housing Choice Voucher holders from living in neighborhoods of opportunity.
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities $15,000 to support "This is the Moment," designed to respond to increased demand for programs and services.
Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce $15,000 to hire an Executive Vice President to drive future success.
Blue Sky Fund $50,000 to support experiential academic enrichment with a special focus on environmental science for Richmond Public School students.
CodeVA $40,000 to support establishment of the Region 1 Computer Science Hub.
Communities In Schools of Chesterfield $25,000 to support CIS programming at six CCPS schools.
Communities In Schools of Petersburg $25,000 to supports site coordination and program support to two schools .
Conexus $25,000 to support improved vision services to Richmond students and to measure the educational impact for students needing and receiving vision correction.
Greater Richmond Chamber Foundation (Smart Beginnings) $300,000 over 3 years to provide operating support for Smart Beginnings and its implementation of the School Readiness Plan 2017-2020.
Partnership for Families $50,000 to support the Data Collaborative Initiative.
Peter Paul Development Center $75,000 to support the satellite program at Fairfield Court Elementary School.
Science Museum of Virginia Foundation $50,000 to support a pilot program designed to foster interest in STEM career pathways.
Southside Transformation Opportunities for Residents and Youth (STORY) $25,000 to support the ML2 After School program in the Thomas Rolfe Court public housing community.
United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg $50,000 to support strategic plan implementation for Richmond Youth Program Quality Intervention, in partnership with youth serving organizations in the region.
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation $50,000 to support the implementation of Richmond Area Services Alliance (RASA) to improve the capacity to provide stable, affordable, quality early education in high-risk Richmond communities.
Virginia Literacy Foundation $40,000 to support kindergarten classrooms at Oak Grove and Westover Hills Elementary Schools.
YMCA of Greater Richmond $40,000 to support YMCA year-round expanded learning programs in Richmond at Woodville and Oak Grove Elementary Schools and in Petersburg at Walnut Hill Elementary School.
Alzheimer's Association Jenkins $37,500 to expand access to dedicated Alzheimer's Association care consultants.
Central Virginia Health Services $50,000 to increase access to behavioral health services.
Challenge Discovery Projects Jenkins $30,000 to support the "Say It With Heart" bullying and violence prevention curriculum. Circle Center Adult Day Services Jenkins/Sheltering Arms $40,000 to provide high quality care and support that enables older adults to live at home with their families. Cross Over Ministry Sheltering Arms $10,000 to support general operations. Doorways Sheltering Arms $5,000 to help Greater Richmond families access primary, specialty or life-saving care.
Elk Hill Jenkins / TCF $50,000 to support school-based mental health services for students in Goochland Middle School.
Foundation for Rehabilitation Equipment and Endowment Sheltering Arms $15,000 to increase outreach to meet the needs of the residents facing mobility challenges. Free Clinic of Powhatan Jenkins $30,000 to support the addition of a part-time RN.
Greater Richmond Fit4Kids $45,000 to support Wellness Integration and Learning Garden programs.
Goochland Free Clinic Sheltering Arms $10,000 to provide health care services that meet basic human needs in Goochland County.
International Rescue Committee $20,000 to support improved refugee health outcomes in Richmond.
Jewish Family Services Jenkins $40,000 to provide low-income older adults or adults with disabilities with comprehensive services to remain safe and independent in their own homes. Legal Information Network for Cancer Jenkins $20,000 to support non-medical needs and referrals to legal or financial volunteer professionals. Lucy Corr Foundation Jenkins $40,000 to provide salary support for a dental assistant and registered dental hygienist. MCV School of Nursing Jenkins $30,000 to provide healthy meals and connect vulnerable older adults to resources. NAMI Central Virginia Jenkins $10,000 to provide Mental Health Education for parents or caregivers of children with a mental health condition. Positive Vibe Sheltering Arms $15,000 to partially support the cost of a Training Program Director. project:Homes Sheltering Arms $10,000 to provide elderly and/or disabled homeowners with critical accessibility modifications for their homes. RAMPS Sheltering Arms $7,500 to provide ramps for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
REACHcycles Sheltering Arms $5,000 to purchase therapeutic cycles for children and veterans. The READ Center Jenkins $20,000 to help low-literate adults better understand health concepts and navigate the healthcare system.
Richmond Peace Education Center Jenkins / TCF $25,000 to support new, site-based programming to equip young people to be leaders for peace in their schools and neighborhoods, resulting in less violent, more cohesive and more vibrant communities.
RVA Rapid Transit Sheltering Arms $17,500 to advance education, organization, and advocacy for a regional public transportation system.
Rx Partnership $15,000 to expand outreach through the development of interactive web, video and print materials.
Shalom Farms Jenkins / TCF $50,000 to improve health and increase self-sufficiency of low-income communities in Richmond experiencing the most limited access to healthy food and resources.
South Richmond Adult Day Care Center Jenkins / Sheltering Arms $50,000 to provide care for low-income older adults with complex medical conditions. Sportable Sheltering Arms $20,000 to support the I Am An Athlete program for athletes with physical and visual disabilities.
St. Joseph's Villa $60,000 to support continued rapid re-housing efforts of Flagler Housing & Homeless Services by helping homeless families of all compositions obtain permanent housing with integrated support services based on need.
Swim RVA $35,000 to support a collaboration with youth-serving agencies.
The James House Intervention/Prevention Services, Inc. $40,000 to provide evidence-based prevention education programs in English and Spanish, as well as advocacy services for children and adults impacted by interpersonal violence.
Tricycle Gardens $15,000 to extend programming to further address the needs associated with limited food access.
United Spinal Association of Virginia Sheltering Arms $15,000 to expand the Peer Mentor and Family Support Program.
Virginia Supportive Housing Jenkins $25,000 to support the A Place To Start program.
Now in its fifth year, the Ujima Legacy Fund has harnessed the generosity of its 40 members to award two grants of $20,000 each to Higher Achievement and Mega Mentors. Created with the goal to increase the philanthropic impact of African American men in the Greater Richmond region, the Ujima Legacy Fund focuses its grant program on organizations working to empower youth through education-related programs. Cumulative grantmaking now totals $168,000 to 8 area nonprofits.
Higher Achievement closes the opportunity gap for underserved students through intensive after-school and summer programs that provide expanded learning, mentorship and opportunity. Scholars begin as rising 5th and 6th graders and remain in the program through 8th grade. Support from the Ujima Legacy Fund will allow Higher Achievement to grow in response to increased demand and high retention by scaling programming at the newest of their four sites – Binford and Wilder Middle Schools. It means that next school year more than 300 scholars will realize gains equivalent to an extra 48 days of learning in math and an extra 30 days in reading; and most importantly, they will be on track for college with the character, confidence and skills to succeed.
Mega Mentors was created in 2009 when then superintendent Dr. Marcus Newsome asked African American community leaders to be role models for students in Chesterfield County. While intentional about working with African American students, the volunteer-run program is designed to improve academic performance, increase graduation rates and reduce disciplinary issues for all middle and high school students who are underserved or disenfranchised. This year, 150 volunteer mentors work with 500 middle and high school students in 7 schools. Grant funding will support a part-time coordinator to help grow the program to serve more schools and students, provide greater consistency and build stronger partnerships and collaborations.
In 2013, Ujima Legacy Fund launched to make philanthropy engaging and accessible for African American men in the Richmond region. Ujima is named after the third day of Kwanzaa and means collective work and responsibility. One of three giving circles created in partnership with The Community Foundation, Ujima members pool contributions of $1,100 each to generate greater community impact. Together, they select at least one local nonprofit organization annually that they feel best demonstrates the ability to empower youth through education-related initiatives, with emphasis on underserved youth.
Learn more about collective giving networks
NOVEMBER 11, 2020 — Childcare and early education centers are under more pressure than ever to deliver a high-quality, safe and reliable service while they also grapple with greater financial strain, facing issues such as restrictions on capacity, costs behind increased cleaning measures, and helping families in need of increased financial assistance.
To support this vitally important sector, the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund announces investments of over $382,000 into Greater Richmond’s nonprofit early education and childcare providers serving over 1,400 children in the region. Grant recipients include:
“The pandemic has had a significant impact on the Sprout School this year, especially for the families we serve,” said Linda Tissiere, Executive Director of YWCA Richmond. “The social distancing and safety protocols have created challenges as we have had to operate at 50% capacity. Yet, this grant has enabled us to add a virtual learning classroom for kindergarteners, open a new location on Bainbridge Street to include infant care, and ensure that the Sprout School is ready to expand to full capacity as soon as feasible.”
In September, this fund also made a grant to Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond to support the acquisition and distribution of cleaning supplies and PPE to 500 childcare programs in the Richmond region. The Community Foundation continues to work closely with Smart Beginnings and the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that childcare centers face across the region and how this industry can be best supported in the months to come.
“We sincerely appreciate the support of the Community Foundation as we work to support our childcare programs in Richmond,” said Rich Schultz, Executive Director of Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond. “Throughout the pandemic, many of our childcare programs have remained open to serve essential personnel and working families. Our early childhood educators are true heroes in this crisis, and they need our support. They are vital to our workforce, our economy and our community.”
Virginia has also committed $6 million in state funds to support childcare providers that will be allocated by the end of 2020, and more help is anticipated early next year.
To learn more about the COVID-19 Response Fund and how you can continue to support its efforts, please visit the Community Foundation website.
>> Nonprofits: Click here to sign up to collect free PPE & cleaning supplies
>> Volunteer to help Smart Beginnings distribute PPE and other essential supplies to local childcare providers:
>> Related reading: The Critical State of Childcare During COVID-19
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