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At its 8th annual Big Give, Impact 100 Richmond presented two transformative grants of $100,000 each to CARITAS and Sacred Heart Center. This annual event marks the culmination of a year-long women’s giving initiative that brings together more than 300 women from across the Richmond region. Since 2009, members have collectively reinvested $1.2 million in community-based organizations that are either filling gaps in service or expanding programs to address the needs of local residents.
CARITAS is well-known for programs that help the most vulnerable members of our community overcome crisis through overnight shelter, the CARITAS Furniture Bank, the CARITAS Works employment training program and the Healing Place for men. It will use the Impact 100 grant to develop the CARITAS Center, which allows the organization to provide recovery services for women – through a new Healing Place for Women – and consolidate existing programs under one roof.
Founded in 1990, Sacred Heart Center revised its mission in 2011 to create a hub for the Latino community that opens opportunities for social and economic integration, family success and community leadership. In that spirit, the organization will use its award to launch the Family Protection Project. The goal of the project is to provide support, referrals and legal defense to immigrant families in Richmond with the goal to prevent the separation of families.
At the Big Give, held Tuesday evening at the Steward School, members heard presentations from five finalists and then conducted a live vote to determine the 2017 grant recipients. The other finalists included Groundwork RVA, Virginia Advanced Studies Strategies and Virginia Capitol Foundation.
“The Big Give reminds us of what we’re all about – to connect and be connected. As a collection of women philanthropists, we connect with our mission to transform lives through giving, with each other, and with our nonprofit partners,” said Jill Lemon, Chair of Impact 100. “We are excited to add two new partners tonight. Not only will CARITAS and Sacred Heart Center receive grants of $100,000 each tonight, but our members will continue to show support as advocates and volunteers in the year ahead.”
Impact 100 Richmond is a partnership with The Community Foundation that unites women around the simple idea that we can accomplish more together than we can alone. Members are diverse in age and background, but they share a common desire to learn about local issues and combine their resources for positive community change. Through member education, volunteer events and grantmaking, Impact 100 has supported more than a dozen projects ranging from a new teen art center, permanent housing for victims of abuse and increased access to fresh, healthy produce for residents living in food deserts.
“I’ve observed the leadership development in committee members and I’ve seen how our members’ expanded knowledge has continuously turned into actionable results. I love that we’re affecting change with and within each other,” Lemon said.
Impact 100 Richmond is one of three collective giving networks at The Community Foundation and part of a nationwide culture shift of rising women philanthropists. Impact 100 is based on at least 100 women giving $1,100 each to create one or more $100,000 grants – with $1,000 used to support the important work of grant recipients and $100 to support ongoing operations. Members also can pool resources through an Impact Circle – two or three individuals who combine efforts to reach a full $1,100 donation.
Impact 100 membership is open to all women throughout metro Richmond. Membership forms are available at www.impact100rva.org.
Peter Paul Development Center supports residents in the East End of Richmond and educates its students by equipping them to serve as positive contributors to their family, community and society. The grant will help complete the organization’s 5,000 square foot capital expansion campaign, nearly doubling the number of children served through its onsite academic program.
Learn more about giving circles
This volunteer led organization has increased fundraising and strategic efforts in recent years and are now awarding two $100,000 grants each year, investing a cumulative $1 million in five years.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to be a grant recipient of Impact 100, and to work with the women that are part of the organization,” said Tanya Gonzalez representing 2016 grant recipient, the Sacred Heart Center. “A year ago, in an amazing act of solidarity, we received the infusion of funds to begin our immigration work. Because of the funding, we are now providing access to pro bono immigration legal services for families where there previously was none in Richmond. In addition to that, we have developed a deep partnership with the women of Impact 100, who are now engaged in the issue, willing to learn, and to be advocates for the families that we serve. That partnership extends far beyond the funding, and we are very grateful.”
Impact 100 Richmond isn’t just about writing the check and raising the grant funds. Throughout the giving season, the organization hosts member networking events, community learning opportunities and members are encouraged to get involved in the grant proposal process with the participating non-profits. “Most Impact 100 members join because they want to be a part of transforming Richmond’s community, said Impact 100 Chair, Jill Lemon. “Most of our members stay because they recognize a transformation in themselves. From day one to present, my membership experience has provided me with so much more than I could have expected for my financial investment. Education, camaraderie, connection, self-discovery, confidence and leadership skills are just a few of the unexpected benefits of being an Impact 100 member. Being a part of Impact 100 has transformed my perspective, my views and shifted my estimation of just how powerful a group of smart, committed women can be when given an opportunity to belong.”
Although Impact 100 Richmond is led by a member-volunteer Board, it relies on a partnership with the Community Foundation that provides administrative support and thought leadership. “Impact 100 is an inspiring example of what happens when passionate people unite for a common purpose,” said Sherrie Armstrong, CEO of the Community Foundation. “As a champion for collective philanthropy, the Community Foundation applauds these dedicated women for growing and sustaining a movement that allows nonprofits to dream big and creates a ripple effect of good throughout the region.”
In May 2018, Impact 100 Richmond concluded its ninth season, awarding two $100,000 grants to Conexus and ChildSavers for their work with juvenile vision care and mental health services, respectively. Following an 18-month strategic planning process, the Impact 100 leadership team will kick-off milestone Year 10 with a new membership structure and additional grant program. At the Big Give event, Incoming Chair, Carol Anne LaJoie, announced a new “Neighborhood Catalyst Grant” initiative aimed at awarding small increment “seed” funds to nonprofits who are actively supporting a neighborhood selected by the Impact 100 members.
OCTOBER 22, 2020 — The Community Foundation is dedicated to understanding the diverse needs of our community and the organizations that are effectively addressing them. We immerse ourselves in the community to build relationships and stay alert to emerging trends and effective approaches. It allows us to respond to our donors' interests, build awareness around local issues, and identify high-impact opportunities that will have the greatest impact for residents of Greater Richmond.
As we proudly announce the latest round of Community Impact grants, we are pleased to share with you 64 local organizations that are advancing important work in four primary areas—Community Vibrancy, Economic Prosperity, Educational Success, and Health & Wellness. This annual grant program, split into two rounds as a response to emerging impact of the pandemic, is separate but complimentary to grants awarded from the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund.
Whether we create our own or experience another’s, art opens our minds to different perspectives on the world and even ourselves. It transcends culture, religion, and even race, providing a space for unique expression while demonstrating that we are all truly the same—human.
And, at a time when we need these moments more than ever, the arts world has endured a very unusual year.
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Donors Support Local Theatre for Lifetimes to Come
Our Community Impact grants are made possible by the generosity of our donors, such as Sara Belle and Neil November, who were significant advocates for the theatre arts during their lifetimes. At least seven theaters around Metro Richmond bear Sara Belle’s name in tribute to her and Neil’s tireless support — and through the Sara Belle and Neil November Endowment for the Theatre Arts, their giving legacy lives on.
Many of our region's childcare providers, like FRIENDS Association for Children, have endured months of operating at 50% capacity due to social distancing guidelines while facing increased cleaning and PPE costs and without the help of their usual volunteers. Hear how FRIENDS continues to innovate to keep their children healthy, safe and cared for, and how the sector is planning new strategies to bring stability to our vitally important childcare industry.
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.
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 - $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.
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 - $30,000 To support operations and Immersive STEM Summer Camp pilot in partnership with Peter Paul Development Center.
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that the region’s resources are sustainable, and its residents are economically stable and secure.
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.
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 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).
Smart Beginnings Southeast - $25,000 To support quality and access to the early childhood system in Petersburg through Westview Early Learning Center.
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.
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that community members are healthy and safe.
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.
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.
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.
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.
MAY 20, 2019 — Impact 100 Richmond celebrated 10 years of collective giving to Richmond nonprofit initiatives by awarding its 15th $100,000 transformational grant and a new $25,000 place-based grant at its Big Give celebration on May 14th. The volunteer-driven, women’s philanthropy group has awarded over $1.525 million in transformational grants to 17 local nonprofits since its inception in 2009. Impact 100 Richmond is one of three Giving Circles supported by the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond.
Collective giving models have become very popular in recent years because pooling individual donations creates more impactful grant-making that can move the needle on local issues. Since 2009, Impact 100 Richmond has touched more than 1,000 members of all ages and from all walks of life.
Neighborhood Catalyst Grant
This year, Impact 100 launched a Neighborhood Catalyst Grant, a four-year investment in one local community. Members voted to award Greater Fulton $25,000 each year for four years to support organizations doing positive work within the neighborhood. With a focus on neighborhood-based interventions, these funds are intended to leverage the strong voices of women from the neighborhood to guide the community investment, while giving Impact 100 Richmond members a chance for deeper learning and community engagement.
Kara Zinchuck, a representative from the Greater Fulton Neighborhood Advisory Committee said, “Selecting recipients for the generous grant from Impact 100 was a reminder of how rewarding it can be to rekindle old dreams and adopt new ideas with our community. As with anything people really care about, there always seems to be elements of complexity, and topics that require us to become learners again, and conversations that need great sensitivity. However, because of this process, we anticipate not only new partnerships but the renewal of old collaborations in Greater Fulton. " This year, $13,500 will go towards trashcans, benches and dogwood trees for the Historic Fulton Memorial Park – a neighborhood park that memorializes the displacement of thousands of residents during the 1970 Fulton Urban Renewal Plan when more than 800 homes, businesses and churches were destroyed. The remaining $11,500 will go towards revitalization of the Greater Fulton commercial corridor to attract investors and new business development and a block party to celebrate new community branding.
Transformational Grant
During the Big Give event, members voted to award $100,000 to Virginia Repertory Theatre to create an innovative and educational theater production to prevent middle schoolers from becoming victims of human trafficking.
Through this grant, Virginia Repertory Theatre is poised to transform the approach to child trafficking prevention. With a proven track record, community relationships, and reputation in schools across the state, the organization expects to reach over 50,000 children a year with their message. If the program prevents even a few children from being trafficked, the results will be successful and immeasurable. This impact will extend beyond our community to help inform an advocacy and human trafficking prevention movement throughout our nation.
“Our goal from Day 1 has been to connect local women from all walks of life who want to make a profound difference in our community,” said Carol Anne Lajoie, 2018-19 Leadership Chair, Impact 100 Richmond. “We are a group of 191 volunteers — from educators and homemakers to small business owners and young women growing in our careers — who simply love our city and want to help local nonprofits dream big and create a ripple effect throughout Richmond.”
JULY 29, 2020 — The Community Foundation for a greater Richmond awards annual Community Impact grants to support local nonprofits whose strategies and outcomes align with the Foundation’s four focus areas in community vibrancy, economic prosperity, educational success and health and wellness, with emphasis on programs and initiatives that will increase access and opportunity for low-income residents in Richmond. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation adjusted its grants process to remain nimble and responsive to the ever-changing and dire needs of our community. This year, grant applications are being reviewed in multiple rounds and will be announced throughout the year. Most nonprofits will receive unrestricted grants for general operating support as well.
The initial round of grants totals $1.64 million to 38 organizations. “The nonprofits in our region remain resilient and innovative and we are so proud of their resolve in making our region a better place, particularly during times of crisis. The first round of grants will directly support our high impact partners, backbone organizations and those involved in critical system delivery to our most vulnerable neighbors throughout the region.” said Dr. Jamelle Wilson, Chair of the Board’s Community Impact Committee. Notable grants this round include:
Community Impact grants are just one of many ways the Community Foundation has supported our region during the pandemic. In March, the Foundation launched the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund with the Emergency Management Alliance of Central Virginia, raising more than $6 million from 800 gifts and granting more than $3.4 million to 100 organizations and localities to date. The responsive, phased grantmaking from this Fund began with emergency response strategies for the region’s most vulnerable residents, like health services, shelter for the homeless, food access, and PPE procurement. As the region shifts into pandemic recovery mode, the Fund will support longer term recovery efforts such as eviction prevention remedies, rental assistance, employment services and public school reopening efforts.
More Community Impact grants will be awarded this fall from the initial pool of applications.
>> See a complete listing of the Community Impact Grants - Round 1
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