Our Focus

The mission of the Community Foundation is to make the Richmond region a better place through bold solutions and inspired philanthropy. 

We understand the diverse needs of our region and the organizations that are effectively addressing them. Over time, we have developed expertise by immersing ourselves in the community, building relationships, and staying alert to emerging trends and approaches. Our goal is to ensure our investments lead to real and sustained change. 

With this knowledge, we are able to:

• Fulfill the varied interests of our donors;
• Build education and awareness about the issues affecting our quality of life;
• Support high-impact opportunities that will have the greatest impact in our community;
• Serve as a catalyst for bringing partners together as needs emerge or change.
  

Focus Areas

Our annual community impact grant program is focused on four general areas where the Foundation seeks to create impact. These focus areas were chosen because the data we have collected through research and ongoing relationships with diverse community partners shows that this is where the region’s greatest needs exist. Throughout the year, we continue to work with and learn from nonprofits, their partners, their successes and their challenges, leading to a deeper understanding of the needs and opportunities that emerge or change over time. From there, it is our privilege to help match the passions of our donors with the purposes of nonprofits working in these impact areas.

• Community Vibrancy
• Economic Prosperity
• Educational Success
• Health & Wellness

High Impact Priorities

While the Foundation supports four broad goals through an annual grants program — Cultural Vibrancy, Economic Prosperity, Educational Success and Health & Wellness — we are delving deeper into three high impact areas. We believe these are the most persistent challenges keeping all residents from experiencing the benefits of the growth in our region, and that systemic problems will only be solved with a long-term commitment.

• Affordable Housing
• Early Childhood Development & Education
• Workforce Development

This commitment means we will bring all of our assets to bear - as a thought leader, a convener and grantmaker. In collaboration with a wide range of partners, we seek to advance or scale significant, pace-setting work in these areas. Our approach is to proactively identify those activities that have the greatest potential to create increased opportunity for low-income residents. From cradle to career pipeline, we are interested in lifting people out of poverty by bolstering opportunities for educational enrichment and wealth-building strategies that affect multiple generations.