The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia convened hundreds of leaders, community members, and changemakers for its annual Shape of the Region conference, an essential gathering focused on the pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the region’s future. This year’s event focused on the urgent challenges facing Northern Virginia’s youth—including bullying, school safety, substance use, and mental health access—while also highlighting solutions that can create lasting impact.
At the heart of the conference was the launch of the Insight Region® Data Report: A Portrait of Northern Virginia's Youth 2025, a groundbreaking research initiative from the Community Foundation. This report delivers critical data on the state of youth well-being in our region, equipping policymakers, educators, and community organizations with the insights needed to drive meaningful change. Expert panelists explored the report’s key findings and discussed actionable strategies to improve youth mental health services, expand access to resources, and strengthen community resilience.
On Tuesday, March 4th, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia reached out to our 2025 discretionary grant applicants and sent them a Pulse Survey regarding federal funding impacts. Out of the 225 organizations that received the request, 120 completed the survey. Of those that responded, about 53 receive federal funding and 60 do not. For the organizations that DO receive federal funding, the range is 1% to 95% of their overall budget. The key takeaways we learned from those who receive federal funding are that:
Faith Boettger’s path to collective philanthropy began with her passion for making a meaningful impact in her local community and involvement with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia.
When CFNOVA launched the Business Women’s Giving Circle, the idea of collective giving (also referred to as giving circles) appealed to Faith as a way to meet like-minded women and invest in programs to support girls and women’s success. Recognizing that her own path faced discouragement in high school about pursuing a math-based career, the idea of inspiring and encouraging others to overcome obstacles was appealing. As a founding member and the first Chair of CFNOVA’s Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC), Faith encouraged the group’s members to make a difference for girls and young women throughout Northern Virginia by applying their collective strength to support STEM programs over the past ten years.
In 2024, Clean Fairfax leaped forward in reducing plastic waste at local farmers' markets by developing the Plastic-Free Farmers Market Toolkit. Funded by a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation’s Environment Fund, this resource equips market managers and vendors with practical strategies to transition away from plastic bags. Featuring success stories, actionable solutions, and a bilingual cheat sheet, the toolkit helps reduce plastic usage and fosters policy changes for long-term environmental impact.
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is helping build a region that works for everyone. This story highlights the profound impact of collaboration between donors to the Environment Fund, Clean Fairfax, and the Community Foundation team. By working together, we explore innovative solutions in our shared pursuit of a more resilient Northern Virginia.
On November 7, 2024, Belong! (a 2024 grantee of the Child and Youth Development Fund) welcomed Sari Raskin and Amanda Bomfim from the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia (CFNOVA) during an after-school session at Cunningham Park Elementary School. Serving Fairfax County, Belong! offers weekly after-school mentoring to 81 immigrant and refugee children from low-income families in grades K-8. The organization received a $15,000 grant to enhance resources (such as math and reading curriculum materials) and support staff capacity. Our team had the opportunity to see those resources at work during the visit, as mentors and mentees worked on puzzles, completed homework, or played Jenga, cards, and Legos.
Health and Safety of Children and Youth in Northern Virginia
January 29, 2025 at 12:00 pmThe Community Foundation’s data and research center, Insight Region®, launched a dynamic series of deep-dive sessions where we uncover the key factors shaping our upcoming 2025 Children & Youth Report. Each session is led by our Senior Director of Insight Region®, Denise Bellows.
Learn more by watching our recording and reading our recap questions.
We Are Northern Virginia: JOIN US to Build a Stronger, More Resilient Community Together
Welcome to the We Are Northern Virginia campaign, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. Our mission is simple yet powerful: to build a Northern Virginia that works for EVERYONE.
Share Your Vision
We invite you to be a part of something larger than yourself. In this campaign, we invite you to share your dreams for our community — the causes that matter most to you, the changes you wish to see, and the ways in which you envision a brighter future for this vibrant region.
by Regan Lonchena, Director of Advanced Planning and Trust Legal Counsel, United Bank Wealth Management
Now that you’ve emerged from the hectic tax-planning whirlwind that often characterizes the last few weeks of the year, you may be turning your attention to the commentary in the media about how the new administration might impact legislative priorities and tax law changes.
Well before establishing their partnership with the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA), Linda Carr and her husband, Clarence James, were committed to supporting the causes they hold dear. Indeed, giving back is a cornerstone of Linda’s life, instilled from an early age by her family. “Even when we didn’t have much, we still gave,” Linda recalls. Thanksgiving dinners were shared with other families, and Christmas gifts were offered to those in need. These moments shaped Linda’s belief that giving back builds character and brings joy. “I enjoy giving because it makes a difference. I think of it as something you’re supposed to do,” she says. Over time, her generosity has helped support organizations like St. Jude’s Research Hospital, Shelter House, Parkview Community Center, Shriners Hospitals for Children, ASPCA, and WETA.
Building a Community that Works for Everyone
The English Empowerment Center is a 2024 grantee of the Education Fund, a component of The Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia. To mark the occasion in September, the Community Foundation’s Sari Raskin and Renée Byng Yancey met the Empowerment Center’s Roopal Mehta Saran, Executive Director, and Michael Mahrer, Senior Director of Advancement. Our team was joined by Benton Fisher, a donor who collaborates with us on the Avalon Charitable Fund, which he and his wife Joan established. Benton also serves on the Board of the Justice High School Scholarship Fund. They discussed the Center’s history and work within the greater community.
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