A Lifelong Commitment to Lasting Impact
Although he joined the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Board of Directors in November 2024, Paul Gilbert’s dedication to the Community Foundation’s mission began many years ago. Paul, who has served as the Executive Director of NOVA Parks since 2005, has contributed invaluable insights as a member of our Investment Committee since 2017. However, his passion for CFNOVA’s work was first realized during a coffee meeting with former CFNOVA President and CEO Eileen Ellsworth.
The Loudoun Impact Fund recently awarded $118,000 in grants to 18 nonprofit organizations serving Loudoun County. This year’s grant awards were made possible through the generosity of 64 individuals and businesses that pooled charitable gifts.
by Emily M. Harper, CFP®, Vice President & Partner, Monument Wealth Management
Don’t overlook the power of Qualified Charitable Distributions, or “QCDs” for charitably-inclined clients over 70 ½. A QCD allows IRA money to be donated directly from the IRA to charitable organizations. In 2024, each client can donate up to $105,000 through a QCD (or $210,000 for married couples filing jointly), and that limit will be indexed for inflation going forward.
Community Foundation staff recently visited Bryant High School and met administrators and representatives from Food for Neighbors, a nonprofit dedicated to ending child hunger across Northern Virginia through community support. This year, Food for Neighbors is a proud recipient of the Lamond Fund grant.
Benton Fisher, a Northern Virginia local and an economic consultant at FTI Consulting, has long championed community-driven causes. Long before he founded his donor-advised fund, the Avalon Charitable Fund, with the Community Foundation, Benton was the child of a Naval officer and a Unitarian minister. This upbringing ingrained an interest in service and has shaped his philanthropic endeavors ever since. Benton’s journey toward philanthropy was further influenced by his time coaching his children in team sports, which fostered his passion for leadership and collaboration. These experiences taught him that the most meaningful rewards come from uplifting others.
Last Friday night, I had the privilege of attending my first Raise the Region Gala as President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. I woke up this morning feeling both overjoyed by the celebration of philanthropy and deeply inspired by your contributions supporting the Northern Virginia community we all cherish.
The event was a resounding success, with hundreds of guests joining us both in-person and online. Wherever you were, your support was felt, helping us raise more than $730,000 to address the changing needs of our region. We couldn’t have done it without your incredible generosity and commitment.
Michelle Sullivan, Executive Director of All Ages Read Together (AART), truly embodies the organization’s mission. Inspired by her early childhood experiences, Michelle is passionate in providing accessible preschool education across Northern Virginia. Passion is essential to every mission; however, Michelle appreciates that operating a successful organization requires thoughtful long-term planning. That’s why she, alongside the AART Board, established the All Ages Read Together Fund at the Community Foundation.
by Mary Beth Cosentino, FPQP®, Director, Wealth Advisor at Dakota Wealth Management
As a widow without children, I often reflect on my legacy. Have I made a meaningful difference in the world? Will my encouragement or guidance leave a lasting impact on others after I’m gone? For the past twenty years, I’ve been dedicated to helping clients thoughtfully plan how to pass on their assets to the next generation. But what about those without children or family? Have we considered how to create a legacy for them?
The Community Foundation’s Manager of Marketing, Communications, and Events, Amanda Bomfim, recently spoke with Sumeet Shrivastava, President and CEO of Unissant, about his recognition as the 2023 Community Leadership Award honoree. Sumeet possesses great humility and grace; indeed, when he learned he would be the 2023 Raise the Region Gala’s honoree, he was blown away. “It’s not something you expect,” he told Amanda.
September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and it is a great time to spotlight the Yolonda Pajot Memorial Fund for Ovarian Cancer, a Donor Advised Fund.
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