Each year, thousands of individual donors passionately support causes close to their hearts through the Community Foundation. Although we may never meet some of those individuals, we know how much of an impact they can make. For instance, we recently received an anonymous gift that pushed our Environment Fund past the $1 million endowment mark. This is the first issue area focused fund to reach this milestone! Given that such funding enables critical opportunities for our region, we are ecstatic over this milestone and the generosity required to reach it.
Endowments and the Environment
We can draw many similarities between charitable endowments and our natural landscape. Even at a glance, the permanency and solidity of endowments are similar to that of the trees at Raven Rocks or the rushing waters of Great Falls.
First, endowments are forever. They are investments created by community-minded people who wish to address a social need (or several!). As long as they receive funding, endowments support our community and their shifting needs. Similarly, the forests on our trails and the Potomac River are permanent fixtures that will thrive as long as we give them proper care.
Also, endowments can weather socioeconomic storms and hold strong when needs weigh heavily. In times of economic distress, struggling families and individuals can rely on the solid and stable bedrock of an endowment. Comparably, trees with strong roots will not break, crack, split, or snap when faced with heavy wind and storms.
Furthermore, the natural landscape shapes our lived experiences, whether we are walking our dogs at Bull Run or biking to our offices. Healthy surroundings enhance our quality of life, as does an endowment. The funds transform into grants for improved walkways, sustainability education, and more. Endowments create a better world than before.
Environment Fund Grants and Fund Balance from 2018 to 2024
As the Environment Fund Endowment grows, so too will the grantmaking. In 2018, we awarded $25,000 and in 2024, we awarded $95,000. This endowment will continue to have an amplifying impact as permanent community capital.
Benefits of the Environment Fund
The Community Foundation team is moved by the generous gifts we receive, which can forever impact our Northern Virginia communities. These gifts to the Environment Fund allow for:
- More support and collaboration between changemakers who promote action that will benefit the natural environment and local economy;
- Creating awareness of how our actions can hurt or protect the natural environment;
- Supporting citizen engagement efforts that help improve and safeguard our environment.
Since its inception in 2018, the Environment Fund has awarded nearly $400,000 in grants to organizations aligned with its mission. Past recipients include EcoAction Arlington, Fairfax County Public Schools, NOVA Outside, and more.
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is ready to partner with more organizations in January 2025. Applications will be accepted from 501(c)(3) nonprofits that offer educational programming focused on conservation, energy efficiency, sustainability, watershed management, and workforce-climate management.
Learn How You Can Support the Environment Fund
Our most heartfelt thank you to the anonymous donor and many others who helped launch the Environment Fund to another degree of sustainability and permanency. For more details regarding grant applications, we encourage you to explore the Environment Fund page.
Questions?
