Impact Stories

Conferences and Events

October 14, 2019
Dear Community Foundation Friends and Supporters,

It was pure joy celebrating home and place with you at the Community Foundation’s 2019 Raise the Region Gala on Friday, October 4th. Thank you for coming, for supporting our work, and for helping us honor Major General Carl McNair (RET) with the 2019 Community Leadership Award.

The event raised $570,000, which beat our expectations. It was a terrific outcome made possible by the dedication and hard work of the Community Foundation’s Board, staff, our amazing event honoree Carl, an army of caring volunteers and auction donors, a tireless Gala Committee, Gala Chair Ki Ho Kang, and the generosity of our many wonderful sponsors and supporters listed here.

Read More

September 30, 2019
(Oakton, VA) - Public Art serves as a powerful tool that welcomes people to visit, engage, and enjoy space in a unique way. Leaders across the country recognize the power of public art to break down cultural barriers and advance their missions in housing, workforce, transportation, health, and the environment.

Read More

September 3, 2019
Cities across America are recognizing the power of public art to break down cultural barriers and advance their missions in housing, workforce, transportation, health, and the environment. The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia will explore the impact of this movement when it presents “Public Art and Placemaking” in its next Innovation Breakfast Series event.

Read More

March 15, 2019
Oakton, VA - For all its growth and wealth Northern Virginia is home to many people who find it nearly impossible to climb the economic ladder from poverty or near-poverty to improve their individual or family’s socioeconomic status.

Read More

October 10, 2018

Annual Gala Raised $636,000 to Support Critical Needs in the Northern Virginia Region

Ellen and Jim Dyke were recognized by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia for their history of passionate leadership and philanthropy with the 2018 Community Leadership Award at the Raise the Region Gala held on Friday, October 5, 2018 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner.

Read More

September 17, 2018

Reviving the Dream: Designing Technology for Social Wellbeing

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia recently partnered with the WHEELS Global Foundation to hold an Innovation Breakfast Series event titled, "Reviving the Dream: Designing Technology for Social Wellbeing." More than 100 guests attended the event.

Read More

May 14, 2018

Changing the Frame on Green Energy

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission co-hosted an Innovation Breakfast on May 10, 2018 titled, “Changing the Frame on Green Energy.” More than 100 participants attended the event.

Read More

May 14, 2018

Changing the Frame on Green Energy

Sanjiv MahanKeynote Speaker: Sanjiv Mahan, President, WGL EnergyThe Community Foundation for Northern Virginia and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission co-hosted an Innovation Breakfast on May 10, 2018 titled, “Changing the Frame on Green Energy.” More than 100 participants attended the event. The keynote speaker was Sanjiv Mahan, President of WGL Energy, and the panelists included Robert Lazaro, Executive Director, Northern Virginia Regional Commission; Ruth Ann Norton, President & CEO, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative; Karen Schaufeld, Founder, Powered by Facts; and Delegate Rip Sullivan, VA State Delegate, 48th District.

Read More

February 21, 2018

Opportunity Index Unveiled as Panelists Evaluate Workforce Development Challenges and Opportunities, and Region’s Income Inequality

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia and the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce co-hosted the Shape of the Region conference on February 15, 2018 at Valo Park in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Nearly 300 registered guests attended the event. Keynote speakers included Michael Cassidy, President & CEO, Commonwealth Institute, and Richard Reeves, Senior Fellow of Economic Studies and Co-Director of the Center on Children and Families at the Brookings Institution.

Read More

February 21, 2018

Opportunity Index Unveiled as Panelists Evaluate Workforce Development Challenges and Opportunities, and Region’s Income Inequality

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia and the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce co-hosted the Shape of the Region conference on February 15, 2018 at Valo Park in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Nearly 300 registered guests attended the event. Keynote speakers included Michael Cassidy, President & CEO, Commonwealth Institute, and Richard Reeves, Senior Fellow of Economic Studies and Co-Director of the Center on Children and Families at the Brookings Institution.

Read More

November 9, 2017
Eileen Ellsworth, Community Foundation President and CEO, published this Blog for the Council on Foundations (CoF) and it was shared on the CoF web site on November 9, 2017. Eileen has been the President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia since 2005.

Since 1978, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia has facilitated philanthropic efforts to respond to critical needs in our region. In more recent years, however— especially since the launch of our Innovation Fund in 2012—the Community Foundation has also worked to seed new, innovative approaches to community economic development.

Read More

October 14, 2017
This interview is with Deborah Krat, Community Foundation Gala volunteer.

Read More

October 10, 2017

Annual Gala Raised Over $530,000 to Support Critical Needs in the Northern Virginia Region

Mark A. and Brenda L. Moore of the Mark and Brenda Moore Family Foundation were recognized by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia for their history of passionate leadership and philanthropy with the 2017 Community Leadership Award at the Raise the Region Gala held on Friday, October 6, 2017 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner.

Read More

September 25, 2017

High Skills, High Demand, High Wage – Skills-Based Education Comes of Age

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia held an Innovation Breakfast on September 14, 2017 titled, “High Skills, High Demand, High Wage – Skills-Based Education Comes of Age.” More than 175 participants attended the event.

Read More

May 15, 2017

2017 Chairman's Awards Honor Recipients, Innovation Breakfast Focuses on Community Wealth Building

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia held an Innovation Breakfast Series event on May 11, 2017. The event was focused on, “Community Wealth Building – A New, Inclusive Systems Approach to Economic Development,” and featured speakers Ted Howard, President and Co-Founder, The Democracy Collaborative, and Yanique Redwood, President and CEO, Consumer Health Foundation. The goal of Community Wealth Building is to create inclusive, sustainable, and equitable models of economic success.

Read More

October 11, 2016

Annual Gala Raises Unprecedented $544,000 to Raise the Northern Virginia Region

J. Knox Singleton, CEO of Inova Health System, was recognized by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia for his history of leadership and stewardship, providing world-class healthcare to all members of the diverse Northern Virginia community, regardless of ability to pay with the 2016 Community Leadership Award. The longest standing community based recognition award in Northern Virginia, it was presented at the Community Foundation’s annual Raise the Region Gala on October 7, 2016 at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner.

Read More

October 14, 2015

2015 Sweet Home Virginia Gala Raises $482,000, Engages Hundreds of Donors 

Jim Wordsworth of J.R.’s Goodtimes Inc. has been recognized with the 2015 Community Leadership Award by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia.  The Community Leadership Award is the most prestigious, longest standing community based recognition award in Northern Virginia, and was presented at the Community Foundation’s annual Sweet Home Virginia Gala on October 9, 2015 at the Sheraton Tysons Hotel.

Read More

May 7, 2015

Community Foundation's 2015 Annual Meeting a Success!

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia presented its inaugural Chairman’s Breakfast on Thursday, May 7, 2015 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the Gannett headquarters in McLean, Virginia to celebrate the impact of its work in the Northern Virginia community and to inspire donors to think about their philanthropy in new and innovative ways. The program included a presentation of the Chairman’s Awards to outstanding individuals and community partners whose commitment to meeting community needs has significantly helped further the Community Foundation’s mission. It also included a keynote presentation by James Quigley, CEO of Canvas and co-founder of Refraction, the fast-growing co-working experiment in Reston, on the intersection of philanthropy and innovation.

Read More

October 23, 2014

Annual Sweet Home Virginia Gala Raises Record Funds and Engages Over 100 Donors to Support Critical Needs in Northern Virginia

Richard Duvall, a partner at Holland & Knight LLP in the Government Contracts and Litigations practices, and the Holland & Knight firm were be recognized by the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia for their philanthropic leadership in the Northern Virginia area with the 2014 Community Leadership Award. The longest standing community based recognition award in Northern Virginia that honors outstanding community service, it was presented at the Community Foundation’s annual Sweet Home Virginia Gala on October 10, 2014 at the Sheraton Tysons Hotel.

Read More

April 3, 2014
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia and the Giving Circle of HOPE presented “Do More Than Give: How Donors Maximize Philanthropic Impact,” on Thursday, April 3, 2014. This program was designed to engage donors in the Northern Virginia region in a discussion of catalytic philanthropy – an innovative approach to supporting a cause and making an impact beyond financial support.

Read More