Author: Lakecia Hembry

The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (Community Foundation) is pleased to welcome Wendy Gao as our new Executive Assistant & Board Liaison. Wendy will provide strategic and administrative support to President & CEO Leslie Lynn Smith, serving as a key point of coordination between the Executive Office and the Governing Board.

“Wendy brings a rare combination of deep community connection, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine instinct for bringing people together,” said Leslie Lynn Smith, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “In this role, she will be an important bridge between our community, our staff, and our Board, helping information, relationships, and ideas move in all directions. She understands that strong governance is ultimately about connection: keeping our Board close to the work, our team connected to our community, and our community at the heart of the decisions we make. We are thrilled to have her on our team.”

Wendy most recently served as the Residents for Respectful Research (R3) Coordinator and Community Organizer at the Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR) where she led city-wide campaigns to protect low-income and Core Neighborhoods and built transformative relationships with public housing residents. Wendy also coordinated PHAR’s resident-led research review board to evaluate UVA research proposals and ensure ethical and generative scholarship on race and class in Charlottesville.

“I am honored to join the Community Foundation and its deep commitment to building place-based solidarity and investing in local community initiatives.” Wendy said. “I look forward to supporting the Foundation’s mission of promoting equity and justice across the region.”

Wendy graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in American Studies and Political & Social Thought. She’s been involved in community efforts to advance housing, migrant, and racial justice in Charlottesville for the last five years and brings abundant knowledge and experience in project coordination, community outreach, and stakeholder engagement.

When she’s not with her friends and family, Wendy spends her free time crocheting, reading speculative fiction, making matcha, and lovingly watching her dog nap.

At the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF), we strongly believe that a resilient, empowered, and connected nonprofit ecosystem is essential for improving the quality of life across the entire region. When local organizations are strong, the entire community benefits, creating a place where everyone can belong, participate, contribute, and thrive.

While funding is essential, nonprofit partners also need practical, everyday support. They need expert help managing their organizations, tools for financial stability, administrative assistance, and spaces to learn from one another.

That is why CACF invests in capacity building—the infrastructure that allows nonprofits to do their vital work effectively. This month, CACF celebrates a massive milestone that highlights the power of this investment: the Community Foundation has officially surpassed $6 million in pro bono services delivered to local nonprofits.

This achievement is the direct result of consistent investment and deep partnership with Catchafire, a platform that connects nonprofits with talented, skilled professional volunteers.

Six Years of Growing Impact

This journey began in September 2020 with the launch of the pilot. Since then, the Catchafire program has delivered an astonishing $6,064,613 in skilled volunteer value.

To put this numbers-driven milestone into perspective, that $6 million represents thousands of hours of professional work that local nonprofits did not have to pay for out of pocket. It means a small food pantry received a professionally designed website, a youth mentorship program got a comprehensive data-tracking system, and an environmental group benefited from an expert-led strategic planning session—all at no cost to them.

Expanding Reach Across the Region

A critical indicator of the program’s success isn’t just the dollar amount, but who is benefiting. From the beginning, the goal has been to ensure that these resources are accessible to a broad, diverse group of changemakers, rather than just a few well-resourced organizations.

The data shows we are doing exactly that. The number of registered nonprofit organizations using the platform has grown steadily and significantly across the life of the program:

• Year 2: 155 registered nonprofits
• Year 6: 341 registered nonprofits

By more than doubling the number of participating organizations, we are actively witnessing a broadening reach across the Community Foundation’s entire seven-county region.

This growth proves that Catchafire isn’t just deepening its use among a fixed set of organizations alone. Instead, it is continuously welcoming new partners into the fold, extending critical capacity-building tools to grassroots leaders and established institutions alike throughout Charlottesville, Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson, and Orange counties. Whether an organization is based in the heart of the city or serving a rural community in Buckingham or Greene, Catchafire bridges the gap between local needs and global talent.

Moving Beyond Grantmaking

Nonprofits are facing new and unexpected challenges, and they’re responding with creativity — diversifying funding streams, rethinking operations, and making hard choices. Consistent access to skilled professionals gives nonprofits the human capacity to act on their solutions.

“Traditional grants are excellent for funding specific programs, but they rarely cover the “overhead” costs that keep an organization running smoothly. Nonprofits are frequently forced to choose between spending money on their direct services or spending money on HR, IT, marketing, and financial planning. Our partnership with Catchafire changes that math.” Leslie Lynn Smith, President and CEO

By relieving operational burdens, the Community Foundation is helping to build sustainable organizations that can weather economic shifts and continue serving the community for decades to come.

Three new members have joined our Community Advisory Committee (from left to right): Brezhana Reed, Jacquelyn Kim, and Rhonda Austin. The Community Advisory Committee partners with our Community Impact staff to guide community-advised grantmaking and capacity building in our region.

Brezhana Reed is a community engagement professional committed to advancing equity and strengthening systems of support for students and families across the Charlottesville and Albemarle region. She currently serves as Community Engagement Coordinator with Communities In Schools of Northern Virginia (CIS NOVA), where she partners with Albemarle County Public Schools to connect students and families to critical resources, coordinate community partnerships, and mobilize volunteers to address barriers to success. In addition to her professional role, Brezhana actively contributes to the local nonprofit ecosystem through board service. She is currently serving her second term as Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Charlottesville NOW, where she leads outreach and engagement efforts to increase community awareness and participation. She has also served as a board member for Black Women of Central Virginia and Commonwealth Cares, supporting initiatives focused on empowerment, wellness, and crisis support for individuals and families. Brezhana holds a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation and Human Services from Pennsylvania State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Leadership and Management. She is passionate about community-driven solutions, cross-sector collaboration, and contributing to initiatives that create lasting, equitable impact.

Jacquelyn Kim (she/they) currently serves as the exhibitions coordinator at the University of Virginia’s Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library. Outside of the UVA Library, she has been involved with various community initiatives revolving around immigrant, housing, environmental, and disability justice for the past seven years as a Charlottesville community member. Jacquelyn graduated from UVA in 2023 as a Jefferson Scholar with highest distinction in American studies and global development studies. She is currently pursuing a master of library and information science with a concentration in archives management from Indiana University—Indianapolis.

Rhonda Austin is a lifelong resident of Buckingham County. She works in IT as a Portfolio Associate and is a Certified Scrum Master. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Averett University and a graduate certificate in Project Management from the University of Virginia. She is passionate about living a life centered on continuous giving. In response to the events of 2020, Rhonda became more actively engaged in serving and supporting the community she deeply values. In addition to supporting voter registration efforts and helping organize community events as a member of Forward 2020, she serves as Chairperson of the Habitat for Humanity Buckingham Committee and as Treasurer of the Buckingham Branch NAACP.

Welcome Brezhana, Jacquelyn, and Rhonda!

The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (Community Foundation) is pleased to welcome Ossie Nadeem as its new Chief Financial Officer. Ossie will oversee the financial health and operational integrity of the foundation, bringing rigorous systems thinking and a long-term perspective to its financial management and infrastructure.

“Ossie’s leadership experience and financial acumen make him a perfect fit for this position,” Leslie Lynn Smith, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, said. “He has deep ties to the region and has been dedicated to supporting local organizations develop and manage their financial strategies. We’re excited to have him on our team.”

Ossie brings extensive experience in financial leadership, organizational transformation, and enterprise systems. He has served in senior finance roles across mission-driven and growth-stage organizations, with a focus on building strong internal controls, modernizing financial operations, and guiding teams through periods of strategic change. He is a Certified Management Accountant and Certified Public Accountant, with advanced expertise in ERP architecture and financial systems design.

“I’m honored to join the Community Foundation at a moment when community-driven philanthropy is shaping the future of our region,” Ossie said. “I look forward to partnering with our staff, board, and community stakeholders to build financial systems that support bold, equitable, and lasting impact.”

Ossie is most at home as a hands‑on creator and enjoys spending time outdoors in the Shenandoah Valley with his wife and daughters, finding any opportunity to be near the water.

Philanthropy is much more than making donations—it’s a way of demonstrating your values, interests, and passions. Engaging your family members in your philanthropy can enhance giving and deepen multigenerational connections. Family philanthropy emphasizes shared values, collective decision-making, and the intentional engagement of family members across generations. The most effective multigenerational family philanthropy happens when all generations are empowered to have a voice and seat at the table. However, these early conversations can feel awkward and stressful. The motivations behind philanthropy can be different across generations and having shared agreements may not come naturally within existing family dynamics.

Creating an effective family giving plan requires planning, clear communication among all participants, and the help of a family philanthropy professional. While you can institute your own giving practices within your family, a trusted philanthropic advisor can help create a plan that grows and changes with your family’s charitable goals and financial plans. At the community foundation, we use the 21/64 approach to help guide multigenerational conversations. We use tools to help uncover what you and your family would like your philanthropic legacy to be. Through a series of tailored activities and evaluations, we will learn your charitable goals and help you create a unique family-giving plan to guide your philanthropy for years to come. We work with families to:

• Transform difficult conversations about money and donations into opportunities to explore shared values.
• Create a giving plan that prioritizes your charitable gifts and leaves you feeling impactful, not transactional.
• Help you set goals and strategies for your charitable giving so you can gain confidence in the gifts you make, as well as the opportunities you decline, adding both clarity and intention to your giving.
• Provide insight into local nonprofits and causes you care about.
• Leverage your family’s charitable giving to make progress in the issues you care about most.

Family giving plans are important, tangible records of your family’s charitable wishes. But they also serve as educational workbooks for strategic philanthropy and include files for grantmaking preparation, nonprofit evaluation, community needs assessments, and much more. We would love the opportunity to learn more about you, your family, and your charitable passions and goals. For more information, contact Alex Gr

The Community Endowment Fund of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) is proud to announce $230,000 in grant funding to 11 local groups and organizations. These grants are awarded through the Solidarity program, a Community Endowment Fund initiative overseen by the Foundation’s Community Advisory Committee. The Solidarity program, which completed its pilot year in Fall 2024, is among the first philanthropic programs in Virginia dedicated to supporting movement building. To achieve lasting, community-level change, “movement building” groups are those who go beyond providing direct services and instead seek to alter or completely reimagine broken systems.

In February 2025, the Solidarity program announced two new grant opportunities: Renewal Grants for Healing & Strengthening and Reimagine Grants for Freedom Dreaming & Evolving. This is the second year of grantmaking for these grants. 

Renewal Grants of up to $25,000 provide movement groups with wellness and reparative support, whether it be spiritual, physiological, or interpersonal. Requests can be for collective healing work, “joyful resistance,” coalition building, conflict resolution/mediation, and even sabbatical support. Reimagine Grants of up to $50,000 seek to encourage nonconformity, creativity, and experimentation by supporting idea research and development, planning, visioning, pausing, resetting, restructuring or, when necessary, closing. Reimagine Grant applicants may also apply for funding to support short-term/one-time professional services support, such as nonprofit legal or accounting assistance, and support for staff/volunteer training that enhances their movement building capacity.

We wish to recognize the following 2026 Reimagine and Renewal grantees:

Reimagine Grant Recipients:

• City of Promise 
• Black Women Stitch
• Charlottesville Inclusive Media Project
• Community Voices
• Congregate Charlottesville
• Descendants of Enslaved Communities of VA
• Legal Aid Justice Center
• Empowered Players
• Heart and Soul Fitness with Nicole

Renewal Grant Recipients:

• Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative
• St. John Family Life and Fitness Center

We will begin accepting Letters of Intent for our Reshaping Futures Grants for Transformation in Spring of 2027. Reshaping Futures awards of up to $500,000 total over 1-5 years (e.g., $100,000 per year for 5 years) will support transformative approaches to movement building in Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson, and Orange counties, and/or the City of Charlottesville. Final funding decisions for the Solidarity program’s inaugural Reshaping Futures Grants are expected in the Fall of 2027.

The Bama Works Fund of Dave Matthews Band at the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce its Spring 2026 grant funding decisions, totaling $898,800 and supporting 158 nonprofits throughout the region. With this round of grants, the Bama Works Fund continues its commitment to Charlottesville and the surrounding counties. 

This grant cycle, the Bama Works Fund is supporting a wide range of organizations with a particular focus on those working in youth development & wellbeing, accessibility of essential needs, protection of the environment, and the arts & humanities. As always, funding priority was given to organizations impacting lives in the City of Charlottesville and the Counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson, and Orange. For a full list of Spring 2026 grant recipients, download the Bama Works 2026 Spring Grant Recipients PDF. 

Leslie Lynn Smith, President and CEO of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, says, “The commitment of the Dave Matthews Band to this region is truly extraordinary. Thanks to the dedicated organizations receiving these awards, countless individuals will continue to benefit from the meaningful work these grants make possible.” 

Twice each year, the Bama Works Fund awards gifts through a competitive grant cycle. The next application period opens on July 1st, with an application deadline of August 13th. For more information, please visit our grants page or email us at grants@cacfonline.org. 

The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (Community Foundation) is pleased to welcome M. Leigh Harrison as our newest Senior Philanthropic Relationship Manager. Leigh will serve as the Community Foundation’s primary point of contact for a dynamic and wide-ranging portfolio of funds, particularly the endowments and operating reserves established by area nonprofits, working in concert with Foundation leadership and his counterparts. 

“Leigh’s longstanding commitment to this region, combined with his deep relationships, strategic insight, and values-driven leadership, make him an extraordinary addition to our team,” said President & CEO Leslie Lynn Smith. “He has been a trusted and impactful force across the regional ecosystem for many years, consistently helping move people, ideas, and opportunities forward. We’re thrilled to welcome Leigh’s thinking, energy, and commitment to community into this next chapter of our work together.” 

Born and raised in Southside Virginia, Leigh moved to the Charlottesville region with his family after living for a decade in Washington, D.C. As a past holder of the CFRE credential, his experience with locally based nonprofits includes advancement-related efforts supporting UVA’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture as well as the regional environmental nonprofit Appalachian Voices. He is also a founding member of the Consulting Co-op of Central Virginia (CCCV), a consulting network through which he launched his own advisory practice to provide strategic counsel to grantseekers and philanthropists.  

“I’m honored to work with the inspiring and talented leaders and staff of the Community Foundation in this new season of its history—at a time when achieving the goal of deeper understanding and engaged thought-partnership with community leaders calls for greater responsiveness, a new commitment to creative problem-solving, and a truly long-term perspective from our team,” Leigh says. “It’s a joy to work closely with so many dedicated fund representatives, and organizations doing so much good in so many different spheres, to ensure a thriving nonprofit sector that can serve our region’s communities for generations to come.”  

Along with his commitment to resourcing local nonprofit organizations, Leigh has held leadership roles at institutions of higher education such as George Mason University, where he spearheaded communications for a comprehensive campaign and later serving as a liaison for philanthropic grantmakers. He is a graduate of the College of William & Mary, where he received his B.A. in English, as well as Cornell University, where he received an M.A. and Ph.D. in medieval studies. The most recent chapter of Leigh’s career as a teacher has been on the adjunct faculty of Piedmont Virginia Community College, where he has taught English composition to students who hail from Charlottesville and six counties in the region. 

Leigh lives in eastern Albemarle County with his wife, their two small children, and their cat. When not struggling to play harpsichord music on the piano or to make his favorite old-timey Southern recipes vegetarian, he enjoys visiting the opera with his daughter, reading adventure stories with his son, and going on long and leisurely hikes through the woods with the whole family. 

The Charlottesville Area Community Foundation is pleased to welcome Janasha “Jay” Bradford as our Mothers In Bloom Program Coordinator. Jay will provide critical project management and administrative support to the Mothers In Bloom cohort, board, and program partners, ensuring the smooth functioning of the program.

 “Jay brings a powerful combination of operational excellence, financial empowerment expertise, and deep care for our community,” said Leslie Lynn Smith, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “Her work at United Way of Greater Charlottesville, alongside her leadership as a founder and educator, reflects a rare ability to translate complex ideas into accessible, actionable tools. That blend of discipline, creativity, and purpose is exactly what this work requires. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the team and excited for the impact she will help us create through Mothers In Bloom.”

Jay most recently served as the Financial Empowerment Manager at United Way of Greater Charlottesville where she served as the primary coordinator for financial coaching and stability programming. She is also an award-winning author, licensed financial advisor, and the founder and Executive Director of Mahogany & Friends, an edtech company making financial education fun and accessible for all.

“I’m truly excited to step into the Mothers in Bloom Coordinator role and support the incredible mothers in this program. This work is deeply rooted in uplifting families and creating real, lasting change, and I’m passionate about building on that foundation in a way that feels supportive, intentional, and impactful. I look forward to building strong relationships, listening closely to the needs of the cohort, and helping translate that support into meaningful, real-life outcomes.”

Jay holds a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Marketing and Advertising from Liberty University. She brings a wealth of professional experience in financial planning, education, and family and youth-centered work.

Outside of work, Jay enjoys traveling, being near the water, and discovering live music. She also enjoys exploring new vineyards, taking on creative DIY projects, chasing waterfalls, and spending time as a proud auntie.