Foundation programs and partnerships reflect deepening commitment to regenerative philanthropy
Charlottesville, VA — The Community Endowment Fund of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation (CACF) is proud to announce $2.2 million in funding awards this year to 32 grantees working to improve the quality of life in Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson, and Orange. The 2024 grantees cover a wide range of issues, from expanding anti-displacement affordable housing options, to protecting reproductive healthcare access and immigrant rights, to promoting student safety and youth organizing.
Twenty-seven of the thirty-two grantees received support through the Foundation’s new Solidarity program, which completed its pilot year this fall. The program is among the first philanthropic programs in Virginia dedicated to racial equity movement building — “the effort of social change agents to engage power holders and the broader society in addressing a systemic problem or injustice, while promoting an alternative vision or solution,” writes Julie Quiroz-Martinez. After much community co-learning and co-dreaming, the program will begin its second year in early 2025 with a slate of enhanced and expanded resources.
Towards regenerative philanthropy
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Foundation began reimagining the Community Endowment Fund to better reflect our commitment to regenerative philanthropy. This iterative work has involved listening deeply to our community, following the latest research and practices in the field, and drawing upon lessons from our existing grant-making programs and racial equity training. As a result of this process, we have begun to shift Community Endowment Fund decision-making to our community through a regionally representative, openly recruited Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Our CAC now leads a participatory grant-making process that is more transparent, responsive, and mutually accountable.
The year 2024 has been a watershed year in CACF’s ongoing journey towards regenerative philanthropy. In addition to piloting the Solidarity movement building program:
- The Community Foundation relocated to our new main offices on East Water Street, across from Charlottesville’s historic Downtown Mall – a more modern and publicly accessible space for connecting with grantee- and donor-partners, organizers, activists, and other aspiring social changemakers.
- In collaboration with our local rural public libraries, the CACF team established our community office hours to better serve our 3,100 sq mi region by meeting people where they are, literally.
- We witnessed the groundbreaking for the Vista 29 affordable supportive housing community, a redevelopment project that began over three years ago with a $4.25 million investment from the Community Foundation.
- The Community Foundation joined as a co-investor, thought partner, and convener of funders to support the development of BEACON (Black Entrepreneurial Advancement & Community Opportunity) — a business incubator and accelerator that advances financial opportunity in the food industry for entrepreneurs facing barriers to entry.
- Through a partnership with the Twice Is Nice Fund, the Community Endowment Fund has supported 31 area organizations serving seniors in need.
- We expanded our team to provide greater capacity building support to applicants and partners, while continuing to enhance and refine our new online grants management system.
- Throughout the year, team members participated in learning collaboratives with partners across the country to strengthen our capacity to support local movement building and impact investing.
Looking to 2025, we’re excited to introduce our local impact investing program after several years of planning. Next year is also bittersweet as we celebrate the work of Brennan Gould, our outgoing CEO, after 14 years with the Foundation.
The Community Foundation congratulates and thanks all of our 2024 Community Endowment Fund grantees:
- African American Teaching Fellows
- Black Girl Builders
- Blue Ridge Abortion Fund
- Charlottesville Inclusive Media (Vinegar Hill Magazine, In My Humble Opinion/IMHO Talk Show, and Charlottesville Tomorrow)
- Charlottesville Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR)
- Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority (CRHA)
- Charlottesville United for Public Education
- Creciendo Juntos
- Ellis Acres
- Fifeville Neighborhood Association
- fire flower farm
- Heart & Soul Fitness
- IMPACT (Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together)
- Jefferson School African American Heritage Center
- Jerusalem Baptist Church of Buckingham
- Lousia County Historical Society
- Madison House
- Mama Bees Housing Community
- Montpelier Foundation
- Native & Indigenous Relations Community (NIRC)
- New City Arts Initiative
- New Hill Development Corporation
- New River Abortion Access Fund
- Operation Social Equality (OSE)
- Piedmont Community Land Trust
- Piedmont Housing Alliance (PHA)
- Piedmont Regional Dental Clinic
- Sin Barreras/Without Borders
- The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative
- The Fountain Fund
- The Twice Is Nice Fund
- The Uhuru Foundation & Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC)
Join us
Since 1967, community members have partnered, pooled resources, and invested collectively with the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation in order to make a deeper and longer-lasting, positive impact. Today, the Community Foundation helps manage nearly 400 charitable funds — gifts, grants, scholarships, and organizational endowments and reserve funds — on behalf of our community and donor partners. Together this past year, we reinvested a total of $30 million back into our home.
Read our latest annual impact report online to learn more, subscribe to receive news and updates about grants and additional resources, or contact us to reinvest through the Community Endowment Fund and other giving opportunities.