On Wednesday evening, November 28, 2018, foundation leaders from around the nation gathered in Washington, DC, at the National Museum of Women in the Arts to recognize the leadership and creativity of some of the most esteemed philanthropic leaders in the United States. Among those recognized was Brennan Gould, president and chief executive officer, Charlottesville Area Community Foundation.
The Council on Foundations presented Brennan with the Robert W. Scrivner Award for Creative Grantmaking. Magui Rubalcava Shulman, president and chief executive officer, Borealis Philanthropy located in Minnesota, presented Brennan with the award and referenced her leadership in disbursing $1.4 million in the region through the Heal Charlottesville Fund.
Joining Brennan at the awards ceremony were members of her family, CACF Board Chair Jay Kessler and Community Foundation team members.
“I am deeply humbled by this prestigious award and grateful to the Council on Foundations,” said Brennan Gould, president and chief executive officer, Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. “I share this award with the Foundation board, team, the Concert for Charlottesville and many generous donors, the broader Charlottesville community, and the hardworking and dedicated grant partners who are working toward an equitable and inclusive region.”
The Scrivner Award was established in 1984 as a tribute to the creative legacy of the late Robert Winston Scrivner, former staff associate of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and first executive director of the Rockefeller Family Fund, by a number of his friends and colleagues. The award has honored grantmakers from around the country who are making an impact in a wide variety of fields. Recent recipients have addressed a range of issues, including universal access to a free and open Internet, helping arts organizations in San Francisco find affordable and permanent spaces, supporting immigrants in Long Island, improving access to mental health services in Denver, and advocating for women’s rights internationally.
In addition to a glass sculpture, Brennan received a $10,000 prize, which she has donated to the Foundation to continue their work on initiatives related to combating racism and inequities in Charlottesville.