The Arlington Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees recently approved grant awards totaling $97,794 to 26 nonprofit organizations and schools through its Homelessness Prevention – Looking toward Tomorrow, Fund for Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) and Arlington Education Fund grant programs. These awards bring the total amount of grants and scholarships distributed through the Foundation in 2016 to over $1.28 million. Since the Foundation’s inception 25 years ago, it has distributed more than $14 million in grants and scholarships.
These grant awards will broadly benefit the Arlington community through programs that serve a wide cross section of our community: This fall’s Arlington Education Fund grants make possible curriculum enhancements including an after-school creative problem solving lab for English language-learners and environmental education for students in Extended Day programs through gardening activities. The Homelessness Prevention grants will support such efforts as vocational training for recently rehoused formerly homeless individuals and same-day financial assistance for families facing the threat of homelessness. Fund for ID/DD grants, meanwhile, will support programs that provide empowerment for Arlingtonians with Intellectual Disabilities or Developmental Disabilities through career readiness or community engagement.
Grant proposals are carefully considered and reviewed by volunteers from the community who make recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Volunteering as grant reviewers is one of the many ways that Arlington’s citizens involve themselves with local philanthropy through the Foundation.
These most recent grant awards were made possible by contributions of all sizes from individuals as well as corporations in our community, in the form of gifts to charitable funds including the Homelessness Prevention Fund, the Fund for ID/DD, the Arlington Education Fund, and the JTK Fund.
Wanda L. Pierce, Executive Director of the Foundation, noted, “The grants awarded this year reflect the work of exceptional nonprofits and educators in the Arlington community and the commitment of the Arlington Community Foundation to support their work. Our newest competitive grant program through the Fund for ID/DD is the latest example of how the Foundation helps donors support the most impactful efforts in the areas that they care about the most.”
Please see below for a complete listing of awards by grant program.
2016 Looking toward Tomorrow Grant Recipients
The Homelessness Prevention – Looking toward Tomorrow grants program is an annual grant cycle whichseeks to reduce future need for safety-net services by funding organizations that develop and use new and innovative approaches to provide more effective support for their clients. This year’s grant awards range from $5,000 - $10,000.
· AHC Inc.
· Arlington Thrive
· Bridges to Independence
· Doorways for Women and Families
· La Cocina VA
· Legal Services of Northern Virginia
· Offender Aid and Restoration of Arlington
· Salvation Army National Capital Area
· Shirlington Employment and Education Center
· The Fenwick Foundation
· Volunteers of America Chesapeake
2016 Fund for ID/DD Grant Recipients
The Fund for ID/DD grants program was launched this year to assist Arlingtonians with intellectual or developmental disabilities in achieving meaningful life experiences, in working toward meaningful employment, or in succeeding in integrated supportive housing. Each grant award was for $5,000.
· Best Buddies Capital Region
· Community Residences
· Linden Resources
2016 Arlington Education Fund Grant Recipients
The Arlington Education Fund grant program is a competitive grant cycle which provides grants to schools and nonprofits for innovative projects, programs and partnerships. Since its inception in 1995, the Foundation has awarded more than 470 grants totaling over $427,000 through this program – all made possible by the broad support of hundreds of community members. This year’s grant awards range from $275 - $1,500.
Arlington Arts Center (funded through the Foundation’s JTK Fund)
Arlington Community High School
Arlington County 4-H, Virginia Cooperative Extension
Borromeo Housing, Inc.
Discovery Elementary School
· F.S. Key Elementary School
· Jamestown Elementary School
· Long Branch Elementary School
· New Directions High School
· Oakridge Elementary School
· Randolph Elementary School
· Swanson Middle School
For more information about how to apply to any of the Foundation’s grant programs, to donate to or volunteer with the Foundation’s grant-making programs, please call 703-243-4785 or visit our website at www.arlcf.org.