On June 15, 2010, the Board, donors and staff of The Community Foundation joined County Executive Ike Leggett to celebrate this past year’s giving in Montgomery County – $6.1 million grants! This represents a 13% increase over The Community Foundation’s FY09 grants in Montgomery County, despite the economic downturn.
Thousands of vulnerable children, families and seniors in Montgomery County hit hard by the economic downturn are still struggling. During these tough economic times, The Community Foundation’s role in encouraging more County residents to give – and especially “to give where they live” in Montgomery County – could not be more important.
“In these challenging times of decreasing public resources, it is wonderful to have The Community Foundation as a partner in bringing together government, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals who want to make a difference right here in our community,” said County Executive Ike Leggett.
The $6.1 million in giving includes $1 million in grants from the Sharing Montgomery Fund and its "sister" funds that address the most pressing needs in our community. The discretionary funds dedicated to Montgomery County include the Sharing Montgomery Fund, the Neighbors In Need Montgomery Fund, Nonprofit Advancement Fund and the new Excel Beyond the Bell Fund. Collectively, grants from these funds support both emergency services, such as food banks and shelters, as well as long-term prevention programs, including health clinics for the uninsured, affordable housing, quality after-school youth programs, and more.
- The Sharing Montgomery Fund has a 14-year track record of supporting nonprofits serving Montgomery County’s low-income children, families, and seniors. Through a rigorous annual review process, the Sharing Montgomery Fund supports both emergency services and long-term prevention programs to address the diverse needs of Montgomery County’s low-income residents.
- The Nonprofit Advancement Fund strengthens the leadership and management of many of these same nonprofits, especially small, emerging organizations serving the county’s diverse neighborhoods. The Nonprofit Advancement Fund is a public/private partnership in which funds from private foundations, such as the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation and The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, matches 2:1 public funds from the Montgomery County government.
- The Community Foundation for Montgomery County launched the Neighbors In Need Montgomery Fund with two $100,000 challenge grant from anonymous county families. This emergency fund works in partnership with the County’s Department of Health and Human Services and the regional Neighbors In Need campaign of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region to respond to the urgent needs of people suffering in the wake of the economic crisis.
- The Excel Beyond the Bell Fund supports high-quality programs that enable low-income children and youth to make smart choices, discover their talents, and succeed in school and beyond. Founding supporters of this new fund include the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families, the Mead Family Foundation, and the Commonweal Foundation.
Click HERE to learn more about the nonprofits supported by the Sharing Montgomery Fund and its “sister” funds dedicated to Montgomery County. You can also join us in supporting critical local needs making an online gift to one of our community leadership funds.
Photo Credits: Fred Lowenbach (Commonweal Foundation), Kevin Beverly (Excel Beyond the Bell Grants Committee Co-Chair), Julie Davis (CFMC Advisory Board member, Neighbors In Need Montgomery Grants Committee Co-Chair), County Executive Ike Leggett, Hon. Jeffrey Z. Slavin (CFMC Advisory Board member), Rosalyn Jonas (CFMC Advisory Board member, Sharing Montgomery Grants Committee Chair), and Sally Rudney (CFMC Executive Director).
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