Foundation earns ‘unmodified’ audit opinion for FY2025 financials

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The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham announces that its financials have received an “unmodified,” or clean audit opinion from independent auditor Brown Edwards & Co, LLP, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.

“This is the best type of audit opinion to receive, as it is a clean opinion,” said Chief Financial Officer Anna Wagner.

View the FY 2025 Audit Report.

For Wagner, concluding the audit process always a relief — and an exciting point in the year as well.

“We get to officially close the fiscal year with permanence and share our financial information publicly with the donors, fundholders, and clients to let the numbers tell our story of impact in the community,” she said.

Wagner encourages those interested to take a look at the audited financial statements, including the notes.

“The other documentation we use to tell the story of the financial year is the annual report, available next month,” she said.

The annual independent audit is required to maintain accreditation with the Community Foundation National Standards (CFNS). This accreditation requires proof of “legal, ethical, effective practices” in donor services, investment management, grantmaking, and administration.

Last week, the foundation received news it earned re-accreditation for three more years.

The annual audit is also a significant sign to donors, the board of directors, and the general public that the foundation “prioritizes stewardship, accountability, and accuracy,” Wagner says, and is “committed to excellence and care at all levels of the organization, especially with financial information that isn’t ‘loud and flashy.’”

The audit also adds assurance to any annual financial reporting of the foundation, she added, because independent professionals are making sure the financial records are accurate.

“Accountability is key,” Wagner said, “and we want to provide the highest level of confidence to our donors as they trust us with their charitable dollars.

Wagner actually never stops preparing for the annual audit, as careful accounting and processing occurs every workday. The entire fiscal year, however, must be accounted for and a “complete set of books” ready for review when the auditors arrive at the office each fall.

Auditors make standard requests to meet basic auditing requirements — for example, schedules supporting all the numbers and a sample of various accounts — but they can also request other information. Over the week-long on-site visit, auditors also learn about the organization’s processes, assess risks, and perform procedures on various types of activity, such as sampling and analytics.

Foundation re-accredited with rigorous national philanthropic standards

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The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham recently received accreditation with the nation’s highest standard for philanthropic excellence. Community Foundations National Standards® establish legal, ethical, effective practices for community foundations.

With their re-accreditation, TCFHR joins more than 500 foundations across the country who have met these rigorous requirements for donor services, investment management, grantmaking, and administration. The process is voluntary and reconfirmed every three years.

“This is critically important to our donors, who value transparency, integrity, and accountability,” said Revlan Hill, the foundation’s executive director. “When people make a charitable bequest or establish a fund, they are putting their trust in us. They are counting on us to manage the investment wisely and honor their charitable wishes. The National Standards accreditation says our house is in order.”

The standards set consistent expectations for the board and staff, ensure policies are in place for financial stability and sustainability, and affirm commitments to best practices of the field.

Documentation was reviewed by a community foundation expert from a panel appointed by the Community Foundations National Standards Board, a supporting organization of the Council on Foundations in Washington, D.C.

TCFHR grows beyond $100 million in assets

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Caption: Eugene Lantz, the first fundholder at The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham, shares that the foundation has reached $110 million in assets, with Executive Director Revlan Hill. (Photos by Rachel Holderman)

The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham met a major milestone in late 2025, closing out the year with approximately $110 million in charitable assets under management.

Passing the $100 million mark is considered significant for community foundations, said Executive Director Revlan Hill, as the number of assets link directly with charitable impact.

“The more assets a community foundation has, the larger the investment pool and the larger the return for charitable giving,” Hill said. “This milestone reflects our residents’ generous spirit and their vision for making a difference, as well as a growing awareness of how working with the foundation for charitable giving leverages more financial support for the community.”

Hill attributes the success of the foundation to “our generous community, partnerships with local financial advisors, an historically strong board of committed residents, and the hard work of all of our staff, past and present.”

The foundation started in 1998 with a $50,000 fund started by Eugene Lantz and his brother-in-law Wallace Hatcher to honor CD and Vergie Lantz. The story goes that the two men drew up their plan on a back of a napkin while meeting at a restaurant with their financial advisor.

At a celebration last week, Hill asked Lantz to share the $110 million number with those gathered.

“It was a really nice full circle moment,” she said. “There’s no way we would be where we are today without Eugene and Wallace. They believed in us, just as our founders Lawrence H. Hoover Jr.,  Phillip C. Stone Jr., Andrew M. Huggins, and John L. Vincie III did in those early years. This moment is also a tribute to our Keystone supporters who provided early financial support so that we could continue to grow.”

Since its founding in 1998, the foundation has distributed than $92.3 million in grants and scholarships.

Most of that sum has stayed in the local area, Hill notes, pointing to data from Fiscal Year 2025, when $8.3 million in total was granted to scholarships and nonprofit organizations. More than $3.6 million, or 44% of grants, stayed in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, with $1.3 million, or 16% benefiting the greater Shenandoah Valley, and $1.7 million, or 21%, for organizations in the state.  About 20% of grants go outside Virginia.

The organization now manages 352 funds representing individuals, families, and businesses.

Unlike other investment firms, the fees charged help to support programs that benefit the community, including

  • nonprofit resourcing and support;
  • the local Dolly Parton Imagination Library program supporting literacy development;
  • the management of a large scholarship program (more than $1.9 million granted in FY2025);
  • a competitive grant process ($701,500 back into local communities in FY 2025);
  • endowments supporting local food pantries, vocational education, and general community needs;
  • the Great Community Give, and much more.

TCFHR earns 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency

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The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham has earned the 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information. This is the highest level of recognition. In 2025, only .1 percent of organizations were recognized.

The Platinum Seal of Transparency is granted to organizations that demonstrate a high level of transparency and integrity in their operations and practices. This includes providing annual financial information, including the latest 990 and audit, as well as updated information about leadership, goals, strategies, and metrics. 

This is the fifth consecutive year that TCFHR has earned a Platinum Seal.

“This recognition validates the hard work of our team,” said Revlan Hill, executive director. “Since its inception in 1998, TCFHR has held high standards of openness, accountability, and clear communication with donors, supporters, and the general public, and the Candid Platinum seal is a symbol of that continued commitment.”

 The foundation is also accredited by the Council on Foundations national standards.

NEW: Tax law changes in 2026 that may affect your giving

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Our current and prospective fundholders, and anyone interested in giving to local causes, should be aware of the following changes and a few new tax laws that may impact charitable giving.

Social Security COLA increases

The Social Security Administration announced a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase effective January 1, 2026. This increase reflects inflation’s trajectory and may result in increased Social Security benefits.

Standard deduction increases

For tax year 2026, the standard deduction increased to $16,100 for single taxpayers, $24,150 for heads of households, and $32,200 for married couples filing jointly.

 The standard deduction is a key factor in charitable giving strategies. If a person’s total itemized deductions—including charitable gifts—exceed the standard deduction, they are eligible to itemize. Reviewing this threshold and considering a “bunching” strategy (accelerating multiple years of giving into one tax year) can help maximize charitable support through 2026 and beyond.

Tax brackets

Though the tax rates remain at a range from 10% to 37%, the income levels that define each bracket for 2026 have shifted.

Limitation on itemized charitable deductions for high-income taxpayers

High-income taxpayers will face an additional limitation through a new cap on the value of itemized charitable deductions. Even if a donor is in the highest federal income tax bracket, the tax benefit of a charitable deduction will be limited to 35 percent of the contribution. As a result, taxpayers in the 37 percent bracket will no longer be able to offset their income at their full marginal rate when making charitable gifts.

Good news for the 60% cap

Another important change provides greater certainty for donors who make substantial cash contributions. The long-standing rule allowing cash gifts to qualified public charities to be deducted up to 60 percent of adjusted gross income has been made permanent. After satisfying the new 0.5% AGI floor, donors may continue to deduct cash contributions up to this level, while non-cash gifts or contributions to certain types of organizations remain subject to lower percentage limits. 

New incentive for non-itemizers

The new rules introduce an incentive for taxpayers who do not itemize deductions. Beginning with the 2026 tax year, individuals who claim the standard deduction will be allowed to take a limited charitable deduction above the line, meaning it reduces income before adjusted gross income is calculated. Single filers may deduct up to $1,000, while married couples filing jointly may deduct up to $2,000, provided the contributions are made in cash. This deduction is available in addition to the standard deduction and represents a meaningful expansion of tax benefits for charitable giving among non-itemizers, many of whom have received no tax benefit for donations in recent years. Note, however, that gifts to donor-advised funds are not eligible for this deduction, and neither are noncash gifts. (This is unfortunate because both gifts to donor-advised funds and gifts of highly appreciated assets are useful tools that incentivize charitable giving.)

New threshold to itemize charitable deductions

One of the most significant shifts affects individual taxpayers who itemize their income tax deductions. Beginning this tax year, charitable contributions will only be deductible to the extent that they exceed 0.5% of a taxpayer’s adjusted gross income. In practical terms, this means that a portion of charitable giving will no longer generate a tax benefit. For example, a taxpayer with an adjusted gross income of $200,000 will see no deduction for the first $1,000 of charitable contributions made in a year. Only donations above that amount will be eligible for deduction, subject to existing percentage-of-income limits. This new rule functions much like a deductible in an insurance policy, raising the effective threshold for receiving a tax benefit and reducing the immediate incentive for smaller annual gifts among itemizers.

QCDs may be even more useful

Retirees and older taxpayers will also see an important adjustment through an increase in the Qualified Charitable Distribution limit. For tax year 2026, the per-taxpayer limit for Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) has been increased for inflation to $111,000, up from $108,000 in 2025. And the limit for a one-time QCD from an IRA to a split-interest vehicle has been adjusted for inflation to $55,000, up from $54,000.

This allows taxpayers age 70 ½ and older to further reduce their AGI and, if applicable, satisfy all or part of their required minimum distributions (RMDs). A QCD to a qualified fund at the community foundation (such as a designated or field-of-interest fund but not a donor-advised fund) remains one of the most tax-efficient ways to support charity. 

Generally, though, this change should help donors direct more funds to charitable causes without including those distributions in taxable income. Because Qualified Charitable Distributions can also count toward required minimum distributions, this higher limit enhances a tax-efficient giving strategy that is unaffected by itemized deduction limits, adjusted gross income floors, or caps on deduction value.

 

TCFHR hosts first Little Swiss Fund reception in Highland County

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In December, representatives of 17 nonprofit organizations came together in celebration and gratitude to the anonymous donor whose gifts continue to support Highland County. The reception and check presentation at The Highland Center was hosted by staff from the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

Betty Mitchell accepts a check from Ann Siciliano (left) and Kelsey Gerber, managers of the grants program at The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

“The impact of this donor is incredible,” said Betty Mitchell, executive director of the Blue Grass Resource Center. “The beauty of an endowment such as this is that those donations continue to make an impact in the community for generations.” 

View projects funded by the 2025 Little Swiss grants.

A total of nearly $3 million has been distributed since 2018, with the amount increasing each year as the invested balance grows. 

This year, $598,197 was distributed to 17 organizations. 

TCFHR staff have visited Highland County several times since 2018, but this was the first time to host an event expressly to meet many of the area’s longtime nonprofit leaders.  

“We loved putting faces with names and meeting people so invested in caring for their neighbors, stewarding natural resources, and providing so many necessary services,” said Ann Siciliano, senior director of scholarships and grants.  

Kelsey Gerber, program manager, and Lauren Jefferson, director of programs and marketing, also attended the event. 

The Little Swiss Fund has supporting area nonprofits since its inception in 2007, with the anonymous donor advising on the awards. After the donor’s death, the fund moved to a competitive grants process. A group of citizens with local ties and knowledge of the area works as a committee to review the applications each year. 

For many organizations, the funding validates their mission, hard work, and visionary planning. Callie Smith, the executive director of Highland Children’s House, was grateful for financial support that will help retain committed, professional staff providing care and education to children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old at the Monterey location. 

“This gift reaches far beyond wages,” she said. “It empowers us to offer competitive pay while providing and sustaining exceptional care for our children. Your support affirms the value of the work we do and makes clear that the depth of care is only possible when our teachers are cherished just as much as the children they nurture.” 

The Highland County Fair received support for the 75th anniversary event, with funding helping to provide for programming, entertainment, and marketing. 

“The fair is more than just an event,” said Treasurer Michael Botkin. “It’s a celebration of who we are as a rural, close-knit community. This generous funding allowed us to invest in key areas that help keep the fair vibrant, accessible, and rooted in tradition. We were able to accomplish things that simply wouldn’t have been possible otherwise, and we’re deeply grateful for the foundation’s support in helping us carry this legacy forward.” 

One of the largest 2025 Little Swiss Fund awards went towards the interior renovations of the historic Highland Inn, a multi-year project that when completed will offer lodging, a restaurant and tavern in downtown Monterey. Past awards of the fund have supported the exterior renovation. The project recently won $1.75 million in funding from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.  

“For a large capital project like the inn revitalization project, there are substantial carrying costs each year. Support from the Little Swiss Fund means that donations made by individuals in our community go directly to this historic project,” Mitchell said. 

The Little Swiss support means that Mitchell can make this “powerful talking point” with donors as she and her team work to pull together funding to start the second phase of renovation in 2026. 

 

TCFHR’s 2025 grant awards to support the work of 17 area nonprofits

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The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham announces that a total of $182,411 will be awarded to 17 area nonprofit organizations for the 2025-26 Community Grants cycle.

The organizations are focused on a range of areas, including arts and culture, food insecurity, animal welfare, education, and healthcare.

For more information, view 2025 project summaries.

Thirty-seven organizations submitted applications, said Ann Siciliano, senior director of grants and scholarships.

Grant awards are made by committees involving a total of 12 community members.

Grantee organizations will receive their funding by the end of the year and are required to file impact reports by late summer 2026. The next Community Grant cycle begins in the summer.

Click here to view the 2025 Little Swiss Fund awards for organizations located in and serving Highland County.

Fund Grantee Project and Award Amount
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Arts Council of the Valley Court Square Theater renovations

$25,730
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Red Wing Academy Foundation Scholarship Program

$6,500
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts OASIS Fine Arts & Craft Scholarship Program

$7,380
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival  Event support for the 2026 season

$7,500

 
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Rocktown School of Music Signage, soundproofing, instruments, PA system

$19,084
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Silk Moth Stage Salaries and general operating expenses for 2026 season

$3,000
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts

Valley Arts and Culture Fund

 Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative Upgrades to studio management software

$1,260 : $263 from Miller; $997 from Valley Arts and Culture
Valley Arts and Culture Fund Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance, Inc. Support for Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival 2026

$2,500
Mary Spitzer Etter Endowed Fund Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley Barefoot Puppet Theater performances for 1,500+ second graders

$ 4,981

 
Alvin V. Baird, Jr. Endowed Fund Harrisonburg Community Health Center New dental equipment

$ 27,095.50
Alvin V. Baird, Jr. Endowed Fund Blue Ridge Free Clinic Expansion of onsite dental services

$ 27,095.50
Donna F. Simmons Family Endowment Second Home Learning Center Scholarship Program

$7,844
Harrisonburg Rockingham Food Pantry Endowment Corner Cupboard Food Pantry Babies to Boomers Program, Phase III

$ 2,011.50
Harrisonburg Rockingham Food Pantry Endowment Patchwork Pantry Extension of fresh vegetable provision program

$ 2,011.50
Hildred Neff Memorial Fund Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA Owned Pet Voucher Program

$12,402.50
Hildred Neff Memorial Fund Wildlife Center of Virginia Wildlife care (earmarked for local animals)

$12,402.50
Janet Sohn Endowed Fund Central Valley Habitat for Humanity Critical Home Repair Program

$ 13,613

 

Little Swiss Fund announces grant awards to Highland County nonprofits

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The 2025 Little Swiss Fund grant awards will distribute a total of $589,197 to 18 nonprofit organizations serving Highland County.

The fund began in 2018 with a $10 million gift from an anonymous donor. Monies from the permanently endowed fund are annually invested and distributed to eligible 501 (c)(3) organizations through a competitive grant process managed by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

Organizations must be physically located in Highland County, Va., and the project or program to be funded must serve the Highland County area. Religious organizations are welcome to apply. Nonprofit organizations must have annual revenues in excess of $25,000 to be eligible.

All grants will be awarded in November/December 2025.

The next Little Swiss Grant cycle begins in the summer of 2026.

For more information, view 2025 project summaries.

Click here to view the 2025 Community Grant awards for organizations in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Organization Project Award Amount
Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance James River Headwaters Protection:  Cowpasture River monitoring and expansion of programming to the Jackson River watershed  $15,000
Allegheny Mountain Institute Education and community engagement around ecology and healthy foods  $15,000
Blue Grass Resource Center Highland Inn Renovation Project $70,000
Bolar Volunteer Fire Department General operating expenses $20,000
Bolar Volunteer Rescue Squad Operating costs  

$16,000

 
Dare To Dream Therapeutic Horsemanship Center Facility and horse care expenses $15,000
Elegius Mini Equine Sanctuary Operating costs (veterinary care, farrier, feed, etc.) $10,000
Highland Children’s House Payroll expenses $80,000

 
Highland County Arts Council Operations expenses; salaries for two new part-time positions in programming/events and marketing/operations $15,000
Highland County Fair Association Operating costs (programming, entertainment, and marketing related to 75th anniversary event) $50,000
Highland County Humane Society, Inc. General operating costs $45,000
Highland County Volunteer Fire Department New building at Blue Grass firehouse $15,000
Highland County Volunteer Rescue Squad Support for Quick Response Vehicle unit and training expenses $50,000
Highland Historical Society Mansion House structural repairs $20,000
Highland Medical Center Purchase of flu and COVID-19 vaccines and related supplies $40,000
McDowell Volunteer Fire Department New tanker truck and new equipment $50,000
The Highland Center Operating costs $50,000
Little Swiss Educational Fund new scholarship for Highland High School students and alumni $13,157

Organizations must be tax-exempt public charities under IRS Section 501(c)3 or other nonprofit status. Organizations must be physically located in Highland County, Va., and the project or program to be funded must serve the Highland County area. Religious organizations are welcome to apply. Nonprofit organizations must have annual revenues in excess of $25,000 to be eligible. Local clubs (civic and otherwise), and recreational facilities are NOT eligible to apply.

 

How you can help local food pantries bracing for increased need

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What’s Happening?

More than 800,000 Virginians, including 10,006 residents  of Rockingham County and Harrisonburg rely on federal SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families each month.

As of Nov. 1, those benefits are no longer available.

Courtesy of Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry.

State Action

A new temporary program, Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance, will pull funds from Virginia’s revenue surplus to provide relief. The payments will be weekly rather than monthly.

Local Action

Area food pantries are already experiencing record demand because of a confluence of factors, including rising grocery costs and other costs of living. Recently, other food assistance programs have been cut, paused, or cancelled, including The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance program.

We are deeply grateful to the nonprofit organizations stepping up to make sure families impacted by the SNAP benefit pause have access to food and other essential resources.

To Locate a Food Pantry

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank hosts a directory of local food pantries.

211Virginia also has a directory. Use these resources to find food or explore ways to help pantries in your area.

The local directory Rockburg Feeds is an initiative of the Food Coalition of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, in partnership with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and Sentara RMH Medical Center.

TCFHR’s HR Food Pantry Endowment

We encourage donors to consider giving to our Harrisonburg-Rockingham Food Pantry Endowed Fund, which provides an annual distribution to a local food pantry. Food pantries benefit from USDA food and from donated food, but cash contributions help to purchase additional food to meet client demand.  In 2025, funds went to The Corner Cupboard at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Read WMRA coverage of how The Corner Cupboard used this grant here.

CLICK to give to the HR Food Pantry Endowment.

Give to Local Pantries

Here is more information from the food pantries who responded by our deadline with information about donations and volunteer opportunities. There are many more local food pantries: find a listing at 211Virginia or use the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s Food Finder.

All of these food pantries receive USDA food and purchase other food from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, receive donations, and cultivate other sources, such as unsold food from grocery stores or local businesses.

  • Patchwork Pantry is currently feeding between 65-70 families each week, with more anticipated. They also purchase and provide food for the backpack program at Waterman Elementary School, supporting an additional 60 families.

Monetary donations are the most helpful as this provides more flexibility in purchasing the most needed items. If organizations want to do a donation drive, contact the pantry first. We ask that at least 70 of a needed item, so we can offer it to all of our guests that evening. Hygiene items are particularly costly to purchase, so we often encourage an organization to donate 70 of an item like toothpaste, shampoo, diapers, etc.  Smaller donations (about one shopping cart or less) can typically be dropped off on Wednesdays between 9-11 a.m.

Delivery of larger donations (more than one shopping cart) must be arranged with the donation coordinator and can be arranged by emailing patchworkpantry@gmail.com. 

  • Blessed Sacrament has seen a 20 percent increase in clients.

Monetary donations are always appreciated, as we can make a dollar go further than an average consumer. We will accept items like peanut butter, jelly, canned fruit and vegetables, cereal, pasta products, pasta sauce, canned soup. Hygiene products are also very desirable. Diapers are also a high demand item. All donated items may be taken to our pantry at 2 East Wolfe Street Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and Friday from 9-11:30 a.m..

  •  The Corner Cupboard at Emmanuel Episcopal Church has seen numbers of clients increase each month of 2025. and are far ahead of their usual numbers of total pounds distributed.

Monetary donations are helpful, as the pantry has to purchase most of its food and protein is especially costly. Other donations are welcome: especially canned meat or fish, healthy breakfast cereals, cans of fruit, bags of rice, and peanut butter. We do not accept expired canned goods. Bring donations to the pantry Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m.-noon or to the church office Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Checks can be made out to Emmanuel Church and designated in the memo line for the food pantry.

Strong volunteers are also needed for about 30 minutes to help unload supplies on the first Thursday of the month at noon and third Wednesday, also at noon.

  • Salvation Army – Harrisonburg Corps serves approximately 170 families a month and 627 individuals with food from Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, donations from the general public and from local restaurants and businesses.

We accept donations of shelf-stable food that is in date Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. It can be brought to our office at 185 Ashby Ave in Harrisonburg.

TCFHR welcomes new board chair Cynthia Prieto

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Caption: Cynthia Prieto, right, joins fellow TCFHR board member Beth Driver in finishing decorations for the 2025 Great Community Give. 

Retired educator Cynthia Prieto plans to leverage the next two years of her time as board chair at The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham to increase knowledge, action, and access.

Prieto takes over from professional advisor Kevin Flint, who concluded his service June 30.

TCFHR manages more than $88 million in assets on behalf of charitable citizens. Since 1998, the foundation has awarded $82.7 million in annual grants and scholarships to benefit the region and beyond, aiding nonprofit work in education, the arts and culture, health and human services, animal welfare, and more. It is governed by a 16-member board of community members.

“Cynthia joined our board with more than 34 years of experience in the education field, and has consistently brought fresh perspectives to her committee and vice chair work,” said Revlan Hill, executive director. “When I think about Cynthia, I think right away of her ability to listen, to bring new ideas, and to help us network among new community partners. She’s been particularly attentive and enthusiastic in learning more about the work of the foundation, and I’m looking forward to working with her new role.”

Cynthia Prieto, TCFHR board chair.

A bilingual and bicultural native of Colombia with deep roots in northern Virginia, Prieto moved to the Harrisonburg area in 2014 to become principal of Harrisonburg High School. Upon retirement in 2019, she decided to stay, having found a true home in this vibrant area of the Shenandoah Valley.

“This community has the best of both worlds in variety of the people, the tightness of the community yet the rich international opportunities, the history of the valley, the vibrancy of the experiences, and the foundation of support, generosity and welcome that it extended to me,” she said.

Prieto says retirement was an adjustment, having spent many years immersed in the identity of an educator and administrator.

“There are so many ways to fill my cup, and involvement in the community foundation has been a part of that exploration of ways I can contribute to this community,” she said. “I don’t have to be in the principal’s office to be in the position to support these kids. My seat on the scholarships committee has given me another way to support our young adults. And with committee work on grants, I’ve learned so much about so many relevant topics in our community, from mental health to homelessness and housing, food insecurity and so much more.”

Prieto has also been a contributor to the establishment and growth of one of the foundation’s newer programs, a free literacy program for preschool-age children called the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library that aims to increase school readiness and parent/caregiver interactions.

Cynthia Prieto greets guests at the 2024 25th anniversary event.

Her vision of increasing access to TCFHR has roots in her experience as an educator and administrator, working across cultures and organizations to increase opportunities for students and families.

“I use access as a global word,” she said. “I mean access to services, causes, communications, networking. TCFHR really has that at the heart of its mission … it’s a nonprofit that supports other nonprofits providing a variety of services for our residents. The organization provides a way to do a lot of good for a lot of people and I hope we can continue to spread with word into donors, businesses, neighborhoods, nonprofits, and residents we haven’t touched yet.”

As vice chair, Prieto says she’s worked hard to increase her knowledge in anticipation of providing support and input as the foundation nears the end of its third decade. TCFHR’s board includes 16 professionals, all local residents, who bring expertise in finance, business, economics, education, public administration, among other fields.

“Continuing to recruit strong board members will always be a priority,” she said. “Surrounding this organization and its staff with knowledgeable and trusted members who are committed to sharing their skills and time, and advocating actively for the foundation, will continue to be important.”

Prieto is also on the board of Skyline Literacy and Harrisonburg Professional Firefighters Foundation. She is a member of the Harrisonburg Police Community Advisory Committee and of the choir VOICE, which performs benefit concerts for area nonprofits.