TCFHR hosts first Little Swiss Fund reception in Highland County

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. 

 

Giving Back Guide 2025 highlights 76 organizations and their funding needs

The 2025 Giving Back Guide is here! Readers are invited to learn more about 76 area nonprofits and their funding needs in this annual magazine from the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

View the digital edition.

Print copies are available at the following locations:

  • the Massanutten Regional Library locations (main library and Rockingham County branches only),
  • the Friendly City Food Co-op,
  • Dayton Farmers Market, and
  • our office at 317 South Main Street.

Inclusion in the guide is a voluntary process that is aligned with TCFHR’s annual Community Grants cycle.  Submissions are taken over three months in the summer. Nonprofits located in and serving Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are invited to access the submission application and share about their organization’s mission, vision, accomplishments and funding needs.

This resource is promoted and circulated to the public, professional advisors, and media, in print and digital form, in mid-November. TCFHR utilizes the guide as a tool in donor conversations throughout the year. Many donor-advised grants as well as gifts from community members are made to local organizations as a result of this resource.

Thanks again to Jon Styer and the At Ease Design Co. crew for their design work.

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

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

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

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 introduces Coffee & Conversation, a monthly networking event for the nonprofit community

Join fellow nonprofit leaders and philanthropic partners at a new networking event, Coffee & Conversation, hosted each month by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

This new space for connection and resource-sharing will be from 9-11 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month, beginning Oct. 14, at the foundation’s headquarters at 317 South Main Street in Harrisonburg.

Coffee, hot drinks, and light treats will be offered. We’ll feature Magpie pastries at our October kick-off, but let us know if you have a favorite baker to recommend – we’d love to feature and support local businesses.

A reservation is encouraged to help plan logistics. Those bringing specific interest, topics, or problems are also asked to email ahead of time so that TCFHR staff can prepare information and/or invite special guests to be a resource.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP.

The monthly gatherings are a new offering of the Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership (ENL) program.

This programming is an outgrowth of TCFHR’s recent resourcing survey: The majority of respondents expressed the desire for a regularly scheduled, informal space to build collaborations, problem-solve, share resources, and network.

Started in 2016, ENL provides individuals working in nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, and community-based initiatives with educational opportunities that will enhance their capabilities to lead competent, effective, and trustworthy organizations.

Nonprofit grant recipients report 2024 community impact

Grants to 14 area organizations in 2024-5 from The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham supported work in the areas of mental health, food pantries, animal care, and arts and culture. Approximately $159,500 was awarded from seven endowed funds managed by TCFHR.

Grant applications for the 2025 cycle are in the review process, with awardees to be announced in November.

Expanding Access for Mental Health Care

The following organizations were supported by the Alvin V. Baird Jr. Endowed Fund, benefiting nonprofit healthcare organizations that address unmet healthcare needs in the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County community:

A $5,000 grant to Adagio House’s Compassion Fund contributed approximately 50 of 162 free and reduced fee psychotherapy sessions to those in need. The organization helps to address the critical need for support services for individuals with disabilities and their families. Some of the people served by this grant are single mothers parenting autistic children, young adults trying to navigate the world with co-occurring diagnoses, and young women who are newly diagnosed autistic, according to founder and executive director April Hepler. “This support has made a tangible difference in the lives of those impacted, lowering their report of symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, and helping to prevent their need for higher level (and more costly) services,” she shared.

Family Life Resource Center used their $2,935 grant to provide sliding-scale scholarships for 21 clients to access mental health sessions. Those clients included children, couples, those awaiting Medicaid/Medicare, and families, all of whom had lost a loved one to suicide.

Musicians perform at the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival in summer 2025.

A $25,000 grant supported the work of The Foundation for Rehabilitation & Endowment, known as FREE of Harrisonburg. This organization focuses on helping low-income residents with mobility needs by employing a national medical reuse model program that utilizes collaborations and local partnerships to generate community-sourced donations.

Healthy Community Health Centers purchased infant bilirubin monitoring equipment and reusable blankets with a $16,100 grant. Monitoring can now be done without taking a blood sample. Blankets are available to loan to patients in need of jaundice treatment.

Supporting the Arts

The following organizations were supported by the Earlynn J Miller Fund for the Arts, to encourage arts nonprofit organizations to dream about the possibilities to significantly grow the arts:

The Arts Council of the Valley hosts the year-long Arts for All program, including exhibitions, concerts, a chalk art festival, international mural collaboration, and the Super Gr8 Film Festival. More than $45,000 from the Earlynn J Miller Fund for the Arts supported the 2025 programs, most of which were free to attend.

Grant funding helped OASIS Fine Art & Craft promote the arts through scholarships. Here a student shows off his 3D printed nameplate with JuiceWorks 3D Executive Director Andrei Dacko (left). 

Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative utilized grant funding to purchase sound panels and offset costs of performances in their downtown studio. The organization offered a pay-what-you-can show and tiered ticket prices, making performances more accessible to community members. Additionally, the support helped to maintain our current studio rental prices, with resulting increased use and increased collaboration with community groups.

OASIS Fine Art & Craft used Miller funding to provide scholarships for students to attend classes at Friendly City Clay & Art Center and Juice Works 3D. Classes for children at the Second Home shelter were also offered.

The Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival’s 2025 season was funded in part by a Miller grant, which helped the organization provide programming and transition with fiscal health.  In the last year, due to the diligence and leadership of the board, the organization successfully navigated independence from its previous host, Eastern Mennonite University, and now has separate 501(c)3 status. said Les Helmuth, interim executive director.

Support for Food Pantries

The following organization was supported by a grant from the Harrisonburg- Rockingham Food Pantry Endowment:

The Corner Cupboard Food Pantry at Emmanuel Episcopal Church expanded their offerings, in response to client requests, to include feminine hygiene items, adult diapers, and culturally appropriate food. The program was supported by a grant from the pantry endowment, a fund set up by TCFHR’s board to address area hunger needs. The pantry has seen a 20 percent increase in clients served this year. Receiving the grant “also had the effect of setting an example for individual donors to donate,” wrote David Seiter. “The donors saw the grant and knew it was a worthwhile project. We expect, once the final figures are calculated, we will surpass [fundraising] expectations.”

Caring for Animals

The following organizations were supported by the Hildred Neff Memorial Fund benefiting nonprofit organizations that provide for the needs of domestic animals or wildlife.

The Wildlife Center of Virginia – the oldest and largest wildlife veterinary hospital in the Commonwealth –treats more than 4,000 patients each year, with about 13 percent of those coming

Nosey the cat, a feral resident of the area, benefited from funding to the HRSPCA’s Community Cat Program.

from Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.   The grant supported treatment for 479 local sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals, with an average cost of $195 (this cost includes specialized food, medications, medical and laboratory supplies, equipment, and salaries and benefits for the wildlife veterinary and rehabilitation care team).

Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA’s Community Cat Program received $11,685 to provide spays and neuters, microchips, and vaccines for outdoor cats in Rockingham County. In collaboration with Anicira Veterinary Center, the SPCA offers guidance on trapping and voucher access, with the goals of reducing shelter intake and focusing resources on animals already in their care.

Growing the Arts for All

The following organizations were supported by the Valley Arts and Culture Fund, benefiting small and medium sized arts organizations, and the Mary Spitzer Etter Endowed Fund, promoting arts in the area.

More than 1,500 area second-graders in the city and county attended Barefoot Puppet Theater’s performance of “New Squid on the Block” over four-day span in October 2024.  This was one of several learning opportunities hosted by Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley.

Another grant paid for stipends for professional actors appearing in two musicals at Bridgewater-based Silk Moth Stage. The professional theater has been able to increased their ticket sales and expanded educational offerings in schools and libraries.

Expanding Youth Mentorship Opportunities

Children from city and county elementary schools enter Court Square Theater to enjoy a puppetry performance. A grant awarded to Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley enabled every second-grader to enjoy a live arts experience.

Funding in support of mentor recruitment has helped Big Brothers Big Sisters of HR expand and strengthen their volunteer program. The $13,220 grant from the Janet Sohn Endowed Fund provided staff time to recruit more mentors, created a designated fund to cover the cost of background checks, and sponsored regular match events. The positive results have encouraged the organization to seek more funding, in hopes of speeding matches, increasing compatible matches, and helping relationships between matches grow.

“We are thrilled to share that we met the goals associated with the grant request and continue to see increased volunteer interest and engagement,” said Director of Development Lindsey Douglas. “Youth need mentors and our work continues to provide mentors to every local youth who needs and wants one. Thank you for your partnership that helped match and support 109 youth so far in 2025, with nearly 25 more volunteer mentors started in the process of being matched.”

Providing Play Therapy

The Sean Warner Memorial Fund helped the Family Life Resource Center purchase play therapy tools and resources. Purchases included sensory toys, role-play sets, and other therapeutic tools requested by counselors. Approximately 73 children ages 15 and younger have been served by the program this year.

 

Area NPOs report disruption, uncertainty around federal funding freeze

Twenty-one area organizations reported a range of effects from last month’s funding freeze, with a few respondents projected debilitating revenue losses of up to 85 percent.

The data came from a survey sent to 150 area nonprofit leaders by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

Seventeen organizations reported some reduction in services related to the freeze.

“Even as we acknowledge that this situation is fluid and changing day by day, the information provides early indicators about the larger impacts of the federal funding freeze,” said Revlan Hill, executive director. “Some organizations still don’t know the full effect.”

Hill was interviewed by WHSV TV-3 and WSVA Radio about the survey results, as well as about what she was hearing from area nonprofit leaders in the immediate aftermath of the cuts.

Watch the WHSV TV-3 interview.

Listen to the radio show.

TCFHR did not gain permission to publicly share specifics related to responding organizations, but staff did reach back out when an opportunity arose to meet with city and county officials. “We chose to speak in generalities unless we had permission to give more specifics,” Hill said.

In Summary

Some takeaways from the survey:

—Many organizations reported needing to decrease their services because of reductions in staffing, at the same time as they were seeing an increase in the need for services from new and established clients.

—Reductions in funding, realized or anticipated, were also leading to higher barriers to entry for clients; for example, benefits like free materials or free/lower processing fees were at risk.

—At least one organization reported losing one full-time staff member, while others anticipated the need to substantially reduce staffing. At least two organizations anticipated needing to shut down operations because of the loss of staffing.

—Concerns about staff wellbeing, stability and commitment are real, said one respondent whose team will face an “overwhelming backlog” if funding does resume.

“These kind of disruptions also lead to low morale and anxiety, along with an increased or even new workload,” Hill said. “The nonprofit world has always been a challenging space to work in, and staff deeply care about providing the best services to those they are serving. I can imagine many people are more anxious and concerned in their day-to-day work right now.”

—Interrupted or unstable funding can also mean the loss of several years of research, partnership, and collaboration, said one respondent, naming that the third year of a five-year initiative would be funded but not the final two years.

—Some organizations are leaning on already established partnerships or collaborations to synergize services – an innovative and positive problem-solving step, but one that takes time and energy. On the other hand, the sapping of resources and energy curtails strategic planning and reinforces the “hunker-down” mentality.

What’s Next?

TCFHR has used survey information to inform inquiring donors looking to prioritize local charities in need. Another stakeholder survey may be in order to continue to track effects, Hill said, as well as better quantify the effects of federal dollars on Shenandoah Valley communities.

TCHFR’s annual grant cycle opens July 1, and grantmaking strategies will invariably include discussion about affects on applying organizations.

With the April 16 Great Community Give just around the corner, publicity efforts for this major online giving day have intensified.

Last year’s event helped raise $2.2 million dollars. While the giving landscape may have shifted with so many organizations in need, there’s a new urgency to this year’s event, Hill said. “Contributions are always important to a nonprofit organization but they almost seem like they’re more important right now. We hope Great Community Give attracts even more donors this year.”

 

Making A Difference: Organizations Report Impact of 2023-24 Community Foundation Grants

From meals for the elderly to new downtown art, healthy pets and an insulated emergency shelter, 12 area nonprofits benefited from a total of $159,516 awarded from seven endowed funds managed by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

Grant applications for the 2024-25 cycle are in the review process, with awardees to be announced in November.

A new safe floor for Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative

With a new “sprung subfloor” funded by a $17,814 grant from the Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts, dancers at the Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative are reaching new heights. Since 2014, they’ve been dancing carefully on marble, wood, and concrete floors. But with the new surface, instructors have been able to incorporate jumps in movement training. This in turn has expanded class offerings and diversified performances. The cooperative can host workshops on injury prevention and bring in specialists like dance physical therapists to use the space for a safe dance practice. The floor has helped the company grow beyond its former numbers, and to open its doors to guest choreographers such as Beau Harman, a New York City-based artist who has worked with JMU dancers. “We are excited to see what this small-but-mighty space will continue to offer our community,” said cooperative partner Lara Mack.

Horses helping caregivers

Cross Keys Equine Therapy used their $10,000 award from the Alvin J. Baird Jr. Program Endowment to develop a curriculum for a special training program to equip parents, grandparents and other caregivers for recognition of and response to traumatic stress reactions in the children they are caring for. The organization hosted monthly groups that met five or six times, and plans to host another six-week group this fall. Feedback was positive and individual caregivers expressed gratitude for the information and the unique context of learning from and with horses.

Virginia Quilt Museum invites visitors to a hands-on exhibit.

A multi-purpose space for quilt museum

The Virginia Quilt Museum invested almost $17,000 in Earlynn J. Miller funding to transform the lower level of the museum into a space for hands-on activities, classes and programs. The space also provides for artists and scholars-in-residence with a research center and a permanent exhibition. Wall repairs, drywall, painting, technology equipment, signage and furniture were among the expenses covered.

Ballet’s costumes remain pristine

Rockingham Ballet Theater fundraised for years to purchase new costumes for the annual production of “The Nutcracker.” A new climate-controlled space funded by a $875 grant from the Valley Arts & Culture Fund has helped extend the life of these expensive and beautiful gems, bringing years of pleasure to local dancers – and area audiences.

Meals on Wheels provides a month of fresh food for seniors

A Community Endowment Fund grant of $11,273 to Valley Program for Aging Services provided 935 meals for adults age 60 and older in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, equal to one month of meals for 47 individuals.

Meals are prepared by A Bowl of Good using locally sourced fresh fruits and vegetables when available. Milk is purchased from Mt. Crawford Creamery. All meals meet one-third of the daily nutrition requirements for older adults. The balance of grant funding – approximately $4,200 –  helped with costs of other items: food trays, hot and cold insulated containers, delivery costs, staff time, and related expenses.

Blue Ridge Free Clinic sees increased need

Blue Ridge Free Clinic received $34,592 from the Alvin V. Baird, Jr. Program Endowment Fund, which benefits nonprofit organizations serving unmet healthcare needs among local populations. The grant aided the clinic in serving 611 individual patients with 1,400 medical appointments. For 356 patients, a social worker provided consultation and resource navigation. The grant helped to pay for a contracted social worker, transportation, facility maintenance, interpreters, medication and supplies.

Funds help treat wildlife

A staff member aids a box turtle at the Virginia Wildlife Center.

About 12 percent of the sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife treated at the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro come from Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Nearly 900 animals were treated thanks to 2023 funding, more than $11,700 from the Hildred Neff Memorial Fund.

The Center’s treatment averages $179 per patient [2023 treatment costs]. This includes salaries and benefits for the wildlife medical care team, including veterinarians, licensed veterinary technicians, and wildlife rehabilitators, as well as food, medicine, medical and laboratory supplies, equipment costs, and more.

Saving one (of nine) lives

Cat’s Cradle staff heard plenty of thanks from the 250 cat owners aided in covering veterinary bills with $5,700 from the Hildred Neff Memorial Fund. In response to community need, the organization has expanded its pet retention program for clients needing financial assistance. The program funds veterinary bills and short-term costs of medical supplies to keep pets healthy and with their families rather than in the local public shelter. 

Anicira helps area pets

Mavin, Charlie, Toby and their owners will be forever grateful for Anicira’s Operation Free Pet Healthcare. Maven survived a life-threatening urinary blockage, Charlie endured surgery to remove a painful mass, and Toby had a major dental procedure. These are just a few of the dogs and cats aided by the Hildred Neff Memorial Fund, which supports agencies providing for the needs of domestic and wild animals. The $5,727 grant provided medical, surgical, and dental care to 80 pets, resulting in saved lives, reduced suffering, and the preservation of the bond between families and their beloved pets.

Emergency shelter protected from temperature change

The Salvation Army’s 28-bed emergency shelter needed an upgrade to the skirting and an access opening – to the tune of more than $13,000. The work was the final task left over from a successful 2022 renovation.

The Janet Sohn Endowed Fund, which awards funds to organizations that Janet supported during her lifetime, helped fund the work. In 2022, the shelter served 310 individuals and family members with basic and intensive case management, access to health and nutritional programs, and other community connections.

Artist Gemma Amendola’s window decal brightens West Water Street.

Three new installations and children’s “wild” paintings brighten downtown

Oasis Fine Art & Craft utilized an award from the Valley Arts & Culture Fund to fund three different projects. Local artist Gemma Amendola designed a window decal and banner for Beyond Restaurant. Oasis also framed two community mosaics, one constructed at the Farmer’s Market and a second mosaic featuring a family of ducks located on Water Street.

More than 300 area elementary students “captured” wild and wonderful animals in paint during a series of workshops. Oasis artists led the sessions, where children were taught the elements of line, shape, color and texture, and then practiced drawing real or imagined animals. Forty artworks were selected for an exhibit at Massanutten Regional Library. Funding from the Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts helped with the purchase of supplies, printing and the exhibit installation. The Explore More Discovery Museum hosted the field trips, and the project also involved Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley.

Making the arts accessible through events and a new website

Nearly $21,000 from the Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts, honoring the late dance professor, helped Arts Council of the Valley increase opportunities for local residents to enjoy, learn and experience the arts.

Building on the first year’s success of the community theater program ACT ONE, Arts Council of the Valley has expanded exploration of the performing and visual arts through the addition of free master classes for adults, providing welcoming, low-stress introductions for individuals who may not have outlets for artistic expression. Master classes for adults have drawn 115 participants to eight sessions.

Thirty scholarships of $299 each helped economically disadvantaged students attend summer theater camps, with each camp ending in a performance showcase.

Day of the Arts, on May 4, 2024, celebrated the vital role performing and visual arts play in our community, with some 950 people attending. The $6,000 grant supported workshops, lectures, performances, art materials; and the work of an exhibition curator.

The organization is undergoing a new website design, slated for a fall 2024 launch. Much of the work has been donated by local branding, web and marketing agency Estland, with the remainder of the costs financed through a grant from the Mary Spitzer Etter Endowed Fund. The new site will be “fresh, engaging, easy to navigate, and fully ADA-compliant,” says ACV Executive Director Jenny Burden. “The website will provide a more accessible, positive experience for online visitors, making it easier for them to connect with arts opportunities.”

 

Local Nonprofits Receive 2023 Funding from The Community Foundation

Local Nonprofits Receive Funding from The Community Foundation

Harrisonburg, VA – Giving season is upon us and The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County is celebrating. The Community Foundation reports a total of $159,518 will be granted to twelve organizations in their Fall 2023 grants cycle. Programs and projects like ‘Meals on Wheels’ by Valley Program for Aging Services and ‘Operation Free Pet Healthcare’ by Anicira are among the funded grantees. Over 60 organizations submitted applications. “Our grant funding process is difficult, especially because we receive so many wonderful applications each year. All are deserving of funding. We encourage nonprofits to apply for our grants next year as our grant awards will increase substantially.” – Ann Siciliano, Director of Program Services, TCFHR. Fall 2023 grant awards will be distributed to Harrisonburg-Rockingham nonprofit agencies by year end.

2023 TCFHR Competitive Grant Awards:

Fund Grantee Purpose/Project
Community Endowment Valley Program for Aging Services Meals on Wheels
Valley Arts & Culture Fund Oasis Fine Art & Craft Beyond Restaurant Mural
Valley Arts & Culture Fund Rockingham Ballet Theatre Costume Storage Improvement
Janet Sohn Endowed Fund The Salvation Army The Salvation Army Emergency Shelter
Mary Spitzer Etter Endowed Fund Arts Council of the Valley Development of New Arts Council of the Valley Website
Alvin J. Baird, Jr. Program Endowed Fund Blue Ridge Free Clinic, Inc. A Free Clinic Bridge to Health
Alvin J. Baird, Jr. Program Endowed Fund Cross Keys Equine Therapy Parent/Grandparent Caregiver Trauma Group
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Arts Council of the Valley ACT ONE
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts OASIS Fine Art & Craft `Wild and Wonderful – Animals “Captured” in Paint!
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Virginia Quilt Museum Creating a multi-purpose space for hands-on learning and programs
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative Sprung Subfloor
Hildred Neff Memorial Fund Wildlife Center of Virginia Treatment of Sick, Injured, and Orphaned Wildlife from Harrisonburg and Rockingham County
Hildred Neff Memorial Fund Cat’s Cradle Pet Retention for Low-Income and Other Vulnerable Populations
Hildred Neff Memorial Fund Anicira Operation Free Pet Healthcare

Grant distributions come from funds held at TCFHR and are determined by Grants committees. Nonprofit organizations awarded all participated in a competitive application process. Per TCFHR policy, grants are made without regard to factors of gender, race, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation. For more information, visit TCFHR’s website, tcf-stage.stage3.estlandhosting.com/.

Contact: Ann Siciliano, 540-432-3863 or ann@tcfhr.org

Website: tcf-stage.stage3.estlandhosting.com/

About The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County (TCFHR) 

TCFHR makes charitable giving easy, acting in the best interest of our donors and partners to facilitate bold philanthropic initiatives for a stronger, healthier community.

###