Local impact

Community foundations encourage philanthropy and support local charities

They offer donors a range of charitable giving options and philanthropic advice, particularly in creating permanent endowed funds. They aid local charities by pooling donations to address a wide variety of community needs. They make grants, engage with local stakeholders, and bring people and organizations together to address local issues. By performing these important functions, the FAV will help ensure a brighter future for Southwest Virginia.

How it works

As a community foundation, the FAV has a broad mission

Community foundations support many kinds of community causes, including education, health care, arts and culture, social services, the environment, civic involvement, scholarships, disaster relief, and more. Community foundation grants are made in response to community needs as well as the philanthropic interests of donors.

A substantial percentage of the FAV''s initial grant-making will focus on drinking water, but as the FAV receives a variety of charitable funds, its grant-making will become more diverse and serve a wider range of community needs.

The FAV offers many options for giving

Donors can create funds that benefit one organization or many organizations. Charitable funds may be restricted for specific purposes or by geographic location. The FAV can select the non-profit organizations to receive grants, or donors can create a donor-advised fund and recommend grant recipients. Funds given with the least restrictions help the FAV meet a wider variety of community needs.

Because the FAV does not serve a single organization or issue, it can identify community needs through research, work with community members to create solutions, and fund local organizations best positioned to address the community's challenges. To make this work possible, the FAV partners with its donors to invest resources in the community and fuel long-term positive change.

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Looking ahead

How the FAV will provide regional leadership

The FAV collaborates with other organizations to support projects to enhance community quality of life. As the FAV grows, this may involve convening discussions about community needs or gaps in services, or helping area non-profit organizations develop greater capacity. It may involve providing leadership to start a new project or serving as a fiscal agent for organization(s) needing help administering a grant. If you have a question about the FAV’s current capacity to assist with a project, contact us and ask your question! We want to hear from you!

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