FOUNDATION NEWS
A Message From our President & CEO
We have a lot of good news to share this month from the Community Foundation.
First, our ARP Grants Selection Committee worked diligently to review applications submitted by nonprofits and distribute the $1 million in Federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Funding from Anne Arundel County. This committee selected 42 eligible nonprofits that identified solutions to the needs and gaps in services outlined in the 2022 Community Needs Assessment Report Poverty Amidst Plenty VII: Moving Forward Together, and who sustained a loss of income/revenue and/or an increase of programming or expenses due to COVID-19’s impact on their operations and the communities they serve. With this support these dedicated nonprofits are strengthened to continue their great work in our community. Read more.
Second, we are thrilled to welcome John Rodenhausen to our Community Foundation team as our new Director of Gift Planning! John joined us in late February and got right down to work attending our 1st quarter board meeting on his very first day. John comes to us after spending the last 25 years at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) where he had many successes. While at CBF, John worked with us to open an Endowment Fund held at CFAAC to support CBF’s important mission. He has been a wonderful partner nonprofit colleague over the years as our organizations both offered educational programs to our donors and fellow nonprofit leaders. He has deep roots in the community, and is well known and respected by many of our stakeholders. His skill at working with donors will benefit CFAAC as he joins us in our 25th Anniversary year to help move the organization forward. We couldn’t be happier to have him as part of our small but mighty staff. Please read more about him and his accomplishments in this newsletter.
We are also excited to announce that Kristen Krall is rejoining CFAAC’s staff team. She will be working on a part-time basis as CFAAC’s Community Education Coordinator, a new position for us. You may recall that Kristen was our Grants and Scholarship Manager from 2019 to 2021. She was responsible for many of the system upgrades in our grants management process and helped to bolster our relationships with so many valued local nonprofits. Read more about her new role in this newsletter.
We hosted our first Community Impact Speaker Series in February and had incredible interest with 240 registered participants. Read more about it here.
Lastly, we are opening or have opened new grants and scholarships applications to continue our positive impact on this great community! Read more about them in this newsletter.
Think spring!
Mary Spencer
CFAAC President & CEO
CFAAC Welcomes John Rodenhausen
John Rodenhausen joined the Community Foundation in late February as Director of Gift Planning, becoming quickly acclimated as he met with the CFAAC Board on his first day. In his new role, John is responsible for cultivating and stewarding relationships with current and prospective donors, as well as professional advisors, including members of the Anne Arundel Estate Planning Council (AAEPC). He assists them with trusts, estate planning, and other deferred gifts to help their clients achieve a lasting philanthropic legacy in the community.
Prior to joining CFAAC, John worked at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) since 1998 and was most recently their Maryland Director of Major Giving, where he managed a large and diverse portfolio of individual, corporate, and foundation prospects and donors, and served as a facilitator of CBF's major gift team strategy. Throughout the 10 years he held the position, John successfully raised millions of dollars through donations, grants, and planned gifts in support of CBF’s operating budget and three major capital campaigns.
Please join us in welcoming John and if you have any questions, feel free to contact him at John@cfaac.org or 410.280.1102, ext. 103.
Welcome Back Kristen Krall!
CFAAC welcomes back Kristen Krall as our Community Education Coordinator. In this role, Kristen supports CFAAC's leadership role within the community by coordinating CFAAC's Community Impact Speaker Series and Strengthening Nonprofits Speaker Series programs and events as well as other educational programs for nonprofit donors, board members, and staff.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
CFAAC Offers Local Nonprofits Community Crisis Response Fund Grants with Federal ARP Funds
The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) received $1 million in Federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Funding from Anne Arundel County to grant to local nonprofits. A CFAAC Grants Selection Committee worked to review applications submitted by nonprofits that offered solutions to the needs and gaps in services identified in the 2022 Community Needs Assessment Report Poverty Amidst Plenty VII: Moving Forward Together, and who sustained a loss of income/revenue and/or an increase of programming or expenses due to COVID-19’s impact on their operations and the communities they serve. A total of 42 local nonprofits received funding between $10,000 and $50,000 from the ARP grants.
“Our Grant Selection Committee worked tirelessly to read applications submitted by a large number of nonprofits who applied. During this process, the committee learned about the nonprofits’ programs and services and worked to make funding decisions to support organizations whose requests most closely aligned with the goals of this round of funding. The needs in our community are many and our team of grant reviewers did their best to fund a wide variety of programs serving all corners of our county,” said Mary Spencer CFAAC President & CEO. “We know that this funding is essential to our local nonprofits so they can, in turn, provide more comprehensive services and programs and be in a better place to serve our community.”
CFAAC Welcomes New Funds
The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County is happy to welcome the following funds to our family of funds:
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Bond Bernstein Giving Fund: An Endowed Donor Advised Fund established to support the philanthropic interests of the fund advisors.
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Cherie Loustaunau Memorial Fund: An Endowed Designated Fund established to benefit the Anne Arundel Women Giving Together Grant Fund, which distributes annual grants to nonprofits.
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Zeta Gamma Foundation: A Donor Advised Fund established by the Zeta Gamma Boule of Sigma Pi Phi to support the philanthropic interests of the fund advisors.
Herzberg-Wild Memorial Scholarship - Applications Close on March 24
The Lance Corporal Eric William Herzberg and Lance Corporal William Taylor Wild IV Scholarship (Herzberg-Wild Scholarship) was established at CFAAC in 2014 by anonymous donors to honor two fallen Marines, Eric W. Herzberg and Taylor Wild IV, who were both Anne Arundel County residents.
The Herzberg-Wild Scholarship supports graduating Anne Arundel County Public School high school seniors by awarding one $10,000 scholarship to a qualified and deserving student each year. Eligible education expenses include tuition, fees, books, equipment and/or tools associated with a specific academic or trades training program.
Applicant must be an Anne Arundel County public high school senior with a minimum 2.5 grade point average and plans to enter an accredited 2 or 4-year public or private college or university or professional, technical or trades school in fall 2023. Successful applicants will demonstrate their adherence to the Marine Corps values of Honor, Courage and Commitment, their ability to persist in the face of significant personal obstacles, and their ability to provide quiet leadership in their school and home community.
Officer Grant Turner Memorial Scholarship - Applications Close March 24
Grant loved sports and played many, but baseball was his passion, and while in high school he became an umpire with the Maryland Diamond Umpire Association. In 2005, Grant Turner joined the Maryland Transportation Authority Police. Grant passed away just five weeks before graduation. The Officer Grant Turner Memorial Scholarship Fund was established after Officer Grant Turner passed away to honor his love of baseball. The Fund Advisors host one of the largest preseason baseball tournaments in the state.
The scholarship funds may only be used for tuition, fees and books at institutions of higher education (accredited two- or four-year public or private colleges, universities, or professional/technical/vocational schools). A one-time dispersal of $1,700 will be paid directly to the institution. Proceeds from the tournament are used to provide scholarships to students who meet one or more of the following criteria:
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Graduating student-athlete from South River High School
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Graduating student-athlete from Crofton High School
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Member or Dependent of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department
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Member or Dependent of the Maryland Diamond/Anne Arundel County Umpires Association
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Review the application for additional qualification criteria
STRENGTHENING NONPROFITS
CFAAC Help Our Neighbors Grant Applications Are Open
Applications for the Help Our Neighbors Fund opened on February 20, 2023 and will close on March 31.
Help Our Neighbors (HON) Fund: CFAAC provides grants, up to $2,500, to local nonprofits that assist individuals and families in need by providing emergency assistance, such as covering immediate living expenses like paying rent to prevent eviction, utilities to prevent shut-off, fees for transportation to work or car repair, or for essential medication and medical care to return to or maintain their health.
Fund for Anne Arundel Applications Open on March 20
Applications for the Fund for Anne Arundel will open on March 20 and eligible nonprofits are encouraged to apply. The Fund for Anne Arundel will continue its focus on healthy, thriving, successful children, by awarding grants to programs that address the needs of children and families. There are tremendous unmet needs that remain consistent in Anne Arundel County as outlined in the CFAAC’s 2022 Community Needs Assessment, Poverty Amongst Plenty VII: Moving Forward Together. The Fund for Anne Arundel was established to align with the findings of the needs assessment report, and to offer flexible and dynamic support to nonprofits doing vital work to address the most pressing needs of Anne Arundel County residents.
In 2023, the Fund for Anne Arundel will make three to five grants between $25,000 and $50,000, to programs that prioritize the health of children and families. This includes access to physical, mental, and behavioral health programs. Applications will be accepted March 20, 2023 through April 28 at 11:59 p.m.
Community Events
Speakers Series Recap: Needs of Hispanic/Latino Communities
CFAAC’s Community Impact Speakers Series, Understanding the Needs of Anne Arundel County’s Hispanic/Latino Communities, held on February 16, 2023 garnered more than 240 registered participants. The speakers—Laura Gutierrez, Waleska Casiano-Matos, and Jesse Raudale—led an enlightening and in-depth discussion on the current affairs and needs of the Hispanic/Latino communities. Throughout the presentation, the panelists shared data, graphs, charts, and concerns such as social, health, legal, and immigration issues affecting the community. They also discussed services and resources available to the community and what resources are still needed.
CFAAC presented this program as a part of our Community Impact Speaker Series, focusing on the issues presented in CFAAC’s data-extensive report: Community Needs Assessment, Poverty Amongst Plenty VII: Moving Forward Together.
AAWGT Presents a Women in Leadership Program: The Impact the Pandemic Has Had on Our Collective Mental Health
Wednesday, March 15, 2023 | 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. | Via Zoom
Join Anne Arundel Women Giving Together (AAWGT) for a stimulating and in-depth program on the impact the pandemic has had on our collective mental health. Dr. Aliya Jones and Dr. LaShire J. Diegue will discuss processing grief, combating the stigma of mental health diagnoses, identifying and addressing addiction concerns, and using the new 988 crisis platform. Click here to register and learn more.
NEWS FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS
CFAAC Professional Advisor Recognition Society
Focus on: Karen M. Whaley, CPA
The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County launched its Professional Advisors Recognition Society at the 2022 Celebration of Philanthropy, naming six inductees to its inaugural class—Karen M. Whaley is one of the first members to receive this honor.
Karen M. Whaley is well-known for her devotion to community, family, and causes that improve lives. She has been a backbone at the Community Foundation for many years, with her passion to ensure that everyone, regardless of wealth status, has a place to make a difference.
“My induction into the Professional Advisor Recognition Society was an unexpected honor,” said Karen, a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning. “I am recognized for supporting the Community Foundation, but the Community Foundation is easy to support. It is a vital asset to the county—serving the needs of our citizens and nonprofits. I have confidence that my clients will receive expert assistance at CFAAC to achieve their charitable goals.”
Read More about Karen M. Whaley
AAEPC Wine Down Wednesday
March 22, 2023
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant
The Anne Arundel Estate Planning Council (AAEPC) invites its members and their guests to join them for their next Wine Down Wednesday. Enjoy appetizers, a cash bar, and networking.
Learn More About Wine Down Wednesday
Staying Connected to Causes Through Designated Funds, Field of Interest Funds, and QCDs
Most attorneys, accountants, and financial advisors are well aware of Donor Advised Funds and the reasons behind their popularity. When a Donor Advised Fund is established at the Community Foundation, this vehicle is an excellent way for your clients to organize their charitable giving and become more connected to the causes they care about.
Although Donor Advised Funds cannot accept QCDs, CFAAC offers other types of funds that can accept QCDs.
Giving a Business to Charity: Stack the Odds in Your Client’s Favor
Despite recent reports of a 55% decline in charitable giving by the top 50 U.S. donors in 2022, high profile giving by donors associated with well-known businesses has maintained its place in the limelight, even amid recent market volatility and tenacious concerns about inflation and interest rates. Recent examples abound, including last year’s gift of Patagonia by founder Yvon Chouinard; the well-reported generosity of philanthropists Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott; and the portion of the proceeds, potentially worth $5 billion, from the eventual sale of Subway restaurants that are set to flow to a charitable foundation.
As an advisor to business owners—and collaborating with the Community Foundation—you can help your clients leverage potential future liquidity events to support the community causes they care most about.