Twenty-five years ago, the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) was established with an initial gift of $600 and a group of dedicated community volunteers, led by the late Carol Thompson. The organization was incorporated as the Community Foundation of the Greater Chesapeake on April 28, 1998.
Over the course of the last 25 years, the name changed to the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County, and as the staff and funds for grantmaking grew, the organization blossomed. With continued contributions from donors, smart investments, and the hard work and dedication of board and staff, the $600 has grown to more than $26 million in assets intended for grantmaking. CFAAC is now an organization with a staff of nine and a 20-person volunteer board of trustees that manages the investments and grantmaking of 188 component funds. Community support has grown exponentially from $400,000 to more than $4-$6 million in annual grantmaking to nonprofits. During these years, CFAAC has also held 22 annual Celebration of Philanthropy events to honor philanthropic community members, published seven Community Needs Assessment reports, and held hundreds of high-quality programs for nonprofit and community members.
All the while, CFAAC’s mission—to inspire and promote giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter—continues to be the cornerstone for all it does for the community.
To celebrate this important milestone, CFAAC is offering more programs to strengthen nonprofits throughout the year; continuing its progress toward its four-year, fundraising goal to secure $35M in charitable assets by 2025; and commemorating the 25th anniversary at its annual Celebration of Philanthropy in November.
“All of our accomplishments in the last 25 years would not be possible without the support of our donors, staff, and volunteer board,” said Mary Spencer, CFAAC President and CEO. “The impact we have made in the county is a reflection of our community’s recognition of philanthropy’s value and the vital role nonprofits play in the county. We are looking forward to 25 more years of deepening our mission and making impactful grants to the nonprofits who do so much for our community.”
In honor of the Community Foundation's 25th Anniversary, please consider making a special gift this year to support our mission.