It's Community Foundation Week. Do you know what your Community Foundation is doing?

We thought this week could be a good opportunity to shed light on the age-old question: "What does a Community Foundation do?" In a recent randomized survey of over 1,300 adults, more than 50% of the respondents were unable to answer that question. So if you are in that group, you’re not alone.

Good news! We're about to break down three major pillars of what we do at Arlington Community Foundation. Read this, and you'll be ready next time that surveyor comes a-knocking on your door. And as always, if you have your own questions (or just want to chat), feel free to reach out.

We provide the tools and expertise to personalize and maximize charitable giving

For over 30 years, individuals, families, businesses, and advisors have trusted us as both a resource and a home for charitable giving. As a resource, we can answer any questions you have about giving, no matter how complex (whether you're giving through the Community Foundation or not). As a home for giving, we offer a variety of customizable giving vehicles that accept a wide range of assets and save you time and paperwork, whether you are looking to support immediate needs or establish a legacy fund that supports what you love forever.

Read the 2024 Giving Impact Report

We build connections between community members, resources, and local nonprofits

We are endlessly curious about what connections can be made to help every nonprofit and every Arlingtonian thrive.

Sometimes this looks like convening roundtables and panel discussions, such as the Arlington Women Community Builders or the recent LGBTQ+ Listening Session. Sometimes it's developing tools that make it easy for community members to find and support nonprofits, such as the two featured below:

The 5th Annual Nonprofit Holiday Wish Catalog

Browse and support the year-end needs of 40+ nonprofits in one easy place, with 100% of every donation going directly to the nonprofits.

View the Wishes

The Arlington Nonprofit Directory Featuring 90+ Orgs

Search by keyword, area of impact, or filters including: populations served, type of work, leadership demographics and budget size.

Get Connected

We drive initiatives and advocacy to create economic opportunities and prevent displacement

The most recent poverty information for Arlington indicates that 24,758 people, or 11,678 households in Arlington, make under 30% of the area median income (AMI), or $46,410 for a family of four.

With the cost of living for such a household two to three times that amount, fewer than 1,600 units are truly affordable to the 8,000+ renter households in Arlington.

In response to these constant and ever-changing stressors, Arlington Community Foundation runs initiatives and demonstration pilots designed to test strategies to provide resources and opportunities for financial stability, personal power, and a sense of dignity and belonging to our lowest income neighbors, while advocating for policy change to scale up these strategies in meaningful and sustainable ways.

Learn More About Our Economic Mobility Work

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