December 18, 2025 • 23 mins
Want a clearer way to give that actually moves the needle in Montgomery County? We sit down with Anna Hargrave, Executive Director for the Greater Washington Community Foundation’s Montgomery County branch, to unpack how smart philanthropy turns good intentions into measurable local impact.
Anna also opens the curtain on the annual open call for nonprofit applications, the rigorous vetting process, and the behind-the-scenes role of volunteer evaluators who help surface the most promising ideas.
Also, the What's Happening MoCo Top Four Things to Do this holiday season.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
In today's episode of What's Happening Moco, we
learn about the GreaterWashington Community Foundation,
an organization that'sresponsible for over$1.7 billion
of investment in communitiesaround the DMV.
We find out how they connectyour giving with people in need.
(00:34):
Good day, and welcome to What'sHappening Moco.
Today I'm joined by no one otherthan the Anna Hargrave.
She's the executive director forthe Montgomery County's branch
of the Community Foundation.
Good day, Anna.
How are you?
SPEAKER_02 (00:48):
I'm doing quite well.
How are you?
SPEAKER_01 (00:49):
Good, good.
Now, is it okay if I call youAnna?
Absolutely.
All right.
I know that you have you are theexecutive director for the
Montgomery County branch of amajor organization.
Um, but I feel like, you know,we've talked a little bit.
Maybe we're kind of friends now,right?
Absolutely.
You I and all the dozens ofsubscribers to the podcast.
So we're we're all friends now.
We're gonna learn a whole lotabout what I want to consider a
(01:10):
kind of an innovative way ofgiving to charities and
supporting communities, um,unlike I've ever heard before.
It's kind of different.
But before we do that, umsomething that's the same as
what everyone's thinking aboutthis time of year, or a lot of
people are thinking about thistime of year, it's the holidays.
How are your holidays shapingup?
SPEAKER_02 (01:30):
So far, so good.
Um, my little one has abirthday.
So between her birthday, mybirthday, the holidays, it's a
very busy month.
SPEAKER_01 (01:36):
Oh, wow.
A lot of festivities.
What is your uh your experiencelike right now trying to think
of gifts to give and uh whereare you looking?
And you know, I want I want besttips, any any tips on how to do
it.
I'm I'm a last second shopper.
SPEAKER_02 (01:50):
Oh, um kids today seem to want very cute
squishable things.
Wow.
So I seem to see these allaround or video games.
That seems to be the norm.
SPEAKER_01 (02:00):
All right, all right, okay.
I thought she was gonna say aK-pop demons thing or something.
Always.
Well, I'm looking forward toseeing you guys out there
shopping in and aroundMontgomery County, Maryland.
And actually, I have a specialtreat for those of you that want
to spend time with your familiesin and around Montgomery County,
Maryland.
We have the What's HappeningMoco top four festive holiday
(02:21):
happenings around MontgomeryCounty, Maryland?
So we'll have that at the end ofthis episode.
But first, as promised, we willlearn some more about Anna and
the Community Foundation.
So, Anna, what do you do asexecutive director for the
Community Foundation?
And what is the CommunityFoundation?
SPEAKER_02 (02:39):
Glad you asked.
So the Community Foundation wascreated in 1973 by leaders who
realized we need an engine forphilanthropy in our region, one
that would mobilize um people,businesses, and anyone who cares
about our region to help make itstronger.
Um, in those 50 years, we havereally specialized in three core
(03:00):
areas.
So, number one is giving funds.
Anyone who wants to bephilanthropic can create their
own named fund.
The most popular kind is calleda donor advice fund, which lets
them give to their favoritecauses.
And because we're a 501c3, theycan maximize their tax benefits,
working with their wealthadvisors to figure out what's
the best way to add assets toit.
(03:21):
And then they've got aready-made team to help them
give the money away to theirfavorite causes.
That's number one.
SPEAKER_03 (03:28):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (03:28):
Number two, we also also work with people when
they're thinking about theirphilanthropic legacies.
So in some cases, we've hadfolks kind of gift over their
life savings to us and theywanted to address a particular
cause.
Maybe that's children, maybethat's health.
And they're gonna need someonewho's gonna be here in
perpetuity to make sure thoseassets are making an impact in
(03:50):
the local community.
And we're their partner forthat.
SPEAKER_03 (03:52):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (03:53):
And then the third is we bring people together who
want to team up and make adifference on a cause that's k
that they care about deeplyright here in their home
community.
SPEAKER_01 (04:04):
That's wonderful.
And as executive director, uh,what is your role in um bringing
all those three elementstogether?
SPEAKER_02 (04:12):
I have the fun task of meeting people when they're
trying to, they're working withtheir wealth advisors, they're
trying to figure out what's theright vehicle for their giving.
Um, sometimes they're thinkingthrough lots of uh different
ideas.
How can I engage my kids or mygrandkids?
Some people are thinking on thecorporate side.
I want to get my employeesinvolved.
Um, sometimes when folks come tous, they're a little stuck about
(04:33):
I I want to give, but I don'tknow, I don't know where to
start.
And so I'm working with themboth on the technical side of
setting it up, but then on thethe fun side of figuring out
their philanthropic passions andhow they can direct that to the
community.
All right.
So that's part of it.
Uh and then I'm also lead forthe Montgomery County uh
initiatives that are are focusedon how we can drive change here
(04:54):
and and help our entirecommunity thrive.
SPEAKER_01 (04:56):
Wow.
So let's let's do a littlerole-playing here.
And you'll you'll help me to oreveryone kind of understand uh
the different uh scenarios.
I'm John Q.
Montgomery, which is notnecessarily the founder of
Montgomery County, Maryland,okay?
Um but I want to give money.
And so I found your website, Icontact you guys.
(05:18):
What are the next steps?
Walk me through how we end upgiving.
And and say, for instance, I'mI'm really concerned about food
insecurity, which of course Iactually am.
Uh, what do what do we do fromthere?
SPEAKER_02 (05:30):
It's a great example.
There was a family who came tous recently, exact same thing.
Uh their advisor suggested theythey set up a donor advice fund
because that's the mostflexible.
Um, so they got it going.
And then we had a family meetingto sit down and and have some
conversations about their valuesand and their vision and and how
they wanted to plug into acause.
(05:50):
Um, for a lot of donors, reallyunderstanding the the network of
nonprofits that are out there.
What are the best strategies?
What are some innovative ideasthat are that are coming about
that need some support that canreally help them figure out
where they want to plug in.
So that way their giving makesthe deepest impact possible.
So, for example, I have a lot ofdonors who care about food
insecurity.
SPEAKER_03 (06:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:11):
Um, and that is an issue that is on the rise in our
community, unfortunately.
So for some, they want to go,who who are the biggest
organizations who have thegreatest reach?
Uh, and so we might take themout to the Mana Food Center so
that way they can see thewarehouse in Gaithersburg, maybe
see the show.
SPEAKER_01 (06:27):
Take them out.
I will, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:29):
We're community foundation.
We are in the community.
SPEAKER_01 (06:32):
I thought it was just like a you know a
PowerPoint presentation.
Oh, no.
SPEAKER_02 (06:34):
Well, I do a really great PowerPoint, but I love to
get people out into community tosee the partners, to see the
work happening.
Um, so that's one example of abig organization that has a huge
reach across the community.
Um, many years ago, I had somedonors who were curious about a
grassroots effort.
A bunch of volunteers had thisidea of like, well, what if
(06:56):
people could use their SNAPbenefits and wick at a farmer's
market?
So that way they could getaccess to fresh fruits and
vegetables.
And oh, what if we raised aprivate match to double the
benefit of it?
Oh, wow.
So it hurt, it helps our farmersand it helps our neighbors who
might be struggling with foodinsecurity.
SPEAKER_01 (07:11):
Oh, fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (07:12):
They formed the Crossroads Community Food
Network, the first farmersmarket to do this.
And now hundreds of markets copywhat happened, what started
right here in Montgomery County.
So those are two examples of alarge organization that's
continuing to innovate and dogreat things and a and a very
hyper-local grassroots one.
And there are hundreds inbetween doing lots of amazing
(07:34):
things all over our community.
SPEAKER_01 (07:36):
Oh, that's wonderful.
So that's that shows kind ofwhat the what happens with
donors, and that donors don'thave to be an individual.
It could be a group, it could bea business.
Yeah.
Uh there's different types ofdonors.
Uh, so is there a limit or uhany requirements or constraints
on donors?
SPEAKER_02 (07:53):
So if you wanted to create your own named fund,
$10,000 is the minimum to starta donor-advised fund.
Um it's a little higher forcertain other things if you make
it more complicated.
Um, for some folks, they say,you know, I want to be
philanthropic, I want to givelocally.
I don't need a named fund.
How can I do that?
Well, we have uh local fundsthat are shared.
(08:15):
Our the main one is calledSherry Montgomery.
And it brings together peoplewho share our passion for this
community.
And yeah, just share ideas,share resources.
Uh, and what we do is we collectum applications, we hear from
organizations all over.
We bring a team of our boardmembers and volunteer grants
committee evaluators out withus.
(08:37):
Um, just this week, we were outtalking with leaders to see the
impact of last year's grants tohelp inform what are we going to
do this coming year?
And how do we make the deepestimpact in our community right
now?
Oh, great.
So, for some people, givingthrough uh a fund like Sherry
Montgomery.
I I had one client call it theher mutual fund for charity.
She's like, I make one gift andit covers its diversified
(08:59):
portfolio and it's coveredeverything.
SPEAKER_01 (09:01):
I wanted to say that it sounds very much like
investing when you're investingin different types of funds or
financial uh vehicles tomaximize um your um your
holdings and to grow.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
I think that's a really smart way of thinking
about both sides of the fund,both literally how it's
invested, and then how yourgrants are an investment in the
community that you love.
Right.
And what's the ROI?
What's the return on investment?
You are.
SPEAKER_01 (09:26):
What's the ROI?
SPEAKER_02 (09:27):
It's coming back to our community.
How our lives change, how arehow are new pathways open for
folks because of your gift?
By getting people to to thinkabout that and give them new
ideas how they can do that,that's that's where the magic of
the community foundation reallycomes into play.
SPEAKER_01 (09:42):
Let's talk numbers.
I mentioned in the beginningthat there's 1.7 million
billion.
Billion.
I'm sorry, 1.7 billion.
Since 1973.
And and I love that year becauseof course a lot of great things
happened that year 52 years ago.
How do I know that number?
Because, you know, I'm old.
So all right.
But uh 1.7 billion.
So what what is what does 2025look like in terms of investment
(10:05):
uh in terms of funds um investedthis year from the organization?
SPEAKER_02 (10:10):
Yeah.
So we have for the donors whogive through us, uh, just last
year alone they gave over$10million to Montgomery County
nonprofits.
So we're really proud of that.
And they did even more around,you know, around the region,
around the world.
Our our donors aren't limited togiving locally.
Um, and we're proud that, youknow, whenever there's a need,
(10:30):
they are ready to step up.
SPEAKER_01 (10:32):
That's fantastic.
That's fantastic.
So we we talked a bit about thedonors and the level of giving,
but there's a lot of nonprofitorganizations in the county that
do great work, and of course,across the DMB, but we're a
little biased towards MontgomeryCounty, Maryland, uh, as we
should be.
How do people apply for thegrants or the money that's being
given or to be considered aspart of one of these funds that
(10:55):
um are doing the great work inthe county?
SPEAKER_02 (10:57):
Great.
Thank you for asking.
Um, I should first clarify wemake grants to 501 charities.
So we um for those who arelooking for direct support, uh,
if you're in need, we're happyto connect you with the partners
who are doing that on the on theground.
Um, but we don't give directcash to individuals.
So I just wanted to clarifythat.
SPEAKER_01 (11:17):
I'm glad you clarified that part because I
was, you know.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (11:20):
Um, so we have an open call process every single
year.
So that way organizations cantell us what they're working on,
uh, their outcomes, how they'rehow they're making a difference
in the community.
And we usually hear from over ahundred organizations um doing
all kinds of things.
And we go through and read everysingle one of those.
Okay.
(11:40):
And if I know a donor or maybeeven a foundation partner or one
of our corporate partners uhthat has a passion around that,
then we can take what we'relearning and and try to make
some connections there.
SPEAKER_01 (11:50):
Oh, wow.
That's that's incredible.
So you said about 100organizations.
Do you is there like a vettingprocess, I guess?
And there is.
How many organizationsultimately you don't have to
give exact numbers, butpercentage-wise, how many
organizations make it throughthe uh the vetting process and
receive funds?
SPEAKER_02 (12:08):
So I should clarify, there are thousands of
nonprofits across MontgomeryCounty.
We don't have the capacity toserve all of them.
And there are many great ones.
And just because one's not onour list doesn't mean um they're
not great, but to explain theprocess.
So we have a framework thatguides are giving.
You know, as we think aboutwhere we want our community to
go, um, we thought we know wehave to invest in three core
pillars (12:31):
basic needs, okay, because we have to address
those, but also economicmobility.
It's not good enough just tohelp someone stay alive.
How do you give them the toolsthat they need to change their
life?
SPEAKER_01 (12:44):
Wow.
SPEAKER_02 (12:45):
So when you think economic mobility, you're often
thinking skill building,credentials.
How do we get somebody on thepathway to a good job?
SPEAKER_01 (12:53):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (12:54):
But even that's not quite good enough.
We we thought, no, we got tomove the goalposts even farther.
And we started investing in uhindividual and community wealth
building.
SPEAKER_03 (13:04):
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (13:04):
Because we want people to have the assets that
they need to survive a crisislike COVID or or a job loss or
or an illness in the family.
So basic needs, economicmobility, and wealth building.
That's the framework we applywhen someone's applying and we
try to understand how they arealigned with our priorities.
SPEAKER_03 (13:25):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (13:26):
What are they doing?
How well are they doing it?
What's the potential to growthis?
Um, is anybody else doing it?
Could they be partnering?
Maybe we should make someconnections.
Uh, and then at some point wehave to look at the resources
and say, okay, how do weprioritize this?
SPEAKER_01 (13:41):
Wonderful, wonderful.
It's it's uh it's it's it's uhrefreshing that you have uh an
approach that goes beyond thebaseline of needs and move
towards what you're talkingabout is maybe equity where
you're um empowering individualsto live a better life um through
the community organizations thatyou're investing in, which kind
(14:02):
of innovative innovative.
I'm gonna use that word quite abit, but it's uh it's uh unique
and refreshing to me.
I'm not sure if a lot of otherpeople have found uh
organizations like yours thatexist, but it's it's definitely
something um new and fresh.
Now, speaking of organizationslike yours, if someone was
looking for more informationabout your organization or to
contact you, how do they dothat?
SPEAKER_02 (14:23):
The community foundation.org.
SPEAKER_01 (14:25):
Oh wow, that's very common.
Very easy.
So the community foundation.org.
And that's it.
SPEAKER_02 (14:32):
That's it.
SPEAKER_01 (14:33):
And they'll be able to They'll be able to look up
our staff.
SPEAKER_02 (14:36):
We've got information if you want to start
a fund, if you want to learnabout one of these initiatives
to pool resources, uh, it's allright there on the homepage.
SPEAKER_01 (14:44):
All right.
And I know you don't have anyfavorites.
And you did mention Mana, ofcourse, as a large organization,
and you mentioned a family uhthat uh wanted to pool their
money and put somethingtogether.
Can you share some otherexamples of uh uh maybe maybe a
business or maybe um there's acharity, or maybe there's a
charity that wanted to give toyou to give to others?
(15:05):
What what are some more examplesof donors, uh donor success
stories that you have?
SPEAKER_02 (15:11):
Yeah, um one that's dear to my heart.
I'm I'm not gonna name theirname, but uh um I was working
with a family recently who umtheir mother passed away very
suddenly.
And so these this nextgeneration who, you know,
they're they're in their 20s,you know, they weren't expecting
to be in a place to to stewardher her philanthropic resources.
(15:33):
They always thought she'd bearound to teach them how to do
this.
Um, and so they were feeling alittle bit stuck, a little
overwhelmed by it.
And it was really an honor tosit down with them and to talk
about her, to talk about heramazing life, what she cared
about, how she gave to thecommunity, where they shared
(15:53):
values with her, and then whereare some new ideas that she
would have loved to help themthem cultivate.
And so that got us thinking, andthey were able to develop a plan
for giving that both honors herand enables them to pick up the
baton and take it to the um takeit to the next level.
And now, now that they've gotkids, they're thinking about
that next generation.
(16:14):
Um, and the kids, you know,range from tiny, newborn to, you
know, one that's you know aboutto turn 18 and and how they're
engaging them and and teachingthem the the values of giving to
your community, it it's been abeautiful experience.
SPEAKER_01 (16:30):
That's wonderful.
So your your family can create alegacy um through taking
something that was a loss andmaking it a a benefit to it can
be a very healing experience.
SPEAKER_02 (16:42):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (16:42):
Wonderful.
And I was checking out yourwebsite and uh and I I clicked
on ways to impact yourcommunity, and you have their uh
four different uh levels uh opena fund, become a community
champion, which sounds exciting,uh corporate giving and create a
legacy.
I think we talked about creatinga legacy.
What is this community championthing?
SPEAKER_02 (17:03):
Uh, community champions actually support the
community foundation itself.
We're a 501c3, and like others,we have to raise money to be
able to do the leadership workthat we do in the community.
Um, I was telling you earlier,our job for community
foundation, we are out in thecommunity.
The time we spend learning aboutpartners, forging those
connections and things likethat, our community champions
(17:25):
make that possible.
SPEAKER_01 (17:26):
Fantastic.
And then, of course, people aregiving from their hearts.
But in some cases, you know, youdo want to make sure you have
that tax information.
What is the reporting like?
Is it easy to get information onthe giving that you've done and
to gain the documents necessaryto file your taxes?
SPEAKER_02 (17:42):
You have a human at the ready who will get you what
you need whenever you need it.
Uh, some folks connect usdirectly with their wealth
advisors and they just say, callAnna, call this team, they're
gonna take care of it, get allmy paperwork in.
I want, I want this easy.
And that's part of the benefit.
We want the the giving to beeasy, headache free, and
rewarding.
unknown (18:03):
All right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:03):
Fantastic.
Fantastic.
And then one last thing.
If you're a communityorganization and you want to be
one of the hundred that's vettedor the thousands that are
considered, uh, what is the whatis the very first step?
How do I find out?
Get on our mailing list wherehow and all that stuff.
SPEAKER_02 (18:18):
Yep.
So you go to our website,thecommunityfoundation.org.
We've got a um a link right upat the top for nonprofits.
We announce open applications ona quarterly basis.
So um the best way is to joinour mailing list so that way
you'll get those notifications.
Um, there are new opportunitiespopping up all the time.
Even I can't predict how manynew opportunities might come on
(18:39):
um for the years.
So that's the best way uh tostay uh stay in the know.
SPEAKER_01 (18:44):
Fantastic.
Fantastic.
Now, um, are there events uhthat you guys, do you guys host
any events or anything, openhouses or things of that nature
that people maybe want to beaware of?
SPEAKER_02 (18:55):
So we often take our donors out into the community to
learn about nonprofits.
I just held a virtual one nowthat it's getting colder, about
half the more virtual.
Um but just last week, um, someamazing partners during the, I
should note, during thepandemic, we had a partnership
with the county called Food forMontgomery, in which we were um
bringing together the MontgomeryCounty Food Council, DHHS, um,
(19:19):
other partners, farmers,nonprofits, businesses, uh, to
figure out how to respond to thegrowing need.
Uh, some of our partners hadthis idea, realizing how much
food is wasted in the system.
They wanted to create a sharedcold storage uh resource.
And after several years lookingfor the right place and then
getting extra resources andgrowing up, they were just able
(19:42):
to release it.
Uh, this has been led by umKingdom Global CDC and Rainbow
CDC, uh, working in the EastCounty area.
And we were able to bring outour donor community to, as our
elected officials were cuttingthe rim on this amazing resource
that's going to serve, it'sgonna save that.
Thousands of pounds of food fromgoing into the trash.
(20:04):
It's going to redirect that andget that nourishing food to
families in need.
It's going to make a hugedifference.
So we brought out our donors tosee how it works, to hear from
the partners.
And then we got to talk withMana Food Center, with uh the
Food Council, and the Office ofFood System Resiliency to
understand the macro levelperspective on what are the
(20:24):
evolving needs in our communityand what's the best use of our
resources going forward.
SPEAKER_01 (20:30):
Very thoughtful process.
And that's what's happening,Moco.
SPEAKER_02 (20:32):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (20:32):
Thank you so much for being here.
Do you have anything else you'dlike to add on behalf of the
community foundation?
SPEAKER_02 (20:38):
I would say the needs are rising in our
community.
A lot of folks think, oh,Montgomery County is such a
wealthy place.
They don't have any problems.
We have over 300,000 neighborswho are struggling to make ends
meet right now.
Some have been affected by, youknow, federal layoffs or or uh
or their government contractorsor other challenges and with,
(20:59):
you know, rising costs of rent,utilities, food.
It's hitting families really,really hard.
So everybody is in a positionwhere they have something to
give, be that time, talent, ortreasure.
I would say now more than ever,your community needs you.
Now's the time to step up.
SPEAKER_01 (21:15):
Now is the time.
Now is the time.
So thank you so much, Anna, forbeing here today.
And a huge round of applause.
We can insert it in here laterto make sure that we show
appreciation to her and thefoundation for all the good work
they've done, not just now andthis year, but over the years,
52 years of support for ourcommunities and making life
better for not only MontgomeryCounty, Maryland, but the entire
(21:36):
DMB and the world.
Thank you so much again forbeing here.
And now we're going to move onand talk very quickly about
what's happening, Moco's topfour festive holiday happenings
in Montgomery County, Maryland.
And the very first one we wantto talk about, number four, I'm
going to count down from four,is that one of the greatest
stories ever told for theholidays, a Christmas Carol
(21:59):
being hosted at the Only TheaterCenter in Only, Maryland.
Be sure to check it out.
Visit uh tickets.onytheater.organd look up the Christmas Carol.
That's number four.
Uh fun for your family andfriends that love theater.
Uh, if you want to get outsideand you're not too worried about
getting cold, go join ourfriends at the Montgomery County
(22:21):
Fairgrounds for LuminosityHoliday Lights Festival.
All the lights, all the fun, allthe festivities you can find out
there in the maybe not so cold,but out there bright, beautiful
lights and fun for the entirefamily.
Uh, great walking environmentthere in Montgomery County,
Maryland.
Shout out to Moco Fair, our verygood friends.
(22:43):
And if you want to join anotherpart of the county for winter
lights, you can go out to SenecaCreek State Park in Gaitheburg,
Maryland.
Tickets are available viaEventbrite.
Uh, so search for Winter LightsFestival, Seneca Creek State
Park.
That's number two.
And now for number one, one,one, one, one.
Coming to you from theMontgomery County Parks
(23:04):
Department, Gardener Lights atBrookside Gardens, beautiful
Brookside Gardens in Wheaton,Maryland.
Check it out, you and yourfamilies.
And that's what's happening,Moco.
Be sure to subscribe, like, andshare so you can learn more
about giving in MontgomeryCounty, Maryland.
But of course, as always, someof the great and wonderful
resources and happenings here inthe county.
SPEAKER_00 (23:26):
Thanks for listening to What's Happening Moco.
Please subscribe, be yourfavorite podcast every time.
And follow us on Facebook.
This podcast is brought to youby County Cable Montgomery, your
source for news and informationfrom the Montgomery County
government.
Connect with us via cable,Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube
(23:48):
by searching for County CableMoco.
In today's episode of What's Happening Moco, we
learn about the GreaterWashington Community Foundation,
an organization that'sresponsible for over$1.7 billion
of investment in communitiesaround the DMV.
We find out how they connectyour giving with people in need.
(00:34):
Good day, and welcome to What'sHappening Moco.
Today I'm joined by no one otherthan the Anna Hargrave.
She's the executive director forthe Montgomery County's branch
of the Community Foundation.
Good day, Anna.
How are you?
SPEAKER_02 (00:48):
I'm doing quite well.
How are you?
SPEAKER_01 (00:49):
Good, good.
Now, is it okay if I call youAnna?
Absolutely.
All right.
I know that you have you are theexecutive director for the
Montgomery County branch of amajor organization.
Um, but I feel like, you know,we've talked a little bit.
Maybe we're kind of friends now,right?
Absolutely.
You I and all the dozens ofsubscribers to the podcast.
So we're we're all friends now.
We're gonna learn a whole lotabout what I want to consider a
(01:10):
kind of an innovative way ofgiving to charities and
supporting communities, um,unlike I've ever heard before.
It's kind of different.
But before we do that, umsomething that's the same as
what everyone's thinking aboutthis time of year, or a lot of
people are thinking about thistime of year, it's the holidays.
How are your holidays shapingup?
SPEAKER_02 (01:30):
So far, so good.
Um, my little one has abirthday.
So between her birthday, mybirthday, the holidays, it's a
very busy month.
SPEAKER_01 (01:36):
Oh, wow.
A lot of festivities.
What is your uh your experiencelike right now trying to think
of gifts to give and uh whereare you looking?
And you know, I want I want besttips, any any tips on how to do
it.
I'm I'm a last second shopper.
SPEAKER_02 (01:50):
Oh, um kids today seem to want very cute
squishable things.
Wow.
So I seem to see these allaround or video games.
That seems to be the norm.
SPEAKER_01 (02:00):
All right, all right, okay.
I thought she was gonna say aK-pop demons thing or something.
Always.
Well, I'm looking forward toseeing you guys out there
shopping in and aroundMontgomery County, Maryland.
And actually, I have a specialtreat for those of you that want
to spend time with your familiesin and around Montgomery County,
Maryland.
We have the What's HappeningMoco top four festive holiday
(02:21):
happenings around MontgomeryCounty, Maryland?
So we'll have that at the end ofthis episode.
But first, as promised, we willlearn some more about Anna and
the Community Foundation.
So, Anna, what do you do asexecutive director for the
Community Foundation?
And what is the CommunityFoundation?
SPEAKER_02 (02:39):
Glad you asked.
So the Community Foundation wascreated in 1973 by leaders who
realized we need an engine forphilanthropy in our region, one
that would mobilize um people,businesses, and anyone who cares
about our region to help make itstronger.
Um, in those 50 years, we havereally specialized in three core
(03:00):
areas.
So, number one is giving funds.
Anyone who wants to bephilanthropic can create their
own named fund.
The most popular kind is calleda donor advice fund, which lets
them give to their favoritecauses.
And because we're a 501c3, theycan maximize their tax benefits,
working with their wealthadvisors to figure out what's
the best way to add assets toit.
(03:21):
And then they've got aready-made team to help them
give the money away to theirfavorite causes.
That's number one.
SPEAKER_03 (03:28):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (03:28):
Number two, we also also work with people when
they're thinking about theirphilanthropic legacies.
So in some cases, we've hadfolks kind of gift over their
life savings to us and theywanted to address a particular
cause.
Maybe that's children, maybethat's health.
And they're gonna need someonewho's gonna be here in
perpetuity to make sure thoseassets are making an impact in
(03:50):
the local community.
And we're their partner forthat.
SPEAKER_03 (03:52):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (03:53):
And then the third is we bring people together who
want to team up and make adifference on a cause that's k
that they care about deeplyright here in their home
community.
SPEAKER_01 (04:04):
That's wonderful.
And as executive director, uh,what is your role in um bringing
all those three elementstogether?
SPEAKER_02 (04:12):
I have the fun task of meeting people when they're
trying to, they're working withtheir wealth advisors, they're
trying to figure out what's theright vehicle for their giving.
Um, sometimes they're thinkingthrough lots of uh different
ideas.
How can I engage my kids or mygrandkids?
Some people are thinking on thecorporate side.
I want to get my employeesinvolved.
Um, sometimes when folks come tous, they're a little stuck about
(04:33):
I I want to give, but I don'tknow, I don't know where to
start.
And so I'm working with themboth on the technical side of
setting it up, but then on thethe fun side of figuring out
their philanthropic passions andhow they can direct that to the
community.
All right.
So that's part of it.
Uh and then I'm also lead forthe Montgomery County uh
initiatives that are are focusedon how we can drive change here
(04:54):
and and help our entirecommunity thrive.
SPEAKER_01 (04:56):
Wow.
So let's let's do a littlerole-playing here.
And you'll you'll help me to oreveryone kind of understand uh
the different uh scenarios.
I'm John Q.
Montgomery, which is notnecessarily the founder of
Montgomery County, Maryland,okay?
Um but I want to give money.
And so I found your website, Icontact you guys.
(05:18):
What are the next steps?
Walk me through how we end upgiving.
And and say, for instance, I'mI'm really concerned about food
insecurity, which of course Iactually am.
Uh, what do what do we do fromthere?
SPEAKER_02 (05:30):
It's a great example.
There was a family who came tous recently, exact same thing.
Uh their advisor suggested theythey set up a donor advice fund
because that's the mostflexible.
Um, so they got it going.
And then we had a family meetingto sit down and and have some
conversations about their valuesand and their vision and and how
they wanted to plug into acause.
(05:50):
Um, for a lot of donors, reallyunderstanding the the network of
nonprofits that are out there.
What are the best strategies?
What are some innovative ideasthat are that are coming about
that need some support that canreally help them figure out
where they want to plug in.
So that way their giving makesthe deepest impact possible.
So, for example, I have a lot ofdonors who care about food
insecurity.
SPEAKER_03 (06:10):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:11):
Um, and that is an issue that is on the rise in our
community, unfortunately.
So for some, they want to go,who who are the biggest
organizations who have thegreatest reach?
Uh, and so we might take themout to the Mana Food Center so
that way they can see thewarehouse in Gaithersburg, maybe
see the show.
SPEAKER_01 (06:27):
Take them out.
I will, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (06:29):
We're community foundation.
We are in the community.
SPEAKER_01 (06:32):
I thought it was just like a you know a
PowerPoint presentation.
Oh, no.
SPEAKER_02 (06:34):
Well, I do a really great PowerPoint, but I love to
get people out into community tosee the partners, to see the
work happening.
Um, so that's one example of abig organization that has a huge
reach across the community.
Um, many years ago, I had somedonors who were curious about a
grassroots effort.
A bunch of volunteers had thisidea of like, well, what if
(06:56):
people could use their SNAPbenefits and wick at a farmer's
market?
So that way they could getaccess to fresh fruits and
vegetables.
And oh, what if we raised aprivate match to double the
benefit of it?
Oh, wow.
So it hurt, it helps our farmersand it helps our neighbors who
might be struggling with foodinsecurity.
SPEAKER_01 (07:11):
Oh, fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (07:12):
They formed the Crossroads Community Food
Network, the first farmersmarket to do this.
And now hundreds of markets copywhat happened, what started
right here in Montgomery County.
So those are two examples of alarge organization that's
continuing to innovate and dogreat things and a and a very
hyper-local grassroots one.
And there are hundreds inbetween doing lots of amazing
(07:34):
things all over our community.
SPEAKER_01 (07:36):
Oh, that's wonderful.
So that's that shows kind ofwhat the what happens with
donors, and that donors don'thave to be an individual.
It could be a group, it could bea business.
Yeah.
Uh there's different types ofdonors.
Uh, so is there a limit or uhany requirements or constraints
on donors?
SPEAKER_02 (07:53):
So if you wanted to create your own named fund,
$10,000 is the minimum to starta donor-advised fund.
Um it's a little higher forcertain other things if you make
it more complicated.
Um, for some folks, they say,you know, I want to be
philanthropic, I want to givelocally.
I don't need a named fund.
How can I do that?
Well, we have uh local fundsthat are shared.
(08:15):
Our the main one is calledSherry Montgomery.
And it brings together peoplewho share our passion for this
community.
And yeah, just share ideas,share resources.
Uh, and what we do is we collectum applications, we hear from
organizations all over.
We bring a team of our boardmembers and volunteer grants
committee evaluators out withus.
(08:37):
Um, just this week, we were outtalking with leaders to see the
impact of last year's grants tohelp inform what are we going to
do this coming year?
And how do we make the deepestimpact in our community right
now?
Oh, great.
So, for some people, givingthrough uh a fund like Sherry
Montgomery.
I I had one client call it theher mutual fund for charity.
She's like, I make one gift andit covers its diversified
(08:59):
portfolio and it's coveredeverything.
SPEAKER_01 (09:01):
I wanted to say that it sounds very much like
investing when you're investingin different types of funds or
financial uh vehicles tomaximize um your um your
holdings and to grow.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
I think that's a really smart way of thinking
about both sides of the fund,both literally how it's
invested, and then how yourgrants are an investment in the
community that you love.
Right.
And what's the ROI?
What's the return on investment?
You are.
SPEAKER_01 (09:26):
What's the ROI?
SPEAKER_02 (09:27):
It's coming back to our community.
How our lives change, how arehow are new pathways open for
folks because of your gift?
By getting people to to thinkabout that and give them new
ideas how they can do that,that's that's where the magic of
the community foundation reallycomes into play.
SPEAKER_01 (09:42):
Let's talk numbers.
I mentioned in the beginningthat there's 1.7 million
billion.
Billion.
I'm sorry, 1.7 billion.
Since 1973.
And and I love that year becauseof course a lot of great things
happened that year 52 years ago.
How do I know that number?
Because, you know, I'm old.
So all right.
But uh 1.7 billion.
So what what is what does 2025look like in terms of investment
(10:05):
uh in terms of funds um investedthis year from the organization?
SPEAKER_02 (10:10):
Yeah.
So we have for the donors whogive through us, uh, just last
year alone they gave over$10million to Montgomery County
nonprofits.
So we're really proud of that.
And they did even more around,you know, around the region,
around the world.
Our our donors aren't limited togiving locally.
Um, and we're proud that, youknow, whenever there's a need,
(10:30):
they are ready to step up.
SPEAKER_01 (10:32):
That's fantastic.
That's fantastic.
So we we talked a bit about thedonors and the level of giving,
but there's a lot of nonprofitorganizations in the county that
do great work, and of course,across the DMB, but we're a
little biased towards MontgomeryCounty, Maryland, uh, as we
should be.
How do people apply for thegrants or the money that's being
given or to be considered aspart of one of these funds that
(10:55):
um are doing the great work inthe county?
SPEAKER_02 (10:57):
Great.
Thank you for asking.
Um, I should first clarify wemake grants to 501 charities.
So we um for those who arelooking for direct support, uh,
if you're in need, we're happyto connect you with the partners
who are doing that on the on theground.
Um, but we don't give directcash to individuals.
So I just wanted to clarifythat.
SPEAKER_01 (11:17):
I'm glad you clarified that part because I
was, you know.
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (11:20):
Um, so we have an open call process every single
year.
So that way organizations cantell us what they're working on,
uh, their outcomes, how they'rehow they're making a difference
in the community.
And we usually hear from over ahundred organizations um doing
all kinds of things.
And we go through and read everysingle one of those.
Okay.
(11:40):
And if I know a donor or maybeeven a foundation partner or one
of our corporate partners uhthat has a passion around that,
then we can take what we'relearning and and try to make
some connections there.
SPEAKER_01 (11:50):
Oh, wow.
That's that's incredible.
So you said about 100organizations.
Do you is there like a vettingprocess, I guess?
And there is.
How many organizationsultimately you don't have to
give exact numbers, butpercentage-wise, how many
organizations make it throughthe uh the vetting process and
receive funds?
SPEAKER_02 (12:08):
So I should clarify, there are thousands of
nonprofits across MontgomeryCounty.
We don't have the capacity toserve all of them.
And there are many great ones.
And just because one's not onour list doesn't mean um they're
not great, but to explain theprocess.
So we have a framework thatguides are giving.
You know, as we think aboutwhere we want our community to
go, um, we thought we know wehave to invest in three core
pillars (12:31):
basic needs, okay, because we have to address
those, but also economicmobility.
It's not good enough just tohelp someone stay alive.
How do you give them the toolsthat they need to change their
life?
SPEAKER_01 (12:44):
Wow.
SPEAKER_02 (12:45):
So when you think economic mobility, you're often
thinking skill building,credentials.
How do we get somebody on thepathway to a good job?
SPEAKER_01 (12:53):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (12:54):
But even that's not quite good enough.
We we thought, no, we got tomove the goalposts even farther.
And we started investing in uhindividual and community wealth
building.
SPEAKER_03 (13:04):
All right.
SPEAKER_02 (13:04):
Because we want people to have the assets that
they need to survive a crisislike COVID or or a job loss or
or an illness in the family.
So basic needs, economicmobility, and wealth building.
That's the framework we applywhen someone's applying and we
try to understand how they arealigned with our priorities.
SPEAKER_03 (13:25):
Okay.
SPEAKER_02 (13:26):
What are they doing?
How well are they doing it?
What's the potential to growthis?
Um, is anybody else doing it?
Could they be partnering?
Maybe we should make someconnections.
Uh, and then at some point wehave to look at the resources
and say, okay, how do weprioritize this?
SPEAKER_01 (13:41):
Wonderful, wonderful.
It's it's uh it's it's it's uhrefreshing that you have uh an
approach that goes beyond thebaseline of needs and move
towards what you're talkingabout is maybe equity where
you're um empowering individualsto live a better life um through
the community organizations thatyou're investing in, which kind
(14:02):
of innovative innovative.
I'm gonna use that word quite abit, but it's uh it's uh unique
and refreshing to me.
I'm not sure if a lot of otherpeople have found uh
organizations like yours thatexist, but it's it's definitely
something um new and fresh.
Now, speaking of organizationslike yours, if someone was
looking for more informationabout your organization or to
contact you, how do they dothat?
SPEAKER_02 (14:23):
The community foundation.org.
SPEAKER_01 (14:25):
Oh wow, that's very common.
Very easy.
So the community foundation.org.
And that's it.
SPEAKER_02 (14:32):
That's it.
SPEAKER_01 (14:33):
And they'll be able to They'll be able to look up
our staff.
SPEAKER_02 (14:36):
We've got information if you want to start
a fund, if you want to learnabout one of these initiatives
to pool resources, uh, it's allright there on the homepage.
SPEAKER_01 (14:44):
All right.
And I know you don't have anyfavorites.
And you did mention Mana, ofcourse, as a large organization,
and you mentioned a family uhthat uh wanted to pool their
money and put somethingtogether.
Can you share some otherexamples of uh uh maybe maybe a
business or maybe um there's acharity, or maybe there's a
charity that wanted to give toyou to give to others?
(15:05):
What what are some more examplesof donors, uh donor success
stories that you have?
SPEAKER_02 (15:11):
Yeah, um one that's dear to my heart.
I'm I'm not gonna name theirname, but uh um I was working
with a family recently who umtheir mother passed away very
suddenly.
And so these this nextgeneration who, you know,
they're they're in their 20s,you know, they weren't expecting
to be in a place to to stewardher her philanthropic resources.
(15:33):
They always thought she'd bearound to teach them how to do
this.
Um, and so they were feeling alittle bit stuck, a little
overwhelmed by it.
And it was really an honor tosit down with them and to talk
about her, to talk about heramazing life, what she cared
about, how she gave to thecommunity, where they shared
(15:53):
values with her, and then whereare some new ideas that she
would have loved to help themthem cultivate.
And so that got us thinking, andthey were able to develop a plan
for giving that both honors herand enables them to pick up the
baton and take it to the um takeit to the next level.
And now, now that they've gotkids, they're thinking about
that next generation.
(16:14):
Um, and the kids, you know,range from tiny, newborn to, you
know, one that's you know aboutto turn 18 and and how they're
engaging them and and teachingthem the the values of giving to
your community, it it's been abeautiful experience.
SPEAKER_01 (16:30):
That's wonderful.
So your your family can create alegacy um through taking
something that was a loss andmaking it a a benefit to it can
be a very healing experience.
SPEAKER_02 (16:42):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (16:42):
Wonderful.
And I was checking out yourwebsite and uh and I I clicked
on ways to impact yourcommunity, and you have their uh
four different uh levels uh opena fund, become a community
champion, which sounds exciting,uh corporate giving and create a
legacy.
I think we talked about creatinga legacy.
What is this community championthing?
SPEAKER_02 (17:03):
Uh, community champions actually support the
community foundation itself.
We're a 501c3, and like others,we have to raise money to be
able to do the leadership workthat we do in the community.
Um, I was telling you earlier,our job for community
foundation, we are out in thecommunity.
The time we spend learning aboutpartners, forging those
connections and things likethat, our community champions
(17:25):
make that possible.
SPEAKER_01 (17:26):
Fantastic.
And then, of course, people aregiving from their hearts.
But in some cases, you know, youdo want to make sure you have
that tax information.
What is the reporting like?
Is it easy to get information onthe giving that you've done and
to gain the documents necessaryto file your taxes?
SPEAKER_02 (17:42):
You have a human at the ready who will get you what
you need whenever you need it.
Uh, some folks connect usdirectly with their wealth
advisors and they just say, callAnna, call this team, they're
gonna take care of it, get allmy paperwork in.
I want, I want this easy.
And that's part of the benefit.
We want the the giving to beeasy, headache free, and
rewarding.
unknown (18:03):
All right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:03):
Fantastic.
Fantastic.
And then one last thing.
If you're a communityorganization and you want to be
one of the hundred that's vettedor the thousands that are
considered, uh, what is the whatis the very first step?
How do I find out?
Get on our mailing list wherehow and all that stuff.
SPEAKER_02 (18:18):
Yep.
So you go to our website,thecommunityfoundation.org.
We've got a um a link right upat the top for nonprofits.
We announce open applications ona quarterly basis.
So um the best way is to joinour mailing list so that way
you'll get those notifications.
Um, there are new opportunitiespopping up all the time.
Even I can't predict how manynew opportunities might come on
(18:39):
um for the years.
So that's the best way uh tostay uh stay in the know.
SPEAKER_01 (18:44):
Fantastic.
Fantastic.
Now, um, are there events uhthat you guys, do you guys host
any events or anything, openhouses or things of that nature
that people maybe want to beaware of?
SPEAKER_02 (18:55):
So we often take our donors out into the community to
learn about nonprofits.
I just held a virtual one nowthat it's getting colder, about
half the more virtual.
Um but just last week, um, someamazing partners during the, I
should note, during thepandemic, we had a partnership
with the county called Food forMontgomery, in which we were um
bringing together the MontgomeryCounty Food Council, DHHS, um,
(19:19):
other partners, farmers,nonprofits, businesses, uh, to
figure out how to respond to thegrowing need.
Uh, some of our partners hadthis idea, realizing how much
food is wasted in the system.
They wanted to create a sharedcold storage uh resource.
And after several years lookingfor the right place and then
getting extra resources andgrowing up, they were just able
(19:42):
to release it.
Uh, this has been led by umKingdom Global CDC and Rainbow
CDC, uh, working in the EastCounty area.
And we were able to bring outour donor community to, as our
elected officials were cuttingthe rim on this amazing resource
that's going to serve, it'sgonna save that.
Thousands of pounds of food fromgoing into the trash.
(20:04):
It's going to redirect that andget that nourishing food to
families in need.
It's going to make a hugedifference.
So we brought out our donors tosee how it works, to hear from
the partners.
And then we got to talk withMana Food Center, with uh the
Food Council, and the Office ofFood System Resiliency to
understand the macro levelperspective on what are the
(20:24):
evolving needs in our communityand what's the best use of our
resources going forward.
SPEAKER_01 (20:30):
Very thoughtful process.
And that's what's happening,Moco.
SPEAKER_02 (20:32):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (20:32):
Thank you so much for being here.
Do you have anything else you'dlike to add on behalf of the
community foundation?
SPEAKER_02 (20:38):
I would say the needs are rising in our
community.
A lot of folks think, oh,Montgomery County is such a
wealthy place.
They don't have any problems.
We have over 300,000 neighborswho are struggling to make ends
meet right now.
Some have been affected by, youknow, federal layoffs or or uh
or their government contractorsor other challenges and with,
(20:59):
you know, rising costs of rent,utilities, food.
It's hitting families really,really hard.
So everybody is in a positionwhere they have something to
give, be that time, talent, ortreasure.
I would say now more than ever,your community needs you.
Now's the time to step up.
SPEAKER_01 (21:15):
Now is the time.
Now is the time.
So thank you so much, Anna, forbeing here today.
And a huge round of applause.
We can insert it in here laterto make sure that we show
appreciation to her and thefoundation for all the good work
they've done, not just now andthis year, but over the years,
52 years of support for ourcommunities and making life
better for not only MontgomeryCounty, Maryland, but the entire
(21:36):
DMB and the world.
Thank you so much again forbeing here.
And now we're going to move onand talk very quickly about
what's happening, Moco's topfour festive holiday happenings
in Montgomery County, Maryland.
And the very first one we wantto talk about, number four, I'm
going to count down from four,is that one of the greatest
stories ever told for theholidays, a Christmas Carol
(21:59):
being hosted at the Only TheaterCenter in Only, Maryland.
Be sure to check it out.
Visit uh tickets.onytheater.organd look up the Christmas Carol.
That's number four.
Uh fun for your family andfriends that love theater.
Uh, if you want to get outsideand you're not too worried about
getting cold, go join ourfriends at the Montgomery County
(22:21):
Fairgrounds for LuminosityHoliday Lights Festival.
All the lights, all the fun, allthe festivities you can find out
there in the maybe not so cold,but out there bright, beautiful
lights and fun for the entirefamily.
Uh, great walking environmentthere in Montgomery County,
Maryland.
Shout out to Moco Fair, our verygood friends.
(22:43):
And if you want to join anotherpart of the county for winter
lights, you can go out to SenecaCreek State Park in Gaitheburg,
Maryland.
Tickets are available viaEventbrite.
Uh, so search for Winter LightsFestival, Seneca Creek State
Park.
That's number two.
And now for number one, one,one, one, one.
Coming to you from theMontgomery County Parks
(23:04):
Department, Gardener Lights atBrookside Gardens, beautiful
Brookside Gardens in Wheaton,Maryland.
Check it out, you and yourfamilies.
And that's what's happening,Moco.
Be sure to subscribe, like, andshare so you can learn more
about giving in MontgomeryCounty, Maryland.
But of course, as always, someof the great and wonderful
resources and happenings here inthe county.
SPEAKER_00 (23:26):
Thanks for listening to What's Happening Moco.
Please subscribe, be yourfavorite podcast every time.
And follow us on Facebook.
This podcast is brought to youby County Cable Montgomery, your
source for news and informationfrom the Montgomery County
government.
Connect with us via cable,Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube
(23:48):
by searching for County CableMoco.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.