Greater Washington Community Foundation

For over 50 years, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has ignited the power of philanthropy to respond to critical community needs and build a thriving region where every person prospers. As the region’s largest local funder, we have invested more than $1.7 billion since 1973 to build racially equitable, just, and thriving communities so that people of all races, places, and identities reach their full potential. Our work centers the voices and needs of communities throughout DC, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and Northern Virginia. We strive to keep our finger on the pulse of the issues and organizations that make a difference in our region. As a tax-exempt public charity, we strive to be the best stewards of charitable resources for our community. We are nationally accredited by the Council on Foundations and maintain a four-star Charity Navigator rating and a Candid Gold Seal of Transparency. The Community Foundation is a trusted advisor and navigator helping thousands of individuals, families, businesses, and government partners make a meaningful difference throughout this region and beyond. We serve as a critical link between caring donors, committed nonprofits, and local communities. Our Strategic Vision Some say the racial wealth gap is too big to solve; we believe it’s too urgent to be ignored. And we’re taking action. We are galvanizing a united coalition of donors and doers to advance a bold vision – grounded in equity and economic justice – that will grow opportunity and secure prosperity for all who call this region home. Together we’ll invest in powerful economic strategies and put them to work in the parts of our community experiencing the deepest disparities and historical disinvestment to help close our region’s racial wealth gap. Our History And Impact The Community Foundation was established in 1973 to promote a permanent source of philanthropic capital for the Washington Metropolitan region. We have served as grantmaker, convener, community leader, and philanthropic first responder when our community needed us most – from the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon to the financial crisis, and from multiple government shutdowns to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and partners, we are the region’s largest local funder. In FY2025, we granted out more than $119 million to a diverse range of causes including human services, education, the environment, health, the arts, and economic development. Our Vision We envision a region where people of all races, places, and identities reach their full potential. Our Mission Our mission is to lead, mobilize, and ignite the power of philanthropy to build a racially equitable, just, and thriving region where everyone prospers.