St. Croix Foundation for Community Development

A Model for the Future of Philanthropy! Founded in Activism, Equity, and Courage... As a small place-based foundation operating in the USVI since 1990, St. Croix Foundation for Community Development (SCF) was founded in response to the devastation of Hurricane Hugo, which left over 90% of structures on the island of St. Croix damaged or destroyed. Since our inception, we have been unflinchingly dedicated to holistic community development. The vision of a group of community activists, St. Croix Foundation’s founders had an ambitious goal of creating a progressive, community-rooted philanthropic institution- one that could address the social and economic challenges facing our Territory as it began the arduous task of rebuilding after Hugo. Led by Phillip Gerard, a Native Crucian Community Activist, and Michael Neuburger, a German retired aerospace executive, our founders opted to do things differently: to divert from the conventions of the field of Philanthropy, marrying a more holistic suite of philanthropic strategies that adjoined grantmaking with direct services and nonprofit capacity building.