2024 CFNRV AR_FINAL_FB

30 YEARS AND COUNTING A Letter from Jessica Wirgau, CEO

I n September 1993, financial advisor Joel Williams gathered a dozen friends and clients to discuss creating a community foundation serving the New River Valley. At the time, seven such foundations existed in Virginia, with the goal of supporting a range of local causes through endowments established by individuals, families, and businesses. Over the

through our grant programs, the GiveLocalNRV giving day, and our leadership programs. For 30 years, we have worked to honor and expand upon these stories as they weave together to benefit the NRV. In other ways, the answers to those core questions evolve as the needs of our community and the interests

next year, a dedicated group of volunteers completed the process of incorporating, filed for tax exempt status, and established the first board of directors for the Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV). I have been fortunate to learn from many of those founding members, and to see their vision evolve through each successive board. I see how the questions they asked continue to resonate today: How do we work in partnership with community organizations so we strengthen one another? How do we serve as a bridge between donors and the organizations making a positive impact in the areas those donors care about? And how do we move beyond transactional connections to develop meaningful relationships with donors, grantees, scholarship recipients, and partners? In some ways, the answers to these questions remain relatively unchanged over three decades. New relationships with donors begin with their individual story and develop as they see how

of our stakeholders change. You will read in the pages of this annual report about the substantial growth of our scholarship program, which has awarded more than $1.2 million to 1,100+ students. As the cost of higher education has risen, so too has the size of our awards. Additionally, we’ve seen growth in the breadth of majors they support, with particular emphasis on expanding opportunities for students pursuing a degree at a trade or technical school. You will also read about the evolution of our Responsive Grant Program, which today provides unrestricted funds to dozens of nonprofits annually to give them the flexibility and autonomy they need to pursue their missions. You will learn about the remarkable impact of the GiveLocalNRV Giving Day, helping nonprofits raise more than $4.3 million since 2014. And you will read how the Fund for the NRV’s initiatives have helped to expand access to nutritious food, high quality early education, and healthcare across our region. Like all community foundations nationwide, we strive to improve the quality of life

People who want to give locally will soon have a new way to enhance the area’s quality of life through a growing nationwide network that is taking hold in the New River Valley. - Kenneth Singletary, Staff Writer The Roanoke Times & World News October 19, 1994 “

their story connects through the CFNRV. For example, when donors approach us about establishing a new endowment, we begin by asking what motivates them to give and what they want to accomplish for the community through their fund. As you will read here in relation to the Jane Ann Wells Scholarship Fund, these stories are deeply personal, informed by the donor’s own experiences and values. Similarly, we read the personal stories of scholarship recipients in their applications. We learn about the motivations of the nonprofit staff and volunteers who work with us

in our region now and for generations to come. We are grateful to those founding members who laid the groundwork for our growth, and to all those who have shepherded the CFNRV since 1994. And we look forward to adding to the collective story of our region over the next 30 years and beyond.

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CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

Photo courtesy of New River Conservancy.