A Shenandoah Valley Regional Funders Gathering Recap by Member, Dan Layman
Seventeen representatives of eleven regional and statewide funders gathered in Waynesboro on August 13 to listen, learn and discuss affordable housing in the Shenandoah Valley. While this is not a new topic of conversation in the Valley, a recently completed regional housing study now offers a detailed examination of the data and, most importantly, action plans specific to each municipality within the footprint of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission. We were very fortunate to have two representatives from the PDC present to offer us a preview of the housing study outcomes.
The pending release of data and strategies is the result of a two-year study undertaken by the Virginia Center for Housing Research and HousingForward Virginia. While the 300+ page report will be an incredible resource, it also highlights the importance for funders to secure a seat at the table early when housing issues and solutions are under consideration.
Housing has long been regarded as the purview of local government, state agencies, and developers/builders, due in large part to the tremendous level of financial investment needed and the public policies required to make progress. As a result, housing studies tend to focus heavily on action plans driven by the capabilities and capacity of those entities.
However, philanthropy is playing an increasingly important role in addressing regional and statewide housing issues. Through our combined advocacy, flexibility in resource allocation, potential for impact investing, relationships with local donors, and much more, the inclusion of our sector opens the door for introducing a more expansive suite of strategies.
The Virginia Funders Network has taken a proactive role in providing members with many learning opportunities about the role of philanthropy in housing solutions. It’s up to all of us to take the critical next step in creating a roadmap for how our sector leverages its resources in partnership with the public and private sectors to address this issue of great concern for all communities.
