PUBLICATIONS

2021 Year in Review

VFN had a great inaugural year! Check out our Annual Report to learn how we worked with members this year to advance our mission of building a connected, collaborative philanthropic community that advances opportunities for all Virginians. Specifically, we focused on:

1. Building a solid foundation,
2. Fostering a vibrant network, and
3. Leveraging the power of the network

DOWNLOAD: 2021 Year In Review

The Power and Potential of Policy and Advocacy: A Report for Virginia Funders - Fall 2021

Across Virginia, philanthropic funders are advancing their missions and visions in myriad ways. Increasingly, grantmakers are engaging in and funding policy and advocacy strategies and activities as a way to achieve their goals and increase their social impact. In an effort to better understand this trend, VFN conducted a field scan of policy and advocacy organizations and resources in Virginia. The resulting report provides an overview of the current state of policy and advocacy efforts and organizations in the Commonwealth and answers key questions for VFN and its members, including:

1. What does the policy and advocacy landscape currently look like in Virginia? What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats?
2. Why, when, and how do funders engage in policy and advocacy in Virginia? What impact do funders hope to have?
3. How can VFN support members and funders in Virginia to engage in policy and advocacy activities?

DOWNLOAD: Report and Appendices

ARPA Toolkit for Virginia Funders - Summer 2021

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law on March 11, 2021, enacting one of the largest economic relief programs in U.S. history. Of the bill’s $1.9 trillion, nearly $7 billion is designated for Virginia.

ARPA’s investment in the Commonwealth has the potential to reduce pandemic-related hardships experienced by many Virginians and begin to set the stage for a strong recovery that benefits all of our state’s communities and residents. At the Virginia Funders Network, we believe that philanthropy has an opportunity to work in partnership with local and state government officials as they begin to make allocation decisions to ensure strategic allocation of these public dollars to help Virginians thrive in a post-pandemic world.

We are pleased to release a toolkit and resource guide designed to help funders across Virginia engage in the strategic allocation, distribution, and use of ARPA funds in their local communities. We hope this resource guide is useful for you and your colleagues as you work to ensure that all communities and residents across Virginia have the resources they need to thrive post-pandemic.

DOWNLOAD: Toolkit and Resource Guide