2024 report to the community


We are a nonprofit organization committed to improving the quality of life in Staunton, Waynesboro, and the counties of Augusta, Highland, and Nelson in Virginia. With the support of hundreds of local donors, we have stewarded an ever-growing number of individualized charitable funds to meet the needs of our neighbors and inspire philanthropy throughout our community since 1992.
Through our Dawbarn Education Awards and the Smyth Education Awards, we distributed $110,000 in cash awards to twenty extraordinary local educators in 2024.
In 2024, we awarded over $250,000 to 150 high school seniors and adults seeking to continue their education.
By the end of 2024, we will have awarded $2.3 million in grants to 250 nonprofit organizations. Grants
In 2024, generous contributions of unrestricted funds allowed us to commit $720,000 to address critical community needs. Presently we are focused on increasing housing affordability and case management for families experiencing a financial crisis.
DearFriends,
ThesinglemostimportantlessonthatIhavelearnedduringmytwelve-yeartenureasCEOisthatTRUST andRESPECTareourmostessentialassets,whichweworkeverydaytoearnandsteward.
Thanks to your support, we are poised to enter a new year with charitable funds totaling $50 million upon which we will continue to build as a permanent source of local philanthropy. With this growth comes opportunities to take on pivotal roles in our community. Our board of directors and staff take this responsibility seriously and are very deliberate in deciding when we should lead and when we should supporttheleadershipofothers.
Asoneexample,nonprofitorganizationsneedtoadaptthetraditionalworkoftheirboardsofdirectorsto the emergence of a new generation of community leaders. We saw this as both an opportunity and a responsibility to help chart a new course. Our Next Generation Governance Initiative, launched in early 2024,isnearingitsmidwaypointandalreadybeginningtobearfruit.
At our 30th anniversary celebration in 2022, we shared our strategic commitment to address housing insecurity.Asyouwilllearnonthefollowingpages,thisefforthasgrownintoacommunity-wideinitiative thatwearededicatedtosustainingformanyyearstocome.
Thankyouforyourcontinuedtrustandrespectforourwork.
Dan Layman, CEO
Two years after its debut, This is Home continues to stimulate dialogue and reflection about why hard-working residents struggle with housing. Our travelingexhibitofphotographsbyKate Simon shares the stories of local housinginstability,usingarttokeepthe issue in focus while serving as a backdrop for future strategic investments. This first step has placed us in a trusted role of guiding and supporting meaningful change in our community.
In collaboration with key community partners, we hosted three Housing summits in 2023 and 2024. From these gatherings emerged two distinct workinggroupsfocusedonthecreation of affordable housing and improving local support systems for families experiencinghousinginsecurity.
With nearly 100 community partners involved and our newly established Housing Investment Fund, we are building the momentum needed to createlastingchange.Weinviteyouto join us in supporting this vital initiative andshapingitslong-termsuccess.
ThestorieswesharethroughThisisHomeresonate becausetheyaredeeplypersonal,likeEmberly’s.A childcareworker,shebalancesworkandfamilyamid risingcosts.Despiteherpartner’sincome,theyfallinto the“benefitsgap,”earningtoomuchforaidbutnot enoughtomakeendsmeet.Thoughpushedtothe edge,Emberlyremainsdeterminedtobreakthiscycle forherchildren. cfcbr.org/thisishome
The Youth Philanthropy Council brings together high school students who design and administer their own grants program from beginning to end. This cultivates a socially aware and socially responsible society of citizens and leaders.
HighlandCountyYouthPhilanthropyCouncil (InpartnershipwithTheHighlandCenter)
2024GrantRecipients DaretoDream HighlandChildrens'House TheWayneTheatreAlliance
SAWYouthPhilanthropyCouncil (fromStaunton,AugustaCounty,andWaynesboroschools)
2024GrantRecipients ARROWProject BrainInjuryConnectionsoftheShenandoahValley EmbraceWaynesboro TheLIFEWorksProject Martha’sMealsonWheels MentalHealthAmerica-Augusta TheNeighborBridge NewDirectionsCenter ShenandoahLGBTQCenter ValleyChildren'sAdvocacyCenter ValleyHopeCounselingCenter WaynesboroAreaRefugeMinistry
NelsonCountyYouthPhilanthropyCouncil (InpartnershipwiththeNelsonCountyCommunityFund)
2024GrantRecipients NelsonCountyCommunityDevelopmentFund &TheBridgeMinistry
An innovative initiative in Augusta County is now in its second year transforming the way young students view their role in the community. The Youth Philanthropy Council Junior program, launched by the Community Foundation in partnership with Augusta CountyPublicSchools,inviteseveryfifth grader in Augusta County to become a philanthropist.
The concept is simple: each of the 33 classrooms act as a mini grants committeetaskedwithdecidinghowto allocate $100 (totaling $3300) from the Community Foundation to a local nonprofit organization. Through this experience, students learn not just about generosity, but also the practical aspects of research, advocacy, and decision-making. The program begins withanintroductiontothesocialsector and a handful of local nonprofit organizationsthatrepresentavarietyof causes showcasing the diverse needs withinthecommunity.
Miriam Burrows, the Foundation’s Director of Educational Programs, explains the purpose behind YPC Jr: “Thisisaboutmorethangivingmoney. It’s about showing our future citizens andneighborshowtopracticemaking the world a better place because practicemakesperfect!”
By Chris Lassiter, the Foundation's Director of Engagement and Inclusion
The Dawbarn Education Awards just turned 30 years old. My dad, Ron Lassiter, was one of the first recipients. This is something that has always amused our family because, in our household, my mom was the educator. Linda Lassiter spent nearly three decades as a special education teacher in Staunton City Schools, and my sister, Katrina, has carried that legacy forward as an assistant principal at Waynesboro High School.
Dad, on the other hand, wasn’t a teacher. For 43 years, he worked as a probation officer in the Court Service Unit. As a teenager, I didn’t fully appreciate what Dad did or why he received the award. I knew he had won it, but I never really knew why. Only recently did I learn that Dad was part of a program supporting “at-risk” students, and it was for his unwavering belief in the power of education through that work in the schools that he won the award.
Now, every year, I get to honor others like him, whose dedication to education changes lives – sometimes in ways we don’t immediately see.
Seated (left to right):
Brandy Johnson, seventh grade language arts teacher at Shelburne Middle School
April Smith, lead special education teacher and mentor, Riverheads Elementary School
Pam Hewitt, instructional aide, special education, Riverheads High School
Jill Williams, instructional assistant, Stuarts Draft Elementary School
Elizabeth Benbow, reading specialist, Stuarts Draft Elementary School
Standing (left to right):
Melissa Dull, choral and theater director at Fort Defiance High School
Jo-El Nelson, AP environmental science, geospatial information system teacher, Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School
Eddie Santiago, teen program director at Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA
Lindsey Britt, special education teacher, William Perry Elementary School
Amber Gibson, third grade teacher, William Perry Elementary School
The Dawbarn Education Awards, established in 1992 by H. Dunlop "Buz" Dawbarn through the Community Foundation, honor individuals in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County who go above and beyond their job descriptions to enable students to see and reach their personal potential. We award $10,000 to each recipient and collectively have awarded over $2 million since the program’s inception. Learn more at cfcbr.org/dawbarn.
In2024,weofferedaricharrayofprogramstostrengthenournonprofitcommunity,andwe’reexcitedtocontinuetheseinto 2025.FromworkshopsonArtificialIntelligence,communityengagement,andvolunteermanagementtonetworkingeventslike theGoodtimes,Goodvibes,GoodwillGathering,weprovidedspacesforlearning,collaboration,andgrowth.
Our Executive Director Discussion Groups tackled pressing topics such as board engagement, creativity, and leveraging community resources. Coffee Talks inspiredfreshideaswithsessionsongoing green, financial courage for arts leaders, and better board recruitment. Hands-on trainings focused on budget building, marketing for fundraising, and volunteer management.
We also hosted our second annual NonprofitConferencetoelevateleadership throughpanelsbyexpertkeynotespeakers ontherolesandresponsibilitiesofboards of directors, shared leadership, and buildingafundraisingpipeline.One-on-one executivecoachingandvirtualofficehours rounded out our capacity building programs. Join us in 2025 to make our socialsectorevenstrongeraswecarefor ourcommunitytogether!
We welcomed the following new funds into the Community Foundation since our last report:
Blue and Gray Fund
Bojangles Promise of Tomorrow Scholarship Fund
BradyStrong Fund
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Fund
Housing Investment Fund
Kiger-Obaugh Scholarship Fund
Tiderman-Metz Fund
Montebello/Nelson County Fund
Montebello/North Branch School Fund
Patricia R. Opie Charitable Fund
Peterson Scholarship Fund
Peterson Business Venture Fund
Shea House Restoration Fund
Shenandoah LGBTQ Center Fund
Staunton Music Festival Legacy Fund
WARM Foundation Fund
Created by nonprofit organizations as a source of annual income or a reserve fund for their future
Allegheny Mountain Institute Fund
Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley Fund
The Arc of Augusta Fund
Augusta County Historical Society Fund
Augusta County Public Schools Endowment Fund
Augusta Regional Clinic - Loesch Endowment Fund
Augusta Regional Dental Clinic-Oral Surgery Fund
Beverley Street Studio School Fund
Carl Rosberg Creative Classroom Grant Fund
The Center for Nonprofit Excellence Fund
Central Shenandoah EMS Council, Inc. Fund
The Citizen Soldiers Education Foundation Fund
EVACE International Fund
Friends of the Augusta County Library Foundation Fund
Greater Augusta Regional Chamber Fund
The Highland County Public Library Fund
The Jacquelyn Zehring Legacy Fund
Rockingham Feeder Cattle Association Fund
The Scottie Lu Parker Brandt Founders’ Fund
Samuel Matthew Lucente Memorial Endowment Fund
Shenandoah Valley Art Center Endowment Fund
Shenandoah Valley ConservancyConservation Easement Stewardship & Defense Fund
Staunton Augusta Art Center Fund
Staunton Music Festival Legacy Fund
Staunton Public Schools Endowment Fund
The Talking Book Center Fund
Rewarding individuals for their extraordinary contributions to our community
H. Dunlop 'Buz' Dawbarn Award Fund
SmythEducationalAwardFund
In2021,theStaunton-AugustaCountyAfrican-AmericanResearchSociety(SACAARS) beganacampaigntoinstallhistoricalmarkersatkeysites,preservinglocalAfricanAmericanhistory.FairviewCemetery,Staunton'slargestAfrican-Americancemetery, locatedacrossfromthecity’spostoffice,wasamongthesesites.There,theSheaHouseasmall19th-centurycaretaker’scottage-hasbeeningreatneedofrestoration.Builtin 1855,thishistorichomeisnowreceivingtheattentionandsupportthatitdeserves.
TheCommunityFoundationoftheCentralBlueRidgeisadministeringtheSheaHouse RestorationFundonbehalfofMountZionBaptistChurch,AugustaStreetUnitedMethodist Church,andSACAARS.Tosupportthisinitiative,youmaysendcontributionsmadepayable totheCommunityFoundation(P.O.Box815,Staunton,VA24402).Pleasenote'SheaHouse' inthememolineofyourcheck.Forinquiries,contactinfo@cfcbr.orgor540-213-2150.
Valley Alliance for Education Endowment Fund
Valley Children's Advocacy Center Fund
Valley Concerts Foundation Piano Maintenance Fund
Valley Pastoral Counseling Center Endowment Fund
Valley Program for Aging Services Endowment Fund
The van Vliet Endowment for SACRA Fund
Valley Career & Technical Center Foundation Fund
The WARM Foundation Fund
Wayne Theatre Fund
Waynesboro Family YMCA Endowment Fund
Waynesboro First Aid Crew, Inc. Fund
Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra Fund
Weyers Cave Voluntary Fire Company Fund
Wintergreen Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. Fund
continued
Providing ongoing support for our donors' favorite nonprofit organizations
The Arc of Augusta-Bill and Kitty Davenport Fund
Augusta Regional SPCA-Bill and Kitty Davenport Fund
The Blackley Family Fund
Blue and Gray Fund
Boys & Girls Club of Waynesboro, Staunton, and Augusta County Endowment Fund
The BradyStrong Fund
Caroline E. Roberts Memorial Flower Garden Fund
Charles Huffman Memorial Fund
Community Foundation Administrative Endowment Fund
Council of Organizations Legacy Fund
Croushorn Endowment Fund
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Fund
The Ethel M. Smeak Fund
Gene Wood Memorial Waynesboro Family YMCA Youth Fund
J. B. "Gus" Stombock Memorial Youth Baseball Fund
Jack Guynn Fund
James and Joyce A. McDonald Fund
Jim and Pam Huggins Fund
John B. Davis Historic Records Fund
John M. & Katherine F. LaVigne Memorial Designated Fund
John Moore Memorial Fund
Linda Ebert Thompson Memorial Fund
Loesch Augusta Regional Clinic Fund
Long Family Charitable Fund
The MaDee Project Fund
Mary T. Echols Fund
Maurice H. and Wilma C. Baylor Fund
Montebello/North Branch School Fund
Paul and Doris Flanagan Memorial Fund
Richard P. & Caroline P. Coon Fund
Robert E. and Barbara B. Cox Charitable Fund
Roy B. Martin Memorial Endowment Fund
Shea House Restoration Fund
ShenanArts Endowment Fund
Shenandoah LGBTQ Center Fund
Staunton High School Student Activities Fund
Staunton Music Festival P. Donald Moses Memorial Education Fund
Staunton Public Schools Fund for Bessie
Weller Elementary School
Stuarts Draft High School Parent Advisory Council Fund
SVGS Director's Fund in honor of Linda N. Cauley
Sweet Family Farm Endowment Fund
Valley Program for Aging Services Endowment Fund
Vector Industries-Bill and Kitty Davenport Fund
Waynesboro Public Schools Foundation
Welcome to Stuarts Draft Beautification Fund
WWRC Foundation Legacy Fund
Distributing grants to nonprofit organizations upon annual advisement by our donors
Amy Laser Kiger Charitable Fund
Berman Family Fund
Bell Family Fund
Carl and Arnesa Lind Fund
Cauley/Richardson Fund
Chris and Becky Earhart Fund
Chuck and Boopsy Paros Memorial Fund
Cochran Family Foundation
The David and Lucinda Fuller Fund
Dennis and Bonnie Fontenot Nielson Fund
Douglas Guynn Charitable Fund
F&M Bank Community Fund
Gerhart Family Fund
Herring-Jones Donor Advised Fund
The Jamin Fund
John W. and Anne C. Sills Fund
Kline's Ice Cream Community Fund
Leonard and Elsie Chittum Memorial Fund
The Lumos Foundation
Lynn and David Diveley Fund
Michael Clay and Mary James Moore Quillen Family Advised Fund
Moyers Family Fund
NTELOS Wireless Foundation
Pamela Fox and Dan Layman Charitable Fund
Patricia R. Opie Charitable Fund
Proteus Fund
The Red Beech Foundation Fund
The S and J Plumbley Fund
Shenandoah Valley Kiwanis Club Fund
Theodore G. & Elizabeth Kennon Shuey Charitable Fund
Waynesboro Kiwanis Club Fund
William K. & Lois Glover Orr Charitable Fund
WISE Fund
Staunton’s friendly neighborhood Spiderman has become a beloved figure in our community. This masked marvel swoops into action wherever help is needed. From patching up scrapes with his trusty first aid kit to lending a hand at local events, Spidey is a symbol of selfless service and community spirit. While his true identity remains a mystery, the Wall Crawler’s impact is anything buthidden.
Thanks to a scholarship from the Community Foundation, Spiderman is now taking his mission to new heights. He’s been accepted into the Emergency Medical Technician program at Stuarts Draft Rescue Squad, where he’ll gain the skills to officially become one of the everyday heroes he admires.
Supporting specific types of charitable work of interest to our donors
A.P. Boxley, Jr. & Rachel Barksdale Boxley Memorial Fund
Ann and Anthony Morse Fund
Charles & Jacqueline Frankfort Fund
The Cheerful Giver Fund
Coyner Endowment for the Elderly Fund
David Feline Medical Assistance Fund
Housing Investment Fund
J.B. "Gus" Stombock Family Fund
Lucy Coyner Endowment Fund
Maryanne Moffett Memorial Fund
Meadows Fund for the Intellectually Disabled
Supporting a wide range of educational pursuits for learners of all ages
A. Gordon Houff Memorial Scholarship Fund
Augusta Cook Markley Scholarship Fund
Barbara Hunter Grant Memorial Scholarship Fund
Betty Coiner Burkart Memorial Scholarship Fund
Bojangles Promise of Tomorrow Scholarship Fund
Christopher DeWitt "Chris" Rockwell Memorial Scholarship Fund
Clyde Diacont Memorial Scholarship Fund
Coach Gary Kessler Scholarship Fund
Community Scholarship for Excellence Fund
Dawn Field Memorial Scholarship Fund
Diana Beam Scholarship Fund
Doyle O. and Lelia Jane Bateman Scholarship Fund
Dr. Richard Bolstein and Sharon Adams Scholarship Fund
Dr. Valerie Weiss Memorial Scholarship Fund
Ethel Driver Memorial Scholarship Fund
Faculty & Staff Memorial Scholarship Fund
(Robert E. Lee High School 1926-2019 & Staunton High School)
The Frances Bell Rolston Scholarship Fund
Fritz and Mary Rogers Stout Memorial Scholarship Fund
Ganelle Hargrove Cook Scholarship Fund
Hailey Green Memorial Scholarship Fund
Harlow Family Scholarship Fund
Headwaters Soil & Water Conservation
District Scholarship Fund
Jewel Heard Scholarship Fund
John W. Greene Memorial Scholarship Fund
Kiger-Obaugh Scholarship Fund
Kivlighan Family Scholarship Fund
Linda C. Blehm Memorial Scholarship Fund
Lindsay Ree Hyson Memorial Scholarship Fund
Louis & Emily M. Spilman Scholarship Fund
Lt. Larry W. McDowell Fund
MaDee Nicole Boxler Scholarship Fund
Mark Tinsley Scholarship Fund
Martin Lightsey Scholarship for Technical Education Fund
Michael E. Ruckman, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund
Montebello Scholarship Fund
Mustoe-Seybert Family Scholarship Fund
Peggy and Lloyd Gochenour Endowment Fund
Peterson Business Venture Fund
Tiderman-Metz Fund
United Nursery Fund for Early Child Care and Education
N. Carroll & Grace B. Guynn Scholarship Fund
Norman St. Laurent Scholarship Fund
Paul and Judy Hatcher Memorial Scholarship Fund
Peter Veglahn Memorial Scholarship Fund
Peterson Scholarship Fund
R.S. Yeago, Jr. Scholarship Fund
Richard A. Hobbs Scholarship Fund
Richard P. Coon Memorial STEM Scholarship Fund
Rita S. Wilson Memorial Scholarship
TheRoseS.ThompsonandBoydW.Thompson Jr. Endowment Scholarship Fund
Roxanne Harsh Staufer Memorial Scholarship Fund
Saunders Brothers, Inc. Scholarship Fund Scholarship to Change Lives Fund
Steven W. Short Memorial Scholarship Fund
Teresa Blum Memorial Scholarship Fund
TREK-VUE Scholarship Fund
V. Francis & Susan S. Reynolds Scholarship Fund
VernaNewsomeMemorialScholarshipFund
Waynesboro High School Alumni Endowment Fund
William Henry Sheppard Scholarship
Unrestricted Funds give us the flexibility needed to address the community's changing and most pressing needs. These funds also allow us to make strategic investments in needs such as affordable housing, child care, and emergency relief assistance.
Bill and Lisa Moore Unrestricted Fund
Cauley/Richardson Staunton/Augusta County Endowment Fund
Community Foundation Board Directed Fund
H.E. Coiner Trust Fund
J. B. "Gus" Stombock Memorial Unrestricted Fund
James P. Whitworth Fund
Kelling Unrestricted Endowment Fund
L. Dal and Jane F. Simmons Unrestricted Fund
Leonard and Jane Penland Unrestricted Fund
Lewis M. Coiner Unrestricted Endowment Fund
McKee Foods Corporation Unrestricted Fund
Montebello/Nelson County Fund
Penland Endowment Fund
Walter and Marelia Dixon Memorial Fund
Warren and Jean Mundy Unrestricted Fund
White Family Fund
For our fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 we are pleased to provide you with an annual accounting of your Community Foundation's assets, gifts received, and distributions made.
Donors
*SOURCE:12/31/23 AUDITEDFINANCIALSTATEMENTS availableatcfcbr.org/publications
Nonprofit Grants: $2.8 Million to 273 Nonprofits Scholarships: $270,212.37 to 146 Students
Education Awards: $110,000 to 20 Educators The MaDee Project: $54,000 to 21 Families
15%-HealthServices
Ensuring access to the physical, mental and emotional health services andothersupportsystemsneededby our community members to enjoy healthylives.
16% - Household Sustainability
Helping struggling families with theirroutineexpenses,suchasrent, food,childcareandclothing,aswell as unexpected expenses, such as carrepairsandothercriticalneeds that place them in great financial peril.
14% - Crisis Support
Supporting community members in their times of personal crisis, includingvictimsofdomesticabuse, individualsandfamiliesexperiencing homelessness,thoseinneedoflegal aid, justice-involved individuals, and others.
33%-Education
Contributingtoourcultureandtheenvironmentbysupportingaccesstoadiverse rangeofartisticprogrammingandinvestinginhistoricpreservation,museums, communitybeautification,environmentalpreservation,recreationalactivities,and animalrescue.
Investing in personal growth and education by ensuring access to quality preschool, academic enrichment programs and special education, scholarships for postsecondary education, as well as career and life skills development programs.
We greatly appreciate the generous contributions of our donors, many of whom have created highly-personalized charitable funds within the Community Foundation. We welcome the opportunity to learn about your charitable intentions and to explore how we can help you fulfill them.
A gift made during your lifetime can offer useful tax advantages and the opportunity to create a charitable legacy. Contributing appreciated securities is a particularly beneficial form of a lifetime gift.
We can work closely with you and your advisors to incorporate a thoughtfully designed gift through your will, personal trust, retirement plan or life insurance policy.
If you are 70½ or older, you can transfer funds from your IRA directly to qualified charities. QCDs are excluded from taxable income, and after age 73, count toward required minimum distributions.
OUR MISSION
IT ALL BEGINS WITH A CONVERSATION.
CONTACT US AT 540-213-2150 OR INFO@CFCBR.ORG
To enrich the quality of life by responding to needs and inspiring philanthropy in our community.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK Mid Valley Press, Kate Simon (photography), and our incredible community that makes our collective work possible.
Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge | P.O. Box 815, Staunton, Virginia 24402-0815
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 54-1647385 www.cfcbr.org
P.O. Box 815
Staunton, Virginia 24402-0815