This year the Piedmont Community Foundation exceeded the $1 million mark in overall grants to worthy community causes with a total given of nearly $1.1 million. The bulk of the grants are from the PCF donor advised funds.

Now twelve years old, the PCF has distributed over $150,000 in grants so far this year that support a wide variety of programs in Loudoun and Fauquier counties. The organization is well on its way to again attain national ranking for a third straight year as one of the top one hundred "active grant makers" in the country based on asset size in relationship to its annual grants. In 2010 PCF ranked 48th with 38% of assets in donor advised funds and over-all grants reflecting 10% of assets.

The PCF now has 22 funding partnerships with philanthropic groups or individuals under its purview, with plans to expand its base even further in the coming year.

Since its inception in 1999, the PCF has grown exponentially from an asset base of $4,200 with no permanent endowments in its first year of operation to assets of almost $1 million, holding three quarters of a million in permanent granting resources for our community.

One of its more active grant-makers has been 100 Women Strong which has made donor advised grants in Loudoun County administered by the PCF to organizations such as the Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter, Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing, Loudoun Community Health Center, Inova Loudoun Hospital and many more that contribute to the well-being of women, children and families. 100 Women Strong has invested in our community with $240,000 in grants since the fund formed in 2008.

"Working with PCF allowed 100 Women Strong to get off the ground quickly and work on our mission," said Karen Schaufeld, the president of the organization. "We're secure in the knowledge that a reputable community-based organization is helping with administration and ensuring our compliance with the IRS."

The PCF also works with a number of philanthropic individuals and families to distribute funds throughout the community. One of those innovative programs is the S. Murray Rust and Mary H.C. Rust Student Philanthropy Project, which disbursed $5,000 in funds this summer. The five-year-old PCF community outreach program funds youth-driven projects selected by the student grant-makers.

"The PCF allowed our family to make a grant to the foundation to start a program to teach philanthropy to high school students in our community," said John Rust, who named the fund after his grandparents. "The results have been spectacular. We've had approximately 100 kids go through the program, with over 30 students participating last year. The grants the students make go to a new level of need that we would not ordinarily see with our 60-something-year-old eyes. We've had great feedback from students who have gone on to college and used their philanthropic skills at that level.

"By starting this endowment at the PCF, we did not have to worry about the implementation or day-to-day oversight of the program. PCF took care of starting the program and managing the teaching aspect of philanthropic education."

After her sister died from breast cancer in 2004, Dr. Paula Bass established the Sharyn's Angels Cancer Fund administered by the PCF.

"My son and I wanted to honor her by establishing a permanent endowment in her name," Dr. Bass said. "Our objective was to raise money that we could donate to cancer patients in need. After researching available opportunities, we were very happy to discover that the Piedmont Community Foundation offered exactly what we were looking for to establish a permanent endowment. We set up an Acorn Fund and within 14 months it matured into a permanent endowment."

The newest PCF fund is the Sanders-Oscanyan Memorial Fund to benefit Loudoun INDEPENDENCE which assists people with disabilities for independent living in Loudoun County. The donors were moving from our area but wanted to have an ongoing legacy of support for their special cause.

Matching funds are also part of PCF. The Willowcroft Science Endowment currently has an open match challenge of $20,000 in support of science scholarships at the Loudoun County Public Schools Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Community grant capacity increases with support for any fund. If you are considering becoming a donor to realize your impact and legacy for our community, please contact PCF at 540-687-5223 or email info@piedmontcf.org