For more than a half century, Richmond’s Community Foundation has been on the philanthropic front lines. Largely through its donor-directed funds (think of them as a mosaic of mini endowments), the CF works to apply pooled resources toward finding solutions to some of the region’s biggest challenges – from affordable housing and workforce development to food assistance and education. These strategic investments are making a palpable impact throughout greater Richmond.
While most folks recognize the Community Foundation for this financial largesse, there’s another important, though often overshadowed, element of its mission: its role as a source of community engagement.
For many years, community engagement was synonymous with volunteering. Following its union with HandsOn Greater Richmond in 2018, the Community Foundation has provided a clearinghouse of opportunities for individuals and groups to volunteer their time and expertise with a range of nonprofit organizations. More than 16,000 volunteers a year are connected to hundreds of nonprofits, government agencies and community organizations.
Two years ago, the Community Foundation sought to move beyond the HandsOn identity and renamed and expanded its volunteer platform – together with other community engagement opportunities – giving it more expansive options as a means for folks to connect with the community. And so, the Community Foundation Engagement Center was born, complete with its own unique portal: cfengage.org.
“I think that most people in the community know and utilize CFengage for our volunteer matching platform, but we have been building in additional resources, additional ways for folks in the community to give their time, their talent, their treasure,” says Diana Villarreal, Program Manager, Community Partnerships at the Community Foundation. “We’ve also built in more resources for nonprofits to have a little bit more of a one-stop shop. So, not only can they post volunteer opportunities; they can post job openings, and there’s even a wish list feature where organizations can post their current needs for in-kind donations.”
Engaging on SNAP and food access
And importantly, the dynamic nature of the postings keeps things timely and relevant, helping guide people’s philanthropy and interest in times of disruption. The recent crisis surrounding SNAP benefits is one such example. As events were unfolding, Community Foundation staff put together a webpage focused food assistance: where to donate, how to start your own food drive, where to volunteer or find updates on the evolving situation.
Given the time of year, the Community Foundation also has developed a section dedicated to the holidays, with links to holiday volunteering, nonprofits’ wish lists and a family philanthropy guide. You’ll also find a list of “alternate ways” to support nonprofits in the weeks to come, including changing up your office gift exchange to focus on the “gift of charity.”
More broadly, visitors to CFengage will find the Community Foundation Engagement Center, which provides links to five different engagement portals: Volunteers, Nonprofit Jobs, Skilled Volunteers, Donate and Scholarships. There’s also a Volunteer Opportunity search function designed to make it easier to find opportunities that fit your interest and geographic requirements.
“At the end of the day, the Engagement Center represents our broader definition of philanthropy,” says Villarreal. “There are so many ways to provide support to your community, not just as a donor or a volunteer, and the CFengage website helps to open the door to so many possibilities.”
If you are a nonprofit interested in collaborating with the Community Foundation to take advantage of resources through CFengage, email them at nonprofits@cfrichmond.org. If you are a member of the community, looking to give back with your time, talent, and treasure, start exploring cfengage.org today!
