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Applications open for inaugural Rocco Fellows cohort

Local nonprofit leaders are invited to apply for a Rocco Fellowship, a new professional development program offered by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

Applications are open through July 1 for the inaugural cohort. The program offers a group coaching experience over nine months for as many as 14 local nonprofit leaders, as well as publicity for their ongoing work and funding needs.

The Rocco Fellowship is open to individuals:

  • demonstrating commitment to service and growth within the nonprofit sector;
  • serving in a volunteer, part-time, or full-time capacity with a 501(c)(3) located in and serving Harrisonburg and Rockingham County; and
  • with strong potential of creating or continuing to make significant impact in their field of choice.

The fellowship is tailored for local leaders seeking to transform challenges into opportunities for professional development and strategic advantage. Candidates should be interested in building their leadership skills, learning more about problem-based collaboration, and reflecting in meaningful and authentic ways on their work.

George Neighbors portrait

George Neighbors, principal with X-Roads Consulting, will coach the inaugural cohort of Rocco Fellows.

The cohort will meet monthly from September through May for two-hour sessions at TCFHR’s office in Harrisonburg.

 

Apply to become a Rocco Fellow.

 

“Our local nonprofit professionals are often working in challenging contexts, carrying heavy personal and professional loads as they offer important services that benefit our community,” said Lauren Jefferson, director of programs and marketing. “Coaching circles provide a way to both give and get support in a confidential format that fosters innovation, experimentation, and resilience. We’re really excited to invest in this dynamic learning opportunity for our nonprofit colleagues and see what long-term benefits emerge.”

The first cohort of Rocco Fellows will be coached by George Neighbors of X‑Roads Advisory, a Valley-based small business with a mission to empower leaders and teams to navigate change, grow with purpose, and build resilience.

Neighbors brings a proven framework for collective growth to this new initiative, drawing upon decades of experience with diverse organizations, including the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, National Institutes of Health, USO, James Madison University, Blue Ridge Community College, and the City of Harrisonburg. He also brings experience working with leaders in national and global contexts.

“The environment I aim to create provides a safe space for peer dialogue and exploration where leaders share challenges, uncover blind spots, and co-create solutions,” Neighbors says. “In a world of rapid change, the power of shared wisdom is powerful, all the more so as it’s generated right here in our community when we come together.”

Unlike traditional one-on-one coaching, this group model leverages the collective lived experience, expertise, and abilities of the cohort. Participants determine the focus of each session, ensuring that the experience remains agile and responsive to real-time needs.

By fostering an environment where leaders can vulnerably share experiences and collaboratively problem-solve, TCFHR aims to build resilient leadership pipelines capable of driving sustainable change across our nonprofit community.

The fellowship is supported by the Rocco Legacy Endowment, which has also launched a new capacity-building grant, opening in the 2026 grant cycle on July 1, and a monthly networking event, Coffee and Conversations.

Longtime residents will remember Rocco Enterprises, a locally owned, fully-integrated poultry company run by the Strickler family from 1939 to 2001. Philanthropy, service, stewardship, and investment in both employees and the community were foundational pillars of Rocco’s corporate culture. Its innovative business strategies included awareness of the inherent power of mutual interdependence among its partners, and the promotion of creativity and intrapreneurship.

“As we carry forward the Strickler family’s legacy of stewardship, service, and community involvement and investment, we are deeply committed to equipping nonprofit leaders with the tools, networks, and resources they need to thrive in an ever-changing landscape,” said TCFHR Executive Director Revlan Hill. “The endowment honor Rocco’s history and traditions by strengthening the organizations that make our community stronger, more compassionate, and more vibrant for generations to come.”

TCFHR launches new programs to strengthen organizational leadership and capacity-building

New programming at the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham will strengthen local nonprofit leaders and their organizations through professional development, capacity-building, and collaboration.

The Rocco Fellowship, a coaching program for nonprofit leaders, launches its first cohort in September 2026. The fellows, selected through a competitive application process, will participate in nine monthly group sessions led by an executive coach.

Learn more about the Rocco Fellowship.

A new capacity-building grant will be offered in fall 2026. This funding is focused on increasing the knowledge, processes, and/or efficiency within a nonprofit organization through funding for organizational assessments, board development, strategic planning, explorations of mergers/collaborations, feasibility studies, or other processes. Investments of software or technological products will also be considered.

Learn more about the Rocco Capacity-Building grants.

A monthly networking and informational event, Coffee and Conversation, has been running since fall 2025, with an average of 15 nonprofit leaders, staff, and board attending each session.

These three initiatives were informed by a survey of nonprofit leadership in summer 2025 that identified the following learning formats as particularly desirable and beneficial — small group discussions with a facilitator, a cohort-based program to collaborate and learn from peers, and specific time and resources to solve problems and challenges.

“The Rocco Legacy Endowment provided the spark for this work, centered around elevating collective discourse, centering our nonprofit leaders in their challenging work, and nurturing our shared values of ethical stewardship, reflective practice, and growth through collaboration,” said Lauren Jefferson, director of programs and marketing. “We look forward to supporting, celebrating, and encouraging those who lead in our local philanthropic space.”

The endowment honors the legacy, values, and spirit of Rocco Enterprises, a locally owned, fully-integrated poultry company run by the Strickler family from 1939 to 2001. Philanthropy, service, stewardship, and investment in both employees and the community were foundational pillars of Rocco’s corporate culture. Among its business practices, Rocco prioritized recognition of inherent power of mutual interdependence, the promotion of creativity, and the innovative concept of intrapreneurship.

Programming carries on the objectives of the Rocco Forum on Philanthropy, a biannual speaker series offered from 2008 through 2024, and the Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership program, which started in 2017 and provided annual professional development workshops.

The Momentum of Generosity: View our FY2025 annual report

‘Last year, TCFHR grew to $97.2 million in assets, with gifts totaling $11.3 million.

Through our organization, our donors awarded more than $8.3 million in cumulative grants to mostly local nonprofits.

Thirty-four funds were founded just this year.

These achievements show continuing momentum.

Every grant awarded, every student scholarship, every initiative here is proof that, together, we are doing some amazing work…’

—Revlan Hill, executive director

***

The 2025 Annual Report features the following information:

  • statistics and data related to giving, funds, scholarships, and grants;
  • new funds, including several new endowed funds to support mental health, community needs, Blue Ridge Free Clinic clients in need, and more;
  • synopses of staff transitions and technology upgrades;
  • coverage of the Virginia Ready vocational education scholarship program;
  • a wonderful thank-you letter from a Rocktown High School ’25 graduate now studying architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology;
  • and more…

View the digital edition.

Special thanks to Jon Styer and Rhoda Miller with At Ease Design Co.

Ninth annual Great Community Give to benefit 158 nonprofits

gathering to celebrate fundraising goal

Staff and volunteers gather on the porch of The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham to celebrate raising more than $10 million in the Great Community Give’s eight-year history. (Photo by Rachel Holderman)

Nonprofits in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are gearing up for the ninth annual Great Community Give. The sunrise-to-sunset online giving day will be Wednesday, April 22, with the early giving period opening April 7.

The goal is to raise $2.5 million, just over $285,000 more than last year’s total of $2.2 million.

From April 7-22, donors can bring cash or checks directly to their favorite nonprofits, or give online at www.greatcommunitygive.org.

More than $80,000 provided by business and individual sponsors is also available in the prize pool. On April 22, the final day, nonprofits compete for hourly prizes as well as several thousand dollars in “leaderboard” prizes for most dollars raised and most donors.

The Great Community Give is hosted by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham, which provides administrative support and covers the costs of the digital platform.

Since the first event in 2018, more than $11 million has been raised. [View photos of the 2025 record-setting event!]

This year, a record number of nonprofit organizations working in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County have registered to participate. The 158 participants represent the areas of youth and senior services, general human services, mental health, animal welfare, environmental interests, transportation and food insecurity, and many more.

We know that now more than ever, our local nonprofit leaders, their staff, and volunteers are doing hard and challenging work, and they need funds to continue these invaluable services and programs. A donation during Great Community Give to your favorite nonprofit is a way of showing support and honoring their impact.

—Lauren Jefferson, TCFHR director of programs and marketing

Last year saw a rise in first-time donors and in local residents fundraising on behalf of organizations, but there’s still room to grow.

The county’s total population is around 140,000 residents, and last year’s donor count was a little more than 7,600.

“Tell your friends and family, become a fundraiser for your favorite organization, and help us spread the word,” Jefferson said. “Growing this event takes all of us. We have several wonderful media partners, but we also know that grassroots efforts make a huge difference.”

TCFHR earns 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency

The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham has earned the 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, the world’s largest source of nonprofit information. This is the highest level of recognition. In 2025, only .1 percent of organizations were recognized.

The Platinum Seal of Transparency is granted to organizations that demonstrate a high level of transparency and integrity in their operations and practices. This includes providing annual financial information, including the latest 990 and audit, as well as updated information about leadership, goals, strategies, and metrics. 

This is the fifth consecutive year that TCFHR has earned a Platinum Seal.

“This recognition validates the hard work of our team,” said Revlan Hill, executive director. “Since its inception in 1998, TCFHR has held high standards of openness, accountability, and clear communication with donors, supporters, and the general public, and the Candid Platinum seal is a symbol of that continued commitment.”

 The foundation is also accredited by the Council on Foundations national standards.

TCFHR hosts first Little Swiss Fund reception in Highland County

In December, representatives of 17 nonprofit organizations came together in celebration and gratitude to the anonymous donor whose gifts continue to support Highland County. The reception and check presentation at The Highland Center was hosted by staff from the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

Betty Mitchell accepts a check from Ann Siciliano (left) and Kelsey Gerber, managers of the grants program at The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

“The impact of this donor is incredible,” said Betty Mitchell, executive director of the Blue Grass Resource Center. “The beauty of an endowment such as this is that those donations continue to make an impact in the community for generations.” 

View projects funded by the 2025 Little Swiss grants.

A total of nearly $3 million has been distributed since 2018, with the amount increasing each year as the invested balance grows. 

This year, $598,197 was distributed to 17 organizations. 

TCFHR staff have visited Highland County several times since 2018, but this was the first time to host an event expressly to meet many of the area’s longtime nonprofit leaders.  

“We loved putting faces with names and meeting people so invested in caring for their neighbors, stewarding natural resources, and providing so many necessary services,” said Ann Siciliano, senior director of scholarships and grants.  

Kelsey Gerber, program manager, and Lauren Jefferson, director of programs and marketing, also attended the event. 

The Little Swiss Fund has supporting area nonprofits since its inception in 2007, with the anonymous donor advising on the awards. After the donor’s death, the fund moved to a competitive grants process. A group of citizens with local ties and knowledge of the area works as a committee to review the applications each year. 

For many organizations, the funding validates their mission, hard work, and visionary planning. Callie Smith, the executive director of Highland Children’s House, was grateful for financial support that will help retain committed, professional staff providing care and education to children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old at the Monterey location. 

“This gift reaches far beyond wages,” she said. “It empowers us to offer competitive pay while providing and sustaining exceptional care for our children. Your support affirms the value of the work we do and makes clear that the depth of care is only possible when our teachers are cherished just as much as the children they nurture.” 

The Highland County Fair received support for the 75th anniversary event, with funding helping to provide for programming, entertainment, and marketing. 

“The fair is more than just an event,” said Treasurer Michael Botkin. “It’s a celebration of who we are as a rural, close-knit community. This generous funding allowed us to invest in key areas that help keep the fair vibrant, accessible, and rooted in tradition. We were able to accomplish things that simply wouldn’t have been possible otherwise, and we’re deeply grateful for the foundation’s support in helping us carry this legacy forward.” 

One of the largest 2025 Little Swiss Fund awards went towards the interior renovations of the historic Highland Inn, a multi-year project that when completed will offer lodging, a restaurant and tavern in downtown Monterey. Past awards of the fund have supported the exterior renovation. The project recently won $1.75 million in funding from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.  

“For a large capital project like the inn revitalization project, there are substantial carrying costs each year. Support from the Little Swiss Fund means that donations made by individuals in our community go directly to this historic project,” Mitchell said. 

The Little Swiss support means that Mitchell can make this “powerful talking point” with donors as she and her team work to pull together funding to start the second phase of renovation in 2026. 

 

Giving Back Guide 2025 highlights 76 organizations and their funding needs

The 2025 Giving Back Guide is here! Readers are invited to learn more about 76 area nonprofits and their funding needs in this annual magazine from the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

View the digital edition.

Print copies are available at the following locations:

  • the Massanutten Regional Library locations (main library and Rockingham County branches only),
  • the Friendly City Food Co-op,
  • Dayton Farmers Market, and
  • our office at 317 South Main Street.

Inclusion in the guide is a voluntary process that is aligned with TCFHR’s annual Community Grants cycle.  Submissions are taken over three months in the summer. Nonprofits located in and serving Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are invited to access the submission application and share about their organization’s mission, vision, accomplishments and funding needs.

This resource is promoted and circulated to the public, professional advisors, and media, in print and digital form, in mid-November. TCFHR utilizes the guide as a tool in donor conversations throughout the year. Many donor-advised grants as well as gifts from community members are made to local organizations as a result of this resource.

Thanks again to Jon Styer and the At Ease Design Co. crew for their design work.

TCFHR’s 2025 grant awards to support the work of 17 area nonprofits

The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham announces that a total of $182,411 will be awarded to 17 area nonprofit organizations for the 2025-26 Community Grants cycle.

The organizations are focused on a range of areas, including arts and culture, food insecurity, animal welfare, education, and healthcare.

For more information, view 2025 project summaries.

Thirty-seven organizations submitted applications, said Ann Siciliano, senior director of grants and scholarships.

Grant awards are made by committees involving a total of 12 community members.

Grantee organizations will receive their funding by the end of the year and are required to file impact reports by late summer 2026. The next Community Grant cycle begins in the summer.

Click here to view the 2025 Little Swiss Fund awards for organizations located in and serving Highland County.

Fund Grantee Project and Award Amount
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Arts Council of the Valley Court Square Theater renovations

$25,730
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Red Wing Academy Foundation Scholarship Program

$6,500
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts OASIS Fine Arts & Craft Scholarship Program

$7,380
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival  Event support for the 2026 season

$7,500

 
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Rocktown School of Music Signage, soundproofing, instruments, PA system

$19,084
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts Silk Moth Stage Salaries and general operating expenses for 2026 season

$3,000
Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts

Valley Arts and Culture Fund

 Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative Upgrades to studio management software

$1,260 : $263 from Miller; $997 from Valley Arts and Culture
Valley Arts and Culture Fund Shenandoah Valley Pride Alliance, Inc. Support for Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival 2026

$2,500
Mary Spitzer Etter Endowed Fund Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley Barefoot Puppet Theater performances for 1,500+ second graders

$ 4,981

 
Alvin V. Baird, Jr. Endowed Fund Harrisonburg Community Health Center New dental equipment

$ 27,095.50
Alvin V. Baird, Jr. Endowed Fund Blue Ridge Free Clinic Expansion of onsite dental services

$ 27,095.50
Donna F. Simmons Family Endowment Second Home Learning Center Scholarship Program

$7,844
Harrisonburg Rockingham Food Pantry Endowment Corner Cupboard Food Pantry Babies to Boomers Program, Phase III

$ 2,011.50
Harrisonburg Rockingham Food Pantry Endowment Patchwork Pantry Extension of fresh vegetable provision program

$ 2,011.50
Hildred Neff Memorial Fund Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA Owned Pet Voucher Program

$12,402.50
Hildred Neff Memorial Fund Wildlife Center of Virginia Wildlife care (earmarked for local animals)

$12,402.50
Janet Sohn Endowed Fund Central Valley Habitat for Humanity Critical Home Repair Program

$ 13,613

 

Little Swiss Fund announces grant awards to Highland County nonprofits

The 2025 Little Swiss Fund grant awards will distribute a total of $589,197 to 18 nonprofit organizations serving Highland County.

The fund began in 2018 with a $10 million gift from an anonymous donor. Monies from the permanently endowed fund are annually invested and distributed to eligible 501 (c)(3) organizations through a competitive grant process managed by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

Organizations must be physically located in Highland County, Va., and the project or program to be funded must serve the Highland County area. Religious organizations are welcome to apply. Nonprofit organizations must have annual revenues in excess of $25,000 to be eligible.

All grants will be awarded in November/December 2025.

The next Little Swiss Grant cycle begins in the summer of 2026.

For more information, view 2025 project summaries.

Click here to view the 2025 Community Grant awards for organizations in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Organization Project Award Amount
Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance James River Headwaters Protection:  Cowpasture River monitoring and expansion of programming to the Jackson River watershed  $15,000
Allegheny Mountain Institute Education and community engagement around ecology and healthy foods  $15,000
Blue Grass Resource Center Highland Inn Renovation Project $70,000
Bolar Volunteer Fire Department General operating expenses $20,000
Bolar Volunteer Rescue Squad Operating costs  

$16,000

 
Dare To Dream Therapeutic Horsemanship Center Facility and horse care expenses $15,000
Elegius Mini Equine Sanctuary Operating costs (veterinary care, farrier, feed, etc.) $10,000
Highland Children’s House Payroll expenses $80,000

 
Highland County Arts Council Operations expenses; salaries for two new part-time positions in programming/events and marketing/operations $15,000
Highland County Fair Association Operating costs (programming, entertainment, and marketing related to 75th anniversary event) $50,000
Highland County Humane Society, Inc. General operating costs $45,000
Highland County Volunteer Fire Department New building at Blue Grass firehouse $15,000
Highland County Volunteer Rescue Squad Support for Quick Response Vehicle unit and training expenses $50,000
Highland Historical Society Mansion House structural repairs $20,000
Highland Medical Center Purchase of flu and COVID-19 vaccines and related supplies $40,000
McDowell Volunteer Fire Department New tanker truck and new equipment $50,000
The Highland Center Operating costs $50,000
Little Swiss Educational Fund new scholarship for Highland High School students and alumni $13,157

Organizations must be tax-exempt public charities under IRS Section 501(c)3 or other nonprofit status. Organizations must be physically located in Highland County, Va., and the project or program to be funded must serve the Highland County area. Religious organizations are welcome to apply. Nonprofit organizations must have annual revenues in excess of $25,000 to be eligible. Local clubs (civic and otherwise), and recreational facilities are NOT eligible to apply.

 

How you can help local food pantries bracing for increased need

What’s Happening?

More than 800,000 Virginians, including 10,006 residents  of Rockingham County and Harrisonburg rely on federal SNAP benefits to feed themselves and their families each month.

As of Nov. 1, those benefits are no longer available.

Courtesy of Blessed Sacrament Food Pantry.

State Action

A new temporary program, Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance, will pull funds from Virginia’s revenue surplus to provide relief. The payments will be weekly rather than monthly.

Local Action

Area food pantries are already experiencing record demand because of a confluence of factors, including rising grocery costs and other costs of living. Recently, other food assistance programs have been cut, paused, or cancelled, including The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance program.

We are deeply grateful to the nonprofit organizations stepping up to make sure families impacted by the SNAP benefit pause have access to food and other essential resources.

To Locate a Food Pantry

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank hosts a directory of local food pantries.

211Virginia also has a directory. Use these resources to find food or explore ways to help pantries in your area.

The local directory Rockburg Feeds is an initiative of the Food Coalition of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, in partnership with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank and Sentara RMH Medical Center.

TCFHR’s HR Food Pantry Endowment

We encourage donors to consider giving to our Harrisonburg-Rockingham Food Pantry Endowed Fund, which provides an annual distribution to a local food pantry. Food pantries benefit from USDA food and from donated food, but cash contributions help to purchase additional food to meet client demand.  In 2025, funds went to The Corner Cupboard at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Read WMRA coverage of how The Corner Cupboard used this grant here.

CLICK to give to the HR Food Pantry Endowment.

Give to Local Pantries

Here is more information from the food pantries who responded by our deadline with information about donations and volunteer opportunities. There are many more local food pantries: find a listing at 211Virginia or use the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s Food Finder.

All of these food pantries receive USDA food and purchase other food from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, receive donations, and cultivate other sources, such as unsold food from grocery stores or local businesses.

  • Patchwork Pantry is currently feeding between 65-70 families each week, with more anticipated. They also purchase and provide food for the backpack program at Waterman Elementary School, supporting an additional 60 families.

Monetary donations are the most helpful as this provides more flexibility in purchasing the most needed items. If organizations want to do a donation drive, contact the pantry first. We ask that at least 70 of a needed item, so we can offer it to all of our guests that evening. Hygiene items are particularly costly to purchase, so we often encourage an organization to donate 70 of an item like toothpaste, shampoo, diapers, etc.  Smaller donations (about one shopping cart or less) can typically be dropped off on Wednesdays between 9-11 a.m.

Delivery of larger donations (more than one shopping cart) must be arranged with the donation coordinator and can be arranged by emailing [email protected]. 

  • Blessed Sacrament has seen a 20 percent increase in clients.

Monetary donations are always appreciated, as we can make a dollar go further than an average consumer. We will accept items like peanut butter, jelly, canned fruit and vegetables, cereal, pasta products, pasta sauce, canned soup. Hygiene products are also very desirable. Diapers are also a high demand item. All donated items may be taken to our pantry at 2 East Wolfe Street Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and Friday from 9-11:30 a.m..

  •  The Corner Cupboard at Emmanuel Episcopal Church has seen numbers of clients increase each month of 2025. and are far ahead of their usual numbers of total pounds distributed.

Monetary donations are helpful, as the pantry has to purchase most of its food and protein is especially costly. Other donations are welcome: especially canned meat or fish, healthy breakfast cereals, cans of fruit, bags of rice, and peanut butter. We do not accept expired canned goods. Bring donations to the pantry Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m.-noon or to the church office Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Checks can be made out to Emmanuel Church and designated in the memo line for the food pantry.

Strong volunteers are also needed for about 30 minutes to help unload supplies on the first Thursday of the month at noon and third Wednesday, also at noon.

  • Salvation Army – Harrisonburg Corps serves approximately 170 families a month and 627 individuals with food from Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, donations from the general public and from local restaurants and businesses.

We accept donations of shelf-stable food that is in date Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. It can be brought to our office at 185 Ashby Ave in Harrisonburg.