Community Endowment Fund

This permanent fund helps finance projects of greatest benefit to Harrisonburg and Rockingham County through the ‘Giving Back’ grant application process

2022         First Step ($4,976.50) – Safe Shelter for Survivors of Domestic Violence and their Children

2022         Blue Ridge CASA ($4,976.50) – Mental Health Services Advocacy for Abused and Neglected Children 

2021        Plains Area DayCare ($6,383) – Infant and Toddler Playground/Outdoor Classroom

2021        Village to Village ($2,000) – Welcome Home Refugee Project

2020        First Step ($2,000) – Help and Hope for Victims of Domestic Violence

2020        Mercy House ($5,282) – SAFE – At Home

2019        Blue Ridge CASA ($6,801) – Advocacy for Mental Health Services for Abused, Neglected, and Court-Involved Children in HR

2018        Girls on the Run ($6,482.07) – Economic Diversity – Striving to Reach All Girls

2018        Blue Ridge Legal Services ($6,127) – Low-Income Older Adults Facing Critical Legal Needs

2017        Salvation Army ($5,644) – Homeless Shelter

2016        Northeast Neighborhood Association ($5,122) – Community Garden

2015        CASA for Children ($4,200) – services for Harrisonburg & Rockingham

2014        First Step ($3,200) – Security & Safety System

2013        Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic ($2,500) – Financial Sustainability

2012        Blue Ridge Area Food Bank ($2,000) – Fresh Foods to the Valley Initiative Project

2011        Way to Go ($1,665) 

2010       JMU Nonprofit Institute ($1,400) – Nonprofit Institute scholarships

2008       People Helping People ($1,300)

2007       Harrisonburg First Church of the Nazarene ($750)

2007       Rockingham Memorial Hospital ($750)

Alvin V. Baird, Jr. Program Endowment Fund

This permanent fund benefits nonprofit organizations serving the unmet healthcare needs in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community, through a competitive grant application process.

2022       Strength in Peers ($20,000) – Community Resource and Recovery Center Expansion into the Old Free Clinic 

2022       Blue Ridge Free Clinic ($15,080) – Accessible and Wholistic Healthcare 

2022       Adagio House ($8,657) – Compassion Fund & Pilot Neurodiverse LGBTQ+ Support Group 

2021       Adagio House ($8,775) – Mental/Behavioral Health Reduced Fee Sessions 

2021       Family Life Resource Center ($10,000) – Scholarship Fund for Mental/Behavioral Health Clients with Financial Need

2021      JMU Suitcase Clinic ($13,800) – The Suitcase Clinic

2021      Kingsway Prison and Family Outreach ($10,000) – Kingsway Dental Care Project 2022 – basic dental services for inmates reentering society

Hildred Neff Memorial Fund

This permanent fund helps finance projects that benefit agencies providing for the needs of both domestic and wild animals. Recipients are selected through a competitive grant application process.

2022       Wildlife Center of Virginia ($11,411.50) – Treatment of Sick, Injured & Orphaned Wildlife from HR

2022       Anicira Veterinary Center ($4,411.50) – Operation Free Pet Healthcare

2022       Cat’s Cradle ($7,000) – Pet Retention for Low Income & Vulnerable Population

2021       Anicira Veterinary Center ($7,000) – Operation Free Pet Healthcare

2021       Camp Still Meadows ($2,000) – Animal Care & Feed

2021       Cat’s Cradle ($7,000) – Pet Retention for Low Income & Vulnerable Population

2021       Wildlife Center of Virginia ($5,944) – Treatment of Sick, Injured & Orphaned Wildlife from HR

2020      Anicira Veterinary Center ($4,000) – Improving Access to Veterinary Care

2020      Camp Still Meadows ($2,500) – Animal Care

2020      Cat’s Cradle ($4,000) – Pet Retention for Low Income/Vulnerable Population

2020      Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA ($2,090) – Spay-Neuter Expenses for Felines

2020      Valley Rescue Allies ($4,000) – Pet Retention and Rehoming

2019       Anicira Veterinary Center ($3,525)Alleviating Animal Suffering through Access to Veterinary Care

2019       Cat’s Cradle ($3,525)Pet Retention for Low Income/Vulnerable Population

2019       Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA ($7,167) Increase Adoption Readiness

2019       Valley Rescue Allies ($3,525) – Pet Retention and Rehoming

2019       Wildlife Center of Virginia ($1,000)Treatment of Sick, Injured, and Orphaned Wildlife from HR

2018       Anicira Veterinary Center ($4,000) – Keeping Pets and Their Families Together project

2018       Cat’s Cradle of the Shenandoah Valley ($4,000) – Pet Retention for Low Income/Vulnerable Population project

2018       Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA ($3,045) – Spay/Neuter Project

2018       Valley Rescue Allies ($4,000) – Pet Retention and Rehoming project

2017       Wildlife Center of Virginia ($10,000) – Treatment of Sick, Injured & Orphaned Wildlife from HR project

2016       Anicira Veterinary Center ($2,824)  – Targeted Community Cat Project

2016       Cat’s Cradle ($5,000) – Pet Retention for Low income & Vulnerable populations project

2016       Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA ($1,693) – Enhancement of Cat/kitten Adoptable Area project

2015       Anicira Veterinary Center ($3,535) – Vet Services for Pets in Need project

2015       Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA ($3,077) – Save More Felines project

2014       Cat’s Cradle – Pet Retention Project – Medical Asst. awards

Sean Warner Memorial Endowment Fund

This permanent fund provides program and project funds to organizations offering emotional support services to children of divorced parents, through a competitive grant application process.

2022      Family Life Resource Center ($1,020) – Scholarship Fund for Children of Divorced Families

2020      Family Life Resource Center ($463) – Scholarship Fund for Children of Divorced Families

2019       Family Life Resource Center ($449) – Scholarship Program for Children of Divorced Families

2018       Family Life Resource Center ($450) – Scholarship Fund

2015       Center for Marriage and Family Counseling  ($400) – Counseling for children of divorced families

2014       Cross Keys Equine Therapy ($400) – Programs for children of divorced families

2013       Cross Keys Equine Therapy ($400) – Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy for children of divorced families

2012       Center for Marriage and Family Counseling ($500) – Emotional Support for Children of Divorced parents

Janet Sohn Endowed Fund

This permanent fund provides funds to one organization annually that participates in the ‘Giving Back’ grant application process, and was supported by Janet during her lifetime. Eligible organizations are Big Brothers Big Sisters – Harrisonburg, East Gate Ministries, Habitat for Humanity – Bridgewater, Sentara RMH Foundation, and Salvation Army – Harrisonburg.

2022       Central Valley Habitat for Humanity ($12,995) – Rub a Dub Dub – Sinks, Commodes, and Tubs 

2021       Central Valley Habitat for Humanity ($12,660) – Living in Place – Critical Home Repair

2020      Salvation Army ($12,174) – The Salvation Army Family Services & Emergency Shelter

2019       Central Valley Habitat for Humanity ($12,097) – Cook’n in the Kitchen project & other needs

Valley Arts & Culture Fund

This permanent fund provides program, project and seed funds to small and medium sized nonprofit organizations promoting performing and visual arts and interpreting the culture and traditions of and in the Shenandoah Valley, through the ‘Giving Back’ grant application process

2022       OASIS Fine Art & Craft ($1,908) – Second Home Project

2021       Northeast Neighborhood Association ($1,373) – Growing Public Programming & Online Access to the Historic Dallard-Newman House

2020      Virginia Quilt Museum ($860) – Technology Update for the World of COVID

2019       Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Festival ($674)Honoring African American Burial Grounds

2019       Shenandoah Valley Bach Fesitval ($678) – The Creation – Bringing Musical Excellence to Harrisonburg

2018       Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society ($659) – Harrisonburg History Exhibition in Downtown project

2017       Explore More Discovery Museum ($637) – Community Maker Space (a workshop studio) 

2016       Virginia Quilt Museum ($624) – Exhibit Construction 

2015       Northeast Neighborhood Association ($600) – Newtown Cemetary preservation 

2014       Explore More Discovery Museum ($500) – Family Scholarship Fund 

2013       Heritage Museum ($500) – Collections Storage Renovation 

2012       Virginia Quilt Museum ($500) – Threads of Life Project

2011       Valley Brethren Mennonite Heritage Center ($476) – Burkholder-Myers House Preservation

2010       Arts Council of the Valley ($250) – KidFlix at Court Square Theater 

2010       Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc. ($250) – Gallery Opening for student art work

2009       Explore More Discovery Museum ($443.74) – Standing Loom and Tapestry Table

2008       Virginia Quilt Museum ($500) – Quilts & Quaker Heritage Exhibit

2007       Blue Ridge Theater Festival 

2006       Citizens for Downtown

2005       HR Convention of Visitors Bureau

2004       First Night Harrisonburg

2003       JMU School of Art & Art History

Mary Spitzer Etter Endowed Fund

This permanent fund helps finance projects that benefit the Arts in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Recipients are selected through the ‘Giving Back’ grant application process.

2022       Arts Council of the Valley ($4,799) – Court Square Theater 2023 Summer Youth Camps 

2021       Arts Council of the Valley ($2,359) – Court Square Theater Exterior Lighting Repair/Replacement

2021       Oasis Fine Art & Craft ($2,000) – Second Home Art Projects

2020      Arts Council of the Valley ($2,256.50) – COVID-19 Artist Fund Grants

2020      Oasis Fine Art & Craft ($2,256.50) – Art on Wheels

2019       Arts Council of the Valley ($4,519)

Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts

The purpose of this fund is to provide funding for the benefit of community arts in the Shenandoah Valley of VA. Recipients are selected through the ‘Giving Back’ grant application process.

2022       Arts Council of the Valley ($15,000) – Opening Doors – The Art of Inclusion

2022       Harrisonburg Dance Cooperative ($40,000) – Dance Performance and Gathering Space