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100WomenStrong hit a major milestone in 2026, surpassing $6 million in cumulative funding for nonprofits in Loudoun County (2009-2026). We are proud to announce that we will be accepting Letters of Intent (LOI) for our 2027 grant cycle beginning September 4, 2026.

About the Funders
100WomenStrong is a diverse group of women, men, and corporate partners who love Loudoun County, and want to make a difference here. Together, they make a powerful impact with combined giving. Each member has an equal say and an equal vote about which nonprofit organizations will receive support each year. 100WomenStrong was founded in 2008 by people who have made a commitment to improve the quality of life for residents of Loudoun County. By combining powerful financial strength, a philanthropic passion for giving, and community leadership, 100WomenStrong provides strategic support to help address key areas of need in our community. 100WomenStrong is a component fund of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties. 100WomenStong now invites organizations to submit a Letter of Intent for the 2027 100WomenStrong Competitive Grant cycle.

Grantmaking Priorities
100WomenStrong provides funding for projects or programs addressing these needs in Loudoun County, Virginia:

• Shelter
• Health
• Mental Health
• Hunger
• Education

In addition, 100WomenStrong prioritizes requests for funding that:

• maintain or increase the capacity of the organization’s mission
• provide significant benefits and/or impact to Loudoun County residents
• provide creative and innovative ways to meet community needs

Priority will be given to organizations that demonstrate operational readiness to accept a grant and serve as good stewards of the funding. This may include, but is not limited to, demonstration of a proven track record of service delivery in Loudoun County, and/or MOUs or partnerships with other organizations as evidence of readiness to expand services to Loudoun for those organizations not already providing services in this community.

First time applicants new to 100WomenStrong are encouraged to limit their requests to $5,000 or less.

Grants will be considered to fund general operating support, activities, projects, and/or programs within the grant period of May 1, 2027 through April 30, 2028.

To view 100WomenStrong grants awarded in previous cycles, visit: https://www.onehundredwomenstrong.org/grants/grants-by-year/

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity in good standing with the IRS for a minimum of 2 years prior to applying, or a unit of government.  Applicants must address the grantmaking priorities in Loudoun County as listed above.

Applications will NOT be considered for:

• scholarships to educational institutions or schools
• programs that propose grant funds to be re-granted to other organizations or educational institutions
• private or for-profit school tuition fees
• organizations that proselytize or require participation in religious activities as a condition of service.

LOI Instructions, Deadlines and Reviews
LOIs are submitted online through the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties’ online grant portal using this link: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=cflf. New applicants will need to create an account to begin the application process; previous applicants should log in using your email and password. Once logged in, click “Apply” to begin.

LOIs must be submitted in the portal no later than Friday, October 2, 2026, by 5pm.   LOIs will be reviewed by 100WomenStrong; select organizations will then be invited to submit an application for consideration.  All organizations that submit an LOI will be notified of the outcome of their request by Monday, December 14, 2026

Full Proposal Deadline and Reviews

 Organizations invited to submit an application for consideration must do so by January 22, 2027.  Full applications will be reviewed by 100WomenStrong donors who will make grant recommendations to the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Pre-LOI Workshop
A pre-LOI workshop will be held online for interested applicants on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 2pm. To attend, participants must register in advance using this link:  LOI Pre-Application Workshop  or https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/rcDzHNWzSy6qmtJn8ftZ_Q.This workshop will be recorded and a link to access the recording will be emailed to all those who registered for the workshop. The link to access the recording will also be posted in the grant guidelines afterwards.

Notification, Grant Size, and Final Reporting
Final grant decisions will be announced no later than April 28, 2027. Grantees will be requested to participate in a grantee & donor reception in May 2027. The final date of that reception will be provided in December to applicants who are invited to submit a full proposal.

A final report of outputs, outcomes and grant expenses must be provided to 100WomenStrong approximately one year after grant awards are made. All grant funds must be expended before that date. Extensions may be allowed but must be approved in writing in advance.
 
Questions?
If you have questions about your LOI or proposal, contact Pam Ray, Executive Director, 100WomenStrong at pam@onehundredwomenstrong.org.

If you need assistance with the online grant portal, contact Joanne Trimmer, Director of Grants and Nonprofit Programs at the Community Foundation at joanne@communityfoundationlf.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

 Pam Ray, Executive Director 100WS

Pam@onehundredwomenstrong.org

571-209-7562

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Loudoun County, Va. May 20, 2026 — 100WomenStrong, a philanthropic collective dedicated to improving the lives of Loudoun County residents, has awarded $712,500 to 51 nonprofit organizations. This year’s milestone propels the group’s cumulative impact past $6 million.

Established in 2008 by Karen Schaufeld and 12 founding members, 100WomenStrong was created to strategically support nonprofits meeting the most critical needs in Loudoun County. Today, the group has grown to 90 members—its largest membership to date—and continues to expand its impact. Membership is capped at 100 to preserve a close-knit, collaborative spirit.

Through member-driven grantmaking, 100WomenStrong supports nonprofit organizations working across five essential focus areas that collectively shape community well-being: Shelter, Health, Mental Health, Hunger, and Education. These areas reflect many of the key social determinants of health — the economic, environmental, and social conditions that influence long-term health outcomes and quality of life. Funding allocations for 2026 include:

• Shelter: $145,500 to 10 organizations
• Health: $189,500 to 11 organizations
• Mental Health: $89,500 to 8 organizations
• Hunger: $101,800 to 9 organizations
• Education: $186,250 to 13 organizations

In remarks to grantees, Schaufeld emphasized the interconnected nature of these needs and the collective impact of the nonprofit community.

“Although we organize our giving into categories, we know these challenges are deeply connected,” said Schaufeld. “If someone lacks stable shelter, they may also be facing health or mental health challenges, food insecurity, or barriers to education. When you help someone in one of these areas, you are often improving outcomes in many others as well.”

She continued, “The work each of you does strengthens the entire Loudoun County community. We are incredibly grateful for your compassion, commitment, and partnership. Loudoun is fortunate to have such a generous and caring nonprofit community working together to support our residents.”

Based on grant application projections, this year’s funding is expected to directly impact more than 105,000 Loudoun County residents.

2026 Grant Recipients:

• A Farm Less Ordinary – $12,000
• A Place To Be – $20,000
• All Ages Read Together – $25,000
• America’s Soup Kitchen – $12,500
• BetterALife, Inc. – $10,000
• BRAWS – $15,000
• CFH, Inc.– $10,000
• Communities Together – $2,500
• Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties – $10,000
• Crossroads Jobs – $10,000
• Dulles South Food Pantry – $17,300
• Dulles South Neighborhood Closet – $3,000
• ECHO – Every Citizen Has Opportunities – $20,000
• Food for Neighbors – $15,000
• Friends of Loudoun Mental Health – $15,000
• HealthWorks for Northern Virginia – $20,000
• Inova Health Foundation – $15,000
• Insight Memory Care – $5,000
• Just Neighbors – $15,000
• LAWS – Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services – $25,000
• Legacy Farms – $9,000
• Leonard W. Kidd Memorial American Legion Post 2001 – $9,000
• Loudoun Cares – $20,000
• Loudoun Club 12 – $15,000
• Loudoun Coalition on Women and Girls – $8,000
• Loudoun Education Foundation – $20,000
• Loudoun Free Clinic – $25,000
• Loudoun Habitat for Humanity – $5,000
• Loudoun Hunger Relief – $20,000
• Loudoun Serenity House – $25,000
• Loudoun Volunteer Caregivers – $19,500
• Love, KK – $4,000
• Mobile Hope – $20,000
• Morven Park, Inc. – $3,000
• Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation – $26,500
• NOVA Diaper Bank – $10,000
• Opportunity Scholars – $10,000
• Prime Community Housing and Development – $2,500
• Ryan Bartel Foundation – $12,000
• Seven Loaves Services – $10,500
• Shelter House Inc. – $20,000
• St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church – $30,000
• The Arc of Loudoun – $20,000
• The Chris Atwood Foundation – $10,000
• The Fenwick Foundation – $15,000
• The Women’s Center – $5,000
• True Ground Housing Partners – $14,000
• Virginia Hunters Who Care, Inc. – $10,000
• Windy Hill Foundation, Inc. – $20,000
• Women Giving Back – $25,000
• Youth for Tomorrow – $15,000

100WomenStrong is a component fund of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, leveraging its network to maximize collective giving for long-term community impact.

About 100WomenStrong

Founded in 2008, 100WomenStrong is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical group of philanthropists dedicated to strategically investing in organizations that enrich the lives of Loudoun County residents. The group supports local nonprofits working in the areas of shelter, health, mental health, hunger, and education. As a proud component fund of the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, 100WomenStrong empowers its members to connect, collaborate, and amplify the impact of their giving.

For More Information:
To learn more about membership, visit www.onehundredwomenstrong.org/join-us or contact Pam Ray, Executive Director, at Pam@onehundredwomenstrong.org.
Membership eligibility includes the ability to make an annual contribution of $10,000. Both individual and corporate memberships are welcomed, and all contributions are tax deductible.