In this Issue: Youth Summer Program Grants | Scholarships | We're Hiring!
Drive-Thru Book Giveaway | CFVI Logo Gets a Facelift | The Virtues Project
Grantee Highlights | And much more!
|
|
CFVI Awards 2021 Youth Summer Program Grants
The Foundation has distributed $336,637 to 25 USVI organizations
|
|
Campers shake the percussion rattles they made during the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts' 16-day Theater, Music and Social Justice camp, which taught 15 adolescents ages 10 to 13 years about music, theater, drumming, African crafts and the meaning of social justice. (photo by Susan Ellis)
|
|
The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) is pleased to announce that it has awarded more than $336,000 in summer program grants to 25 USVI organizations to support a variety of programs serving children and older youth throughout the territory.
Of the total, more than $137,000 was distributed throughout the St. Thomas/St. John district and more than $152,000 on St. Croix. In addition, $47,000 was designated for territory-wide programs.
Funding priority was focused on applicants who were able to demonstrate the ability to serve children of lower-income families, essential workers, and other families experiencing COVID-related challenges.
|
|
CFVI Awards $139,065 in Scholarships to 58 Virgin Islands Students
The Foundation has distributed more than $3.2 million in scholarships since 1996
|
|
Aisha Griffin of St. Thomas is a graduate student attending Boston University School of Medicine to study Cell/Cellular Biology. She was awarded a $5,000 CAHS Physician Alumni Scholarship. |
|
St. Leo University nursing student, Ky'Onique Thompson of St. Croix, was awarded one of the $2,500 Heavy Materials Scholarships. |
|
CFVI has awarded $139,065 in scholarship awards to 58 Virgin Islands students for its 2021-22 academic scholarship cycle.
“At CFVI, we are committed to fulfilling our mission of enhancing the quality of life for children, youth, and families in the territory, and ultimately, that's exactly what these scholarships do," said Kafi Blumenfield, Chair of CFVI’s Scholarship Committee and member of the CFVI Board of Directors. "Since 1996, CFVI has provided more than $3.2 million in scholarships to our talented and dedicated Virgin Islands students. We congratulate each and every one of this year's deserving scholarship recipients and are deeply grateful to our volunteer review committee for their time and dedication," she said.
PHOTO CAPTION: Hezekiah George of St. Thomas is attending Bradley University to study Music Performance. He was awarded one of the $2,500 Prior Family Foundation Performing Arts Scholarships.
This year’s scholarship recipients will use their financial support to attend schools such as Berklee College of Music, Boston University, Culinary Institute of America, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Howard, Penn State, Savannah College of Art and Design, Temple, University of Georgia, University of Miami, and the University of the Virgin Islands, among many others.
|
|
Drive-Thru Book Giveaway Distributes More Than 900 Books Throughout the USVI |
|
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and limited access to the physical Little Free Library (LFL) units throughout the territory, our LFL team shifted their approach in making high-quality reading materials available to the community. As a result, the USVI LFL Initiative, in partnership with CFVI and the USVI Department of Tourism, hosted a free drive-thru book giveaway on all three islands for children from birth to 15 years of age. |
|
CFVI Relaunches The Virtues Project in the USVI
Program aims at inspiring a territory-wide revolution of kindness, justice and integrity
|
|
CFVI has relaunched The Virtues Project, a global grassroots initiative to inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life, sparking a global revolution of kindness, justice, and integrity in more than 100 countries.
The Project defines virtues as "the essence of the human spirit and the content of our character."
"The mission of The Virtues Project is to inspire people of all cultures to remember who we really are, what we aspire to be, and to live by our highest values," said CFVI President Dee Baecher-Brown.
|
|
Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund at CFVI
Accepting Applications for 2021 Funding
APPLICATION DEADLINE: September 30, 2021
|
|
CFVI has announced the availability of funding to support studies and activities in the insular Caribbean that address environmental concerns which transcend the boundaries of a single island or island state. Funded by the Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund at CFVI, up to $7,000 is available to support activities that include internships, research studies, workshops, seminars, lectureships, citizen science, or publications.
The Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund was established at CFVI in 2003, in recognition of the work, interests, and commitment of Judith Ann Towle to increase environmental awareness in the Eastern Caribbean. Grants will be awarded based on the potential of the proposed project to promote an innovative and integrated approach to addressing shared environmental concerns across island boundaries, and for projects that contribute to transboundary solutions for environmental problems that threaten long-term environmental sustainability.
|
|
CFVI Logo Gets a Facelift |
|
CFVI's logo is the most important visual element of our brand. Just as the organization has evolved over the years, we wanted our logo to reflect that growth. So what better time to do that then following the Foundation’s 30th Anniversary, which was celebrated in December 2020? Since CFVI’s logo is well-established and recognized in the community, we wanted to build on our traditional design. The new logo is based on the previous version, but still significantly refined. In general, the logo's lines, colors and fonts have been enhanced and adjusted for a more professional and modern look and feel.
Through the redesign, our intention was to breathe new life into our logo, our brand, and the Foundation as a whole to lead us confidently into our next 30 years and beyond. Our re-imagined logo has an inherent energy that reflects our commitment to and the positive spirit behind the work we do as we continue to build forward here in our beloved U.S. Virgin Islands.
Special thanks to local USVI design firm, Soleil Creative, for helping us come up with the new look.
|
|
Wanted: People With Passion
The kind that helps amplify joy, create connections, nurture nonprofits and strengthen communities throughout the entire U.S. Virgin Islands.
If you’re ready to work hard to help make our territory thrive,
we’re ready to hear from you.
It's not a job. It's a joy.
Know any rockstars? We're growing and looking for two community-minded, dedicated, enthusiastic, dynamic, and collaborative team members
ready to make a difference:
|
|
CFVI Receives $50,000 Grant from Liberty Foundation
Subawards to USVI nonprofits support education, arts and culture,
environmental protection and social wellbeing
|
|
CFVI received a $50,000 grant from the Liberty Foundation, which is being used to support education, arts and culture, environmental protection and social wellbeing in the USVI. Liberty Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Liberty Communications, which serves mobile customers in the U.S. Virgin Islands since the acquisition of AT&T’s operations in the territory in October 2020.
Thanks to the funding, CFVI has made grants in the four pillar areas outlined by Liberty Foundation: education, arts and culture, environmental protection, and social health/wellbeing. Specifically, subawards totaling $50,000 have been provided to Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands' Queen Louise Home for Children, Nana Baby Children's Home, Virgin Islands Volunteer Advocates for Children, UVI Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service, Boys and Girls Clubs St. Thomas/St. John, and Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts.
|
|
2021 Angels Giving Campaign
Donation Deadline to be a 2021 Angel: August 31, 2021
|
|
The CFVI Angels community is the largest philanthropic network in the Territory. Since 1999, Angels have provided more than $6.6 million in unrestricted funding from individual and business donors who contribute $500 or more annually to the Foundation.
Angel gifts directly contribute to the well-being of our Virgin Islands community. In 2019, nearly $5 million in direct support was provided by CFVI to organizations and individuals in the areas of community programs and services, health and human services, children and family programs, education, and the environment.
|
|
Help us continue this important work! Will you be a 2021 Angel and be a part of Building Forward to a better tomorrow in our Virgin Islands? |
|
CFVI Supports MBW's New Heavy Materials Certification Program |
|
CFVI President Dee Brown and CFVI Communications Manager Sean Liphard (middle) learn more about the new Heavy Equipment Program at My Brother's Workshop (MBW) from MBW Founder and Program Director, Scott Bradley (left) and several of the students. The program is supported by a CFVI grant through funding from Cruzan Rum's Island Spirit Fund. To read an article in The St. Thomas Source about the program, click here.
|
|
Love City Strong
CFVI provided a $150,000 grant to Love City Strong, Inc. from the Fund for the Virgin Islands to support a continuation of mold mitigation and remediation work in homes on St. John through their home rebuild program, including the cost of building supplies as well as mold training and educational seminars for the public. Due to challenges caused by the pandemic, grant funds were also used to provide PPE and locally made face masks to residents and visitors to St. John, provide customized emergency hygiene kits to seniors on all three islands, and to provide free meals and groceries to families and seniors.
|
|
Coral Bay Community Council
CFVI provided a virtual learning support grant to Coral Bay Community Council (CBCC) from the Building Forward Fund to support a tutoring program at the Calabash Boom Affordable Housing Community Center on St. John. The program provides a full-day, safe learning environment where students who need assistance with virtual learning can work on their classwork and assignments with the help of tutors. The program will continue through the end of the school year.
|
|
Children's Museum of St. Croix
Check out The Children's Museum of St. Croix's newly wrapped van! CFVI provided a grant to the museum to purchase the van and get it wrapped for mobile pop-up events. The design was inspired by the winner of a student art contest.
|
|
St. John Historical Society
Thanks to the Edward L. Towle Fund for Sustainable Islands, CFVI provided a grant to the St. John Historical Society to create "An Historical Walking Map of Cruz Bay." The map was developed and created by the board of the St. John Historical Society to lead people around Cruz Bay Town on an historical journey at their own pace by following the numbers to the designated properties and sites. The full color 18”x12” map has explanations of architecture, notes about famous and noteworthy local heroes from the ages, pictures of Cruz Bay from the past, and a timeline of the establishment of the town.
|
|
Sing St. John
We promise this will make your day! Check out the song/video "Kids Can Make a Difference," produced during Sing St. John's Voices on Zoom summer camp (proudly supported by CFVI's Henry U. Wheatley Fund). Enjoy!
|
|
Want more grantee highlights? We post weekly on social media and our website! |
|
CFVI is an Amazon Smile Charity |
|
GREAT NEWS! CFVI is now an Amazon Smile charity!
Shop at smile.amazon.com, select Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands as your charity, and Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to CFVI—no fees, no extra cost. Same products, same prices, same service.
|
|
CFVI a Participating Charity in Combined Federal Campaign |
|
The mission of the CFC is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.
CFC is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with almost 200 CFC campaigns throughout the country and overseas raising millions of dollars each year. Pledges made by Federal civilian, postal and military donors during the campaign season supports eligible non-profit organizations, like CFVI, that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world.
|
|
CFVI Combined Federal Campaign Information:
CFC Sunshine Zone 22
CFC# 45789
EIN 66-0470703
|
|
For Grantees: Grant Recognition Guidelines
We appreciate an acknowledgement of your grant from CFVI in whatever ways are within your organization’s communications capabilities. We encourage you to send us press releases or copies of publications or media coverage that mentions your grant. Please refer to the CFVI Grant Recognition Guidelines for more information, or contact Sean Liphard, CFVI Communications Manager, at seanl@cfvi.net.
|
|
New Funds, Fiscal Sponsorships and Grants
New Funds/Fiscal Sponsorships/Donor Advised Funds
Virgin Islands Center of Arts & Technology (VICAT) Fiscal Sponsorship
VI Crawl Fiscal Sponsorship
32 Squared Donor Advised Fund
Valerie E. Hodge Scholarship Fund
Robert and Maureen Sievers Family Charitable Gift Fund
New Grants Received
National Endowment for the Humanities - American Rescue Plan
Island Foundation (for Marine Rebuild Fiscal Sponsorship)
|
|
Spread the Good News!
Help us spread the word about the important work CFVI is supporting throughout our U.S. Virgin Islands. Forward this newsletter to your colleagues, friends and family, and invite them to follow us on social media and join our mailing list!
|
|
We are proud to have earned Guidestar's Platinum Seal of Transparency by sharing our key metrics and highlighting the impact we’re making. |
We are proud to have earned the Charity Navigator 4-Star Rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency. |
We are proud to be a vetted organization by GlobalGiving, which recognizes CFVI as a trusted partner and change-maker in the world. |
|
CFVI Staff
President
Communications Manager
Executive Manager
Accountant
Staff Accountant and Office Administrator
CFVI is a proud member of the
|
|
CFVI Office Hours
Due to the ongoing pandemic, CFVI staff continues to work remotely Monday through Thursday and goes into the office on Fridays.
If you need to reach us, please email general.info@cfvi.net.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
