In this Issue: Emergency Food and Shelter Funding Distributed
Humanities Grants | Rashida Hodge Joins CFVI Board | Virtual Giving Tree
CFVI 2020 Financial Report | Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund Award
Grantee Highlights | And much more!
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$578,970 Distributed to 12 USVI Organizations for
Emergency Food and Shelter Programs in the Territory
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Twelve organizations throughout the USVI received reimbursements totaling $578,970 as a result of providing emergency food and/or shelter programs in the territory during the period of January 1, 2020 through October 31, 2021.
"CFVI was thrilled to work with FEMA and our community partners to ensure that this important opportunity was made available to support the children and families of the USVI," said CFVI President, Dee Baecher-Brown.
The funds were distributed directly to the agencies by the national EFSP. CFVI administered the program and served as chair of a local USVI board which reviewed the applications. In order to be eligible, applicants had to be nonprofit organizations, churches, or units of government that have demonstrated the ability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs.
The reimbursements were funded through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the federally-funded Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP).
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CFVI Awards $200,000 in Humanities Grants |
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CFVI awarded $200,000 in humanities grants, with funding provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the emergency and ongoing funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP).
The latest grants represent a third round of funding that CFVI has been able to provide to USVI organizations since the beginning of its partnership with NEH. The total amount distributed is more than $830,000.
CFVI applied for and was awarded NEH funding from the ARP Act that the Foundation sub-awarded to eligible entities throughout the USVI to support operations of humanities organizations as well as humanities programming and activities.
For the list of grantees and to read more, click here.
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St. Thomas Native Rashida Hodge Named to CFVI Board |
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CFVI welcomes St. Thomas native Rashida A. Hodge to its Board of Directors. Currently, Hodge leads the Data and AI Customer Success Worldwide Commercial Business at Microsoft accelerating data-driven digital transformation for customers through a differentiated and connected customer experience.
Hodge's Caribbean upbringing gave her respect for strong communities, mentorship and the power of diversity. Knowing “we all stand on the shoulders of giants,” she is firmly committed to developing next-generation leaders and creating opportunities for women and minorities in engineering.
Hodge earned a BS and MS in Industrial Engineering at North Carolina State University and an MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business. She was named to Fortune 40 Under 40 in technology in 2020 and 2021 Women in Tech by NCTECH.
In addition to CFVI, Hodge sits on the boards of Misty Robotics; Girls Inc.; Duke University Fuqua School of Business Minority Advisory Board; and North Carolina University College of Engineering Foundation.
Hodge was recently featured in a Virgin Islands Daily News article highlighting her involvement with Black Women on Boards. Hodge met up with the group in New York recently to ring the Nasdaq opening bell in honor of Patricia Roberts Harris, who became the first Black woman on a Fortune 500 board in 1971. Read the full article here.
Rotating off the CFVI board is Cheryl Heffernan and Claire Starkey. Heffernan served on the board from 2016-2021 and Starkey from 2011-2021.
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$115,450 Distributed to 27 USVI Nonprofits |
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The Virtual Giving Tree Project, launched in November 2021 by CFVI, once again brightened the holidays for nonprofit organizations throughout the territory. The project distributed $115,540 to 27 USVI nonprofits to support holiday-related needs for children, youth, families and seniors.
More than $66,000 in donations from generous private donors and the general public provided additional dollars to funds at CFVI allocated to the project.
"We couldn't be more grateful to everyone who donated," said CFVI President, Dee Baecher-Brown. "The fact that we were able to double the amount of donations from our inaugural Virtual Giving Tree project speaks to the overwhelming amount of love and support that exists in our Virgin Islands."
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Kendon James of Grenada Receives Award for
Outstanding Environmental Leadership in the Insular Caribbean
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The Advisory Committee of the Euan P. McFarlane Environmental Leadership Award of CFVI announced the selection of Kendon James (pictured) of Grenada for receipt of the 2021 McFarlane Award, in recognition of his important work as a dedicated and passionate environmentalist.
Recipients of the McFarlane Award are recognized as individuals who have applied themselves to the preservation of the natural or built environment in the insular Caribbean and who demonstrate an appreciation of and support for the advancement of environmental stewardship and balanced development in the Caribbean. More recently, they are also individuals who are 30 years of age or younger, as the award now focuses on emerging young leaders and on the achievements of a new generation of Caribbean trailblazers.
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Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund Award |
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Partners at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) in St. Thomas and the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in Tortola jointly received the 2021 Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund Award.
Principal investigators from the U.S. Virgin Islands are affiliated with UVI’s Center for Marine and Environmental Studies: Dr. Kristin Wilson Grimes, Research Assistant Professor, and Allie Durdall, Watershed and Marine Specialist at the Center. In the British Virgin Islands, the project will be coordinated by Susan Zaluski, who heads the Centre for Applied Marine Studies at HLSCC.
Established at CFVI in 2003, the Judith A. Towle Environmental Studies Fund supports studies and activities that address environmental concerns that transcend the boundaries of any single island or island state in the insular Caribbean.
The joint proposal submitted by UVI and HLSCC has been selected to receive $7,000 to support the establishment of a mangrove restoration learning exchange of students and professionals from the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Proposals were also received from Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, and Trinidad.
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Building Forward to a Better Tomorrow
2022 Angels Giving Campaign
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The CFVI Angels community is the largest philanthropic network in the territory. Since 1999, Angels have provided $7.3 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. Since the arrival of the pandemic in March 2020, CFVI has provided nearly $6.5 million in grants and services to the territory.
This year’s CFVI Angels campaign is also an opportunity to celebrate the life of Frank M. Halley. Frank was a colleague, a friend and a “forever” Angel. When Frank passed away last December, CFVI received a generous gift from his estate which guaranteed Frank’s CFVI Angel support for many years to come. To learn more about the Mahogany Legacy Society, view the brochure and estate planning flyer. If you are interested in including CFVI in your future plans, please do let us know by filling out and returning a letter of intent.
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Help us continue to bring positive change and enrich
the quality of life in the Virgin Islands.
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Together we can do great things.
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Leap and Learn Academy
CFVI awarded a grant to Leap and Learn Academy St. Croix to provide support for 17 low income students ages 3-12 to attend their six week summer camp for free. The camp had new themes each week focused on STEAM education, financial literacy, cultural arts, coding, environmental preservation, and wellness.
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Marine Vocational Program
CFVI provided a grant to the Marine Vocational Program - Virgin Islands, with support from the Baebler Family Fund and Alexander A. Farrelly Milestone Fund, to provide operating support for a youth summer program focused on training students in marine and hospitality vocational skills. Students ages 10-18 participated in water activities such as sailing, snorkeling, boat handling, and fishing, and classroom activities included discussion and online research on topics such as career opportunities, weather patterns, sailing, boat handling and boating safety.
CFVI extends sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of MVP Program Director, Captain Jimmy Loveland, on his recent passing.
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Align Community - USVI
CFVI provided a grant to Align Community - USVI to conduct a six-week, in-person summer camp for 16 boys ages 6-12. The camp provided a strong emphasis on math and reading skills, tutorial and enrichment activities, and daily recreation and provided breakfast and lunch daily. Noteworthy field trips included East End Marine Park, UVI Agricultural Experiment Stations Animal Science Area, and Fort Frederiksted, where participants learned about agriculture, VI history, and the island's natural resources.
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All Saints Cathedral School
CFVI awarded a grant to All Saints Cathedral School to implement a summer program. Students were able to strengthen reading, math, and art skills along with enjoying educational field trips to Tropical Treasure Hunt Co., Common Tides Marine Program, and Water Island. One major success of the program was the cooking classes where the children enjoyed cooking and learning about local cuisine.
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Fireburn Foundation
CFVI awarded a grant to the Fireburn Foundation, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, to complete production of a documentary that explores the folklore, history, social and economic ramifications of the historical event known as Fireburn, and promote it as a tool for cultural preservation and education that speaks to the heritage and resilience of Virgin Islanders. The film has already been accepted into 12 film festivals and was even picked up for distribution with a company that specializes in promoting documentaries to educational institutions because of its merit as a teaching tool in the areas of human rights, women rights, ethnic studies, history and regional studies.
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Want more grantee highlights? We post weekly on social media and our website! |
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CFVI 2020 Financial Report | At a Glance
CFVI's Financial Statements are audited annually by an independent, certified public accounting firm. As part of our commitment and dedication to fiscal responsibility, transparency and careful stewardship of donor contributions, we produce our annual financial report document, which provides an overview of the past two years.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
CFVI 2022-2023 Scholarship Applications Available in March
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The CFVI 2022-23 academic scholarship application will be open in mid to late March at cfvi.co/ScholarshipPortal. An official announcement will be made via CFVI's website and social media outlets, and through a press release to local media outlets. The deadline to submit applications is May 15, 2022. Final decisions will be made by late July/early August at the latest.
In 2021, CFVI awarded more than $139,000 in scholarships to 58 Virgin Islands students.
Consistent with the Foundation’s mission to enhance the quality of life for children, youth, and families in the territory by making enriching opportunities attainable, funds for the scholarships are provided through generous donors to CFVI.
If you are interested in donating to an existing scholarship fund, or establishing a new scholarship fund, contact CFVI at general.info@cfvi.net.
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Share Virtue of the Week with Others! |
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Do you know someone who would like to receive the Virtue of the Week? Simply forward this email to them and they can sign up by clicking on the button below.
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.
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CFVI is an Amazon Smile Charity |
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Did you know that CFVI is 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.
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CFVI a Participating Charity in Combined Federal Campaign |
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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.
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CFVI Combined Federal Campaign Information:
CFC Sunshine Zone 22
CFC# 45789
EIN 66-0470703
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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.
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New Funds, Fiscal Sponsorships and Grants
New Funds/Fiscal Sponsorships/Donor Advised Funds
BoltNagi Charitable Trust
New Grants Received
Edward S. Moore Foundation
Liberty Foundation
Lana Vento Charitable Trust
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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!
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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. |
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CFVI Staff
President
Grants & Programs Manager
Accountant
Communications Manager
Development & Donor Relations Manager
Executive Manager
Staff Accountant & Office Administrator
CFVI is a proud member of the
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UPDATE! CFVI Office Hours
Please call or email us before visiting the CFVI office as our hours fluctuate
due to the ongoing pandemic.
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5150 Dronningens Gade, Ste. 1, St. Thomas, VI 00802
cfvi.net | general.info@cfvi.net | 340.774.6031
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