Testimonials

Alexandria Sportsman’s Club Scholarship Fund

Ten times a year, the Alexandria Sportsman’s Club recognizes local Alexandria high school athletes for their performance on the field and in the classroom, and to award scholarships. It’s a long tradition that began in 1947, but the Club had never taken the logical next step of becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit, a fact that hampered its fundraising. Then, a couple of years ago, the Club decided it was time. John Villar, then-President of the Club, learned that instead of spending hours and energy establishing its own 501(c)3, the Club could set up a donor advised fund under ACT and leverage ACT’s nonprofit status. “Why reinvent the wheel?” Plus, John says, “We know the money we place there is safe and in good hands.” With their new ability to attract larger donations, the Club has since been able to increase its scholarship awards. “It’s helped us tremendously.”

Bruhn Morris Family Fund

Lori Morris was one of ACT’s founding board members and along with her husband Nigel, established an ACT donor-advised fund. The family is particularly interested in issues that affect young children and their futures, such as education and child abuse. So not surprisingly, Lori sees the Center for Alexandria’s Children as a prime example of what ACT can accomplish. “No one individual or family could have funded or created the Center. It took the power of having many agencies and people pull together.” Collaboration makes all the difference. “Because of ACT,” Lori says, “we are seeing sustainable, systemic change here. ACT brings the right people to the table in a collaborative spirit and follows through. Things get done.”

Collis Warner Foundation Fund

From their first contact with ACT, Lisa Collis and her husband, Senator Mark Warner, were impressed by ACT’s “commitment to increasing the effectiveness of philanthropy in Alexandria,” and established a donor-advised fund with ACT. For them, ACT represented a good avenue for building their own local philanthropy, which focuses on children’s, health and education services. The family also donates to ACT’s unrestricted funds, and Lisa is active on the ACT committee that awards capacity-building grants to local nonprofits. “Knowing that through our giving we’re doing something to improve the nonprofit organizations in Alexandria,” Lisa says, “brings a real sense of accomplishment.” ACT programs, grants, and efforts to connect nonprofits are all very effective strategies, she says. “There’s a synergy not in just in terms of the money, but coming together as a community to work in a really smart way. It’s a great organization.”

Paul Weeks II Fund

Alexandria Seaport Foundation’s Managing Director, Paul Weeks, was an extraordinary man. When he passed away in 2005, his many friends came together to create a vibrant legacy for his name and the man he was — a memorial that would annually fund a Foundation apprenticeship and honor an apprentice who shared Paul’s qualities. Through its boat-building apprenticeships, the Foundation helps young people turn their lives around. To keep the focus on Paul, the Foundation established his memorial as a separate, designated, donor-advised fund through ACT. Foundation Executive Director Joe Youcha says that because of ACT, the mechanics of the fund “are pretty much headache free.” As important as the convenience ACT offers, though, is its role in coordinated giving. Joe says that in his almost two decades in the area, “ACT is the single biggest step forward I’ve seen in Alexandria’s philanthropic community.”