About the Initiative
The needs of Alexandrians are rapidly changing and evolving. This initiative is intended to nimbly respond to those needs and increase our community’s capacity to aid neighbors seeking stable financial footing and a brighter future.
The Community Support Initiative builds off our commitment to amplify the work of the community by bringing people and resources together. We will ensure that the initiative also aligns with our strategic priorities:
- Support the economic well-being of all Alexandrians, especially those struggling to afford the basic necessities
- Build the capacity and effectiveness of Alexandria’s nonprofit community, especially those responding to the humanitarian and social service needs of Alexandrians
The Community Support Initiative will focus on the following activities:
Convenings: Opportunities for nonprofit leaders to learn, share and take action
During the COVID pandemic, we learned that regular convenings among nonprofit leaders build trusts, support collaboration, and ensure the resilience of the social safety net. At the request from more than 40 nonprofit leaders, ACT will host a quarterly CEO roundtable. We will also convene a biweekly Community Resource & Resilience Working Group that features real-time updates from City officials and nonprofit leaders about the impacts of federal policies and supports timely coordination and collaboration.
Communications: Timely information and resource sharing
ACT is hosting Connected Alexandria, a technology platform to coordinate timely and accurate communication and share important resources such as “know your rights” trainings, funding opportunities, updates on Executive Orders, etc. This was a result of nonprofits sharing their desire for a safe, peer-to-peer platform.
The Community Fund: Grants to support building the capacity of Alexandria nonprofits
This capacity building grant funding will prioritize organizations that support the economic well-being of Alexandrians. Funding requests could include supporting strategic alliances and partnerships, mergers, sharing back-office operations, organizations working together in new ways, etc.
Advocacy: Helping our community understand how changes in policies impact our neighbors
This will build on our strengths in being a champion for the local nonprofit sector, equipping nonprofits with tools for advocacy, and connecting with local lawmakers about issues that matter to Alexandrians.
Thriving Together: A Plan for Economic Mobility: We envision a future rooted in our shared prosperity where every Alexandrian thrives. Economic development and economic mobility go hand-in-hand. Businesses and residents prosper when we invest in the human services that provide the foundation for the well-being of Alexandria residents and workers who power our economy.
A thriving economy depends on a stable, supported workforce. ACT is challenging the City to make bold, sustained commitments that will stabilize families, expand pathways to economic mobility, and strengthen nonprofits’ ability to make a difference in our communities.
Thriving Together: A Plan for Economic Mobility (ACT’s 13 Point Economic Mobility Agenda)
NeighborShare ALX: The federal shutdown put thousands of Alexandrians in a tough spot. With 1 in 3 households already unable to cover a $400 emergency, even a short pause in income can lead to a crisis. The shutdown has already irreversibly impacted thousands of people who are now struggling to catch up.
ACT is sponsoring NeighborShare ALX, an online platform that connects neighbors in need with neighbors who can help, right when help is needed most. To learn more, visit: https://www.actforalexandria.org/community-impact/neighborshare-alx/
Download a PDF overview of the Community Support Initiative
Click here to donate to the Community Support Initiative
Resources
Stakeholder Briefing, June 26, 2025
Watch the video here
Stakeholder Briefing: Strengthening & Supporting Our Community in Uncertain Times (March 5, 2025)
Watch the video