Community Foundation for Northern Virginia

What Community Foundation for Northern Virginia does

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt community foundation founded in 1978 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, serving Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, and Manassas Park. It operates as a regional philanthropic platform that stewards charitable capital on behalf of donors, distributes grants and scholarships to local nonprofits and students, and conducts community research and convening. As of FY2025, CFNOVA manages 284 donor-established funds with $100 million in managed philanthropic assets and a $30.7 million Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia, awarding $9.4 million in grants and scholarships to more than 300 nonprofits and approximately 150 students.

CFNOVA's product surface spans donor-advised funds ($10,000 minimum), designated funds, field-of-interest funds ($25,000 minimum), donor-managed and foundation-managed scholarship funds ($50,000 and $100,000 minimums respectively), customized grantmaking funds ($150,000–$200,000), and externally managed funds ($250,000+). Operating technology is non-proprietary: the foundation uses an fcsuite.com donor portal, a grantinterface.com grant application portal, and Goldman Sachs as pooled investment manager (charging 0.35% annually). The differentiating internal asset is Insight Region®, a data and research center publishing regional reports on economic mobility, mental health, aging, food insecurity, and minority-owned business demographics.

Revenue mechanics are unconventional for a commercial enterprise. The foundation generates operating revenue from tiered Foundation Support Fees ($250 minimum annual, $250 one-time setup), Goldman Sachs investment management fees on pooled assets, and net contribution inflows. Donations flow through donor-advised funds, designated funds, scholarship funds, giving circles (Business Women's Giving Circle, Loudoun Impact Fund), and the unrestricted Permanent Fund. The primary GTM motion is community- and event-led: an annual Raise the Region Gala (700+ attendees, raising $730,000+ in 2024) anchors major-gift cultivation; the Shape of the Region Conference, Insight Region briefings, and Professional Advisors Network drive fund-partner acquisition; and the We're Good Podcast, InsideNoVa media partnership, LinkedIn/Instagram/Venmo channels, and Insight Region research briefs support top-of-funnel awareness. Corporate partnerships (ANSER, Inova, Peraton, Truist) supply gala sponsorship and corporate giving-fund vehicles rather than core revenue.

Name

Community Foundation for Northern Virginia

Legal name

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia

Website

https://cfnova.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA) is a 501(c)(3) community foundation founded in 1978 that stewards 284 donor-established funds and $100M+ in philanthropic assets, awarding $9.4M+ annually in grants and scholarships across Northern Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mclean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Support Fees: CFNOVA charges a tiered Foundation Support Fee based on fund type and size, with a minimum annual fee of $250. There is also a one-time setup fee of $250 to establish a fund. These fees cover responsible fund management, personalized donor support, important research, and community leadership initiatives.
2. Investment Management Fees: Funds invested in CFNOVA's pooled account are managed by Goldman Sachs, which charges 0.35% annually. Endowed funds are invested in the pooled portfolio while non-endowed funds can also be invested upon request.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The foundation receives donations from individuals, families, and businesses through its various fund vehicles (donor-advised funds, designated funds, field-of-interest funds, scholarship funds, and the Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia).
4. Scholarship Fund Setup and Administration: Donor-Managed Scholarship Funds require a minimum of $50,000 to establish; Foundation-Managed Scholarship Funds require $100,000 minimum, with the foundation administering the fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CFNOVA is a regional community foundation that stewards charitable funds for individuals, families, and businesses through donor-advised, designated, field-of-interest, and scholarship fund vehicles. It deploys the invested capital as competitive grants and scholarships to local nonprofits and students across Northern Virginia, supported by its Insight Region® research center and professional advisor network.

Product overview

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia (CFNOVA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit philanthropic organization offering a platform of charitable giving products and services. The core offering centers on fund stewardship through Donor-Advised Funds, Designated Funds, Field-of-Interest Funds, and Scholarship Funds. CFNOVA manages grant programs including Community Investment Funds (CIF), Environment Fund, Ross-Roberts Fund for the Arts, Healthy Kids Grants, Micron STEM Opportunity Fund, and NOVA Parks Outdoor Kids Grants. The Foundation also operates the $30.7 million Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia as its unrestricted endowment. Community leadership is supported through the Insight Region research center, the annual Raise the Region Gala, and the Shape of the Region Conference. CFNOVA serves the Northern Virginia region covering Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, and Manassas Park, awarding over $9.4 million in grants and scholarships in FY2025 across 284 donor-established funds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Insight Region®: Data and research center dedicated to understanding the unique needs, trends, and opportunities within Northern Virginia's neighborhoods, towns, and cities—helping donors and partners make informed, effective decisions.
• Community Investment Funds
• Raise the Region Gala

Products and services

• Donor-Advised Funds
• Designated Funds
• Field-of-Interest Funds
• Scholarship Funds
• Community Investment Funds
• Environment Fund
• Ross-Roberts Fund for the Arts
• Healthy Kids Grants
• Micron STEM Opportunity Fund
• NOVA Parks Outdoor Kids Grants
• Our Children Fund
• Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia
• Insight Region®
• Professional Advisors Network
• Giving Circles

Quantifiable outcome

• $10 million+ awarded in grants and scholarships in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ANSERcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2025ANSER partnered with CFNOVA through the ANSER Community Giving Fund, a corporate giving vehicle that makes grants to nonprofits in communities where ANSER employees live and work. The inaugural grant cycle honored long-time board member Tom Apperson.
• PeratoncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 October 2022Peraton, a tech and cybersecurity firm based in Herndon, Virginia, sponsored the 2022 Raise the Region Gala. With headquarters in Northern Virginia and over 5,000 employees in the DC metro area, Peraton shares CFNOVA's commitment to community building and sponsors the gala to connect with the community and advance shared values around military, education, and innovation.
• Northern Virginia Regional Park AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFNOVA partners with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority on multiple named funds including the 1863 Fund, Winkler Botanical Preserve Endowment, NOVA Parks Endowment for Temple Hall Farm Regional Park, The NOVA Parks Capital Endowment, NOVA Parks Fund, NOVA Parks Outdoor Kids Fund, and Plant NOVA Natives Fund.
• United CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFNOVA partnered with United Community on the COMMUN1TY+ Initiative, a project aligning resources to support communities based on needs expressed by residents of Mount Vernon and along the Route 1 Corridor. CFNOVA previously awarded $95,000 to United Community to support financial wellbeing programs.
• George Mason University (Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFNOVA's Innovation Fund awarded a $40,000 grant to George Mason University's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Food Depot to support a community of innovators and entrepreneurs.
• Northern Virginia Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFNOVA partners with the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce on the Champions for Accountability initiative, recognizing employers committed to diversity data collection and action on leadership demographics.
• Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce; Asian American Chamber of Commerce; Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; NOVA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Virginia Asian Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFNOVA awarded grants totaling $43,000 to five area Chambers of Commerce to support minority-owned businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery period.
• We're Good PodcastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCFNOVA is a presenting partner of the We're Good Podcast, which features stories of local nonprofits and community changemakers. Episodes highlight CFNOVA grantees and community impact.
• InsideNoVaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsideNoVa is a media partner of the Raise the Region Gala and covers CFNOVA news and community impact stories.
• InsideNOVA; Northern Virginia Family ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFNOVA collaborated with InsideNOVA and Northern Virginia Family Services to collate perspectives from real Northern Virginians for the 'Getting By' research report on economic hardship in the region.
• Business Women's Giving CirclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn established giving circle at CFNOVA that engages women in collective philanthropy. Announced 2025 grants to make STEM opportunities impact in 2026, including a grant to Technology Youth Empowerment.
• Loudoun Impact FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA giving circle collaborative between CFNOVA and the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties, awarding grants to Loudoun nonprofits. In 2025, awarded $246,000 to Loudoun nonprofits through collaboration with Creighton Gives.
• Creighton GivesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with the Loudoun Impact Fund to award grants to Loudoun nonprofits, including a $246,000 collaborative grant cycle in 2025.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Pittsburgh Foundation: Mid-sized regional community foundation of comparable AUM scale with similar DAF, scholarship, and discretionary grantmaking programs. Useful benchmark for fund types, fee structure, and grant deployment velocity.
• California Community Foundation: Established regional community foundation with comparable DAF, scholarship, and research programming. Similar mix of donor-advised funds, competitive grant cycles, and regional data/research initiatives for donor decision-making.
• Cleveland Foundation: One of the oldest U.S. community foundations with comparable grantmaking, scholarship, and donor-advised fund programs. Useful peer for understanding mid-sized community foundation governance and stewardship economics.
• Seattle Foundation: Regional community foundation of comparable AUM scale with similar DAF, grantmaking, scholarship, and donor services offerings. Strong benchmark for tech-affluent donor base engagement and program design.
• Greater Washington Community Foundation: Direct peer community foundation serving the broader DC metro region with donor-advised funds, grantmaking, and regional research. Comparable product offerings (DAFs, designated funds, scholarships) and overlapping donor pool in Northern Virginia suburbs.
• Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties: Direct regional peer operating a community foundation in adjacent Northern Virginia counties. CFNOVA already partners with them on the Loudoun Impact Fund giving circle, confirming near-identical service model, donor profiles, and grantmaking scope.

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Charitable: Largest U.S. donor-advised fund sponsor with a national, digital-first platform. Competes directly with CFNOVA for DAF donors in Northern Virginia; key benchmark for fee structure, digital UX, and grant recommendation flow.
• Schwab Charitable: Major national donor-advised fund sponsor with comparable DAF product, fee model, and donor experience. Direct competitive overlap for high-net-worth and advisor-referred donors in the NoVa market.
• The Chicago Community Trust: Larger, established community foundation in a major metro with overlapping products (DAFs, scholarships, regional research, impact investing). Comparable business model and customer segments but meaningfully larger AUM and broader geographic mandate.

Emerging players

• National Philanthropic Trust: Donor-advised fund sponsor offering DAF and specialized giving vehicles nationally. Comparable on the DAF product side but with less emphasis on regional community leadership and convening.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityFoundationforNOVA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cfnova
• Instagraminstagram.com/communityfoundationfornova/?hl=en

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation for Northern Virginia