NVCF recently hired Judy Craun as Vice President to direct its activities in Loudoun County, where residents have long partnered with NVCF. Of the $33 million in donor fund assets, more than $7 million currently come from that region. Judy will be working out of the new office with those donors and others to identify the greatest needs in the community and to find the most effective ways to have an impact.

“People think of this as an affluent area,” Judy says, “but we have significant issues around homelessness, affordable housing, access to medical and dental care for the uninsured, literacy, and food for the impoverished and working poor, just to name a few.  The new Loudoun office will continue the work of NVCF to identify community needs and develop community based assets to meet those needs.”  

Judy says donors play a big role in finding the best opportunities for making a difference. Sometimes donors know of a particular nonprofit organization where their funds will have the most impact. Other times, donors will designate a particular field of interest, like homelessness, and rely on NVCF for guidance to help identify the nonprofits working in that field. Donors from Loudoun County in the past have worked with the Northern Virginia Community Foundation to invest in child and youth development, education, homelessness, health and aging, arts and culture, and the environment.

“It’s basically matching the donors with the causes they care about,” Judy says. “We take the worry and the work out of it for donors who are interested in staying involved with their gift, because we can manage it and they don’t have to set up a foundation of their own. This is a way to make sure your gift lives on in perpetuity, and that is an amazing benefit for many donors.”

Eileen Ellsworth, President of The Northern Virginia Community Foundation, says, “Loudoun County has some great philanthropic leaders who have supported us over the years, and they have their ear to the ground. They’re involved and they want to help others get involved.  Having Judy devoted to donor development and relations in Loudoun will maximize NVCF’s impact in the County.”

The new Loudoun office is already in full swing with several new activities to serve donors and other partners in the region. An Advisory Board has already been formed to help NVCF define Loudoun County needs and develop assets to meet those needs. The first major kick-off event and fundraiser to benefit Loudoun nonprofits – For the Love of Loudoun Arts – will be held at the National Convention Center in Lansdowne on May 10.  And in April there will be a “Community Connects” session in Leesburg to introduce donors to Loudoun nonprofits doing important work in our community. 

A Leesburg resident, Judy brings more than 20 years of business and community leadership to this new role. She has been a marketing professional in the construction, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, was marketing director for the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce and worked for Congressman Frank Wolf. She was part of the effort to form the Public Arts Commission in the town of Leesburg and now chairs that Commission.

“Trying to make my community a better place for all of our citizens is very important to me,” Judy says, “So I’m really excited to work in this new way with all the nonprofits and other community leaders in the area to find new ways to have an impact.”

If you are interested in making a gift to NVCF or setting up a donor advised fund or if you know of other community leaders Judy should meet with, contact her at 703-399-6668.