In this edition of the CFAAC Community Connector, we share the latest CFAAC news and impact, new CFAAC Board members, and provide updates on scholarships and grants, and valuable insights for professional advisors.

Happy New Year!

Last year was wonderful as we continued to grant $5 to $7 million to our dedicated nonprofits and opened 37 new funds. Your support was amazing and we can’t thank you enough!

Looking back on the past year, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to our four retiring board members. Their hard work and dedication have been instrumental in our accomplishments. The passion and commitment they’ve shown to our community leave an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire us in the future. We are deeply grateful for the countless hours they’ve devoted to support our mission. Thank you Kate Caldwell, Jim Humphrey, Jennifer Pratt, and Karen Whaley for your service. Read more about their incredible impact to CFAAC here.

As we say goodbye, we extend a warm welcome to four new board members whose passion, commitment to the community, and common goal of creating meaningful impact will certainly enhance our team. We look forward to the valuable perspectives and diverse experience they will bring to our board. Please join me in welcoming Aris T. Allen, Jr., Calandra Dixon-Layne, Ed Ponatoski, and Deborah Stark to our board. You can read more about them in this newsletter.

The strength of CFAAC lies in the unity and diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences of our board, and I am confident that together we will continue to make a positive difference in our community.

Best wishes in the New Year, 

Mary Spencer
CFAAC President & CEO

How You Can Make a Difference This Holiday Season
By Mary Spencer, CFAAC President & CEO 

With the season of giving upon us, our thoughts often turn to family, festivities and gifts. As a child, giving usually centers around presents, whatever holiday we celebrate. But as we grow older, giving takes on a whole new meaning. It’s about human connection, time together with loved ones, compassion and gratitude. It’s also a time when many of us feel called to give back, as nonprofits’ requests for support fill our mailboxes, inboxes and text threads. In fact, 30 percent of annual giving occurs in December, with 10 percent of annual giving occurring on the last three days of the year. This year let’s take a step back and look at the many ways of giving that any one of us can do—a holistic approach. 

Community Volunteer

Aris T. Allen, Jr. had a long professional architectural consulting career in both the private and public sector including planning and design of museums, subways, multifamily housing, commercial, medical, religious, and transportation projects with architectural firms in New York City and Washington, D.C. as well as the Smithsonian Institution. After his retirement, he established and operated his design-build-real estate development company. Aris has served as vice chairman of the board of directors at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore. During his tenure, he oversaw the planning and design of the museum. He has also served on other boards including the Anne Arundel Medical Center and the Harrell S. Spruill Foundation, Inc., which focused on youth development and improvement.

Director, Financial Improvement & Audit Remediation, Department of Defense

Calandra Dixon-Layne is the Director, Financial Improvement and Audit Remediation (Senior Executive Service) at the Department of Defense, under the Secretary of Defense Comptroller at the Pentagon. She serves as the principal advisor to the Deputy Chief Financial Officer, spearheading strategic financial improvements, audits, and planning initiatives to uphold the integrity of the department’s enterprise-level financial management. Previously, Calandra was Senior Manager at Risk Advisory Services and Financial Management Service Lines at Grant Thorton, LLP. Calandra, an advocate for women’s empowerment, mentorship, and inclusion and belonging, has extensive community service. As the first African American president in the Junior League of Annapolis’ 40-year history, Calandra championed efforts to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into the culture by leading the adoption of a league-wide Diversity & Inclusion pledge and securing a permanent Diversity and Inclusion Officer on the board.

Operating Executive,
New Mainstream Capital 

Ed Ponatoski is an Operating Executive with New Mainstream Capital (NMS), which supports platforms across the healthcare services sector. He currently serves on the board of NMS Portfolio Company U.S. Foot and Ankle Specialists, and previously served on the board of Anne Arundel Dermatology prior to NMS’s exit. His primary focus is on new market expansion, regulatory representation, and strategic development in the healthcare services end markets. Ed also has experience providing healthcare consulting services to various governmental organizations. Previously, Ed was CEO of the largest independent provider of dermatology services in Maryland (which was acquired by NMS), Senior Partner at Martin-Blanck & Associates, and Principal at SRA International. Ed also served on the Lighthouse Shelter board from the organization’s founding until its relocation in 2010 to Hudson Street in Annapolis. 

Principal, Deborah Roderick Stark and Associates

Deborah Roderick Stark is a nationally recognized expert in child, family, and community well-being. Her work focuses on the intersections between practice, policy, and research to advance access, quality, and equity in early childhood learning and development, infant mental health, maternal and child health, and family engagement. She has more than 30 years of experience working with foundations, public agencies, research centers, the nonprofit community, and legislators. Deborah is the Principal at Deborah Roderick Stark and Associates, a firm that provides research, policy analysis, advocacy, facilitation, strategic planning, and project management to foundations, federal and state agencies, universities, and advocacy organizations to advance equitable outcomes for America’s children. Deborah serves on several boards including the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement, and is a current member of Anne Arundel County’s Early Childhood Childcare Taskforce.

Make a resolution to start your charitable giving early this year! Your support helps CFAAC grant $5-$7 million annually to dedicated nonprofits, strengthening our community. Donate today and help make a lasting impact!

Congratulations to our very own Director of Gift Planning, John Rodenhausen, for receiving his Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) Certification in December. The course requires successful completion of three classes that took approximately one year to complete. 

The American College of Financial Services’ CAP® Program is a graduate-level program that provides specialized knowledge and tools to help participants increase their ability to support clients articulate and advance their highest philanthropic goals for self, family, and society. 

Near the end of 2024, a generous foundation stepped forward with a $20,000 challenge match for our Community Leadership Fund. Every dollar donated during this time period was matched, giving us the chance to double our impact.

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we not only met this challenge, we surpassed it! Your support allows us to continue making a meaningful difference in Anne Arundel County, and we are beyond grateful. We thank you, the foundation that made this possible, and everyone who is part of this amazing community. Your kindness truly changes lives. Thank you.

Lance Corporal
Eric William Herzberg

Lance Corporal
William Taylor Wild, IV

The Lance Corporal Eric William Herzberg and Lance Corporal William Taylor Wild IV Scholarship is now accepting applications. Established in 2014 at CFAAC by anonymous donors, this scholarship honors two fallen Marines—Eric W. Herzberg and Taylor Wild, IV—both residents of Anne Arundel County.

This $10,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior who demonstrates character, quiet leadership, resiliency, and financial need.

Key Details:
- Application deadline: March 19, 2025
- Finalists may be invited to interview with the Selection Committee in early to mid-April.

CFAAC President and CEO Mary Spencer (far left) and  Grants and Scholarship Manager Ros Calvin (far right) were presented with a $25,000 donation by the Wild family. This impressive sum, raised during the Wild family’s annual golf tournament, will support the Herzberg-Wild Memorial Scholarship Fund, continuing their commitment to empowering students through education.

Officer Grant Turner

The Officer Grant Turner Memorial Scholarship Fund, established to honor Officer Grant Turner’s life and passion for baseball, is now accepting applications. This $1,700 scholarship is awarded annually to graduating student-athletes from South River or Crofton High School, as well as members or dependents of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department or the Maryland Diamond/Anne Arundel County Umpires Association. Additional eligibility criteria can be found in the application form. Application deadline: March 19, 2025

Anne Arundel Women Giving Together (AAWGT) is pleased to announce its 2025 Call for Proposals. AAWGT will be awarding operating support grants as well as project support grants, from $5,000 to $25,000, that champion its mission to improve the quality of life for women and families in Anne Arundel County. Grant proposals will be accepted online through Thursday, January 31, 2025 (11:59 PM).

Grant proposals—either for operating support or a project—must address AAWGT's stated mission: "improving the quality of life for women and families in Anne Arundel County." Only 501(c)(3) nonprofits with gross annual revenue of less than $1,000,000 (excluding in-kind revenue) are eligible to apply. Each organization may submit only one application and is eligible to receive only one grant. Additional information concerning AAWGT's grants program, using the online application (required), and guidance on completing the application can be found at www.givingtogether.org/generalgrants.

The Parole Rotary Foundation, Inc. is accepting grant applications through January 31, 2025, for nonprofit organizations serving Anne Arundel County.

The Parole Rotary Foundation Grants Program seeks to serve the needs of children and families in the areas of education, health, and the arts. Grants of up to $3,000 will be awarded for service work, capacity building, and the distribution of goods that directly benefit children.

To apply for a grant, visit the Grants page on parole-rotary.org to download the Parole Rotary Foundation 2025 Grant Application Guidelines.

Questions regarding the Parole Rotary Foundation grants can be addressed to the Grants Committee at ParoleRotaryGrants@gmail.com.

AAEPC membership registration is open! Current members can renew anytime between now and March 1.

Give yourself the gift of networking by renewing or activating your membership and continue being part of this vibrant community. Don’t miss out!

We all know that the new year and a new administration bring lots of potential change. So, what do you need to know to best serve your charitable clients?

Topping the list of issues we’re watching is what might happen with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017. Briefly, the TCJA introduced several changes that significantly impacted charitable giving in the U.S. Read more.

Your clients (and you!) may still be recovering from a hectic end to 2024, but don’t let that stop you from helping families get a jump on their charitable planning for 2025.

As compelling as year-end giving may be, perhaps even more compelling are the reasons for planning and launching a charitable giving strategy early in the year. Benefits of a year-long giving strategy include the following...
Read more.

 

Over the years, more than a handful of attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors have shared with the Community Foundation team that their happiest clients seem to be those who’ve incorporated charitable giving into their estate and financial plans.

Whether or not you believe in this phenomenon, it’s hard to dispute that philanthropy offers both emotional and rational upsides to your clients.  
Read more.

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3), publicly supported philanthropic organization with the long-term goal of building permanent funds that provide support to local nonprofit organizations through grants and special projects. Our mission is to inspire and promote giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. Established in 1998, CFAAC is one of the largest funders of nonprofit organizations in Anne Arundel County. CFAAC distributes nearly $5 to $7 million annually. Learn more at www.cfaac.org.