In this edition of the CFAAC Community Connector, discover the latest updates, learn about CFAAC grants, explore scholarship opportunities, read inspiring stories, check out upcoming events and new funds, and gain expert insights for professional advisors.

I’m writing this letter after concluding our first three of eight Conversations & Coffee with the CEO sessions. These informal, virtual listening sessions, taking place January through early March, are designed for open dialogue, shared learning, and thoughtful exchange. Each session includes a brief overview followed by ample time for discussion. Our fourth session, Donors & Philanthropic Planning, is tomorrow, Friday, February 6, and it’s not too late to register. If you missed any of these, don’t worry, because each topic is offered twice.

These listening sessions have been notable in many ways. First, I have been pleasantly overwhelmed by the more than 200 people who have signed up. I’m happy to say that each session has been well attended by people from all parts of the county and filled with lively dialogue and thoughtful questions, centering around nonprofit collaboration, community needs, grantmaking, and sustainability. In the three sessions so far, we discussed how CFAAC can stay connected to the ongoing work and evolving needs of local nonprofits, as well as CFAAC’s role as both a funder and capacity-building partner. We also discussed practical AI applications for nonprofits, collaborative grantmaking, endowments, fundraising, nonprofit education needs, the CFAAC Community Needs Assessment Report, and emphasized collaboration as a pathway to greater efficiency and impact. We reinforced our understanding that nonprofits want to learn more about CFAAC Field of Interest Grants and gain better insight into Donor Advised Funds and the donors behind them.

The sessions continue through March 5 and I encourage you to consider joining me for one or more of them. You can find more details and registration information below in this newsletter.

Other events to mark on your calendar include our annual Grants Application expert panel and workshop, Navigating the Grant Application Process, on March 4, as well as our annual Anna Greenberg Board Leadership Program on May 12 (registration opens soon).

Educational programs like these are part of CFAAC’s efforts to engage in our community, find out more about local nonprofit and donor needs, and provide ongoing support to strengthen nonprofits.

We sincerely hope that you are doing well with this cold, snowy winter and take comfort in knowing that our generous community is warming many hearts.

Stay safe,

John Rodenhausen
CFAAC President & CEO

What Type of Giver are You?
By John Rodenhausen, CFAAC President & CEO

Giving back is fundamental to who we are. However, everyone may have different motivations for their giving. Many of us support causes that are close to home, while others prefer to give to communities far away. In these acts of generosity, one donor may prefer to meet an immediate need, while another creates a source of funding that will last in perpetuity.

Figuring out what kind of donor you are, or want to become, and what really inspires you can make it much easier to bring your philanthropic goals to life. So where do you begin?

Left: Kristen Krall at Annual Nonprofit Conference.
Right: Kristen Krall receives the Community Partnership Award from County Executive Steuart Pittman on January 12, 2026.

A big congratulations goes out to CFAAC's former Community Education Coordinator, Kristen Krall, for receiving the Community Partnership Award from the County Executive's Office for her volunteer work as a founding member of the Nonprofit Center Advisory Committee. The award recognizes someone whose service has gone above and beyond the call of duty to a county board or committee. Kristen served on the Advisory Committee for three years and stepped down at the end of 2025.

You won’t want to miss CFAAC’s most inspiring event of the year, so be sure to save the date for November 12, 2026, for the Celebration of Philanthropy Awards Luncheon.

Now is also the perfect time to start thinking about nominations. Do you know an unsung hero who is making a meaningful difference in our community? Nominations for the 2026 Celebration of Philanthropy Awards will be accepted from May 12 through July 9, 2026, with honorees celebrated at the annual awards luncheon on November 12.

Because of generous donors like you, we were able to award 84 grants totaling nearly $1.5 million to Anne Arundel County nonprofits last year through CFAAC's Field of Interest Funds. Your support at any level makes this possible, and you get to choose which fund to support. Whether you are interested in our county's environment, youth development, food insecurity, or the arts, CFAAC has Funds that pools dollars to support our county nonprofits. 

The Lance Corporal Eric William Herzberg and Lance Corporal William Taylor Wild IV Scholarship (Herzberg-Wild Scholarship) was established at CFAAC in 2014 by anonymous donors to honor two fallen Marines, Eric W. Herzberg and Taylor Wild IV, both residents of Anne Arundel County.

The Herzberg-Wild Scholarship awards one $10,000 scholarship annually to a deserving high school senior from Anne Arundel County Public Schools. 

The Officer Grant Turner Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to honor Officer Grant Turner’s love of sports and baseball following his passing. The fund advisors host one of the largest preseason baseball tournaments in the state.

Scholarship funds may only be used for tuition, fees, and books at institutions of higher education. Four scholarship opportunities are available, each valued at $1,700. Each one-time disbursement will be paid directly to the institution.

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County is thrilled to welcome the following funds to our family of funds:

Caroline Purdy AAWGT Lifetime Membership Fund

A CFAAC Endowed Fund established to support Anne Arundel Women Giving Together’s mission of funding programs that are devoted to improving the lives, health, education, and well-being of women, their children, and families.

Office of Emergency Management Mass Care and Companion Animal Shelter Program

A CFAAC Fund administered for Anne Arundel County Government, established to support the Office of Emergency Management’s Mass Care and Companion Animal Shelter Program, which provides life-sustaining services and safe shelter for individuals, families, and their companion animals during emergencies.

Left: (L-R) Joy Reigns Pastor Sara Yotter, CFAAC's Ros Calvin, CFAAC Board member Naeemah Staggs and CFAAC CEO & President John Rodenhausen at Journey to Joy House.
Right: Pastor Sara Yotter  accepts an FFAA grant from CFAAC in 2025. Also pictured (L-R): CFAAC Board member Martha Van Woerkom, former CFAAC CEO Mary Spencer, and Ros Calvin.

Joy Reigns Lutheran Church Pastor, Sara Yotter, breathes a heavy sigh when asked about the obstacles confronting women in recovery and their children. She points to daily barriers — too little support, lack of transportation, and unreliable childcare — that can make an already difficult journey even harder. “It can be a struggle, especially for those who don’t have an outside support system,” says Pastor Sara.

For a mother leaving a recovery home, staying sober is incredibly hard — and even harder when she must also figure out where to safely go next with her children. Joy Reigns' Journey to Joy Program meets women at that critical transition, giving them the time and support to rebuild their lives while welcoming multiple children, including teens.

A 2025 recipient of a Fund for Anne Arundel grant, Journey to Joy is using the funds to provide recovery rental assistance to mothers and children living in its supportive and affordable sober living house, enabling the mothers to focus their attention away from financial challenges and toward sobriety and family. 

Coffee & Conversation with the CEO is a series of informal, virtual listening sessions taking place January through early March with John Rodenhausen, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC). These hop-on, hop-off Zoom conversations are designed for open dialogue, shared learning, and thoughtful exchange. Each session includes a brief overview followed by ample time for discussion. These are not solicitation meetings. Each topic is offered twice—once in the morning and once at lunchtime.

Each session includes a brief overview followed by open dialogue and shared learning. Click on Session topics for more information:

Donors & Philanthropic Planning
Donor-Advised Funds, Legacy & Local Change

Strategic Visioning
Strengthening Nonprofits: Learning, Leadership & Shared Growth

Education & Capacity Building
Strengthening Nonprofits: Learning, Leadership & Shared Growth

Nonprofit Fundraising
Fundraising & the Role of a Community Foundation

Wednesday, March 4 | 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library
Free for Registered Attendees

Join our panel of experts as we chart the course for creating successful grant applications. You will learn how to craft compelling narratives, anchor your case with evidence of need, and navigate budgets that meet reviewers expectations so that your application stays on track for funding success. Participants will discover how to: 

Present a Strong Idea: Ensure your program aligns with your organization’s mission, meets grant parameters, and serves a real need with measurable impact.

Demonstrate a Track Record of Success: Showcase your organization’s growth, achievements, and previous funding to build credibility with grant reviewers.

Craft a Compelling Proposal: Learn how to create a clear, concise summary that leaves a lasting impression, even among dozens of applications.

Share a Detailed Operating Budget: Learn the best practices of presenting a budget that reflects your priorities and supports your proposal’s goals.

Measure Success: Understand how to set metrics for progress and effectively demonstrate the impact of your work.

As the saying goes, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Strengthening grant-writing  skills can help nonprofits better serve and improve life across Anne Arundel County.

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County’s Environment Anne Arundel Fund supports local nonprofit organizations working to protect and improve the environment in Anne Arundel County and the Chesapeake Bay. This fund helps projects that enhance communities, address environmental challenges like stormwater, and promote the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay, local streams, rivers, and other natural areas.

Grant Details:

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County’s Food Insecurity Fund supports local nonprofit organizations working to reduce hunger and food insecurity among residents of Anne Arundel County. This fund supports projects that strengthen access to nutritious meals, promote sustainable food resources, and address the root causes of hunger.

Grant Details:

An initiative of the County Executive, Community Support Grants (CSG) help nonprofit and community organizations increase their impact and operate more efficiently to improve the lives of Anne Arundel County residents. Eligible projects include sustaining or expanding existing programs or piloting new initiatives. Grants range from $15,000 to $50,000.

Slides and recordings from the application trainings for both the FY27 Community Support Grant (CSG) program and the Community Reinvestment and Repair Commission (CRRC) grant are now available on the ACDS website. Training materials for the CSG grant and CRRC program can be found online.

Learn more and apply at:
www.acdsinc.org/funding-opportunities/community-support-grant/

Deadline to register is February 9.
Find out more here.

The Annapolis Blues application for its 2026 Charities of the Match is now open. Find out more and apply here: https://annapolisblues.com/charity-of-the-match. 

Wine Down Wednesday offers AAEPC members and guests an opportunity to socialize and network in a relaxed setting.

Wednesday, February 11
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The Lodge, Annapolis

This event is free for AAEPC members and includes complimentary appetizers, a cash bar, and plenty of opportunities to catch up with colleagues and make new connections. Register here.

Join AAEPC for a timely and practical recap of key insights from the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning — the nation’s premier conference for estate planning professionals.

Wednesday, February 25
11:00am - 12:00pm
Via Zoom

Speaker: Stephen R. Elville, President, CEO, and Managing Principal of Elville and Associates, P.C.

Register here.

As a professional advisor, you are no stranger to witnessing the ripple effects of life’s unexpected curveballs. If you represent a client over many years, you’re very likely at some point to help the client through a serious illness, a loved one’s death, business challenges, marital dissolution, strained relationships with children, or all of the above. Read more.

If you were surprised to read about the ripple effect of a seemingly small change in the U.S. Postal Service regulations late last year, you were not alone. Here’s what you need to know, including potential remedies for your clients whose 2025 charitable deductions may be impacted by the rule change. Read more.

If your client base includes philanthropic individuals and families, you’re likely aware that gifts of real estate are an option to fund charitable giving. Real estate is the largest asset class in the world, yet various industry sources suggest that only 3% of charitable giving involves gifts of real estate. Still, it’s understandable that charitable real estate donations are often overlooked; the rules and process are complex. 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 $6 to $9 million annually. Learn more at www.cfaac.org.