Kathy Milam Announces Her Retirement: A New Chapter Begins

Katherine (Kathy) Milam recently announced her decision to retire from her position as Executive Director of The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region, effective June 30, 2024. Kathy stated that serving in this role for the past five years has been a profound privilege, which offered her a unique perspective on philanthropy and complemented her previous extensive experience in grant writing.

In reviewing her years as Executive Director, Kathy takes pride in the achievements of The Foundation. During that time, the organization’s assets experienced substantial growth, increasing from $37.8 to $57.4 million. Annual grants and scholarships awarded rose from $1.3 to $1.7 million, and the number of funds managed by The Foundation increased from 151 to 183.

Kathy has accomplished much important work with The Foundation, most notably collaborating with donors to establish scholarships and endowed funds. Kathy stated, “Every new fund created represents a donor’s passion or values. Memorial funds, established for loved ones, pull at your heartstrings.” Noteworthy examples of new endowed funds include The Free Clinic of Danville Fund, dedicated to preserving The Free Clinic’s legacy and perpetuating its mission, and the Danville Historical Society Endowment Fund, supporting the preservation of the National Tobacco Textile Museum’s collections.

Kathy also played a key role in the establishment of the Unrestricted Community Fund, which was initially funded by a gift of $882,000 from an estate.  This fund provides vital support for the Foundation’s annual Competitive Grant Cycle. The creation of a Coronavirus Relief Fund demonstrated the organization’s adaptability in responding to unforeseen challenges, rallying generous donors to provide urgent assistance to nonprofits affected by the pandemic. The board of directors subsequently established an Emergency Preparedness Fund with a long-range plan to have substantial funding immediately available for future crises. 

The sale of the Faith Home property provided a significant boost to the Faith Home Fund, another unrestricted fund that supports grants throughout the community. Recently, the settlement of the Estate of Robert T. Marshall stands out as a blessing, marking the largest gift to The Foundation to date, thanks to Mr. Marshall’s generosity.

Kathy also applied for and received approval for two major three-year grants from the Danville Regional Foundation.  The funds awarded are for regranting purposes during The Community Foundation’s annual Competitive Grant Cycle.

During Kathy’s tenure, The Foundation twice applied for and received reaccreditation approval from the National Standards for Community Foundations.  This accreditation indicates that The Foundation meets the highest standards for philanthropic excellence.

Thanks to Kathy’s leadership, the staff’s active participation in the Virginia Funder’s Network and attendance at conferences such as the Annual National Conference for Growing Community Foundations has highlighted The Foundation’s dedication to continuous learning and collaboration.

Kathy stated that working for The Community Foundation requires not only a passion for the great work of nonprofit organizations and students in our region, but also the desire and drive to grow the funding available to help organizations and students thrive. She added that the work requires compassion as well as a high level of accountability, problem solving, and attention to detail.  The Foundation’s continued development is guided by the vision and strategy outlined in the five-year Strategic Plan adopted by the board of directors in 2022. 

Kathy ended by saying, “It is with much gratitude and respect for the team of staff and board members with whom I have worked closely during the past five years, that I joyfully turn the page to the next chapter of my life.  Every day was a genuine pleasure, working and learning alongside such an intelligent and caring group of people.”

Foundation Administrator Job Filled

We are happy to announce that Debrielle Williams is our new Foundation Administrator. We welcome Debrielle to our team!

2023-24 Scholarships Awarded

$337,608.95 AWARDED IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO LOCAL STUDENTS

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region announces today a total of 151 scholarship awards to 140 local students.  The scholarships, totaling $337,608.95, are the result of The Community Foundation’s 2023-24 scholarship cycle.

With 269 qualified students applying, the awards were made to 140 students from 64 separate scholarship funds.  The Foundation awarded scholarships to 87 high school seniors and 53 undergraduate or graduate students.

The Foundation’s annual scholarship reception was held Sunday, June 4th at the Pittsylvania County Community Center to celebrate scholarship recipients who attend, or attended, the following schools:  Bartlett Yancey High School, Chatham High School, Dan River High School, Galileo Magnet High School, George Washington High School, Gretna High School, Tunstall High School, Halifax County and Westover Christian Academy.  There were also awards made to homeschool students. To view the Scholarship Reception Program please visit https://www.cfdrr.org/scholarships/2023-scholarship-reception-program/

2023-24 Competitive Grant Cycle Opens June 1

Grant applications for the 2023-24 Competitive Grant Cycle of The Community Foundation will be open until July 28, 2023.

The application is available online through The Foundation’s grant application system. In an effort to make navigating the Competitive Grant Cycle application a little easier, we have added a new feature this year. Visit https://www.cfdrr.org/grants/applying-for-a-grant/ to download application instructions.

To apply, visit cfdrrgrants.academicworks.com. You will complete a General Application before answering a set of opportunity-specific questions.

If you are a new user to The Foundation’s grant application system, click here to set up an account. If you do not recall your password, click here to reset it. If you have questions, or issues logging in to your account, please call The Community Foundation office at (434) 793-0884 or email Traci Petty at traci@cfdrr.org.


Arts and Cultural Grant Application Open until April 28, 2023

Grant applications for the Arts and Cultural Fund of The Community Foundation will be open until April 28, 2023. This competitive grant opportunity accepts requests from Danville or Pittsylvania County organizations to support an arts and cultural event held between August 1, 2023 and August 1, 2024.

The application is available online through The Foundation’s grant application system.

To apply, visit cfdrrgrants.academicworks.com. You will complete a General Application before answering a set of opportunity-specific questions.

If you are a new user to The Foundation’s grant application system, click here to set up an account. If you do not recall your password, click here to reset it. If you have questions, or issues logging in to your account, please call The Community Foundation office at (434) 793-0884 or email Traci Petty at traci@cfdrr.org.


Donor Appreciation Luncheon, Grant Reminders, Grant Awards, and More in CFDRR’s E-News!

As we approach the end of national #CommunityFNDWeek, discover the latest news from CFDRR here. Discover updates about CFDRR’s 26th year Quality of Life Annual Appeal and the 2022 Donor Appreciation Luncheon, be reminded of important grant cycle deadlines, and read about recent grant awards!

#givewhereyoulive #cfdrr #cfdrrdonorappreciationluncheon #cfdrr #cfdrrdonorappreciationluncheon #2022qualityoflifeannualappeal #givewhereyoulive #danvilleva

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CFDRR Celebrates its Donors on November 10

The Community Foundation celebrated many of its donors on November 10, 2022, during its annual Donor Appreciation Luncheon. During the luncheon, the donors awarded Smokestack Theatre Company a $3,000 grant and Pittsylvania Historical Society a $2,000 grant as part of a pop-up giving circle demonstration. A pop-up giving circle is a short, interactive experience that enables a reflective and intentional group to discuss and make a collective gift in a brief period of time. Thank you to all who joined us in celebrating last Thursday!

#givewhereyoulive #cfdrr #cfdrrdonorappreciationluncheon

Photos: Ralph Adams Photography

Check Out CFDRR’s Latest E-news!

Check out The Foundation’s latest e-news, including the closing of our competitive grant cycle and the Fund for Halifax grant cycle opening. Read more here: https://conta.cc/3b3Ynjv.

Check Out CFDRR’s Latest E-news!

Check out The Foundation’s latest e-news, including announcing our upcoming competitive grant cycle and grantee words of impact and gratitude! Read more here: https://conta.cc/3Md99Bm

New Staff Member, Traci Edwards Petty, Grant and Scholarship Administrator.

Check Out CFDRR’s Latest E-news!

Check out The Foundation’s latest e-news, including announcing our upcoming competitive grant cycle and grantee words of impact and gratitude! Read more here: https://conta.cc/3Md99Bm