The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia advances charitable giving and regional investment in Northern Virginia through funds, grants, scholarships, and community leadership work. Its scholarship program is a significant part of that mission: the foundation manages 35 scholarship funds supporting Northern Virginia students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees, and it awards more than $500,000 each year to nearly 150 students. Volunteer committees review applications and make scholarship award recommendations, tying donor intent to a structured community-led selection process.
The foundation’s scholarship portfolio serves students across Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William, while also administering selected funds that reach beyond the region. Its awards illustrate a broad range of educational and community priorities. Examples include the AMS Opportunity Scholarship Fund for Northern Virginia high school seniors interested in STEM fields; the Celebrate Cherie Scholarship Fund for a Northern Virginia resident pursuing a postgraduate degree in physical therapy; the Elizabeth Koury Scholarship Fund for a graduating senior planning a career in medicine; and the Charles Homer Barton Scholarship Fund, which awards five scholarships each year to children of police officers in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties. The foundation also manages employer- and memorial-based funds such as the Booz Allen Hamilton Vision Scholarship Fund and the Denise Dowse Drama Scholarship Fund.