Our First 10 Years
In 2023, the PATH Foundation celebrated 10 years of strengthening the health and vitality of Fauquier, Rappahannock, and Culpeper counties. Over the past decade, PATH has invested over $84 million into our communities, thanks to our nonprofit partners who uplift those in need. Thank you for your continued support; we look forward to future accomplishments together!
About PATH
THE PATH FOUNDATION
is a philanthropic charitable foundation that supports Fauquier, Rappahannock, and Culpeper counties. Since 2014, we have invested over $84 million in our community. Through grants, programs, and partnerships, we help provide resources to organizations that align with our mission and values to serve our community.
CORE FOCUS AREAS
Grant recipients must align with one or more of our core focus areas: Access to Health, Childhood Wellness, Mental Health, and Senior Services.
OUR MISSION
The PATH Foundation strengthens the health and vitality of our community.
PATH Resource Center
The PATH Resource Center began as a partnership with the Charlottesville-based Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE). Since then, the Resource Center has grown to include the PATH Volunteer Hub, PATH Community Link, and a Warrenton office for CNE. The PATH Foundation also operates community meeting rooms (available free-of-charge to nonprofits) and hosts the Fauquier Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Fauquier in our office space.
The PATH Volunteer Hub is home to LetsVolunteer.org, an online platform that connects local nonprofits with community members looking to volunteer their time. Today, more than 6,815 volunteers are registered on the platform. The Volunteer Hub also provides case-by-case assistance and advice on implementing volunteer programs. In addition, the Volunteer Hub spearheads an annual, community-wide month of service: Let’s Volunteer Days.
PATH Community Link is a free, confidential resource that connects community members in need with organizations and services that can provide aid. You can call or email for personalized assistance or search the online database for services that help with needs such as food, transportation, translation, financial assistance, health care, case work, housing and more. Se habla Español.
The Center for Nonprofit Excellence at the PATH Resource Center offers personalized tools, training, consulting, and resources to nonprofits in the Foundation footprint. With the goal of strengthening the impact of nonprofits in the community.
Volunteer Spotlight
Anita Sutherland
Longtime Fauquier resident Anita Sutherland (77), is not one to sit idly by. On the contrary, since her retirement Anita has been an avid member of the PATH Resource Center’s Volunteer Hub.
“Once I retired, I wanted a routine and I decided that volunteering was something I needed to do,” she explains. “I thought volunteering was a great reason to get up and get out of the house!”
When the PATH Volunteer Hub launched in late 2016, Anita was among the first to utilize the platform to connect with local organizations and quickly recognized the positive impacts it has on serving her community.
“I was amazed by how many organizations they had on the site. The PATH Volunteer Hub really opened up opportunities for me to not only connect with the school, church and hospital communities, but a lot of communities I hadn’t touched like the nursing homes and animal welfare groups.”
Along with her experience volunteering at the Fauquier Free Clinic, Remington Community Garden, Encompass Community Supports, Fauquier SPCA—and the list goes on—through the Volunteer Hub, Anita realized her passion for volunteering at local senior centers.
“My mother was in a nursing home. Once I realized these senior centers were on the site, I thought, ‘This is wonderful, I can now do this for other people.’ I sent notes and letters through the Volunteer Hub to seniors who don’t receive many.”
Anita feels as though there is something to gain from volunteer opportunities for everyone involved.
“I really like the feeling of volunteering, it really opens your heart. Even a smile from some of these older people is really heartwarming; they are so thankful for what we do. It feels great to make even a small difference in some of their lives. Volunteering really does something for your soul.”
Anita has only increased her volunteering over the years. Since retirement, Anita says she has been able to volunteer more consistently—three days a week—and she enjoys when others do the same.
“I’m so pleased that the PATH Foundation has pulled the community together, from teens walking dogs for the SPCA to volunteers at Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center. PATH is such a complete asset to the community.”
“Volunteering really does something for your soul.”
Community Engagement
Let's Volunteer Days &
Season of Giving
During Global Volunteer Month in April, nonprofits could apply for $1,000 to support the costs of a volunteer project. Community members and families volunteered for opportunities that suited their skills and interests through the PATH Volunteer Hub’s webpage, LetsVolunteer.org!
Each holiday season, the PATH Volunteer Hub sponsors a Season of Giving where the public is encouraged to give back to their community through the many holiday volunteer opportunities found on the PATH Volunteer Hub. In 2023, we had 20 opportunities with over 50 volunteer responses!
PATH Intern Program
During the summer of 2023, PATH accepted a new class of 19 interns and placed them at various nonprofit organizations across Fauquier, Rappahannock, and Culpeper counties. This initiative highlights PATH’s dedication to fostering community development, supporting local organizations, and providing young professionals with valuable work experience.
Give Local Piedmont
In May, the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation (NPCF) partnered with the PATH Foundation to host their annual Give Local Piedmont event. Give Local Piedmont is an opportunity for nonprofits serving the Piedmont region to raise funds and spread the word about their missions. In 2023, PATH awarded NPCF $130,000 toward Give Local Piedmont, benefiting participating nonprofits! Thanks to NPCF’s leadership, 3,072 donors supported 201 nonprofit organizations with donations totaling $1,189,600.
Give Local Piedmont
Throughout the summer of 2023, PATH held 16 free ice cream truck pop up events for the community.We extend a special thank you to Big D’s Ice Cream & Little Pop Ice Cream Truck for serving frozen’ sweet treats to over ‘200 folks of all ages!
Spotlight
Youth Mental Health
In November 2023, PATH welcomed five participants from PBS’s documentary, Ken Burns presents Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, a film by Erik Ewers & Christopher Loren Ewers, to Warrenton for an open dialogue on youth mental health. The documentary film follows more than 20 young people, their loved ones, and medical professionals as they navigate their mental health. The participants’ lived experiences shine a light on the pervasiveness of mental illness in young people: citing disorders, traumas, triumphs, and losses as means of trying to understand their
Following a short screening, the PATH Foundation was honored to have Maclayn Clark, accompanied by his loving mother, Mary, his licensed clinical professional counselor, Kee Dunning, the esteemed board-certified child and adolescent & adult and forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Sarah Vinson, and the inspiring Makalynn Powell—all of whom were featured in the film. Led by PATH Foundation Director of Programs Andy Johnston, a lively discourse on mental wellbeing was exchanged between the panel and community members, offering an enriching forum where difficult conversations were held.
The PATH Foundation understands how incredibly complex these conversations on mental health can be. By offering free opportunities for constructive conversations and the tools to nurture youth mental health, we hope to encourage community members to embrace the discomfort and bridge the divide between a person’s mental illness and the help they need. PATH is grateful to the filmmakers at PBS and the brave individuals from Hiding in Plain Sight for bringing that conversation into our homes, schools, the workplaces, and community.
In response to the youth mental health crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, PATH teamed up with 18 Virginia-based foundations that granted a total of $170,000 to cover the cost of pediatric mental health training for primary care providers.
The Virginia Mental Health Access Program (VMAP) coordinates intensive three-day interactive trainings using a model developed by the REACH Institute and adapted for Virginia. As part of this effort, PATH also coordinated with local pediatrician Dr. Joshua Jakum to develop a promotional video encouraging organizations serving children to enroll. Over 100 doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants now treat their pediatric patients’ mental health challenges with increased knowledge, skills, and confidence. This effort marks the first time this many Virginia funders have joined together to generate larger impact, boding well for future collaborative efforts.
In 2023, PATH also incentivized youth-serving organizations to enroll in Youth Mental Health First Aid Training, coordinated by the Mental Health Association of Fauquier County. Depending on the number of staff and/or volunteers trained, organizations received $800, $2,000, or $4,000. Among the groups that embraced trainings this past year were Kettle Run High School, Highland School, Rappahannock County High School, and Northern Piedmont Sports Club. With the right tools at our disposal, PATH aims to support youths’ mental health journeys in any way we can.
Overview of Grants
PATH offers four different grant opportunities: Flexible Funding, Make it Happen!, Technical Assistance, and the Better Together Fund. Flexible Funding grants are offered twice each fiscal year, while Make it Happen! and Technical Assistance grants are accepted on a rolling basis.
Flexible Funding
Flexible Funding grants provide unrestricted general operating support to eligible 501(c)(3)s. Organizations may apply for funding to be used as needed toward a nonprofit’s mission. Flexible Funding grants must align with at least one of PATH’s four priorities: Access to Health, Childhood Wellness, Mental Health, and Senior Services.
Make it Happen!
Make it Happen! grants foster the can-do attitude of our region and promote creativity in our communities. By offering up to $25,000 in funding, the goal of these grants is to provide a bright spot in the community through encouraging fresh ideas from new voices.
Technical Assistance
Technical Assistance grants help organizations operate effectively. Funds may be used to offset the cost of a consultant, tool, or training opportunity, enabling nonprofits to achieve their mission.
2023 Grantees
Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County
Fauquier County Fair
Legal Aid Works
Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission
Aging Together
Fauquier County Government
Manna Ministry
RCPS Parent Teacher Organization
American Red Cross of Central Virginia
Fauquier County Public Schools
Marshall Middle School
Remington United Methodist Church
Artists in Middleburg
Fauquier Education Farm
Marshall Moving Forward
Rooted In Education
Boys & Girls Club of Fauquier
Fauquier FISH
Master Gardener Assoc. of Fauquier & Rappahannock Counties
Rx Drug Access Partnership
Brumfield Elementary School
Fauquier Free Clinic
Medical Society of Virginia Foundation
Saint James’ Episcopal School
Bull Run Mountains Conservancy
Fauquier Habitat for Humanity
Mental Health Association of Fauquier County
Serendipity Equines
CASA Children’s Intervention Services, Inc.
Fauquier Historical Society
Mid-Atlantic Food Resilience and Access Coalition (MAFRAC)
Services to Abused Families, Inc. (SAFE)
Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington
Fauquier Pride
Middleburg Humane Foundation
Sex, Drugs & God, Inc.
Childhelp
Fauquier Youth Livestock Advisory Council
Minority and Veteran Farmers of the Piedmont
Spiritual Care Support Ministries
Community Development Redistribution (CDR) Resource Center
Feed My Sheep Ministries of Northern Virginia, LLC
Mom2Mom
SpiritWorks Foundation
Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties
First Baptist Church
Morgan’s Message, Inc.
State Climb
Community Touch
Foothills Housing Corporation
New Pathways Tech, Inc.
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders
Fauquier Community Child Care, Inc.
Hospice Support of Fauquier County
Rappahannock County Farm Tour
Warrenton Starlettes
Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County
Fauquier County Fair
Legal Aid Works
Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission
Aging Together
Fauquier County Government
Manna Ministry
RCPS Parent Teacher Organization
American Red Cross of Central Virginia
Fauquier County Public Schools
Marshall Middle School
Remington United Methodist Church
Artists in Middleburg
Fauquier Education Farm
Marshall Moving Forward
Rooted In Education
Boys & Girls Club of Fauquier
Fauquier FISH
Master Gardener Assoc. of Fauquier & Rappahannock Counties
Rx Drug Access Partnership
Brumfield Elementary School
Fauquier Free Clinic
Medical Society of Virginia Foundation
Saint James’ Episcopal School
Bull Run Mountains Conservancy
Fauquier Habitat for Humanity
Mental Health Association of Fauquier County
Serendipity Equines
CASA Children’s Intervention Services, Inc.
Fauquier Historical Society
Mid-Atlantic Food Resilience and Access Coalition (MAFRAC)
Services to Abused Families, Inc. (SAFE)
Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington
Fauquier Pride
Middleburg Humane Foundation
Sex, Drugs & God, Inc.
Childhelp
Fauquier Youth Livestock Advisory Council
Minority and Veteran Farmers of the Piedmont
Spiritual Care Support Ministries
Community Development Redistribution (CDR) Resource Center
Feed My Sheep Ministries of Northern Virginia, LLC
Mom2Mom
SpiritWorks Foundation
Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties
First Baptist Church
Morgan’s Message, Inc.
State Climb
Community Touch
Foothills Housing Corporation
New Pathways Tech, Inc.
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders
Fauquier Community Child Care, Inc.
Rappahannock County Farm Tour
Grant Highlights
The Plains Community League
In 2023, The Plains Community League was awarded two grants totaling $12,500: a $10,000 Make it Happen! grant toward a summer camp for children of working adults; and Better Together funding of $2,500 for A Day in The Plains, a community-facing event made possible by 50 nonprofits, businesses, and volunteers. This community effort culminated on the day of the event with live music, a horse-drawn carriage, face painting, free ice cream, hot dogs, and more!
Fauquier Feed. Inspire. Support. Health. (FISH)
PATH granted Fauquier FISH $100,000 in Flexible Funding toward general operations and to feed food-insecure students through their Weekend Power Pack (WPP) program. Each WPP contains family-sized breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and fresh fruit. During the 2022-23 school year, FISH fed over 450 children per week, distributing 15,354 bags that totaled over 93,000 lbs. of food.
FISH also received $2,500 for their Book Bags & School Supplies (BBSS) program, providing book bags filled with school supplies to children in need. In August, over 1,100 backpacks containing school supplies were distributed to students during their distribution drive-through event.
Sustainability Matters
Sustainability Matters received a $25,000 Make it Happen! grant and another $25,000 in Flexible Funding to expand their programming and continue research and education on community recycling in partnership with the Mountain Vista Governor’s School. Sustainability Matters also utilized funding to increase community engagement with initiatives such as Rappahannock County’s Making Trash Bloom site— which has inspired the county to transition all 10 acres of covered landfill to a native plant meadow.
Sustainability Matters
In 2023, PATH awarded Career Partners a $25,000 Flexible Funding grant to continue three programs, including E-Squared (Entrepreneurial Energy), a semester-long competition of Culpeper County students paired with business coaches. The 2023 winning team, LuxFind, introduced the LuxLight—a flashing LED beacon created to aid first responders in quickly locating a home.
Career Partners also expanded programming through their English Language Learning (ELL) externship where ELL students were partnered with bilingual business owners who shared their business experience and advice with the students. Finally, modeled after the High-Quality Work-Based Learning model, Career Partners’ Mentoring Program was able to provide 140 hours of instruction through job shadowing and one-on-one mentoring, plus high school credits.
Grant Highlights
Local Journalism
In 2023, PATH supported Rappahannock County’s Foothills Forum, and Fauquier County’s Piedmont Journalism Foundation. These funds contributed to their work on in-depth articles examining the post-Covid youth mental health crisis in the region, housing affordability and availability in the Piedmont, and other community concerns.
Rappahannock Food Pantry
The Rappahannock Food Pantry received $75,000 to continue reducing food insecurity in Rappahannock County. With a new facility at Rush River Commons in Little Washington, the Rappahannock Food Pantry has dramatically increased in size with an expanded “store,” kitchen, walk-in freezer & fridge, meeting space, and copious amounts of storage.
George Washington Carver Agricultural Research Center Inc.
The George Washington Carver Agriculture Research Center received a total of $175,000 from the PATH Foundation to build out the new Carver Food Enterprise Center (CFEC) —a 6,200 square foot shared commercial kitchen, food business incubator, and classroom. PATH matched a $100,000 Growth & Opportunity (GO) Virginia grant to develop the new space, and granted another $75,000 to continue operations and introduce a program director position. The CFEC facility opened in September 2023 to growers, food business owners, entrepreneurs, and organizations. CFEC has two signature programs: the Stone Soup Job Training Program through which participants learn basic culinary skills from guest chefs and receive a ServSafe Food Handler certification; and the Feeding 500 program, which processes heavy produce harvests into nutritious, ready-to-serve meals for distribution at local food banks.
Culpeper County Housing Efforts
Culpeper Housing and Shelter Services (CHASS) received $80,000 in Flexible Funding grants to maintain operations at their 15-bed emergency homeless shelter, the 44 low-income rental units at Ann Wingfield Commons, and the 37-unit Parkside low-income housing community currently under construction. CHASS helped to prevent homelessness in 2023 by rapidly rehousing and acquiring affordable housing options for individuals and families in the Culpeper.
Fauquier Education Farm
The Fauquier Education Farm received $75,000 for cold food storage and operating funds to continue growing and harvesting produce to donate to local food banks. In 2023, they donated 54 tons of produce! The Fauquier Education Farm does just that—educates the community on agriculture through best-method demonstrations, classroom instruction, on-farm workshops, and hands-on learning.
Financials
Current assets
ASSETS
2023
20222
Current assets
$6,581,703
$7,371,487
Prepaid expenses & other assets
1,395,013
$1,402,982
Investments
233,827,374
$202,234,443
Notes receivable
3,261,900
$3,157,713
Property & equipment (net)
8,833,416
$9,932,871
Total Assets
$253,899,406
$224,099,496
Liabilities
2023
20222
Accounts payable & accrued expenses
$6,581,703
$7,371,487
Grants payable
1,395,013
$1,402,982
Deferred federal excise tax
233,827,374
$202,234,443
Total liabilities
$253,899,406
$224,099,496
Net Assets
2023
20222
Without donor restrictions
$6,581,703
$7,371,487
With donor restrictions
1,395,013
$1,402,982
Total net assets
$253,899,406
$224,099,496
Total Liabilities & Net Assets
$253,899,406
$224,099,496
2023-2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rodger Baker (Vice Chair)
John McCarthy
Roque Castro
Mary Leigh McDaniel
Christy M. Connolly (President and CEO)
Hanna Lee Rodriguez (Secretary & Treasurer)
Betsy Dietel
Dr. Major R. Warner, Jr.
Philip Dudley
Joy Stuart Willey
Daphne B. Latimore
Patricia Woodward
Douglas M. Marshall, III (Chair)
OUR STAFF
Alejandro Boza (Facility Coordinator)
Susan Bartenstein Necci (Financial Analyst)
Christy M. Connolly (President & CEO)
Grant Pearse (Director of Finance)
Catherine Deane (Communications Officer)
Amy Petty (Vice President of Communications)
Beth Foddrell (Program Officer)
Yesenia Reyes (Community Link Manager)
Elizabeth B. Henrickson (Chief Operating Officer)
Kelly-Jo Gilkey Settle (Executive Assistant)
Andy Johnston (Director of Programs)
David Shang (Program Officer)
Lynn Lauritzen (Volunteer Hub Manager)
Michele Stamper (Staff Accountant)
