Dan River Region Collaborative Shares in Council on Foundations' Highest Grant Making Award

DANVILLE, VA -The Dan River Region Collaborative (DRRC), one of only two rural communities in the country and one of 22 national sites supported by the National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFWS), has been recognized for taking innovative approaches to prepare workers and businesses to succeed in a post-recession economy. The Council on Foundations – a Washington, DC-based nonprofit membership association with approximately 2,000 grant making foundations and corporations – presented its Distinguished Grantmaking Award for Collaboration to NFWS and its participating communities, including DRRC, today at the Council's annual conference in Denver, Co.

"This award recognizes the Dan River Region Collaborative, our 50 regional representatives and our citizens for providing innovative solutions to drive positive changes, train jobseekers, see a new businesses started in our area, and allow another business to expand its services," said Clark Casteel, a senior program officer with the Danville Regional Foundation (DRF), which launched the Collaborative in 2009. The DRRC includes the funders of the local collaboration DRF, the Harvest Foundation, the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region, J.T. –Minnie Maude Charitable Trust, the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and the West Piedmont Workforce Investment Board, as well as regional representatives from Danville, Halifax County, Henry County, Martinsville, Patrick County, and Pittsylvania County. Regional funders are investing $400,000 per year and NFWS is contributing $100,000 per year, each for three years for a total investment of $1.5 million.

The Collaborative's first funding effort was a partnership led by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research to offer Residential Energy Services Network training to help certify energy auditors. The classes have produced 28 certified energy auditors in the Dan River Region, including a new start-up Rich Energy Solutions owned by H. Nelson Rich in Dry Fork, VA, and the expansion of Reynolds-Clark Development Inc. of Gretna, Va., according to Casteel. Certified energy auditors conduct home energy audits and suggest improvements that help homeowners lower utility costs.

Other investments by the Collaborative include the current funding of Regional Technology Strategies, Inc. – a Carrboro, N.C.-based firm known for successfully creating, implementing, and evaluating innovative regional economic development – to produce as many as five grant applications to secure stimulus money for agencies within the region.

The Distinguished Grantmaking Award, first presented in 1984, recognizes innovation and celebrates organizations that make significant contributions to the field of philanthropy.

"At a time when the Council brings all elements of the philanthropic field together to see ourselves as a movement, there is no better example of leadership than the NFWS," said Steve Gunderson, President/CEO, The Council on Foundations. "The vision and leadership that has brought together hundreds of funders nationwide in an unprecedented effort to help low‐income Americans build careers and businesses compete, represents our collective work for the future."

"There are approximately 80 million adults in the workforce who fear for their future because they don't see how they can gain the skills to be valuable in the 21st century economy," said Barbara Dyer, President/CEO of The Hitachi Foundation and chair of the National Fund. "We have employers that cannot find workers with the kinds of skills they need to propel their businesses forward. Ultimately, it's a problem for the competitiveness of the nation. It's the role of philanthropy to create an environment that sparks innovative solutions."

ABOUT THE COUNCIL ON FOUNDATIONS: The Council on Foundations is a national nonprofit association of approximately 2,000 grant making foundations and corporations. As a leader in philanthropy, the Council strives to increase the effectiveness, stewardship, and accountability of the philanthropic sector while providing its members with the services and support they need for success.

THE NATIONAL WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FUND: NFWS partners with more than 200 l funders to work closely with employers and workforce leaders from the public and nonprofit sectors to help prepare workers to succeed in a post-recession economy and is led by nine national investors who work closely with approximately 200 funders in states, regions, and communities nationwide: Annie E. Casey Foundation; the California Endowment; Ford Foundation; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Microsoft; The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation; The Hitachi Foundation; The Prudential Foundation; and the Wal-Mart Foundation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Christina Motley, Director Marketing & Public Relations

Danville Regional Foundation

434.799.8969 or 434.770.3523

cmotley@danvilleregionalfoundation.org

www.danvilleregionalfoundation.org