Northern Virginia Health Foundation

10/01/2026

Advocacy is an important tool for advancing healthier, more equitable communities.

NVHF is proud to partner with ACT for Alexandria and Voices for Virginia's Children to strengthen the advocacy capacity of nonprofit organizations across Northern Virginia. These workshops are helping organizations build the knowledge, skills, and strategies to engage in year-round advocacy and bring the experiences and priorities of the communities they serve into policy conversations.

We’re grateful to our partners and to all of the nonprofit leaders participating in this work—and we look forward to continuing the series in December!

Thanks to Sibley Memorial Hospital as well!

In partnership with Voices for Virginia's Children and the Northern Virginia Health Foundation, ACT hosted advocacy capacity-building workshops designed to help nonprofits strengthen their approach to year-round state advocacy. Participants explored what advocacy looks like across each season of Virginia’s policy calendar and walked away with concrete, actionable next steps to strengthen their advocacy efforts.

We’re excited to continue building advocacy capacity with an in-person session on December 3 and a virtual session on December 4. These workshops will focus on practical strategies for engaging in the 2026 General Assembly session and turning advocacy knowledge into meaningful action.

Special thanks to Sibley Memorial Hospital for sponsoring this workshop and investing in stronger, more effective advocacy across Northern Virginia!

09/01/2026

07/16/2026

📣 There’s still time to apply!

Do you live or work in Northern Virginia? Do you care about building healthier communities and improving the conditions that help people thrive?

We’re accepting applications for the Northern Virginia Health Foundation’s inaugural Community Advisory Council through Friday, July 24.

We’re looking for people with lived experience, community-building or systems change perspectives, and professional expertise to help inform our work and strengthen our connection to the communities we serve.

Applying is simple—you can choose whichever format works best for you:
📝 Written responses
🎥 A video response (up to 3 minutes)

Your perspective matters, and we’d love to hear from you.

📅 Applications close Friday, July 24.

Learn more and apply today: https://novahealthfdn.org/blog/community-advisory-council

The Northern Virginia Health Foundation is committed to going “beyond grantmaking” to make a difference in the health and well-being of Northern Virginians by providing data, resources and tools to help the community be and stay healthy.

06/26/2026

We’re excited to announce the launch of the Northern Virginia Health Foundation’s inaugural Community Advisory Council.

As part of our strategic framework and our commitment to listening, learning, and partnering with the community, we’re seeking individuals from across Northern Virginia whose lived experience, community connections, professional expertise, and unique perspectives can help inform our work and strengthen our impact.
If you’re passionate about advancing health and well-being in our region, we encourage you to learn more and apply.

Applications may be submitted through written responses or a short video and will be accepted through July 24.

Learn more and apply:

The Northern Virginia Health Foundation is committed to going “beyond grantmaking” to make a difference in the health and well-being of Northern Virginians by providing data, resources and tools to help the community be and stay healthy.

05/22/2026

We’re proud to announce the release of our Strategic Framework, a resource to guide our investments, partnerships, and approach in the coming years. Our framework outlines and defines:

🔹Our Values: Stewardship, Health Equity, Organizational Effectiveness, Systems-Level Change, and Information-Driven Decision Making;
🔹Our Strategic Pillars: Strengthening the Field, Systems-Level Change, Access to Health Care, and Knowledge for Impact; and
🔹Our Investment Strategies: Safety Net Providers and Programs, Special Projects/Programs, Strategic Partnerships, Upstream Interventions, and Capacity Building.

NVHF thanks the many collaborators who have helped shape the framework. We invite you to explore this new resource and learn more about how we plan to put it into action.

03/12/2026

Today we shared the difficult news of the passing of Patricia Mathews, the first President & CEO of Northern Virginia Health Foundation.

Pat's vision and leadership helped shape this foundation and strengthen efforts to advance health equity across Northern Virginia. We remain deeply grateful for the legacy she leaves behind. Our full statement is shared below.

The Northern Virginia Health Foundation is committed to going “beyond grantmaking” to make a difference in the health and well-being of Northern Virginians by providing data, resources and tools to help the community be and stay healthy.

02/26/2026

We join our community in honoring the life and legacy of Verdia Haywood, former Board Chair, and initial member of the Board of Directors of Northern Virginia Health Foundation.

As an early champion of the Foundation's work, Mr. Haywood helped shape a vision rooted in improving the health and well-being of our region. His leadership and commitment to community continue to be reflected in the work we carry forward today.

We are grateful for his contributions and extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who were impacted by his life and service.

Board Chair, Northern Virginia Health FoundationPart of the Northern Virginia Health Foundation Health Summit: Where Are We, and Where Could We Go?

02/06/2026

Our President & CEO, Courtney Rice, joined Dr. Tonya Adkins of HealthWorks for a conversation focused on the region’s health ecosystem, including access to care, local data and trends, and persistent health disparities.

We always appreciate the opportunity to engage in dialogue with community leaders and look forward to staying connected!

12/05/2025

We are excited to support this opportunity!

Register to join us, and other community partners as we deepen our understanding about advocacy!

Ready to take your advocacy game to the next level?

Join us virtually for Advocacy 201: Lunch & Learn on Thursday, December 11 from 12:00-1:30 PM!

This interactive workshop, presented by Voices for Virginia's Children and sponsored by the Northern Virginia Health Foundation, is perfect for anyone looking to deepen their impact in Virginia’s policy space. Whether you're new to advocacy or ready to fine-tune your skills, this session has something for you.

✅ Learn how the legislative and budget process really works in Virginia.
✅ Get tips for building relationships with elected officials.
✅ Best practices for delivering testimony, collaborating through coalitions, and more.
✅Power map your influence and plan your next advocacy move.
✅ Dive into grassroots engagement strategies and digital advocacy that drives action.
✅ Real-world case studies from successful children’s policy campaigns.

Whether you're strengthening your organization’s policy voice or preparing to mobilize community partners, Advocacy 201 offers actionable skills to deepen your impact.

Register today: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fcgFlAEhR7mScD2agnykaQ #/registration