How The Charities Were Chosen

Our review committee has grown substantially over the years. Currently, ninety professional grantmakers and leaders at over sixty foundations, nonprofit organizations, corporate giving programs, philanthropic advisory groups, and DC government agencies, evaluate applications (submitted online in January and February) for distinction, merit, cost-effectiveness, and accomplishment. Every finalist has been "site visited" by at least one reviewer; some by as many as five. Our CPA reviews the 990 filings, audited financials, and other key indicators of all newly selected charities. Location, diversity among fields and kinds of organizations, and appeal to donors, all contribute to the final decisions.

Reviewers

The following foundations, nonprofit organizations, corporations, institutions, and individuals participated in the selection process:

Academy of Hope (Lecester Johnson)
Alexandria Community Trust (ACT) (Jonelle Stachura Wallmeyer)
Alternative House: the Abused and Homeless Children's Shelter (Judith Dittman)
Arabella Philanthropic Advisors (Ann VanDusen)
Bank of America (Betsy Duff)
Bank of Georgetown (Sydnee Reghioui)
Beyond the Bottom Line (John Gillespie)
Booz Allen Hamilton (Joseph TN Suarez)
Borromeo Housing (Joy Myers)
Brainfood (Paul Dahm)
Calvary Women's Services (Kristine Thompson)
CARE International (Katy Love)
Catalogue for Philanthropy (Laura Choi, Barbara Harman)
Center for Nonprofit Advancement (Susan Sanow)
Center for Inspired Teaching (Eneida P Alcalde)
CGI Federal (Peter Cutler)
Chevy Chase Trust (Shepard Burr)
Citizen Schools (Sylvia Kidder Barry)
Commonweal Foundation (Phyllis M Rumbarger)
The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region (Kenny Emson, Silvana Straw)
DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative (Varissa McMickens)
DC Office of Partnerships and Grant Services (Kathy DeBoe, Gretchen Greiner-Lott, Pat Henry)
Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation (Jessica Risch)
Duke Ellington Jazz Festival (Neena Kumar)
endpoverty.org (Kenneth Wesche)
Fannie Mae (Donna Purchase)
FBR Capital Markets (Ann Brodeur)
Harman Family Foundation (Katherine Jankowski, Nancy Swartz)
Higher Achievement Program (Lynsey Wood Jeffries)
Horton's Kids (Lindsy Pietroski)
Individuals (Julia Harman Cain, Isadora Carreras, Erica Pressman, Betsy Rosenblatt Rosso, Carole Southam)
John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation (Suzanne Martin)
Jovid Foundation (Bob Wittig)
Life Pieces to Masterpieces (Gretchen Martens)
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Oramenta Newsome)
Lois & Richard Engand Family Foundation & Jacob & Charlotte Lehrman Foundation (Julia Baer-Cooper)
Luther I Replogle Foundation (Gwenn Gebhard)
Many Hands (Sydney Bath, Susie Berenson, Leslie Lawley, Noni Lindahl)
Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations; Standards for Excellence Institute (Trudy Jacobson)
Marymount University (Kathleen Zeifang)
The McCormick Group Inc (Lyles Carr)
Mead Family Foundation (Holli Rivera)
Meyer Foundation (Karen Fitzgerald, Amy Harbison, Katherine T Freshley)
Miriam's Kitchen (Sara Gibson, Scott Schenkelberg)
Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation (Michael Bigley, Carlyn Madden, Mary Mulcahy)
Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation (Alison McWilliams)
Pepco Holdings Inc /PEPCO (Pamela D Holman)
RO Walker Company LLC (Dick Walker)
Richard E and Nancy P Marriott Foundation (Nancie Suzuki)
Polinger Family Foundation (Margaret Siegel)
Share Our Strength (Suzy Twohig)
Sitar Arts Center (Ed Spitzberg)
Sprenger Lang Foundation (Jane Lang)
Thrive DC, formerly Dinner Program for Homeless Women (Erika Barry)
Top Banana Home Delivered Groceries (Phyllis Courlander, Jean Guiffre)
Trawick Foundation (Carol Trawick)
TTR Sotheby's International Realty (Jennifer Hammond, Tessa Morris, Nan Stewart)
The VOR Group Ltd (Virginia Record)
Washington Grantmakers (Carolynn Mambu)
Washington Area Women's Foundation (Nicole Cozier, Lisa Kays, Julie Leibee, Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat)
Washington Jesuit Academy (Merry Cavanaugh)
Washington Performing Arts Society (Doug Wheeler)
Washington Youth Garden (Jane Herbert)
Webber Family Foundation (Erica Webber)
Women Thrive Worldwide (Ann Corbett)
World Bank Group (Walter D Woods)

Jeffrey J Bates, Certified Public Accountant