Consisting of 275 special and unrestricted funds, managed by The Bank of America, BB&T and Sun Trust (Now Truist), Wells Fargo, and other major financial institutions, The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation provides for the administration and the investment of gifts and bequests for the benefit of the City of Lynchburg and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell. The foundation exists to promote local philanthropy and to simplify the process of giving by receiving and managing permanent gifts for the continual benefit of the Lynchburg region.

The foundation was initially conceived in 1971 as an idea to form a community trust before being formed and having its first organizational meeting two years later in 1973. As of 2012, the community trust’s assets that make up the community foundation exceeded $30 million.

To help reach its goal of providing financial assistance to members of the community throughout the Lynchburg region, The GLCF offers scholarships to assist students in the region with financial assistance in obtaining the college of their choice. Students are encouraged to review each scholarship fund before applying, as each fund has its own selection committee. For more information on the scholarship funds offered by GLCF, or for how to apply for scholarships, click HERE.

Additionally, the GLCF also offers the Century Fund, intended to help financially support nonprofit organizations in the Lynchburg region that are recognized by the IRS as 501(c)3 tax-exempt public charity organizations. The first Century Fund was awarded to the Free Clinic of Central Virginia, helping the organization to continue bringing much-needed medical care to the Lynchburg region. For more information about the guidelines for nonprofits who are seeking to apply for the Century Fund, click HERE.

Additionally, The GLCF provides resources for professional advisors who serve  clients who may be contributing to one or more charitable causes, who may be considering the creation of a private foundation, or who would like to stay personally involved in the donation process. These resources help clients, through the potential financial support of the GLCF, donate to a specific cause without donating to a specific organization.

In 2020, The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation served 175 nonprofits, generated $1,968,158, received 988,271 donations, and combined these achievements for a total of $47,751,367 in assets. These incredible achievements would not be possible without the financial support of incredible donors from across the Lynchburg region. For more information about how financially supporting the GLCF works, or how to donate, click HERE.

The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation is located at 1100 Commerce Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504. You can reach them by telephone at (434) 845-6600, or send them an email HERE.

To view upcoming volunteer opportunities and events, view The Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation’s page on SHARE Greater Lynchburg HERE.