January 2026 Newsletter

Grant Fund Tops $285,000

We are pleased to report that we've raised more than $285,000 for the 2026 grant fund to date. We are delighted that 31 new members have joined Many Hands since the beginning of the grant cycle, and more than 184 members have renewed their support. We are deeply grateful to all the donors who make our grants possible.

If amplifying your philanthropic impact is one of your 2026 resolutions, there's still time to become a Many Hands member and support outstanding community-based nonprofits that serve and empower women, children, and families in socioeconomic need. We continue to raise funds and welcome new and returning members until the Annual Meeting in May, which introduces the year's four grantees. Following the Annual Meeting, based on a membership vote, one grantee will receive the 2026 Impact Grant of at least $100,000. In addition, three grantees will receive Partner Grants.

In order to be eligible to serve on a Focus Area Committee we must receive your gift by January 15. The four Focus Area Committees review grants and select grantees in each of our priority areas. The more members we have, the larger our grants and the greater our impact. Join or renew today and please help spread the word about the power of collective giving!

Accepting Grant Applications Through January 16

Many Hands is accepting grant applications for the 2026 grant cycle on our grant portal through Friday, January 16. Information about our eligibility criteria and application and review process is available on our website. If you have additional questions, please send them to grants@manyhandsdc.org. Answers to submitted questions will be found in updated Applicant FAQs by Sunday, January 11.

Virtual Member Coffee - February 1

If you're new to Focus Area Committees—or if it's been a while since you last served—we invite you to join members of the Grants Committee on Sunday, February 1 at 3:00 pm on Zoom. We'll walk through the review process, talk about our approach to grantmaking, and answer your questions. You'll also have a chance to meet this year's committee chairs, as well as fellow members. Click here to register.  

Sign Up for a Focus Area Committee - February 2-4

Look out for an email at noon on Monday, February 2 inviting you to sign up for a Focus Area Committee. You'll be able to rank your committee choices and note any conflicts. The signup form will be open through noon on Wednesday, February 4, and we will notify committee members of their assignments later that week. 

There will be a total of six FAC meetings over the course of the 2026 grants cycle. Our FAC meetings will commence the week of February 16. Each FAC will meet once a week on a scheduled Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday in order to evaluate applications (two are held in-person, the other two via Zoom). In addition, during the month of April, each FAC will conduct three to five site visits. Each FAC will then meet the last week of April on its regularly scheduled meeting date to choose its committee grantee. All four grantees will then be presented to the Many Hands membership at the Annual Meeting on May 14. 

The 2026 FACs will meet as follows:

Economic Empowerment

When: Wednesdays (February 18, March 4, March 11, March 18, March 25, and April 29), 8:30 am to 10 am

Where: Forest Hills, Upper Northwest, DC

Education

When: Wednesdays (February 18, March 4, March 11, March 18, March 25, and April 29), 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Where: Zoom

Health

When: Thursdays (February 19, March 5, March 12, March 19, March 26, and April 30), 8:30 am to 10:00 am

Where: Zoom

Housing

When: Tuesdays (February 17, March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24, and April 28), 8:30 am to 10:00 am

Where: Chevy Chase, MD

FAC members will be invited to participate in training sessions for Foundant, our grant application software, and Finance 101. Registration links will be shared with FAC members in January and February.

In addition, we will offer an optional Zoom session for FAC members - Grants Review Tips & Tricks - on Wednesday, February 11 at 10:00 am. We strongly encourage first-time committee members to participate and welcome returning members to refresh their knowledge. A registration link will be shared with FAC members in February.

If you have questions about FACs or the signup process, please contact Claudette Christian at grants@manyhandsdc.org.

FIELD NOTES

Holes in the Safety Net

In 2024, Gallup, in partnership with the Greater Washington Community Foundation, surveyed residents of the DMV to assess key economic stability measures. As the region continues to grow and transform, many residents lack access to basic needs and harbor anxiety about being able to pay for them.

DMV residents continue to have critical shortfalls in areas that are central to Many Hands' mission. Too many struggle to meet basic human needs. Nearly one in five residents in the DMV say there have been times in the past year when they did not have enough money to buy healthcare or medicine (18%), or food for themselves or their family (18%). In 2020, 31% said they were “very” or “somewhat worried" about affordable housing. But by mid-2023, 52% expressed this level of concern.

Resources from donors like Many Hands help organizations to support women, children, and families in need. To learn more, click here.

Spur Local Seeks Volunteer Reviewers

Spur Local is a DMV-based nonprofit that connects people with the region’s most trusted nonprofits—and connects those nonprofits with the resources they need to thrive. The annual application to join the Spur Local network is currently open to small DMV-based nonprofits. Volunteer community reviewers help determine which nonprofits join and provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants. Reviewers' valuable insights each year contribute to a strong class of new nonprofits. If you're interested in participating, please fill out this quick survey by Tuesday, February 10, 2026.