HISTORIC TRIANGLE — “Ten Questions with” is a series that allows readers to get to know local business leaders, volunteers and community members in the Historic Triangle.
This week, meet Nancy Sullivan.
What is your job title and description?
As President and CEO of the Williamsburg Community Foundation (WCF) I work with our staff and board members to raise funds and provide grants and scholarships that address our community’s most pressing needs and opportunities. I wear many hats — from managing nearly $30 million in assets to strategic planning to engaging with the community to understand local needs and explore new ways for the Foundation to make a meaningful impact.
Who do you interact/work with regularly?
I regularly work with people who want to make our community better. Our donors, volunteers, and board members invest their time and financial resources to increase the support that WCF provides. I also work with dedicated nonprofit and government leaders who are tackling local issues that impact our residents every day.
How do you/your organization interact with the local community?
The Foundation, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, provides over $1 million in support every year. As community needs grow, we are working to expand our endowment through a special “25th Anniversary Campaign,” which will increase our grantmaking capacity for years to come. Our focus is on harnessing resources and directing them to address both current and future community needs. We provide grants to nonprofit organizations, scholarships to local students, and help donors meet their charitable goals. WCF supports new nonprofit organizations to build their capacity and invests assets for
established nonprofit endowments.
What is something about your job most people wouldn’t know about?
When you give money to the Foundation it does a lot more than you think. Unlike most nonprofits, gifts are invested for the long term. When you give $25 today, it keeps giving back to our community forever.
How do you define success?
Our success comes from underwriting the work of our local nonprofits to meet community needs, it comes from helping a student achieve their educational dreams, and it comes from enabling a donor to help the causes they care about long after they are gone. For our 25th Anniversary, we are raising money so that we can increase our grants by $25,000 a year … forever. And those dollars will continue to grow, enabling us to make a greater impact on Williamsburg.
What is your most successful accomplishment to date?
When I first started, the Foundation had under $1 million in assets, a handful of donors, and my desk was a plastic folding table. Each day I worked to build a structure that would one day hold philanthropic dreams for our community. While we are not done (and will never be done), I have seen many of those dreams come to fruition over the last twenty years. That is what I see as success.
How long have you lived/worked in the Historic Triangle?
My family moved here twenty-one years ago for my husband to attend graduate school at William & Mary, but we stayed because of the community and the natural beauty of this area.
What is your favorite part of being in the Historic Triangle?
Williamsburg has so much to offer its residents, and one of my favorite things is being outside exploring the area. From the Colonial Parkway to York River State Park to my backyard garden, I find joy in the natural environment.
What do you do for downtime/to relax?
Our favorite family activity is going out for dinner, especially for Mexican food. We celebrate most of our family milestones that way. I also like to spend time reading, out in the garden, or watching movies. Every February, we try to watch as many of the best picture nominees as we can before the Academy Awards.
What is the next step in your journey?
Our youngest child is off to her senior year of college, so my husband and I are figuring out what life looks like now. Our hope is that we will have more opportunities to travel and visit parts of the world we haven’t yet seen.
Do you want to learn more about your community and the people who live and work in the Historic Triangle? We are looking for people with interesting jobs, super volunteers, or community leaders to showcase. Reach out to let us know if you (or someone you know) would like to be considered for Ten Questions.
