Middleburg Charitable Foundation: Fulfilling Community Needs
Written by Lia Hobel | Photo by Caroline Gray
“Our vision is a Middleburg where no one faces obstacles to basic needs, but everyone lives with dignity and enjoys equal opportunities, regardless of background.”
This stated vision for the Middleburg Charitable Foundation (MCF) is a testament to something that’s not always visible to the naked eye in town. “There’s always this perception that Middleburg has an abundance of resources,” says Pam Curran, a member of the Town Council and the foundation’s board. “And really, I think what we’ve seen through the foundation is that … it’s true and it’s not. We’ve seen there is a definite need for us to give more.”
The Middleburg Charitable Foundation was established in 2023 as a not-for-profit organization separate from the Town of Middleburg. The foundation continues the legacy of serving the disadvantaged and underserved in the area, which began with the Loudoun-Fauquier Health Center on South Madison Street in 1939. When it closed, the town took over ownership of the building. In 1993, the town formed the Health Center Advisory Board to manage the property and distribute charitable contributions throughout the community.
Building on this legacy, MCF’s recent initiatives have had a tangible impact on local nonprofits and community programs. In the last grant cycle, nearly $60,000 was distributed among almost a dozen organizations — including longtime Middleburg fixtures like Seven Loaves, A Place To Be, the Middleburg Community Center, and the Middleburg Library Advisory Board. Notably, the YMCA received funding for the first time, enabling it to launch after-school programs and a summer camp at the Middleburg Community Charter School.
Howard Armfield is the vice chair of the MCF board and also a founding member of the town’s Health Center Advisory Board. He says the foundation’s grant fulfillments show “the continuity of the need to do charitable purposes” as well as uphold Paul Mellon’s request for the Health Center to always be for charitable giving, even once the health center was no longer around.
“It’s an application process,” MCF Board Chair Erik Scheps explains. “We have a committee that votes whether or not the grant will be accepted.” There are seven people on the board, including two Town Council members. In addition to Scheps, Armfield, and Curran, there is Darlene Kirk, Jan Neuharth, Philip Miller, and Ray Morales who make up the board. Each one offers expertise in areas of philanthropy, business, law, and supporting communities.
Recognizing the interconnectedness of neighboring communities, Scheps says the foundation’s influence extends beyond Middleburg itself, thoughtfully supporting initiatives in surrounding areas whenever such efforts directly benefit local residents.
One example is Tree of Life in Purcellville. “There’s a percentage of their families here in Middleburg,” Armfield adds. At Tree of Life, volunteers “take food to the people so they can get the lay of the land and the circumstances that people are living in.”
September marks the final weeks for not-for-profit organizations to submit their funding applications to MCF before the October 6 application deadline. The mission of the foundation is to serve those in the areas of health, education, personal safety, or food security. Grant requests will not be considered for infrastructure needs.
Applicants have to demonstrate how the donation will benefit the Middleburg community, state their target beneficiaries, and include supporting evidence. After the applications are submitted, the board will ask any questions they may have by late October, with an optional presentation to the MCF board on October 29, 2025, to follow. Curran says presenters “truly put their heart on the table,” delivering exceptional presentations. The board has also seen new partnerships form by representatives from different causes sitting together in the lobby as they wait to present to the board.
The board extends an open invitation for any nonprofit affiliated with the Middleburg community to apply for funding. Additionally, contributions to the foundation are welcomed.
Curran says people often ask why they should donate to MCF instead of directly to an organization. The simple answer is that “it’s an easy way for people to give to multiple charities,” with the legwork being done for you. “Some people that are new don’t have the familiarity that, you know, people who have lived here for generations [have]. So, it’s a good way for them to be introduced to different charities in Middleburg.”
Even after the grants are awarded, Scheps says, “We follow up with them after the fact within six months. We want to know, did it work or did it not work? Did you need more? We try to get as much information as possible.” The intent is to track this data as the years go by to see how great of an impact the foundation has made and how it can do more.
Those who apply for a grant by the October 6 deadline will be notified of the board’s decision no later than November 11, 2025.
As an organization itself, the foundation plans to find ways to fundraise and receive donor support. Anyone interested in learning more about supporting the foundation’s mission or grant opportunities should visit the foundation’s website, middleburgcharitablefoundation.org. ML
Featured photo, left to right: Howard Armfield, Pam Curran, and Erik Scheps.
Published in the September 2025 issue of Middleburg Life.