Jefferson Trust Staff, Author at The Jefferson Trust

August 9, 2022

Grants in News

Starr Hill Pathways scholars listen to University professors and students. Photo: Erin Edgerton

Many grant projects have been busy over the summer! From conducting field tests to hosting seminars, to preparing for future events, check out some incredible Jefferson Trust projects highlighted in the news:

An initiative from the UVA Equity Center and a 2022 annual grant recipient, Starr Hill Pathways brought middle-school students to Grounds for a three-week program to learn about the college experience and engage with a university. Check out their experiences in this UVA Today article, CBS19 feature, and Daily Progress article.

A 2022 flash grant recipient, “Chaos to Chaos: Documenting Afghan Women,” was recently highlighted on CBS19 News for their work to build community and share the stories of Afghan women in the local community.

The Roadmap Scholars Initiative hosted their first summer program, helping first-gen, low-income undergraduates prepare for and apply to elite law schools. Learn more about the scholars in this UVA Law article.

The UVA Solar Car team raced a custom solar-powered electric vehicle at the Formula Sun Grand Prix in Topeka, Kansas this summer. Learn about their preparations and building their car since receiving a Trust grant in 2017 in this Cav Daily article.

Since their 2018 grant, read about the growth and impact of Hoos Connected in this UVA Today feature. The grant funds a one-credit class lasting a single semester that teaches healthy relationship-building skills in small groups of first-year, second-year and transfer students.

“Madayin: Eight Decades of Aboriginal Australian Bark Painting from Yirrkala” is the first major exhibition of Aboriginal Australian bark paintings to tour the U.S. It opens in September 2022 at the Hood Museum. Kluge-Ruhe received a Trust grant in 2019 to help produce the accompanying catalog, a 352-page piece in both Yolngu Matha and English (which is the first ever international touring exhibition catalog in an Australian language). Read more about the significance of this exhibition.

The “Transformative Autism Biomarker Research Initiative” in UVA’s Developmental Neuroanalytics Lab was spotlighted in National Geographic’s June 2022 issue. A 2020 grant recipient, the lab is developing new universal screening protocols for social processing disorders.

August 9, 2022August 15, 2022

Ideas Against the Shot Clock

The Jefferson Trust was formed because there was a need for unrestricted funds to support new projects and programs. That need has existed since the University’s founding, and it still exists today. The wide menu of fundraising priorities and the time upper administration devotes to fundraising would indicate the truth of that statement.

With all this time spent on fulfilling ‘the need,’ how does a fundraiser know if the idea they’re pitching resonates with donors? A single ‘yes’ can do it, but it would take several instances of ‘no’ to realize a change needs to be made. Time-constrained campaigns put a shot clock on moving the idea forward, and a year or two of hearing ‘no’ is too long.

In January 2022, Risa Goluboff, Dean of the UVA School of Law, pitched her vision to the Trustees and quickly received her ‘yes.’ The Roadmap Scholars Initiative is a two-year program designed to expose college juniors and seniors to the law, law school and the legal profession, and to help them become competitive applicants to the nation’s top law schools.

The Trustees loved the idea and granted $200,000 in seed funding to help start the program. Not only did this grant help jump-start the program, but the full board, which includes seven Law School alumni, are also strong supporters and advocates for the initiative’s growth.

This same jump-start effect can be even more helpful for a new dean, director or vice president. There’s a lot of pressure on new administrators to simultaneously thank the donors who have given previously, while pivoting to new priorities, and doing so within the campaign timeline.

Nicole Thorne Jenkins, the John A. Griffin Dean of the McIntire School of Commerce, saw the Trust’s value early on and proposed the Side Hustle program. The program — designed to be taken anywhere, anytime — offers one-half-credit classes that deliver modern business content and skills to students who may be interested in starting a new business, growing a network, honing a brand, or learning how ‘Name, Image, and Likeness’ works for college athletes.

This grant will provide seed funding and proof of concept programming and help the school better showcase the dean’s vision.

These examples have both been on the ‘yes’ side, what happens when the Trust says ‘no’? It can still be a positive. A ‘no’ from the Trust gives the grant seeker a chance to revise the pitch, revise the project, or go back to the drawing board.

The Trust grant-making process is a positive opportunity to move an idea forward faster. It yields great ideas and great outcomes that advance UVA.

August 9, 2022August 9, 2022

New Owners of a Historic Home

Aerial view of Lewis Mountain House

While on Grounds, you may have looked to the west and seen a hill-top house reminiscent of Monticello. But isn’t Monticello east of Grounds? Yes, it is.

What you have seen is the Lewis Mountain House, also known as Onteora. Built in 1909, it is on the National Register of Historic Places and its 42 acres were originally landscape-designed by the renowned Warren H. Manning.

The home was recently acquired by Jefferson Trust Trustees Adrienne and Keith Woodard (Parent ’08). We asked Adrienne and Keith about the property and their plans for its future.

What led you to purchase the property?

We saw this as an opportunity to rescue a Charlottesville icon and to transform it from a neglected, mysterious place into a spectacular destination that more people would be able to use and enjoy. Our goal is to preserve the historic character of the property, revitalize the landscaping, and make it more accessible, usable, and enjoyable.

How will you use it?

Initially, it will be used for our own use as we strive to get the house and grounds into respectable condition. In addition to the main house, there is a guest house, and the original carriage house which we plan to rent for this upcoming school year. We are exploring with the county how we can make the main house and the almost 43-acre property, described in 1965 as a mountaintop park, more usable and purposeful. We have met with UVA architects and will be researching the property more to get a better understanding of its past and its potential for the future.

When will you receive your first guests/ customers?

Our youngest daughter, Anna-Marie (Col ’08), was recently married here in Charlottesville. We managed to clear out enough rooms, repaint and clean them to have family guests stay in 8 of the 11 bedrooms in the main house. During most of July we are staying here along with hosting 5 guest artists, who are in the summer performances of The Charlottesville Opera.

What interesting feature can you share about the house?

There are numerous interesting features in the house: huge pocket doors, multiple light sconces in every room, 14-foot-high ceilings, huge marble fireplace mantles, original silk wall coverings, original chandeliers and more. Of course, what stands out most are the views in every direction — from the very visible four-columned portico looking east towards UVA and Monticello, looking south from the original pool area towards Nelson County, from the ‘front’ entrance looking west towards Birdwood and the Blue Ridge Mountains, and from the north portico toward the airport and the Southwest Mountains. We were able to see Fourth of July fireworks in every direction!

The Lewis Mountain House is a gem right in the heart of UVA, Charlottesville and Albemarle County and we look forward to seeing what the next chapter holds in its long history.

April 20, 2022April 20, 2022

Jefferson Trust awards $98,000 in Flash Funding grants

The Jefferson Trust has awarded just over $98,000 across sixteen Flash Funding grants since January. “The flash funding proposals received this spring were fascinating. It’s impressive to see so many students and faculty at UVA focused on making an already great institution even better,” shares Amy Bonner, Director of Grants for the Trust.

Half of the sixteen flash awards were made to students or student groups focused on improving the UVA experience: an art contest in the chemistry building, mapping the health system and several film projects. Another group of flash grants involve partnerships with community groups — the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe, local Emergency Services and even hikers on North Grounds.

Different than the Jefferson Trust’s Annual Cycle grants, Flash Funding grants are capped at $10,000 per project and are awarded monthly beginning in January.

The 2022 Flash Funding grants:

Accesibilizing UVA Health: A Navigational Experience: $7,480

A student-led initiative of the Health Sciences Library, this project aims to create an accurate virtual map of the UVA Health System. The app will provide step-by-step walking instructions to promote patient independence and familiarity with the hospital. This work will also create the foundation for streamlined processes to expand both outpatient clinics as well as other University buildings.

STEM-Themed Art Contest for Chemistry Building: $2,500

This art contest will blend art and science by bringing student and faculty produced art to the walls of the chemistry building.

“One Size Fits All” Short Film and Impact Campaign: $7,834

Funding supports a short film exploring satirical commentary on body image, social media and how companies manipulate us. In addition to the film, an interactive website will be created to provide a meeting place for viewers to think, talk and organize change.

From Chaos to Chaos: Documenting Afghan Women: $10,000

This project will include a film amplifying and sharing the stories of Afghan women in the UVA community and pilot a support and wellness program.

Charlottesville Analog Film Festival: $5,320

This student-led project will create a series of short analog films, which will premiere at an open-community film festival in Charlottesville in fall 2022. The project will involve community partners Visible Records and Light House Studios.

The Historical Landscape of North Grounds: $6,735

The UVA Law Library is creating and installing interpretive panels along the Rivanna Trail in UVA’s North Grounds to inform and bring awareness of the people — free and enslaved — who lived and labored on this UVA property.

Upper Mattaponi Land Use Study: $10,000

A collaboration between UVA’s Native & Indigenous Relations Community (NIRC), the School of Architecture and the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe (UMIT), this project was developed in response to efforts at UVA to build and improve relations with Native nations across Virginia. A team of faculty, staff and students will work with the tribe to assess their needs and desires for development and provide UMIT with a professional study and land use report to guide their efforts.

Developing Future Leaders in Autism Healthcare Through Emergency Medical Training: $9,973

This project aims to develop and distribute evidenced-based, community-informed Autism Response Protocol (ARP) to EMTs across Virginia through various trainings. Creating hands-on opportunities for students to learn about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will fill a major gap in current curricula and facilitate their future leadership in medicine.

Large Format 3D Printer: $1,000

This student-led experiential project aims to explore how 3D printing can be scaled from small desktop machines to large desk-sized machines while maintaining accuracy and precision.

Zora’s Daughters Choosing Brilliance Lecture: $1,000

Zora’s Daughters is a popular podcast focusing on contemporary issues from a Black feminist lens using anthropological concepts and key texts. Students interviewed Zora’s Daughters creators about their production process, as well as the cogency of anthropological thought in public discourse.

Tangential Timber: Non-Linear Wood Masonry: $7,000

This project seeks to demonstrate an application for irregular waste timber by developing a digital fabrication workflow to process cross sectional slices of logs (“cookies”) into structural blocks. The project will culminate in a physical prototype installation demonstrating the novel construction and material strategies developed.

Darden African Business Conference: $7,000

Funding supports a conference focused on “Emerging Trends in Africa’s Creative Economy.” Conference attendees will improve their knowledge of the interplay between Africa’s economic development and its creative sector, gain an awareness of the difference in various African countries, and increase the number of African business cases studied in Darden classrooms.

Taste of Home Open Fair: $752

Two chefs from diverse, underrepresented backgrounds will cook meals that UVA community members can enjoy at the Taste of Home multicultural fair, which introduces unique cultures through ethnic cuisine.

3D Scanning at the Visual Resources Center: $8,660

Funding will purchase a 3D scanner for the Visual Resources Center at the Art Department, which is a hub of 3D modeling, printing and other digital creative services for students, faculty and staff.

History of Law Enforcement with an emphasis on UPD: $2,800

Bringing UVA students, faculty and citizens of Charlottesville together, the University Police Department (UPD) will host and participate in a panel discussion and workshop to discuss African American and Monacan Tribal Nation relationships around the history of law enforcement while promoting and fostering healing to both law enforcement and citizens.

Psychology School Outreach Days: $9,962.74

Eighth graders from across central Virginia will come to UVA for a day of hands-on learning to explore psychology and brain science.

April 19, 2022May 2, 2022

More than the Money

Grant project directors discuss their experiences and learnings, as a part of the ‘Promoting Your Project’ panel, from the Grantee Summit.

Every grant has a dollar sign, but each is much more than a funding allocation. It is a promise from the grantees to make their dream a reality. For the Trust, it is a promise to support the grant and maximize its outcomes. Trust grants are not a sink-or-swim scenario; they’re a partnership in reaching a common goal.

One of the best and longest lasting ways the Trust has provided additional support is through the Trustee Liaison Program. This program pairs a Trustee with a grant to provide whatever help is needed; from problem solving to promoting successes. It is a great way to build a community of innovation.

On April 29, we hosted our first Grantee Summit, bringing grant directors and Trustees together for roundtables, panel discussions, and networking opportunities around scaling, promoting, pitching, and funding project and program growth. By all accounts, the event was a success, and we look forward to expanding it in the future to include more members of the UVA Community.

“Finding funding, drafting a press release, working with community partners. These are universal topics, and if we can help more members of the University be more successful in their work, we’re doing the right thing,” said Brent Percival, Executive Director of the Jefferson Trust.

Finally, we saw during the pandemic how important it is to ‘check in’ and in the COVID time-warp, a year could feel like an eternity. The Trust’s Outcomes Committee has developed a simple quarterly update form that grantees can use to deliver feedback, voice an issue, or share a success story. This more regular dialogue will help keep grantees connected and show that we are with them in this journey.

We are confident every grant will be successful but if there are tips and tools, we can provide to make them even better, we are all in.