About the Ashland Foundation

Vision

The Ashland Foundation envisions a thriving, vibrant, and inclusive Ashland where community spirit, generosity, and collaboration empower all residents to flourish.

Mission

The Ashland Foundation is dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Town of Ashland through strategic philanthropy and innovative grantmaking. We strive to empower individuals, strengthen community bonds, and preserve the unique character of our town for current and future generations.

Let’s Create a Stronger Ashland

As passionate residents and community leaders, we are united by a shared vision for a future where Ashland thrives—where opportunity, compassion, and growth are available to all.

  • We believe that the heart of a strong Ashland lies in the vitality of our nonprofits, whose work uplifts every corner of our town.

  • We trust in the power of our community to lead the way, responding with creativity and care to the evolving needs around us.

  • Together, we will address the diverse and interconnected needs of our town—ensuring access to education, supporting the arts, combating food and housing insecurity, strengthening infrastructure, protecting our environment, promoting wellness, and much more.

We are committed to creating a brighter future for Ashland—one where every resident has the chance to thrive.

The Ashland Fund

In 2024, the Ashland Foundation entered into an agreement with the Community Foundation of Richmond to establish The Ashland Fund. The Ashland Fund is a committee advised fund held at the Community Foundation.

In exchange for a service fee, the Community Foundation accepts donations into The Ashland Fund, invests those funds at the direction of the Ashland Foundation, and provides administrative support.

Grantmaking decisions are made by the Ashland Foundation Board of Directors and support improving the lives of Ashland residents.

All donations to The Ashland Fund are distributed locally within the Town of Ashland and in accordance with the grant criteria as specified by the Ashland Foundation Board of Directors.

Partnership with the Community Foundation enables the all-volunteer Ashland Foundation Board to leverage the administrative capacities, expertise, and reputation of the Community Foundation to maximize donations and grow the fund exponentially for the benefit of the Ashland community.

Ashland Foundation Board

The Ashland Foundation is led by a Board of Directors composed of residents of Ashland and Hanover County, or individuals with strong ties to the community. These dedicated leaders not only have a deep understanding of the area's unique needs but also possess the skills and expertise to be effective fundraisers. They are committed to advancing the Foundation’s mission by acting in the best interest of the community and ensuring resources are directed where they are most needed.

Beyond traditional grantmaking, the Board focuses on addressing both current challenges and emerging opportunities, working to prepare the community for a sustainable and thriving future.

Board of Directors

  • Rob Stiles - President

    COMMUNITY MEMBER

  • Martha J. Miller - Treasurer

    ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER
    OF EXTERNAL OPERATIONS

  • Joshua S. Farrar - Secretary

    TOWN MANAGER

  • Lorie Foley

    COMMUNITY MEMBER

  • Sue Forbes Watson

    COMMUNITY MEMBER

  • Dr. LaChelle M. Lewis

    RANDOLPH-MACON COLLEGE ALUM

  • Tim McDermott

    COMMUNITY MEMBER

  • Steve Trivett

    MAYOR, TOWN OF ASHLAND

History of the Ashland Foundation

2008

During the Sesquicentennial Celebration of the Town of Ashland in 2008, the leaders of “Team 150” discussed the possibility of creating a community foundation with a 501c3 status that would serve as a resource for tax-exempt donations for the new Town Clock and future activities and projects to enhance life in Ashland, Virginia.

For many years, the foundation served as a “funds incubator” for newly formed non-profit organizations in the community.

In 2024, the foundation re-emerged — in partnership with the Town of Ashland and the Community Foundation of Richmond, Virginia — to begin a new chapter for the foundation.