Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville directs $19M into North Alabama, calls for strategic giving in 2026
The Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville highlighted its growing impact across North Alabama during its second annual State of the Community Foundation event at the Jackson Center on Thursday, March 26.
Melissa Thompson, CEO and president of the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville, said the foundation continues to manage a growing pool of charitable assets.
“This year, the Community Foundation stewards over $81 million of charitable assets that have been entrusted to us by our donors,” Thompson said.
According to Thompson, in 2025 alone, the foundation distributed more than $19 million to support the work of nonprofit organizations in their efforts to improve quality of life in North Alabama.
“Nearly 80% of those dollars stay right here in our five-county area,” Thompson said.
The event brought together nonprofit leaders, donors, community partners, and elected officials to highlight how strategic philanthropy is shaping the region. Thompson and other speakers emphasized both the scale of giving and the importance of intentional, data-driven impact.
“Sometimes the greatest gift that we can give donors is not just a tax strategy, but the time and the space to give thoughtfully and to be thoughtful about their generosity,” Thompson said.
Throughout the program, the foundation’s nonprofit partners shared how funding from the foundation is making a distinct, real, and lasting impact in the community.
Lee Langston, executive director of the Alabama Non-Violent Offenders Organization (ANVOO), described how support from the foundation is helping individuals successfully transition back into society.
“We train them to really have the cognitive thinking shift from scarcity mentality to where they can overcome their situations. By providing this, we provide a hand up and not a handout,” Langston said.
Joseph Faircloth, home repair coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley, highlighted the organization’s growing home repair program, which focuses on keeping residents safely housed. He said the organization is currently on its 54th repair and is continuing to grow.
“This program isn’t about cosmetic improvement. It’s about safety, dignity, and in many cases, whether somebody can stay in their home at all,” Faircloth said.
The program is able to complete critical repairs at a significantly lower cost by relying on volunteers, partnerships and donations, allowing each dollar to reach more families.
“We’re consistently able to complete critical repairs at fractions of market prices by leveraging our volunteers, partners, and donations, meaning every dollar invested into the program is going further and reaching more families in the community,” Faircloth said.
Rey Almodóvar, co-founder and CEO emeritus of INTUITIVE, highlighted the role of the Community Foundation’s donor-advised funds in long-term philanthropic planning.
“The structure brought us clarity and intentionality to philanthropy, and it enabled us to give not only generously, but wisely. When we recommend grants, we do so with confidence that the benefit is reaching credible, effective nonprofits positioned to make an impact where it’s needed most,” Almodóvar said.
Almodóvar also highlighted the value of the foundation’s local insight and expertise in guiding philanthropic decisions.
“One of the greatest strengths of our partnership with the Community Foundation lies in the deep knowledge of our community, the strength, these challenges, and the organizations working every day to make a meaningful difference,” Almodóvar shared.
As the organization looks ahead, leaders emphasized that its work is ultimately rooted in people, not just numbers.
“The Community Foundation’s impact is never about the organization. It’s always about the people. It’s created by people who care, people who give and people who believe that when we work together, we can strengthen this place we call home,” Thompson said.
