Foundation Programs

The GGCC Community Foundation’s mission is to “Support community engagement work relevant to the Montgomery County Upcounty small business community, with an emphasis in professional development, workforce development, and community involvement.”

Major Programs and Philanthropic Efforts

Scholarship Program at Montgomery College

The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce currently maintains two scholarship funds at Montgomery College. A “current-use” fund, and an endowed fund. Each year, the GGCC awards approximately $8,000 in scholarship assistance to MC students. Our scholarship funds are “gap” emergency funds. In other words, we step in when need-based governmental financial aid and other scholarship resources don’t meet the cost of tuition. The GGCC Community Foundation will assume responsibility for programming that raises funds for this effort, namely the GGCC’s annual Golf Tournament, the annual Gala, and other fundraisers throughout the year.

Professional and Workforce Development Programs

The GGCC Community Foundation will raise funds to support several professional development and workforce development programs including:

The next cohort of the Pathways program, an educational program for entrepreneurs who identify as female, and entrepreneurs of color. The first cohort graduated through this program at the Chamber in 2022, and was funded through a grant supplied by ARPA funds through MCEDC.
Professional development programming that especially seeks to meet the needs of early- and mid-career professionals in the Upcounty business community.

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Community Involvement for the Upcounty Small Business Community & Partnerships

The GGCC Community Foundation will support several community initiatives throughout the year to engage and support our neighbors and small business community. We are especially interested in place-making initiatives, providing business resources to the community through awareness at large community events, and partnership activities with other community groups. Part of the Foundation’s community involvement work will include assuming responsibility for the Chamber’s annual Picnic with a Purpose.