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By Rebecca Barnes
Communities do not grow on good intentions alone. Progress happens when people decide that their neighbors’ success is worth investing in. Give Back Prince William (GBPW) was founded on that idea. The organization strengthens the nonprofits that educate children, support the arts, encourage volunteerism,
and contribute to local economic development. Through communication tools, strategic outreach, and the storytelling platform of Prince William Living. GBPW helps nonprofits gain the visibility they need. When a nonprofit can reach the right audience, the entire community benefits.
Mission and Purpose
GBPW is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to build a stronger community by supporting quality-of-life priorities across Prince William. These priorities include education, economic development, the arts, and volunteer service. Prince William Living supports this mission through its commitment to local social responsibility. Together, GBPW and PWL provide nonprofits with a reliable communication channel that helps residents understand the work happening around them.
“Nonprofits work every day to support families, strengthen neighborhoods, and solve problems that many people never see,” said Rebecca Barnes, founder of Give Back Prince William. “Our role is to make sure their work is visible so the community can understand it and support it.”
Quality of Life Award Sponsorships
GBPW sponsors and receives proceeds from a series of community awards and events that highlight leadership, service, education, business excellence, and nonprofit impact. These programs celebrate the people and organizations that contribute to a healthier, more connected community.
Influential Women Awards
Recognizes women who lead in service and work in fields such as education, business, public service, and nonprofit management. The recognition encourages leadership development and service and honors women who shape the community’s direction.
Extraordinary Teens Awards
Celebrates students who excel in the classroom, volunteer in their neighborhoods, or demonstrate leadership in their schools. The awards support youth development and highlight future leaders.
Patrick King Art Student Scholarship
Assists high school seniors planning to pursue arts education. The scholarship honors the legacy of Patrick King and helps young artists begin their creative careers.
Best Places to Work Awards
Highlights employers that support professional development and a positive workplace culture. The recognition promotes workforce advancement and encourages businesses to invest in their employees.
Readers’ Choice Awards
Spotlights local businesses and organizations selected directly by community members. The awards encourage residents to support local enterprises.
Giving Back Awards
Honors nonprofits, volunteers, and service leaders. These awards highlight organizations that address community needs every day and lift the quality of life in Prince William.
Together, these programs reinforce the importance of leadership, education, arts, workforce development, and volunteer service in regional growth.
How Prince William Living Subscriptions Support GBPW
A 12-month subscription to Prince William Living costs $20 and directly funds GBPW’s programs, helping nonprofits with scholarships, visibility, and communication support, strengthening local journalism and community stories.
Marketing Services for Nonprofits
Communication is one of the most challenging parts of nonprofit work. Many organizations have limited staff and limited funding for outreach. GBPW helps fill that gap. Services include:
- Public relations and media outreach
- Digital marketing planning
- Google Ads and Facebook Ads management
- Google Grants assistance
- Email marketing support
- Social media content development
- Photography and video
- Event promotion
- Branding and message development
- Graphic design, brochures, and reports
- Website support
- Writing and editing for donor communication and newsletters
These tools help nonprofits reach donors, volunteers, partners, and residents who care about their mission.
A Direct Invitation to Nonprofits
If your nonprofit struggles to reach its audience or needs guidance on communications, GBPW invites you to schedule a call. You can request marketing support, explore visibility programs, or apply for a GBPW marketing grant that covers communication services for eligible organizations. To begin, contact rebecca@givebackpw.org or visit givebackpw.org.
Proven Results: Semper K9’s Growth
Semper K9 demonstrates the value of early communication support. When the organization was first
created, co-founder Amanda Baity worked closely with Rebecca Barnes to learn how to introduce the
nonprofit to the public. “Rebecca’s guidance and advice has helped us reach a new level of donors and clients for our organization, setting us up for success while helping us grow our mission,” said Baity. These early efforts contributed to the organization’s national visibility. Semper K9 has appeared in People Magazine and on the program Returning the Favor with Mike Rowe. The outcome shows how clear messaging and early guidance can help a nonprofit reach far beyond its first audience.
Ways to #givebackpw
Residents and organizations can support GBPW in several ways.
Become a Friend of GBPW
Your contribution supports GBPW’s mission and helps expand positive media coverage of community issues. Friends receive a 12-month subscription to Prince William Living and are listed on the GBPW website.
Support a Specific Nonprofit
You can direct a contribution to a particular nonprofit, providing it with a visibility package that helps it reach more donors and raise more funds.
Become a Leadership Sponsor
Leadership Sponsors support multiple nonprofits through visibility programs and also strengthen GBPW’s mission. Sponsorships can be tailored to fit corporate giving priorities.
Become a Community Partner
Community Partners support scholarships, visibility packages, and GBPW initiatives countywide. Recognition appears in print, online, and across PWL and GBPW platforms. To see details for each participation level, visit givebackpw.org.
Attend GBPW and PWL Events
Fundraising events support scholarships and visibility programs. Community service events create local engagement and encourage volunteer participation.
Share the Mission
Telling friends and colleagues about #givebackpw helps expand awareness and strengthen the network of support.
Supporting Economic Development
GBPW also supports economic development through two programs. The Connect PW Branding Project helps nonprofits improve their identity and communication materials. Open for Business, a Prince William Living program, promotes small and minority owned businesses and increases their visibility.
Act Now
If you want to help strengthen our nonprofits and support the organizations that serve our neighbors every day, now is the time to get involved. You can subscribe, donate, nominate, partner, or volunteer. Every action supports communication, education, the arts, and economic development in Prince William County.
Visit givebackpw.org or email rebecca@givebackpw.org to take the next step today.
Rebecca Barnes is the publisher of Prince William Living and a longtime community storyteller. When she isn’t writing about local leaders, she enjoys time with her grandchildren, volunteering with the OWL Volunteer Fire Department, and planning her next Disney adventure.
