CNE’s 7AP in Action series showcases members who exemplify excellence in nonprofit work and embody one or more of CNE’s 7 Actionable Principles (7AP)—guiding values that support a strong, sustainable social sector: This issue features Erika Viccellio, Executive Director at Foutain Fund.
1. Create strategic budgets
2. Manage financial position
3. Build relationships
4. Prioritize equity
5. Develop leaders
6. Collaborate with communities
7. Evaluate impact
Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to the 4th principle—prioritize equity.
The Fountain Fund began as a quiet but radical proposition: What if financial justice could be a key to healing the harms of mass incarceration? Founded in Charlottesville by former federal prosecutor Tim Heaphy, the Fountain Fund began its journey eight years ago with a mission rooted in understanding—to provide low-interest loans to formerly incarcerated individuals, removing the financial barriers that too often block the road to reintegration. The organization quickly discovered something else: their work wasn’t just about access to capital. It was about equity.
Principle 4: Prioritize equity
Erika Viccellio, who joined as Executive Director early in the Fund’s journey, brought a passion for turning equity from a value into a structure, not just what the Fund did, but how it did it.
“We’ve been asking ourselves,” she said, “what am I willing to give up so that others have opportunity?”
From rethinking traditional top-down leadership to prioritizing lived experience in every facet of the organization, the Fountain Fund didn’t just aim to help formerly incarcerated individuals; they invited them to lead. That meant hiring team members with lived experience, rebalancing board representation to reflect the communities they served, and honoring alternative forms of expertise, from the street to the banking sector. But shifting how an organization thinks and operates requires more than vision—it takes support.
For years, the Fountain Fund has found community through the Center for Nonprofit Excellence – Virginia (CNE)’s peer-to-peer learning programs. Fifteen years ago, Erika joined CNE’s very first Executive Directors Circle, with some of members of this group still meeting monthly today. Since then, other Fountain Fund team members have taken part in the Leaders of Color Circle and the Emerging Leaders Academy, continuing the tradition of shared growth and support. As Erika reflects, “CNE’s peer-to-peer learning opportunities have been foundational to the growth of the Fountain Fund team.”
Today, the Fund operates in multiple cities, including Charlottesville, Philadelphia, Boston, and Richmond, all while maintaining a community-rooted, relationship-first model. From court debt relief to small business loans, each transaction is more than money; it’s a chance to rebuild lives with dignity and trust.
The model is working. The Fund has issued nearly 900 loans totaling over $4 million, but just as importantly, it has become a beacon for how to build power with, not just for, people. As Erika puts it, “We don’t have a flashy equity statement. But if you look at everything we’re doing, it’s about equity. It’s about flipping the script.” The Fountain Fund continues to grow—with care, with courage, and with a clear-eyed commitment to equity that isn’t just spoken, but lived.
