St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – From February 12–14, 2026, St. Croix Foundation for Community Development will host its Eighth Annual Philanthropy Retreat, “Falling into Formation: A Blueprint for Coherence in Philanthropy,” convening funders, nonprofit leaders, and systems thinkers from across the country and territory for a transformative three-day experience rooted in equity, coherence, and community ownership.
As a vehicle for engaging national and regional philanthropic leaders while exposing them to the unique realities of the U.S. Caribbean, St. Croix Foundation’s (SCF) 3-day retreat will host guests across a diverse philanthropic landscape from the Foundation for the Mid-South (Mississippi-based Funder) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (National Funder) to Grantmakers for Southern Progress, One Eleuthera Foundation (Bahamian Funder), and Global Giving (Global Funder).
The invitation-only convening will connect National and Regional Senior Philanthropy Executives with the Board and Staff of the Foundation’s Nonprofit Consortium, a 9-year-old coalition of approximately 30 St. Croix-based Nonprofits. During the retreat, members of St. Croix Foundation’s Nonprofit Consortium, Helping Ordinary People Everyday (HOPE), VI Good Food, Per Ankh, and the Virgin Islands Architecture Center for Built Heritage and Crafts, Inc., will lead a panel focused on collective impact, with additional local nonprofit partners hosting island tours, site visits, and an opening reception dinner.
A Living Case Study in Place-Based Philanthropy
“This retreat represents a curated space wherein the Foundation has sought to lead a conversation about the power of philanthropy and place-based civic wisdom to reimagine and repair communities,” said Deanna James, President of St. Croix Foundation.
James continued, “After assuming the helm of the Foundation in 2015, we almost immediately lost the majority of our local donors. The Retreat was my brainchild, conceptualized back in 2017, in order to fill a growing funding gap while also fostering new national philanthropy relationships and champions committed to advocating for deeper philanthropic investment into the territory. Over the past 9 years, the retreat has exceeded our expectations, diversifying our funding streams; marshaling philanthropic resources to our local nonprofits; and expanding the Foundation’s national and regional philanthropic network from under 5 in 2017 to over 200 in 2025.”
To date, the national partnerships being nurtured through the Foundation’s Annual Philanthropy Retreat have generated over $5,000,000 in funding for St. Croix nonprofits, and the Foundation has also connected local nonprofits to relevant intellectual brain-trusts and funding networks in targeted ‘sectors’ including arts & culture; the environs; health & human services; and youth & education. Noteworthy partnerships include the HIVE Fund, Global Giving, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In addition to the networks and resources that result from this yearly gathering, the Philanthropy Retreat is one of many convenings throughout the year in which SCF introduces national and international field experts to St. Croix. From 2023-2025, SCF has hosted 320+ national partners on St. Croix, creating over half a million dollars of revenue for the territory’s hotel and tourism industry (not including ground transportation, dining, shopping, or excursions). Strategies such as this allow SCF to advocate for the U.S. Virgin Islands while also presenting unique opportunities for the islands to serve as models of innovation and Philanthropic Tourism.
St. Croix Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to its local, national, regional, and international partners (new and veteran) who have made this convening possible. For more information on the Foundation’s 8th Annual Philanthropy Retreat or how to support the Foundation’s efforts, please call the Foundation’s office at 340.773.9898 or visit their website at www.stxfoundation.org.