Nonprofits | Philanthropy 2025: DEBORAH M. DICROCE

After spending more than 35 years as a university professor and college president, DiCroce has led the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for more than a decade. The foundation is the largest grant and scholarship provider in southeastern Virginia, distributing more than $33 million in 2024.

For the 2024-25 school year, the organization provided more than $1.8 million in scholarships to 490 undergraduate and graduate students. It also provides grants to nonprofits focused on health, education, the arts, the environment and other causes. Grants are awarded four times a year.

DiCroce, who has a doctorate in higher education from William & Mary, was president of Tidewater Community College for 14 years and president of Virginia Piedmont Community College for nine years. She also taught at the University of Virginia, William & Mary and Old Dominion University. DiCroce earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from ODU, which in January awarded her the Hugo Owens Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award, recognizing her contributions to civil rights, politics, housing and social programs.

She serves on the boards of the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, RVA757 Connects and Virginia Beach Vision.

Return to the full list of this category’s recipients.