In light of a recent CBS6 report, more questions have been raised about the employment of John Sydnor, former Executive Director of the Enrichmond Foundation, in his new role as Fundraising and Communications Program Officer at LISC Virginia. This development comes despite the unresolved controversy surrounding his involvement in the collapse of the Enrichmond Foundation in June 2022, which left 86 local nonprofit partners without access to their funds.
CBS 6 obtained documents revealing that the Enrichmond Foundation breached contracts with its nonprofit partners by using nearly $500,000 of their funds to pay off its debts, ultimately leading to its collapse. The fallout impacted numerous community organizations, including the Friends of the Pump House group working on the restoration of Byrd Park’s Pump House and Texas Beach Skate Park.
Former board members and staff of the Enrichmond Foundation, including Sydnor and ex-Finance Manager Beth Captain, have not addressed the issue publicly or answered questions from CBS 6. The available documents paint a picture of the organization’s chaotic final months and the disappearance of hundreds of thousands of dollars belonging to partner groups.
J David Young, then-president of the nonprofit’s board, requested a “crisis plan” from Sydnor to tackle the financial issues plaguing the organization. Financial records show that the amount owed to partner groups ballooned from $300,000 to $473,634 by April 2022.
Despite the ongoing investigation and the lack of clarity surrounding his role in the Enrichmond Foundation’s collapse, Sydnor secured a position at LISC Virginia as the Fundraising and Communications Program Officer. His bio on their website highlights his 11-year tenure as the Executive Director of the Enrichmond Foundation but omits any mention of the organization’s disintegration.
Under normal circumstances, most employers would be hesitant to hire an individual who has been associated with leaving a previous organization in disarray and playing a leadership role in 86 local nonprofits to losing their funding, even if that person is ultimately found innocent of any crime.
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