Search Through Arts Grants for Nonprofits in Virginia in the U.S.

As the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health, Inc., the Elevance Health Foundation promotes the organization’s commitment to improving lives and communities.

For 25 years, we’ve been committed to, connected with, and invested in communities across the country. It all started with our signature Healthy Generations program, through which the Foundation targeted specific preventable health concerns while addressing the disparities and social drivers that affect them. By using innovative social-mapping technology and by analyzing public-health data, we gained a snapshot of the major health issues affecting each state, which allowed us to drill down to the zip-code level and target initiatives positively affecting the conditions that matter most. We called this “putting science behind the art of grantmaking.”

In 2021, the effects of COVID-19, together with social unrest, began to call attention to racial inequities and health disparities that have plagued our communities for too long and resulted in poorer health outcomes. Recognizing that health is so much more than healthcare, and understanding the needs of our communities, the Elevance Health Foundation redefined its approach and tightened its focus.

Over a three-year period (July 2021–July 2024), the Foundation committed up to $90 million toward partnerships and programs that improved maternal health, encouraged food as medicine, reduced substance use disorders, and supported community resiliency and disaster relief. We are proud to report that the Foundation has exceeded its commitment and awarded $97.3 million in grants, providing funding to over 12,000 nonprofit partners across the country. The Foundation will continue to focus its efforts in four key areas: Maternal/Infant Health, Food as Medicine, Behavioral Health, and Community Resiliency & Disaster Relief.

 Behavioral Health Grant

As a catalyst for positive change, the Elevance Health Foundation drives innovative and scalable solutions to address physical, behavioral, and social needs through a multi-lever approach to community investment.

Over the next five years, we will continue our grantmaking focus on substance use disorder (SUD) and expand our support to include mental health (MH) initiatives. We invite qualified nonprofits with a history of successful community initiatives to join us in this mission.

The Foundation will prioritize funding for programs that increase the number of individuals receiving treatment for MH and/or SUD, support prevention and early-intervention strategies, and seek to reduce loneliness among individuals with these disorders.

Types of Programs / Locations

Elevance Health will consider proposals from qualified organizations across the U.S. with an emphasis on:

National programs. Promoting scalable and sustainable systemic change, or

Local programs. Implementing relevant interventions in California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia.

Grant Program Goals

Elevance Health Foundation is requesting proposals for programs and initiatives that support one or more of the following goals:

• Achieve a percent increase in the number of individuals receiving treatment services for MH and/or SUD
• Support prevention and early intervention strategies to reduce risks and harms associated with MH and/or SUD
• Reduce social isolation and feelings of loneliness among individuals with MH and/or SUD

The National Home Library Foundation makes grants to nonprofits to assist in the distribution of books and other forms of reading materials to libraries and community groups with limited resources or abilities to otherwise procure these materials.

NHLF grants are made to assist in the support, promotion and development of literacy and reading-related programs with the goal of combating illiteracy and/or encouraging an interest in reading and literacy among all ages.

Objective

• To assist in the distribution of books and other forms of reading materials to libraries and community groups with limited resources or abilities to otherwise procure these materials.
• To assist in the support, promotion and development of programs with the goal of combating illiteracy and/or encouraging an interest in reading and the literary arts for all ages.
• To encourage the development of programs relating primarily to literary or cultural topics that utilize various means of communication.

Purpose

To expand access to high-quality artist-led residencies throughout Virginia.

Description

Arts in Practice Grants help ensure that Virginians can experience enriching educational programming through dynamic artist-led residencies. This grant program is designed to reimburse eligible organizations who partner with artists on the VCA Teaching Artist Roster for up to 50 percent of residency/workshop fees. VCA Teaching Artists book engagements with organizations, who then apply for Arts in Practice Grants. Arts in Practice activities must be facilitated in-person but may vary in duration and format. These activities are designed to support a diverse range of learning environments for participants of all ages, and/or professional development opportunities for educators.

Up to 50 percent of the residency or workshop fees for programs listed on the Teaching Artist Roster, with a maximum reimbursement of $2,000, and subject to the overall funding limit allocated for each VCA Teaching Artist. Arts in Practice awards are made to the partnering organization applying for the grant (not to the VCA Teaching Artist), who is responsible for compensating the VCA Teaching Artist in full.

Residency Examples

• An elementary school engages a dance artist for four weeks to conduct 45-minute weekly sessions with each third-grade classroom to integrate movement with their study of migration.
• A poet is brought in by a community center to work with a group of senior citizens on memory and personal history through poetry.
• A theatre artist conducts a workshop for teachers of rural second-language English learners to develop lessons utilizing theatre performance techniques to support language development.
• A nonprofit organization coordinates a one-day military/veteran’s family event where teaching artists conduct mini-workshops and demonstrations. 

WV Culture: Training and Travel

Provides up to $500 in travel support to artists, arts administrators, and arts educators for conferences, workshops, seminars, and showcases inside and outside of West Virginia.

What is the purpose  of the Travel and Training Program?

To provide, 75% cost up to $500 in travel assistance to artists, arts administrators and arts educators attending conferences, workshops, seminars or showcase or demonstrate their work.

See more guidelines here.

Background

The Foundation seeks to be responsive to community issues and needs. Our process is highly competitive and is open to new projects and new organizations. The following summary, Examples of our Grant-Making, is offered to help guide applicants. While this is not intended to be an exhaustive description and may, as appropriate, change over time, we hope that the following will suggest the kind of meaningful work in which the Foundation is seeking to invest.

Generally, the Foundation looks to support work that improves the lives of DC-area residents, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable and underserved individuals. We encourage organizations that provide comprehensive services and work towards systemic change, which addresses all levels of, and all who are affected by, the issue. The goal is that all in the region become self-sufficient and lead healthy, fulfilling lives. We search for nonprofits that also employ effective partnering and show cultural competence in engaging effectively with communities and people of various cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. On occasion, the Foundation invests directly in strengthening the nonprofit sector by helping current grantees to build organizational capacity and by supporting advocacy and other efforts.

Grants are made in five program areas:

Arts and Humanities

The Foundation recognizes the intrinsic value of the Arts and Humanities, as well as their power to innovate and create social change. The funds distributed support an array of artistic disciplines, as well as organizations that promote the humanities. These nonprofits demonstrate the depth and breadth of their initiatives, including how to meaningfully engage communities that have been historically underrepresented in the Arts and Humanities.

Community Services - The Community Services portfolio includes, but is not limited to:

• Community Development
  • The Foundation seeks to ensure access to safe housing and economic development across the region. These awards support affordable housing production and preservation, services for people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, programs to address wealth disparities, as well as civic engagement and volunteerism.
• Children, Youth and Families
  • Grants in this area help young people improve their academic performance, gain employment, develop relationships with trusted adults and make connections to the larger community. The Foundation prioritizes programs that promote youth voice, empowering young people to advocate for change within their schools and communities.
• Justice
  • The Foundation seeks to ensure access to justice for all individuals in order to create a more equitable region. These grants support civil legal aid, services to survivors of violence, efforts to help people stay out of the criminal justice system and advocacy for system reform.
• Workforce Development
  • The Foundation supports organizations that focus on specific fields and career pathways as well as those that concentrate on broader job- and career-readiness.
• Capacity Building
  • The Foundation supports capacity building organizations that improve the sustainability, quality and impact of nonprofits in the region.

Education

The Foundation recognizes that a high-quality and equitable education system can reduce barriers to opportunity and transform lives. These grants aim to ensure that from the first day children enter an early childhood setting, to the day they receive a technical certificate or a degree, they are receiving an education that is founded in strong relationships, responds to their unique needs, and equips them with the skills they need to thrive and succeed in life.

Environment

The Foundation strives to restore and protect our region’s natural resources so that all individuals can have equal access to clean water, air and land. These grants focus on the restoration and protection of local parks, the Anacostia and Potomac rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Grants to environmental education and stewardship programs for people of all ages create greater awareness of the dangers of an unhealthy environment and the need to protect open natural spaces.

Health & Wellness

The Foundation takes a holistic view of health and wellness to ensure that across the region people of all ages can live healthier lives, regardless of income or zip code. These grants include healthcare provision and supportive services, food and nutrition, as well as coalition building and advocacy.

Performing Arts Touring Assistance

Purpose

To expand access to high-quality arts performances throughout Virginia.

Description

Virginia Touring Grants help ensure that Virginians have access to dynamic and engaging performances. These grants support in-state touring by reimbursing eligible organizations up to 50 percent of the performance fees when showcasing artists from the VCA Touring Artist Roster. VCA Touring Artists book performances with Virginia Presenters that take place at least 30 miles from the Artist’s home base. This long-standing program broadens the reach of the arts and creates new opportunities for Virginia artists, arts organizations, and audiences throughout the state.

Amount of Assistance

Up to 50 percent of the performance fee for touring programs listed on the Touring Artist Roster, subject to the overall funding limit allocated for each VCA Touring Artist/Ensemble. Virginia Touring Grant awards are made to the Presenter (not to the VCA Touring Artist/Ensemble), who is responsible for compensating the VCA Touring Artist/Ensemble in full. Grant awards are a minimum of $100 and maximum of $7,500 per performance.

Cash Match

Grant awards to organizations must be matched 1:1. For example, if an organization requests $1,000 from VCA, it must have at least $1,000 in cash income from another source (other than state or federal funds) towards the expenses of that same project. Sources of matching funds may include revenue from the project activities such as ticket sales, contributions from foundations or corporations, government support from federal or local sources, or cash from the organization’s own accounts.

Philip L. Graham Fund Grant

Named for the late Publisher of The Washington Post and President of The Washington Post Company (now Graham Holdings Company), the Philip L. Graham Fund devotes its resources to the betterment of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Fund awards several million dollars in grants annually to groups providing educational, health, community enrichment, and arts programs and services to communities in and around Washington, D.C.

What We Support

Understanding the broad and changing needs of the communities in and around Washington, D.C., the Philip L. Graham Fund is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide a wide array of direct services to individuals and families. The Fund awards grants across four focus areas and a geographically vast area that includes 10 counties in Virginia and Maryland as well as the District of Columbia.

The Fund is always looking for innovative and efficient organizations to support. Over the past several decades, the Fund has invested tens of millions of dollars in the physical infrastructure, information technology, and transportation needs of local nonprofit organizations. The Fund’s five-member board prefers to fund requests for one-time projects or expenses, but does occasionally award grants for program and general operating expenses.

In 2017, the Philip L. Graham Fund awarded $4.1 million in grants to 138 organizations across Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Twenty grants went to first-time grantees. Together, grants in the Health & Human Services and Education focus areas represented 84% of the Fund’s giving last year.

Focus Areas

From its inception, the Fund’s mission has been to use its resources for the betterment of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. In the past, the Fund also worked to foster improvements in the fields of journalism and communications. Grantees include large, regional organizations as well as small, community-based groups; all share a commitment to our community.

Health & Human Services

The Health & Human Services segment of the Fund’s portfolio is the largest portion of the Fund’s giving and includes a wide array of services designed to ensure everyone in the greater metropolitan area has access to the tools necessary for healthy and productive living. Nonprofits providing shelter, food, medical care, and workforce development programs to members of our community are a high priority for the Fund as well as efforts to increase access to fresh foods, legal services, routine primary care and dental visits, and comprehensive behavioral health services for children and adults.

Education

The Philip L. Graham Fund is committed to supporting efforts to advance and expand educational offerings for children and adults in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The Fund gives high priority to programs that improve public education and adult literacy.

Arts & Humanities

From its earliest days, the Philip L. Graham Fund has supported both large and small arts organizations in and around Washington, D.C. Many of the city’s largest and most innovative theater companies, museums, dance companies, and arts education programs can trace their earliest funding back to the Graham Fund. The Fund remains committed to supporting longstanding organizations devoted to bringing high-quality and unique programs to the community and to seeking out new organizations bringing fresh ideas and offerings to the metropolitan area. The Fund is specifically interested in arts programming that shows a clear intersection with one of the Fund’s other focus areas.

Community Endeavors

Recognizing the importance of Washington, D.C., to the nation and the world, the Fund considers requests from institutions that tell the stories of our country’s history, values, and accomplishments and strengthen the greater metropolitan community as a whole. This includes support for a broad spectrum of organizations, such as institutions of national significance located in the metropolitan area, improvement of local parks and playgrounds, and efforts to help our community through programs that strengthen families and neighborhoods.

The Venable Foundation envisions that its philanthropic investments provide essential resources to nonprofit organizations in communities across the country. Guided by the belief that everyone has the right to equitable employment opportunities, healthcare, housing, food, and a vibrant cultural community, Venable grantees ensure that economically disadvantaged people are given the tools they need to thrive.

The average size of a Venable Foundation grant is approximately $10,000. First-time awardees are usually on the smaller end of the spectrum. It is up to the organization to determine what it feels is an appropriate request.

Funding Priorities

Grant support is provided to assist with general operations and projects. Currently, the Venable Foundation’s funding priorities include:

• Human Services
• Legal Services
• Education
• Workforce Development
• Youth Impact
• Health
• Environment
• Arts and Culture

You can learn more about each of these funding priorities below:

Human Services – The Foundation has a strong track record of supporting a breadth of essential human services, including programs that impact people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity, incarcerated and returning citizens, LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, and those affected by domestic violence and housing insecurity.

Legal Services – We support the delivery of free or affordable legal services in our communities. Pro bono consulting and representation focus on a variety of issues, including domestic violence, housing, immigration, public benefits, and discrimination, among other areas. Legal service nonprofits providing “know your rights” training and other activities are also supported. The Foundation also supports training for youth and adults to ensure diversity and access to careers in the legal profession.

Education – The Foundation supports a wide array of early childhood, in-school, and out-of-school time initiatives that provide in-depth opportunities for learning and engagement to position children for success and level the playing field for economically disadvantaged youth.

Workforce Development – We believe that every individual deserves the opportunity to pursue gainful employment. Thus, we support organizations with the goal of developing the workforce of today and tomorrow. Successful programs recruit and train individuals and place them in relevant jobs so that they can earn a sustainable living wage for themselves and their families. Skill development is focused on low-income, underemployed, and unemployed community members, and on preparing youth for careers after their schooling is complete.

Youth Impact – The Foundation invests in services that impact children in each of our communities. These initiatives ensure economically disadvantaged youth are healthy and safe and have opportunities to thrive.

Health – The Foundation is committed to improving wellness and increasing access to care for economically disadvantaged individuals in the region. Successful organizations and programs work to eliminate barriers to healthcare for all ages and provide accessible and no-stigma testing for a variety of diseases. We support pediatric to geriatric services that address a variety of health concerns.

Environment – We support organizations involved in the preservation of our natural resources and those that are addressing natural or man-made disasters in our target regions. Programs educate communities and work for change on a variety of environmental issues, from wildfires to pollution.

Arts and Culture – The Foundation supports initiatives in the arts that promote deeper public engagement and build up the creative economy, with an emphasis on low-income and underserved communities.

Supporting Critical Need in Northern Virginia

The Community Investment Funds are the signature grant cycle managed by the Community Foundation in which funds are invested in organizations serving the Northern Virginia community in the areas of child and youth development, education, health, mental health and aging, military personnel and their families, and poverty relief.

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia conducts an annual grant cycle through the Community Investment Fund. Nonprofit organizations providing services in Northern Virginia are invited to apply.

The Community Foundation will accept requests in the following categories.

• Aging
• Arts
• Child & Youth Development
• Education
• Environment
• Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Fund
• Lamond Fund to Benefit Children and Youth in Alexandria and Fairfax County
• The Latino Engagement and Achievement Fund (LEAF)
• Mental Health
• Military Personnel & Their Families
• Safety Net Fund

The Foundation

When Herb Block died in October 2001, he left $50 million with instructions to create a foundation to encourage the art of editorial cartooning and to support charitable and educational programs that help promote and support the causes he championed during his 72 years of cartooning. The Foundation is committed to defending basic freedoms, combating all forms of discrimination and prejudice and improving the condition of the poor and underprivileged.

Pathways Out of Poverty

This program will focus on helping needy young people and adults gain a quality education. For projects serving youth, The Herb Block Foundation seeks proposals which focus on improving student achievement and healthy development of young people. Projects may include in-school and community-based educational programs, after-school activities, and mentoring programs. Programs designed to increase high school graduation rates are encouraged to apply.

For projects serving adults, The Herb Block Foundation seeks proposals to provide literacy education and GED preparation, and to offer vocational training and job placement.Grants in the range of $5,000 to $25,000 will be considered. Grants will be considered for one year's funding.

About the Foundation

Founded in 1957 by Mr. Robert G. Cabell, III, and Mrs. Maude Morgan Cabell, the Cabell Foundation was established as a private, non-operating foundation to support the permanent needs of charitable organizations throughout Virginia, with particular emphasis on agencies in the metro Richmond region. Since its inception, the Cabell Foundation has provided permanent gifts and challenge grants to a diverse mix of nonprofit institutions. Mr. and Mrs. Cabell believed the Foundation should be responsive to human need in its deliberations and in taking initiative that would inspire the community to action. Early awards supported higher education and the cultural arts, including the Valentine Museum, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Randolph Macon College and Hampden-Sydney College.Mr. and Mrs. Cabell and the founding board members recognized the value of focused, strategic support and chose not to blanket the community with token grants. Today, Cabell Foundation support provides important leverage for the charitable sector in challenging the generosity of the donor community. The long term vision of the Foundation is to continue to meet the philanthropic needs of the community and to exist in perpetuity. Communities across the Commonwealth have been enriched by Foundation support to cultural arts institutions, historic preservation sites, environment and conservation initiatives, community development efforts, higher education infrastructure and the social services sector.

Semi-Annual Competitive Grants

The cornerstone of the competitive grants program provides support for permanent, capital projects. Generally, awards are made on a challenge or match basis in order to help stimulate broad community support. The challenge may be in any form, such as matching the award in some multiple of the grant, raising a stated percentage of the total goal, securing a specified number of new gifts or other parameters set by the Foundation. Typically, no more than 50% of the matching funds for a challenge grant may come from other private foundations. Depending on the specific circumstances of each project, other conditions may be required prior to payment. Grant periods are typically 12-18 months from the date of the award notification. Competitive grants are generally paid in one payment. Proposals are reviewed twice a year during the Spring and Fall Grants meeting.

Funding Areas of Interest

The Foundation is multi-purpose in its support and accepts proposals from organizations that represent the following categories. Funding is not allocated across these program areas. The competitive nature of the proposals drives funding recommendations and decisions. Representative examples of grants in each category are listed below.

Cultural Arts: Museum exhibitions and expansion; collection processing and storage; performing arts venue renovations; building acquisition; and, technology infrastructure.

Civic & Community: Neighborhood development initiatives; civic engagement projects; and, recreational projects that promote increased access to public spaces regardless of economic or physical limitations.

Conservation & Environment: Watershed protection and preservation; reclamation projects; wildlife protection; and, environmental outreach and education.

Education: Libraries; laboratories and equipment; technology; and, general physical plant support to private colleges and universities. Limited support for capital needs related to workforce training and development projects at the community college level. The Foundation also supports special projects at Virginia Commonwealth University, The College of William & Mary and Virginia Military Institute.

Historic Preservation: Site acquisition; infrastructure repair; exterior and interior renovations; and, exhibit installation.

Social Services, Health & Welfare: Building acquisition and/or renovation for health clinics; affordable housing; domestic violence shelters; vocational rehabilitation; and, mental health services. Technology and equipment support for hunger relief programs; healthcare clinics; and job training.

Bowman-Shannon Cultural Arts Fund

Shenandoah Community Foundation is home to the Bowman-Shannon Cultural Arts Fund, the purpose of which is to educate, guide, and stimulate the enjoyment of and participation in cultural arts in Shenandoah County, Virginia. For this purpose, “cultural arts” includes, but is not limited to, individual and group artistic expressions through drawing, painting, collage, glasswork, pottery, and other ceramics, weaving, sculpture, carving, photography, film, video, other digital and electronic media, music theatre, dance, writing, and any other mode or medium of visual, aural, tactile, physical, or written artistic expression, including artistic expression for or by special needs individuals.

Mary Morton Parsons Foundation Grant

The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation was founded in 1988 by Mrs. Mary Morton Parsons as a private, non-operating foundation to support the capital needs of charitable organizations. To date, the Foundation has awarded approximately $73 million to qualified grantees.

Enriching Community Life throughout the Commonwealth

The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation enriches communities across the Commonwealth by providing capital support to cultural arts institutions, historic preservation sites, environment and conservation initiatives, community development efforts, education infrastructure, and the social services sector.

Arts & Culture

• Virginia's residents and visitors love Arts & Culture. That’s why The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation supports organizations that deliver cultural experiences through music, theatre, and visual and performing arts.

Civic & Community Needs

• The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation funds organizations that provide services to revitalize neighborhoods and local businesses, develop citizen leadership skills, bolster economic development, contribute to workforce training, and strengthen civic engagement.

Education

• From early childhood education to university and professional continuing education, The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation is proud to support educational organizations in the Commonwealth. We contribute funds to public, private, and faith-based schools that support both students and teachers.

Environment & Conservation

• To encourage responsible stewardship of the vast natural resources in the Commonwealth, The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation provides grants to conservation and environmental organizations.

Historic Preservation

• The Commonwealth of Virginia has a deep and long history. The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation is committed to preserving historically significant structures for future generations.

Social Services & Welfare

• The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation funds nonprofit organizations that address a wide range of human needs and aspirations. The Foundation serves people of all ages, socio-economic statuses, and backgrounds.

Grant Basics

Please be aware of the following before you begin your application:

• Typically our grants fund no more than 1/3 of a project’s cost.
• Grant awards are made on a challenge or matching basis.
• Grantees must meet all conditions stated in our award letter within 12 months of approval, and failing to do so may result in grant withdrawal.
• In the case of a construction grant, we will likely require the commencement of construction before we fund the grant.
• As a condition of funding, the Board of The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation expects that 100% of the grantee’s organizational board be contributing to the organization.

Application Deadline Information

Applications must be completed online by 5 pm EST on the following dates:

• Spring Cycle: Contact Form must be submitted by Feb 28. Application must be submitted by March 17 (Foundation response Early June)
• Fall Cycle: Contact Form must be submitted by August 29. Application must be submitted by September 15 (Foundation response Early December)

If these dates fall on a weekend or holiday, applications will be accepted until 5:00pm on the first business day following.

Purpose

To facilitate new and innovative art-based projects or services that reach and impact communities, including those that are underserved, under-resourced, and under-represented. 

Description

Community Impact Grants fund high-quality creative arts programming, the creation of new work, the expansion of successful arts projects, and/or arts-based services to the field. Impact Grants support any artistic discipline and on any scale. There is a 1:1 required cash match for the grant. 

Criteria

The Virginia Commission for the Arts is interested in innovative, collaborative arts programs and/or services with the following priorities:

• Community Impact
  • The extent to which there is an active, two-way engagement between the applicant and the audience/community in the planning, participation, and evaluation of the proposed activity, including intentional strategies to reach new and underserved, under-resourced, and under-represented communities.
• Artistic Excellence
  • Relative to the budget size of the organization, the extent to which the applicant demonstrates a committed effort to provide its audience/community an innovative, impactful, and quality artistic experience.
• Operational Excellence
  • The extent to which the applicant can demonstrate sound fiscal and project management.

Spring Grants Program 

This program focuses on capital projects and ongoing programs with documented successful outcomes. 

Spring Grant Size Limit: Up to $50,000

Purpose & Focus Areas

The Spring Grants Program funds capital projects and proven programs that address the needs of Eastern Shore of Virginia (ESVA) residents in these broad focus areas:

Arts and Culture

• Promoting participation in arts and cultural activities and preserving cultural heritage for current and future generations.

Child, Family, and Social Welfare

• Improving quality of life for vulnerable ESVA residents, particularly by addressing basic human needs.

Community Vitality

• Enhancing physical spaces, services, and programs that enrich civic life and connection.

Economic Resilience

• Helping individuals overcome barriers to self-sufficiency and prosperity, including projects addressing housing and employment readiness.

Education

• Preparing children for academic, work and lifelong success.

Environment

• Protecting natural resources and promoting environmental education and stewardship.

Health & Wellness

• Supporting access to health services and programs that encourage healthy behaviors.

Grant Priorities

Capital Projects

• Emphasis on long-term benefits such as construction, renovations, and equipment purchases.
• Priority will be given to applications that fulfill matching grants.
• Routine or ongoing maintenance projects are generally not considered.

Program Support

• Priority for programs with demonstrated positive impact in one of the six ESVCF focus areas.
• Innovative projects addressing critical unmet needs will be considered if the organization demonstrates sound management and fiscal accountability.
• Grants generally do not cover operating or administrative costs.

Special Initiatives

• ESVCF may participate in time-limited collaborative funding efforts for priority community needs.
• ESVCF may support initiatives such as studies, needs assessments, and other projects that enhance understanding of local needs, identify new opportunities to benefit residents, or strengthen the capacity of local nonprofits.

Mission

The Richard & Caroline T. Gwathmey Memorial Trust was established by Mrs. Elizabeth Gwathmey Jeffress in 1981 in memory of her parents. Mrs. Jeffress was particularly interested in the history, literature, art and architecture of Virginia.

Guidelines

Applications from nonprofits focused on the following issue areas will be accepted for the March 1 deadline (notification by June 30):

• Ensuring access to basic services – food, health care, shelter and/or safety 
• Creating, sustaining and retaining a viable workforce for Virginia
• Preserving and protecting the environment

Applications from nonprofits focused on the following issue areas will be accepted for the September 1 deadline (notification by December 31):

• Providing access to arts, culture and/or humanities 
• Preserving the important history of Virginia
• Improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged children, youth and/or adults

George J. & Effie L. Seay Foundation Grant

Program type

• Arts, Culture, & Humanities; Education; Human Services

Area served

• VA

Mission

The George J. & Effie L. Seay Foundation was established in 1957 to support and promote programs and services provided by qualifying charitable organizations in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Guidelines

As each foundation has unique giving preferences for the type of support provided (program, operating, capital, etc.).  

The Seay Foundation makes grants primarily for programs and projects designed to provide specific services or training. 

Grants from the Seay Foundation are 1 year in duration. Because requests for support usually exceed available resources, organizations are advised to apply to either the Morgan Trust or the Seay Foundation.

Background

Mid Atlantic Arts was established to promote and support multi-state arts programming in a region that includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is one of six regional arts organizations in the United States, and works in close partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and its member state and jurisdictional arts agencies. Mid Atlantic Arts distinguishes itself through its work in international cultural exchange, model programs in performing arts touring, its knowledge and presence in the jazz field, and its support of folk and traditional arts.

Mission

Mid Atlantic Arts nurtures and funds the creation and presentation of diverse artistic expression and connects people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond.

Vision

Mid Atlantic Arts envisions a future in which artists and creators are actively engaged with diverse communities to energize the transformative power of the arts.

Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects Grant

Mid Atlantic Arts’ Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects that support the vitality of traditional arts and cultures in the mid-Atlantic region.

Folk and Traditional Arts Community Projects grants fund projects that support the vitality of traditional arts and cultures in the mid-Atlantic region. Non-profit organizations in DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, USVI, PR, or WV may apply for $1,000 to $7,000 grants. A 1:1 match is required.

Eligible project activities may include performances, public art collaborations, workshops/trainings, exhibitions, fieldwork/documentation, and creation of new traditional work. Mid Atlantic Arts encourages projects that cross state/territory borders, as well as projects that support or engage underserved or underrepresented artists, practitioners, traditions, or constituents.

Grant support range: $1,000 – $7,000

Why It matters:

We believe the educational, social and emotional well-being of youth can be positively influenced through arts and culture programs.

Studies show that high-quality arts programs support youth development in engagement, productivity and navigational skills which, in turn, lead to life-long qualities of resilience, self-worth, individual contentment and community engagement.

Community Grants for Cultural Vitality

Community Grants for Cultural Vitality support programs offering hands-on arts and cultural experiences for area children. Our goal is to help the educational, social or emotional well-being of youth through arts and culture.

Programs should be available to all area youth regardless of ability to pay. They should strive to increase participation of youth from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Grant applicants should offer meaningful arts and cultural experiences that engage area youth in hands-on activities such as:

• Gaining skills in visual, musical or creative expression through the written word or performing arts
• Participation in visual or performing arts

Grant proposals for program funding should address one or more of these outcomes:

• Children and youth demonstrate improved academic performance.
• Children and youth decrease occurrence of absenteeism.
• Children and youth display increased self-worth.
• Children and youth decrease engagement in risky and problem behaviors.

Purpose

To provide opportunities for students, educators, youth, and adult citizens throughout Virginia to participate in and learn through the arts by working with highly-qualified professional artists in both traditional and non-traditional learning environments

Description

Education Impact Grants fund hands-on participatory programs/residencies that enrich instruction in-school arts curriculum, engage diverse populations in community-based settings, and provide professional development for artists and educators. There is a 1:1 required cash match for the grant.

Legends & Lore Marker Grant Program

This program commemorates folktales, legends and folklife as an important part of every community’s cultural heritage.

Does your community have a great piece of folklore that should be shared? Legends & Lore is designed to promote cultural tourism and commemorate legends and folklore as part of our heritage.

Generally speaking, folklore is the stories, customs, traditions, and expressive arts and crafts that are passed on from one person to another, often from generation to generation. Folklore is the knowledge that people share as members of a group or community. Our shared identities and sense of belonging are the result of shared traditions, stories, customs, and activities.

Legends & Folklore Guidelines

Successful Legends & Lore marker applications typically fall within three main categories:

Folktale- Fictional stories passed down about people or events not proven to have existed. (e.g. Thirteen Curves, Champy, Headless Horseman, Tramping Ground)

Legends- Stories passed down that are popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable. (e.g. John Henry, Grancer’s Ghost, Betsy’s Ride, Natty Bumppo, “Natty Bumppo”)

Folklife- Traditions such as music, skills, crafts, and events passed along within a community. Often involving real people that can be verified with primary sources. (e.g. “Goose Day,” The Arborglyphs, Dennis McGee, Herbs & Healing, Folk Singer)

Subjects which are not successful include:

• Historical events lacking a folkloric aspect
• Purely literary creations
• Personal/family folklore which does not extend to the greater community

Teaching Artist Roster

Purpose

To identify and promote highly-qualified and experienced Teaching Artists with experience in schools and other community-based settings. The VCA Teaching Artist Roster is an online resource for VCA Education Impact and Arts In Practice Grants, as well as any other school or community groups seeking professional Teaching Artists.

Description

VCA Teaching Artists are dedicated professionals who are committed to the development of their own artistic practice and teaching methodologies. Proficient in the techniques and content of their disciplines, they are adept in developing and implementing audience-specific arts curriculum. Arts in Practice residencies are led by teaching artists listed on the VCA Teaching Artist Roster. The choice to partner with VCA Teaching Artists for Education Impact Grants is optional.

Criteria for Evaluating Applications

The Virginia Commission for the Arts is interested in innovative, collaborative arts programs and/or services with the following priorities:

• Artistic Excellence – Supported evidence of artistic knowledge and skills and demonstrated commitment to providing audiences and communities with an innovative, impactful, and quality artistic experience.
• Instructional Excellence – The extent to which the applicant can demonstrate sound educational practices and pedagogy. Executes rich and complex residencies/workshops for all learners while engaging them on variety of levels.
• Collaboration and Program Management – Supported evidence of a successful collaboration with a school, organization, or community. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates the ability to implement appropriate methods for assessing student learning and benchmark program goals.
• Professionalism – The extent to which the applicant represents the professional standards of the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Norfolk Southern Grant

Norfolk Southern has been a long-standing supporter of the Hampton Roads nonprofit community. While it has transitioned its corporate headquarters to Atlanta, the company is committed to the Hampton Roads community and engaging with nonprofit organizations in the region. Norfolk Southern and the Hampton Roads Community Foundation will be distributing $1 million each year over five years through the Norfolk Southern Hampton Roads Community Fund to nonprofits working to make life better in the region. We are pleased to announce the guidelines for the fourth year of the program.

Grantmaking Priorities

Grant applications should explain how your organization addresses one or more of the following priority impact areas:

• Education and Workforce Development:
  • Preventing middle- and high-school students from dropping out of school
  • Engaging youth in successfully transitioning from high school into collegiate education or career-based certificate programs
  • Creating pathways to employment for adults with barriers to self-sufficiency
• Enriching the Community:
  • Providing support for organizations addressing food insecurity
  • Improving access to mental-health support
  • Preventing and ending homelessness and housing instability
  • Enriching the human experience through arts and culture
  • Improving public health and safety
• Sustainability:
  • Restoring and protecting the region’s land, forests, and natural waterways
  • Improving the region’s ability to adapt to the impacts of sea-level rise

Funding

In most cases, grants will be awarded for general support of your organization and can be used as the organization sees fit.

Applicants will not be asked on the application to request a specific grant amount. Award amounts will vary based on the applicant’s budget size and the number of grant requests received. To provide guidance for applicants, grant awards are anticipated to be in the following ranges:

• Organization Budget Size:  Under $1,000,000 then this is the Grant Award Range: $5,000 - $25,000
• Organization Budget Size:  $1,000,000 - $5,000,000 then this is the Grant Award Range: $10,000 - $50,000
• Organization Budget Size:  Over $5,000,000 then this is the Grant Award Range: $15,000 - $100,000

The Community Foundation reserves the right to award larger or smaller grants if warranted.

Welcoming both those organizations with little to no experience presenting jazz and seasoned jazz presenters seeking to strengthen programming, application occurs annually through an open, competitive process. Once selected, membership is ongoing upon meeting annual requirements.

JTN expands the presentation of jazz throughout the mid-Atlantic region while ensuring regional programming reflects the vibrancy and diversity of the current field of jazz. Members take part in professional development activities and work together to block-book a series of jazz tours each year.

About us

The Herndon Foundation was established in 1965 by Floyd D. Gottwald Jr. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald. Over the years, the Foundation has supported a variety of local causes and institutions, reflecting the broad charitable interests of its founders.

In 2013, the Herndon Foundation received assets from the Gottwald Foundation, created by Floyd’s parents, Floyd and Anne Gottwald. With this growth came opportunity. We honed our mission statement and created more specific grant priorities to help guide current and future trustees.

What we fund

Priority Areas

Today, the Foundation gives preference to organizations serving the metro Richmond area that address one or more of the following program areas:

We support strategies that have the most influence on students’ long-term educational advancement and career preparation. Programs of interest may include:

• Early childhood education
• School readiness
• Expanded learning and enrichment outside of school; and
• STEM programs that support teachers and/or students.

 

We seek to ensure that basic human needs are met for our most vulnerable citizens. This includes, but is not limited to, the provision of food, shelter and health care.

We believe in increasing access and participation for all citizens to enjoy a robust arts and culture community including, but not limited to:

• Programs that provide access to natural resources;
• Programs that sustain the environment through education, preservation and resto­ration;
• Visual and performing arts, museums and other cultural institutions; and
• Programs that preserve the environment and cultural heritage.

Hampton Roads Community Foundation

Hampton Roads Community Foundation has a proud history. We began in 1950 as The Norfolk Foundation with total donations of $2,350. Despite the city-focused name, we were always regional -- giving scholarships and grants across southeastern Virginia to ambitious students and essential nonprofits. Over the past 69 years we have put more than $344 million into action through grants and scholarships -- more than $20 million in 2021 alone.

Two years after our founding, Florence Smith's estate established in 1952 a remarkable scholarships for Virginia medical students that is going strong today. And, in 1959 we awarded our first big grant of $100,000 to help build a library. In 1987 The Virginia Beach Foundation formed, and in 2010 it merged with The Norfolk Foundation to create the Hampton Roads Community Foundation -- our region's largest grant and scholarship provider.

Mary E. and Curtis M. Chappell Jr. Fund 

The Harry F. Wall Memorial Fund helps high schools on the Virginia Peninsula. The Mary E. and Curtis M. Chappell Jr. Fund supports arts and humanities activities on the Virginia Peninsula. Grants range from $1,000 to $1,200 for arts and $5,000 to $10,000 for high schools.

Grant Intent

The Suffolk Foundation is interested in engaging in charitable grant-making to benefit the people of the City of Suffolk, Virginia, and the surrounding area. It is the intent of the Suffolk Foundation to assist in maintaining and enhancing health, education, arts, culture and humanities, public and societal benefits, human needs and services, environmental and animal welfare, and youth and elderly programs in the City of Suffolk and surrounding areas through the support of qualified non-profit organizations.Grant CategoriesGrants may be awarded in a wide range of categories, such as:

• Human Needs
• Artistic, Historical, and Cultural Programs
• Education
• Environmental and/or Animal Welfare
• Health

Priorities

Grant applicants should keep in mind that priority is given to projects and programs which:

• Reach a broad section of the community, and/or that target needs that are not being served by other resources
• Improve the quality of life for families and neighborhoods
• Provide practical approaches for dealing with current pressing community problems
• Promote collaboration and resource sharing among organizations
• Yield substantial benefits for the costs involved
• Meet demonstrable local needs
• Encourage matching gifts or added funding from other sources