Best Franklin city Grants for Nonprofits in Virginia

Virginia Department of Education

The Virginia Department of Education is the administrative agency for the commonwealth’s public schools. VDOE works in partnership with Virginia’s 132 school divisions to support and improve teaching and learning, set high expectations for all students, and promote student safety, wellbeing, and health.

Virginia Adult Education Competitive Grant Program

Purpose of WIOA Title II

In accordance with the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, the purpose of this funding opportunity is to assist eligible providers in developing, implementing, and improving adult education and literacy programs to provide concurrent services that focus on the following:

• Assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency;
• Assist adults who are parents or family members to obtain the education and skills that are necessary to become full partners in the educational development of their children, and lead to sustainable improvements in the economic opportunities for their family;
• Assist adults in attaining a secondary school diploma and in the transition to postsecondary education and training, including through career pathways; and
• Assist immigrants and other individuals who are English language learners in improving their reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension skills in English; mathematics skills; and acquiring an understanding of the American system of government, individual freedom, and the responsibilities of citizenship.

This grant funding includes opportunities 1.0 – Adult Education Regional Programs, 2.0 – Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE), and 3.0 – Corrections Education and Other Institutionalized Individuals (C&I).

Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE)

The IELCE program enables adult English Language Learners (ELL), including professionals with degrees and credentials in their native countries, to increase their proficiency in reading, writing, and comprehension skills in English and mathematics using standards-based instruction in order to understand and navigate American systems of government, individual freedom, and responsibilities of citizenship while preparing them for unsubsidized employment for in-demand industries that leads to a family-sustaining wage. All IELCE providers must offer at least one IET; not all IELCE participants must be enrolled in this component. 

IELCE Funds

IELCE grants are not allocated within the regional structure of adult education. Rather, they are competed and awarded based on demonstrated local need to develop education and training opportunities for local immigrant and refugee populations and the applicant’s past effectiveness in delivering such services. Eligible applicants for regional adult education providers, as well as other eligible applicants, including a consortium, may submit a single application for a local IELCE award.

Virginia Department of Education

The Virginia Department of Education is the administrative agency for the commonwealth’s public schools. VDOE works in partnership with Virginia’s 132 school divisions to support and improve teaching and learning, set high expectations for all students, and promote student safety, wellbeing, and health.

Virginia Adult Education Competitive Grant Program

Purpose of WIOA Title II

In accordance with the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA), Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, the purpose of this funding opportunity is to assist eligible providers in developing, implementing, and improving adult education and literacy programs to provide concurrent services that focus on the following:

• Assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and economic self-sufficiency;
• Assist adults who are parents or family members to obtain the education and skills that are necessary to become full partners in the educational development of their children, and lead to sustainable improvements in the economic opportunities for their family;
• Assist adults in attaining a secondary school diploma and in the transition to postsecondary education and training, including through career pathways; and
• Assist immigrants and other individuals who are English language learners in improving their reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension skills in English; mathematics skills; and acquiring an understanding of the American system of government, individual freedom, and the responsibilities of citizenship.

This grant funding includes opportunities 1.0 – Adult Education Regional Programs, 2.0 – Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education (IELCE), and 3.0 – Corrections Education and Other Institutionalized Individuals (C&I).

Corrections Education and Other Institutionalized Individuals (C&I) 

The purpose of this funding is to support educational programs for criminal offenders in correctional institutions and other institutionalized individuals. The C&I-funded instruction must give priority to serving individuals who are likely to leave the correctional institution within five years of participation in the program. Examples of institutional facilities that are eligible for these services include local and regional jails, Virginia Department of Corrections facilities (with special permission), halfway houses, community corrections alternative programs, and confined recovery facilities. These funds may not be used for participation in post-release programs or services. All C&I providers must offer at least one IET; not all C&I participants must be enrolled in this component.

C&I Funds

C&I grants are no longer allocated with the regional structure of adult education. Rather, to ensure a direct and equitable competition, these funds are competed and awarded based on demonstrated local need and active partnerships with correctional facilities and institutions. Eligible applicants for regional adult education providers, as well as other eligible applicants, including a consortium, may submit a single application for a C&I award.

Department of Environmental Quality

Responsible for administering laws and regulations related to air quality, water quality, water supply, renewable energy and land protection, DEQ is the primary environmental permitting agency in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Through the work more than 800 employees at six regional offices across the state and the Central Office in Richmond, DEQ issues permits, conducts monitoring and inspections, and enforces the law. 

Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source (NPS)Implementation Program

Purpose and Background

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is making available up to $1.5 million in Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 319(h) grant funding through this Request for Application (RFA) to support implementation of goals and milestones included in eligible Nonpoint Source (NPS) cleanup plans. DEQ also anticipates up to an additional $2 million will be available for septic repair, replacement and connection projects. Cleanup plans include a variety of types of plans, including but not limited to implementation plans (IPs), advance restoration plans (ARPs) and watershed-based plans (WBPs). In Virginia, Implementation Plans are the most commonly developed type of plan and henceforth this document will only reference the term IP.

This RFA is intended to identify implementation projects that do not currently have an active or pending CWA Section 319(h) Subrecipient Agreement(s) in the cleanup plan of interest. Existing subrecipients who wish to continue their current project should contact their assigned DEQ NPS Regional Coordinator or email to inquire about the process of continuing their current CWA Section 319(h)-funded project.

Project Types

Implementation of eligible U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-accepted (nine element) cleanup plans and related best management practice (BMP) installation, information and outreach and water quality monitoring.

GO Virginia Program Overview

GO Virginia is a collaborative economic development initiative, that provides project-based incentives to encourage collaboration between private industry, higher education and local government in each region to produce results that will grow and diversify the regional economies and ultimately the commonwealth.

To achieve the program goals, the GO Virginia State Board has created nine regional councils. These councils are responsible for developing regional Growth and Diversification Plans and implementing those plans through the submission of project applications. Applications approved at the regional level are advanced to the GO Virginia State Board for funding.

The GO Virginia State Board has identified four primary investment strategies to achieve the program goals. The four priority investment strategies are:

• Workforce Development – building talent pipelines aligned with business needs that increases the pool of qualified workers
• Site Development and Infrastructure - preparing a regional portfolio of business-ready sites that attract private investment
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation (Startup Ecosystem) - creating a resource-rich environment for scalable start-ups and early-stage companies 
• Cluster Scale-Up -  helping existing regional industries grow and compete at a larger scale

All successful projects should align with at least one of these strategies and demonstrate a clear connection to a region’s Growth & Diversification Plan. See the GO Virginia Program Manual for details.

• GO Virginia is not an economic development incentive program. Individual private businesses may not receive funding, nor can any project provide exclusive benefits to a single private business.

• GO Virginia funds must support new and expanded efforts — not ongoing operations. Funding cannot be used to continue, sustain, or supplement the operating costs of existing programs. Projects must clearly demonstrate added value and represent new activity that advances GO Virginia’s mission. Proposals must fill a documented gap, scale a proven model, or introduce a new approach that supports regional priorities.

Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund (GO Virginia) Competitive Grants

Competitive Grants are designed for projects that involve two or more GO Virginia regions (multi-regional) or go beyond what a single region’s annual allocation can support. They give regions the ability to collaborate or pursue initiatives that deliver substantial economic impact. To qualify, a project must present an extraordinary economic opportunity—one that is transformative in scale.

Competitive Grants allow regions to scale their ideas, tackle challenges that cross boundaries, and pursue transformative projects leverage regional strengths aiming to expand opportunities that benefit multiple localities and industries.

Application Types

Competitive Grants can support planning or implementation projects. The type of application depends on whether your project is multi-regional or single region. Competitive Grants include: Multi-Regional Planning Grants; Multi-Region Implementation Grants and Single Region Implementation Grants.

Multi-Regional Planning Grants

Multi-Regional Planning Grants give regions the chance to work together on big ideas before moving into implementation. These grants support the research, coordination, and strategy development needed when challenges or opportunities cross regional boundaries.

The goal is to help regions align priorities, engage key industry partners, and produce a clear roadmap that positions them for a future implementation project. By investing in planning first, regions reduce risk, build stronger partnerships, and ensure that later projects are grounded in real data and regional consensus.

Only planning projects that demonstrate a clear path toward a future multi-region implementation project of extraordinary economic opportunity will be considered for funding. In addition to the attached PDF document, see also the Planning Grant Administrative Guidance.

GO Virginia Program Overview

GO Virginia is a collaborative economic development initiative, that provides project-based incentives to encourage collaboration between private industry, higher education and local government in each region to produce results that will grow and diversify the regional economies and ultimately the commonwealth.

To achieve the program goals, the GO Virginia State Board has created nine regional councils. These councils are responsible for developing regional Growth and Diversification Plans and implementing those plans through the submission of project applications. Applications approved at the regional level are advanced to the GO Virginia State Board for funding.

The GO Virginia State Board has identified four primary investment strategies to achieve the program goals. The four priority investment strategies are:

• Workforce Development – building talent pipelines aligned with business needs that increases the pool of qualified workers
• Site Development and Infrastructure - preparing a regional portfolio of business-ready sites that attract private investment
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation (Startup Ecosystem) - creating a resource-rich environment for scalable start-ups and early-stage companies 
• Cluster Scale-Up -  helping existing regional industries grow and compete at a larger scale

All successful projects should align with at least one of these strategies and demonstrate a clear connection to a region’s Growth & Diversification Plan. See the GO Virginia Program Manual for details.

• GO Virginia is not an economic development incentive program. Individual private businesses may not receive funding, nor can any project provide exclusive benefits to a single private business.

• GO Virginia funds must support new and expanded efforts — not ongoing operations. Funding cannot be used to continue, sustain, or supplement the operating costs of existing programs. Projects must clearly demonstrate added value and represent new activity that advances GO Virginia’s mission. Proposals must fill a documented gap, scale a proven model, or introduce a new approach that supports regional priorities.

Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund (GO Virginia) Competitive Grants

Competitive Grants are designed for projects that involve two or more GO Virginia regions (multi-regional) or go beyond what a single region’s annual allocation can support. They give regions the ability to collaborate or pursue initiatives that deliver substantial economic impact. To qualify, a project must present an extraordinary economic opportunity—one that is transformative in scale.

Competitive Grants allow regions to scale their ideas, tackle challenges that cross boundaries, and pursue transformative projects leverage regional strengths aiming to expand opportunities that benefit multiple localities and industries.

Application Types

Competitive Grants can support planning or implementation projects. The type of application depends on whether your project is multi-regional or single region. Competitive Grants include: Multi-Regional Planning Grants; Multi-Region Implementation Grants; and Single Region Implementation Grants.

Multi-Region Implementation Grants

Multi-Region Implementation Grants are designed to turn collaborative plans into action. The goal is to deliver projects that create broad economic impact, strengthening targeted industry sectors, growing higher-paying jobs, and expanding opportunities across all participating regions. Because these projects represent a significant investment, applicants must demonstrate strong regional collaboration, clear economic outcomes, and a plan for sustaining results beyond the grant period.

Successful projects should create benefits that are shared across all participating localities, not concentrated in just one community. In other words, the project’s impact—such as new jobs, business growth, or expanded industry capacity—should be visible in each region that is part of the application.

GO Virginia Program Overview

GO Virginia is a collaborative economic development initiative, that provides project-based incentives to encourage collaboration between private industry, higher education and local government in each region to produce results that will grow and diversify the regional economies and ultimately the commonwealth.

To achieve the program goals, the GO Virginia State Board has created nine regional councils. These councils are responsible for developing regional Growth and Diversification Plans and implementing those plans through the submission of project applications. Applications approved at the regional level are advanced to the GO Virginia State Board for funding.

The GO Virginia State Board has identified four primary investment strategies to achieve the program goals. The four priority investment strategies are:

• Workforce Development – building talent pipelines aligned with business needs that increases the pool of qualified workers
• Site Development and Infrastructure - preparing a regional portfolio of business-ready sites that attract private investment
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation (Startup Ecosystem) - creating a resource-rich environment for scalable start-ups and early-stage companies 
• Cluster Scale-Up -  helping existing regional industries grow and compete at a larger scale

All successful projects should align with at least one of these strategies and demonstrate a clear connection to a region’s Growth & Diversification Plan. See the GO Virginia Program Manual for details.

• GO Virginia is not an economic development incentive program. Individual private businesses may not receive funding, nor can any project provide exclusive benefits to a single private business.

• GO Virginia funds must support new and expanded efforts — not ongoing operations. Funding cannot be used to continue, sustain, or supplement the operating costs of existing programs. Projects must clearly demonstrate added value and represent new activity that advances GO Virginia’s mission. Proposals must fill a documented gap, scale a proven model, or introduce a new approach that supports regional priorities.

Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund (GO Virginia) Competitive Grants

Competitive Grants are designed for projects that involve two or more GO Virginia regions (multi-regional) or go beyond what a single region’s annual allocation can support. They give regions the ability to collaborate or pursue initiatives that deliver substantial economic impact. To qualify, a project must present an extraordinary economic opportunity—one that is transformative in scale.

Competitive Grants allow regions to scale their ideas, tackle challenges that cross boundaries, and pursue transformative projects leverage regional strengths aiming to expand opportunities that benefit multiple localities and industries.

Application Types

Competitive Grants can support planning or implementation projects. The type of application depends on whether your project is multi-regional or single region. Competitive Grants include: Multi-Regional Planning Grants; Multi-Region Implementation Grants; and Single Region Implementation Grants.

Single Region Implementation Grants

Single-Region Implementation Grants are available for extraordinary opportunities within one region that cannot be fully supported by that region’s annual allocation. These projects are intended to address unique, high-impact needs where the scale of investment exceeds local resources but still delivers outcomes consistent with the goals of GO Virginia.

The expectation is that single-region projects will demonstrate the same level of rigor as multiregional efforts—clear economic impact, measurable outcomes, and long-term sustainability—while making the case for why Competitive Grant support is essential. In some cases, the request may use a mix of per-capita funds and Competitive Grant funds; in other cases, it may rely entirely on Competitive Grant funds.

GO Virginia Program Overview

GO Virginia is a collaborative economic development initiative, that provides project-based incentives to encourage collaboration between private industry, higher education and local government in each region to produce results that will grow and diversify the regional economies and ultimately the commonwealth.

To achieve the program goals, the GO Virginia State Board has created nine regional councils. These councils are responsible for developing regional Growth and Diversification Plans and implementing those plans through the submission of project applications. Applications approved at the regional level are advanced to the GO Virginia State Board for funding.

The GO Virginia State Board has identified four primary investment strategies to achieve the program goals. The four priority investment strategies are:

• Workforce Development – building talent pipelines aligned with business needs that increases the pool of qualified workers
• Site Development and Infrastructure - preparing a regional portfolio of business-ready sites that attract private investment
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation (Startup Ecosystem) - creating a resource-rich environment for scalable start-ups and early-stage companies 
• Cluster Scale-Up -  helping existing regional industries grow and compete at a larger scale

All successful projects should align with at least one of these strategies and demonstrate a clear connection to a region’s Growth & Diversification Plan. See the GO Virginia Program Manual for details.

• GO Virginia is not an economic development incentive program. Individual private businesses may not receive funding, nor can any project provide exclusive benefits to a single private business.

• GO Virginia funds must support new and expanded efforts — not ongoing operations. Funding cannot be used to continue, sustain, or supplement the operating costs of existing programs. Projects must clearly demonstrate added value and represent new activity that advances GO Virginia’s mission. Proposals must fill a documented gap, scale a proven model, or introduce a new approach that supports regional priorities.

Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund (GO Virginia) Planning, Feasibility, and Small-Scale Pilot Gran

GO Virginia Planning, Feasibility, and Small-Scale Pilot grants are intended to build regional capacity for impactful, saleable projects.

Planning Grants help regions explore and refine ideas that have the potential to drive economic growth. They provide an opportunity to test concepts, formalize strong partnerships, conduct indepth research or feasibility studies, and develop actionable strategies. These grants can also support small-scale pilot initiatives that, if successful, can be scaled up through a GO Virginia Implementation Grant or another measurable investment opportunity.

The primary intent of Planning Grants is to prepare projects for future GO Virginia Implementation funding. In some cases, planning work may also strengthen a project’s ability to compete for other funding sources or, occasionally, determine that an initiative should not move forward. While those opportunities are valuable, applicants should design proposals with a clear line of sight to GO Virginia Implementation as the expected pathway.

Virginia Department of Fire Programs

Since 1969, Virginia has been at the forefront of firefighter training, starting with the Fire Services Training section within the State Department of Education.

Later becoming part of the Division of Fire Services Training under the State Fire Commission and eventually the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP).

• VDFP is headquartered in Glen Allen, VA and has seven geographical boundaries with a training division chief and State Fire Marshal’s Office staff.
• VDFP is part of ten agencies under the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.
• VDFP administers an annual budget of $61 million and has over 90+ full–time staff, 17 part time staff and over 400 adjunct instructors who provide support and deliver our training programs through site-specific mobile training, at any of the regional training facilities or at locality training centers.

Conference & Education Assistance Grant

The Conference & Education Assistance Grant provides financial assistance for the professional development of Virginia’s fire and emergency services personnel.

• Administered by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) and overseen by the Executive Director or their designee, the program aims to offer essential financial support for training conferences and seminars.

• These events, sponsored by Virginia-based non-profit organizations, enhance the education and skills of fire and emergency services personnel throughout the commonwealth.

• Grant funds shall be used for the purposes of providing training to volunteer or career firefighting personnel and funding fire prevention and public safety education courses.

Department of Conservation and Recreation

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is the state's lead natural resource conservation agency. DCR provides access for outdoor recreation, strengthens communities’ flood resilience, and protects what Virginians care about: clean water, parks, natural habitat and open space.

Virginia Watershed Educational Programs Project

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) seeks qualified applicants to provide exemplary “meaningful watershed educational experiences” (MWEE) within Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The Fund was established to provide support for qualified applicants across Virginia who will provide Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) to k-12 learners. The Fund aligns with Virginia’s commitment to enhance students’ understanding of the watershed through teacher-supported educational experiences.

As one of the signatories to the Chesapeake Bay 2014 Agreement (as amended), Virginia is committed to increasing “students age-appropriate understanding of the watershed through participation in teacher-supported, meaningful watershed educational experiences and rigorous, inquiry-based instruction, with a target of at least one meaningful watershed educational experience in elementary, middle and high school depending on available resources.” 

Lilly Foundation

To extend Lilly’s charitable reach and impact, the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation (Lilly Foundation) was established in 1968 and is supported by donations from Eli Lilly and Company.

The Foundation is a tax-exempt, private foundation supporting programs that align with its philanthropic priorities.

Grantmaking Approach

The Lilly Foundation’s work is guided by a charitable vision of a world where every person has an opportunity to live their healthiest life. Through grantmaking focused on Lilly Foundation’s charitable vision, grants can serve as a catalyst for closing gaps and empowering individuals and communities to thrive.

All proposals should demonstrate clear alignment with at least one focus area and include charitable outcomes that are measurable and consistent with the Foundation’s long-term charitable goals.

Global Health, K-12 STEM Education and Economic Mobility Grant

Focus Areas

Global Health

Lilly Foundation, through its charitable grants, aims to support permissible charitable efforts to improve access to quality healthcare for resource-limited communities in low- and lower-middleincome countries (L/LMICs) and in the United States. Strengthening access to care is essential for enhancing community well-being and supporting economic stability in resource-limited settings.

The Global Health focus area aims to close gaps in quality healthcare by supporting charitable solutions that improve access, bring care closer to where people live, and address the high burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in resource-limited settings. To the extent permissible, the Foundation prioritizes charitable efforts related to cardiometabolic health in resource-limited settings.

K-12 STEM Education

The K-12 STEM Education focus area aims to close the gaps for students from low-income communities by supporting programs that foster new pathways and pipelines to STEM education through focused K-12 efforts, concentrating on the critical middle school years. The Foundation’s K-12 STEM Education grants are focused on initiatives that benefit Marion County, Indiana.

Economic Mobility

The Economic Mobility focus area supports charitable and educational programs that strengthen workforce readiness, postsecondary and skills-based educational pathways, and housing stability to promote long-term prosperity. This support is focused on Marion County, Indiana, with the goal of improving economic opportunity for low-income communities and advancing community well-being.

The goal of the Virginia Housing Trust Fund Homeless Reduction Grant program is to reduce homelessness in the Commonwealth of Virginia. DHCD will support Continuum of Care (CoC)/balance of state local planning group (LPG) strategies and homeless service projects that are or will be a part of an effective emergency crisis response system to ensure that homelessness is rare, brief, and one-time.

The Homeless Reduction Grant program must be coordinated with other community-based activities. All CoCs, LPGs, and DHCD homeless services grantees use a local centralized or coordinated assessment/entry system. A local centralized or coordinated assessment/entry system is the best practice for a housing-focused approach targeted toward helping households experiencing homelessness quickly regain stability in permanent housing.

Priority consideration will be given to efforts to reduce the number of youth and families experiencing homelessness. Funding will be awarded to projects best aligned with state and federal goals to end homelessness in communities throughout the commonwealth. 

The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)’s Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) Higher Education (HE) Proof-of-Concept (POC) program provides grant funding to Virginia’s public and private colleges and universities and eligible nonprofit Virginia-based research institutes. Applicants may request $75,000 or $150,000, depending on the designated track, to support translation Virginia research-derived innovations into commercial products. Applicants with technologies at a more advanced technology readiness level (TRL) and/or deemed by VIPC to have exceptional strategic value for Virginia may be invited to seek up to $300,000. Each grant requires a minimum one-to-one match and is expected to support the achievement of two to three key milestones during the period of performance (typically 6-15 months). 

Virginia Department of Fire Programs

Since 1969, Virginia has been at the forefront of firefighter training, starting with the Fire Services Training section within the State Department of Education.

Later becoming part of the Division of Fire Services Training under the State Fire Commission and eventually the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP).

• VDFP is headquartered in Glen Allen, VA and has seven geographical boundaries with a training division chief and State Fire Marshal’s Office staff.
• VDFP is part of ten agencies under the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.
• VDFP administers an annual budget of $61 million and has over 90+ full–time staff, 17 part time staff and over 400 adjunct instructors who provide support and deliver our training programs through site-specific mobile training, at any of the regional training facilities or at locality training centers.

Aid to Localities Grant

Aid to Localities (ATL) known as the Virginia Fire Programs Fund (Fund) is a crucial resource, sourced from one percent of fire-related insurance coverage.  

This fund is dedicated to supporting localities in the commonwealth by providing financial aid where it's needed most. Approximately 75 percent of the total fund is allocated directly to counties, cities, and incorporated towns within Virginia.

ATL allocations are population-based and can be used for a range of essential fire services and initiatives. 

How ATL Funds Can Be Allocated

These funds can be allocated to jurisdictions* for the sole purpose of the following:

• Training volunteer or career firefighting personnel in each of the receiving localities.
• Funding fire prevention and public safety education programs.
• Constructing, improving and expanding regional or local fire service training facilities.
• Purchasing emergency medical care and equipment for fire personnel.
• Payment of personnel costs related to fire and medical training for fire personnel; or For purchasing personal protective equipment, vehicles, equipment and supplies for use in the receiving locality specifically for fire service purposes.
• Diesel exhaust removal systems, decontamination equipment, and commercial extractors, that are designed to reduce the incidence of cancer among firefighters 
• *ATL Funds allocated to the jurisdictions cannot be used directly or indirectly to supplant or replace any other funds appropriated by the counties, cities and towns for fire service operations. 

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides funding to state, local, tribal, and territory governments so that they can rebuild in a way that either reduces or mitigates future disaster-related losses in their communities. Unlike the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA) which is an annually-recurring grant opportunity, the grant funding through HMGP is made available following a presidentially declared disaster, and these funds must be requested by a governor or tribal executive in eligible communities in a state, tribe, or territory.

Eligible Project Types

• Retrofitting existing buildings to make them less susceptible to damage from a variety of natural hazards.
• Purchasing hazard-prone property to remove people and structures from harm’s way. Utility and infrastructure retrofits to reduce risk of failure caused by natural hazards. Drainage improvement projects to reduce potential for flood damage.
• Slope stabilization projects to reduce risk to people and structures.
• Developing and adopting hazard mitigation plans (HMPs), which are required for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to receive funding for hazard mitigation projects.
• Using aquifer storage and recovery, floodplain and stream restoration, flood diversion and storage, or green infrastructure methods to reduce the impacts of flood and drought.

About McElhattan Foundation

Founded in 2017 following the sale of Industrial Scientific Corporation, McElhattan Foundation invites bold ideas that advance the goals of its four program areas, including Ending Death on the Job.

Zero Electrocution Challenge

Despite decades of regulations, training, and personal protective equipment, workers continue to die from electrical contact every year.

McElhattan Foundation’s Zero Electrocution Challenge seeks breakthrough solutions that present pathways to eliminate life-threatening tasks that lead to fatal electrocution on the job by the year 2050, while increasing enterprise profitability and productivity. This is the inaugural ZERO 2050 challenge, awarding two Winners up to $1 million each.

About Us

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources is the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in Virginia. As the SHPO, DHR administers a number of federal programs. DHR is also a state agency in the Natural and Historic Resources Secretariat. DHR fosters, encourages, and supports the stewardship and use of Virginia’s significant architectural, archaeological, and historic resources as valuable assets for the economic, educational, social, and cultural benefit of citizens and communities. Our programs include both the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places, Survey, Grants, Archaeology, Cemetery Preservation, African American and Tribal Outreach, the Historical Highway Marker program, 106 Review and Compliance, Conservation, Collections, Easements, and the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program.

Survey and Planning Cost Share Grant Program

DHR’s Survey and Planning Cost Share Grant Program assists local governments in meeting their preservation planning goals through the identification of historic resources. Participating localities receive partial funding and administrative support towards a preservation planning project developed in collaboration with DHR staff. Annual funding for Cost Share is limited and localities must compete to participate in the program. The cost share program was launched in 1991, with over 120 localities participating to date. 

What type of projects does the Cost Share program support?  

The Cost Share program supports survey of historic resources, completion of survey reports or management summaries, preparation of Preliminary Information Forms and National Register of Historic Places nominations, and the development of preservation planning documents. 

How does the Cost Share program work? 

A locality or PDC competes to participate in the program by submitting an application outlining a historic resource identification and/or preservation planning project proposal. If selected for funding, DHR will match the amount of money the locality or PDC is willing to commit for the project. In most cases, the local government provides at least one half of the cash for a project but DHR will entertain all applications, regardless of the match amount offered. DHR staff will assume the administrative burden of selected applications by hiring a qualified consultant to execute the project and monitoring the project through our field offices to ensure that project deliverables meet the expectations of the locality or PDC and the department.

How does the Cost Share program assist local governments?

The Code of Virginia directs each jurisdiction to develop a comprehensive plan and to update it every five years. Additional legislation calls for each locality to incorporate cultural resources into its comprehensive plans. Survey of historic architecture and archaeology completed under Cost Share can establish or strengthen local historic resource inventories to support local preservation planning programs. Other common cost share project deliverables, including survey reports, Preliminary Information Forms, and National Register of Historic Places nominations, provide copyright-free information for educational outreach, can be critical tools in developing heritage tourism, and enable owners of historic properties the opportunity to pursue state and federal historic preservation tax credits. 

Driving University Impact: Expanding the Public Exchange Network Grant

How the Public Exchange Network Works

No single university – even a large R1 – has enough faculty expertise available to meet the needs of every partner. The Public Exchange Network was designed to help universities work together seamlessly to build robust partnerships and generate more collective impact. Universities joining the network are independent but affiliated members, with full control over their own program and project portfolios. As a national network with local, on-the-ground capacity, Public Exchange Network members can also share approaches that work, scale solutions to common problems, and build cross-regional partnerships together. 

As an institutional partner in the Public Exchange Network, universities will build capacity to develop, test and implement solutions to the most urgent problems in their regions and beyond. Universities joining the Public Exchange Network get:

• The tools, templates and training they need to start right away;
• A shared brand they can plug into on day one;
• A network of faculty, past and potential partners and philanthropic relationships, benefitting everyone in the network. 

Public Exchange Network Expansion grants will cover 75-80% of the minimum estimated annual costs for two years to launch a new Public Exchange. To launch a Public Exchange, universities must have the following in place: (1) a staff executive director with experience launching and leading social impact partnerships, (2) a project seed fund, and (3) a modest operations budget. We also recommend some in-kind project management support from an existing university staff member. The grant includes a two-year Public Exchange Executive Director (ED) compensation subsidy of $300,000 to launch the Public Exchange on campus, and a 2-year license to use the Public Exchange brand. New Public Exchange Network members will also receive ongoing support and guidance from current Public Exchange leadership and staff at USC and WashU, including recruitment support and intensive training for hiring and onboarding an executive director, a sub-site on the Public Exchange website, incubation and project management support from current Public Exchange staff, and a suite of tools for developing and implementing Public Exchange projects.

About Henry L. Hillman Foundation

Henry L. Hillman Foundation inspires, invests in, and leverages great ideas to improve the quality of life in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania.

Backup Power When Your Community Needs It

The Powered & Prepared Initiative seeks proposals from nonprofit and municipal organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania for backup power solutions that allow those organizations to offer essential services during emergencies without disruption.

Southwestern Pennsylvania is increasingly impacted by severe weather events that cause widespread power outages and disruptions. The Powered & Prepared Initiative, supported by Henry L. Hillman Foundation, seeks proposals from nonprofit and municipal organizations for backup power solutions that allow those organizations to offer essential services during emergencies without disruption.

Building the Future Workforce Challenge

Awarding $5 million and the opportunity to test bold, tech‑forward solutions that strengthen the advanced manufacturing and industry technician workforce—today and for the future.

About the Challenge

Caterpillar knows preparing the workforce for the future is urgent. Communities, employers, and industry need new ways to close advancing skill gaps. The Building the Future Workforce Challenge invites fresh perspectives from all sectors to rethink training. Up to five teams will be awarded $1 million each for sustainable, tech‑forward solutions that strengthen today’s—and tomorrow’s—advanced manufacturing and industry technician talent pipelines.

What types of solutions are you looking for?

The Building the Future Workforce Challenge aims to identify, test, and scale innovative, sustainable solutions that will address today’s and tomorrow’s advanced manufacturing and industry technician skill gaps. A core requirement of any solution is that it remains relevant amid evolving technology—ensuring that breakthrough innovation and human potential rise together.

Strong proposals for Building the Future Workforce Challenge will meet four criteria outlined in the scoring rubric, and proposed solutions must focus on one or more of the following solution categories for Building the Future Workforce Challenge:

Pre-clinical Investigation of anti-TFPI-mediated Rebalancing Mechanisms in Non-Hemophilic Bleeding Disorders 

There remains a scientific gap in understanding of the role of anti-TFP Imediated hemostatic rebalancing in the context of inherited or non-hemophilic bleeding disorders. This competitive grant program encourages competitive submissions focsed on generating preclinical/foundational data exploring the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of TFPI modulation in bleeding disorders other than hemophilia.

Geographic Scope

Brazil, China, Europe, Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, USA

Funding Range and Project Length

Individual projects requesting up to $50,000 USD will be considered.

Request for study drug or compound is allowed (max $50,000 USD), additionally to the study project costs.

Maximum project length is 1 year.

Pediatric Hidradenitis Suppurativa Challenge Grant

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a devastating chronic inflammatory disease that manifests as recurrent painful nodules under the skin in the intertriginous areas of the body. It is associated with significant impacts on quality of life, psychosocial well-being, and long-term health outcomes of patients as well as consequences for families and caregivers. HS is prevalent, affecting between 1 and 4% of the population beginning in adolescence and persisting into adulthood. Despite the impact of HS, it remains underdiagnosed, undertreated, and understudied particularly in the pediatric and adolescent populations. Contributing to this dynamic are unknowns related to a complex disease etiology, stigma associated with HS symptoms (e.g., sweating, itching, and scarring commonly in the genital region), and limited treatment options to date with even fewer available for children under the age of 12.

To address the needs of children and adolescents living with HS, the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA), HS Connect, and the HS Foundation are offering the 2026 Pediatric HS Challenge Grant to support an early-to-mid career investigator for a one-year project focused on a high-priority, patient-centric research topic.

Focus

Proposals should address one or more of the following high-priority research topics:

• Predicting treatment effectiveness and risk utilizing real world evidence and/or experience
• Early disease and factors involved in severe disease development
• Optimizing surgical and procedural approaches to minimize pain, shorten healing time, and reduce recurrence
• Improving recruitment of diverse and representative populations for clinical studies, trials and advanced therapeutics

Funding:

• Up to $50,000 to support one year of research
• One award anticipated for this funding cycle