Best Franklin city Grants for Nonprofits in Virginia

About Us

Wisconsin Sea Grant is a statewide program of basic and applied research, education, outreach and technology transfer dedicated to the stewardship and sustainable use of the nation’s Great Lakes and ocean resources.

Headquartered at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the institute is housed in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research’s Aquatic Sciences Center. (See our Water and Land Acknowledgement.) Wisconsin Sea Grant is part of a national network of 34 university-based programs funded through the National Sea Grant College Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce and through matching contributions from participating states and the private sector. 

John A. Knauss Marine (and Great Lakes) Policy Fellowship

The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program is accepting applications from graduate students statewide for the National Sea Grant College Program’s John A. Knauss Marine (and Great Lakes) Policy Fellowship Program. The program, established in 1979, provides a unique educational experience to applicants who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. The program matches highly qualified graduate students with “hosts” in the legislative and executive branch of government located in the Washington, D.C. area, for a one year paid internship. Placement opportunities are numerous and very diverse and have typically included offices within Congress, the Executive Office of the President, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Navy, and the U.S. Departments of State, Treasury, Transportation, and Energy, in addition to others. Applicants from a variety of backgrounds including natural and social sciences, law, engineering, and communications can be competitive for this fellowship. Fellowships begin June 1, 2027.

The purpose of the grant program is to “support a continuum of evidence-based or promising programs that are trauma informed, reflect the science of adolescent development, and are designed to meet the needs of youth.” Funding is available for programs that address youth delinquency, including community-based services, mentoring, and school-based programs. 

Virginia Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and Intervention Summer Grant Program 

The purpose of this grant program is to fund effective diversion and prevention programs designed to provide enrichment opportunities for youth during the summer months. These federal funds are available under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act Title II Formula Grants Program from the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Title II grants are intended to “support a continuum of evidence-based or promising programs that are trauma informed, reflect the science of adolescent development, and are designed to meet the needs of youth.”

Eligible projects must fall within the following priorities:

• Reducing disproportionality in the juvenile justice system;
• Addressing behavioral health needs of youth and those involved in the juvenile justice system;
• Serving youth and system-involved youth in their home communities; or
• Increasing family engagement and community involvement for youth.

Programs must be evidence-informed (research and data driven). Applicants seeking to expand or replicate an existing project must be able to demonstrate progress and success in what has been done through the life of the project. Projects should demonstrate that programming is approached through a trauma-informed lens.

Expected Total Amount of Funding

DCJS anticipates $200,000 in federal funds will be available for awards under this funding opportunity.

About Virginia ABC

Virginia ABC is a leading revenue producer for the Commonwealth of Virginia and the source of future economic growth and innovation for the state. The profits that Virginia ABC contributes—collected from distilled spirits sales at ABC stores conveniently located across the state and taxes collected on beer and wine sales—provide much-needed funding for use in a multitude of state programs. This benefits all Virginians. Since its establishment in 1934, Virginia ABC has contributed $13.9 billion to the commonwealth’s general fund supporting major education, health and transportation initiatives.

Virginia ABC’s more than 4,300 employees take pride in our role as public servants and put customers first in all we do. As an authority, ABC administers alcohol-related laws with an emphasis on public safety by ensuring an orderly and regulated system for convenient sales and responsible consumption of alcohol. In 2018, Virginia ABC transitioned from a traditional state government agency to an authority, an independent political subdivision, which provides more flexibility and efficiency as a retailer, wholesaler and regulator of distilled spirits.

Alcohol Education and Prevention Grants

Virginia ABC seeks to partner, collaborate and build capacity with those who share in promoting our message of alcohol safety and responsibility. Through Education and Prevention, Virginia ABC offers annual Alcohol Education and Prevention Grants of up to $10,000.

Grantees are encouraged to build partnerships and embrace collaboration to achieve a meaningful, measurable and long-lasting impact. Members of the Community Health & Engagement team stay in contact throughout the grant cycle to provide support and encourage success.

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.

Certified Local Government Grants (CLG)

Certified Local Government (CLG) designation allows a jurisdiction to apply for CLG grants through federal Historic Preservation Funds (HPF). Ten percent of all HPF monies that come to the Commonwealth of Virginia must be distributed to CLGs. DHR does this through a competitive grant process, open only to CLGs.

Communities strengthen and expand their local preservation programs through Certified Local Government (CLG) designation. The CLG program was created by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (as amended in 1980). It establishes a partnership between local governments, the federal historic preservation program(National Park Service), and each state’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which in the case of Virginia is the Department of Historic Resources (DHR).

Information

The program allows DHR, as the SHPO, to recommend for certification local governments that have put key elements of a sound local preservation program in place in their communities. Designation as a CLG gives local governments a way to participate more formally in the state and national historic preservation programs. General requirements for certification are identified in the federal program; specific requirements for the Virginia program have been established by DHR.

Goals of the Virginia CLG program are threefold:

• Promote viable communities through preservation
• Recognize and reward communities with sound local preservation programs
• Establish credentials of quality for local preservation programs

Benefits of CLG Designation

There are many advantages to earning CLG designation as a community. The program helps a community with preservation generally in three ways, since it—

• promotes community-wide preservation;
• recognizes and supports a community’s local preservation programs; and
• establishes the credentials of quality for local preservation programs.

As a CLG, a community

• assumes a formal role in the identification, evaluation, and protection of its heritage resources;
• has the right to comment on the eligibility of resources nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in its jurisdiction;
• receives technical assistance from DHR and the National Park Service;
• learns from each other CLGs by sharing experiences, concerns, solutions to problems;
• can apply for matching grants for preservation programs from a 10% share of Virginia’s annual federal appropriation;
• gains full access to DHR’s GIS-based Virginia Cultural Resource database (V-CRIS), an $800 value annually;
• is eligible for stipends to selected preservation conferences and workshops;
• is automatically considered for the DHR Cost Share Program funding for survey projects in which CLG grant funding is unavailable; and
• is granted the right to be a “consulting party” in a project requiring Section 106 review.

CLG grants can be used in the following ways:

• for surveys of architectural or archaeological resources;
• for preparation of Preliminary Information Forms or National Register of Historic Places nominations for local heritage resources;
• for heritage stewardship planning projects such as drafting historic preservation plans, archaeological assessments, preservation components of comprehensive plans, or condition assessment reports;
• for public education programs concerned with a heritage stewardship program;
• for local review board or targeted audience training and education projects such as development of materials or programs, including training sessions and hands-on workshops;
• for testing archaeological sites to determine their significance or for pure research, education, or mitigation (as the latter pertains to Section 106 requirements);
• for rehabilitation of buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places that are publicly owned or are privately owned and selected through a local grant competition;
• for drafting new or updated design guidelines; and
• for materials research on a rehabilitation project.

DHR is currently reviewing the CLG program requirements to identify other local government planning efforts that promote heritage stewardship activities and that contribute to an effective local preservation program. As a result of this review, some of the requirements for the CLG program may be amended.

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).

Adult Education Activities (Adult Education Regional Programs)

Eligible providers will be required to provide adult education services based on identified needs in the region. Programs must also prepare adult learners for and support them in achieving successful transitions to postsecondary education, training, or employment.

Eligible providers are required to offer all the activities below, per the WIOA Combined State Plan and the State Priorities:

• Adult education
• Literacy
• English language acquisition activities
• Workforce preparation activities
• Integrated education and training (IET)

Eligible providers may also offer the following activities, with justification of need:

• Integrated English literacy and civics education
• Workplace adult education and literacy activities
• Family literacy activities

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.”