Search Through Grants for Churches in Arlington, Virginia in the U.S.

CFNV: NOVA Parks Outdoors Kids Grants

"NOVA Parks - the best of Northern Virginia through nature, history, and great family experiences"

NOVA Parks is pleased to offer grants to Northern Virginia schools designated as Title-I to facilitate field trips for students, increasing access to our acres of parklands throughout the six jurisdictions—the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, and the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun.

The NOVA Parks Outdoors Kids Grants will provide funding to eligible Title-I schools to cover the cost of transportation or other expenses which may present a barrier for students to access NOVA Parks. Accepted grantees will be able to select from a list of NOVA Parks, and student’s will experience the NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist Program.

The mission of the NOVA Parks Roving Naturalist Program is to connect the citizens of northern Virginia with the natural world in our parks. Experienced naturalists offer many opportunities for students and teachers to learn through hands-on exploration, interpretative slideshows, live animal presentations, nature walks, and other experiences depending on the park location. All school programs can be tailored to meet Virginia Science Standards of Learning.

Global Impact Cash Grants

Identifying and incubating innovative early-stage solutions. We identify, incubate, and develop innovative early-stage solutions with the highest potential for impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We're looking for programs that fit within our investment sectors, focus on the underserved, and use technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services.

We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. A brief Letter of Inquiry (LOI) is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application. Please expand and carefully review each of the three sections below to learn more

Our priority social impact sectors

We focus on investing in innovative, tech-enabled solutions to the challenges and opportunities that matter most to communities in need, prioritizing four social impact sectors:

Cisco Crisis Response

Mobilizing to provide essentials to communities in need and those in crisis, including food, housing, secure connectivity, and disaster relief

By leveraging Cisco’s people, technology, financial resources, and strategic partnerships, we help strengthen community resilience and drive long-term recovery from crises.

Education

Supporting students, teachers, and schools by increasing engagement, building skills, promoting subject mastery, and expanding their capacity to thrive

Cisco is committed to inclusive access to digital skills training and supporting those who use technology to educate. Through programs like Cisco Networking Academy and social investments in education, we create new opportunities for individuals to thrive.

Economic Empowerment

Transforming communities through skill development, long-term career opportunities, entrepreneurship, and access to financial products and services

Strategic grants that unlock economic prosperity and growth for individuals and communities.

Climate Regeneration

Building an inclusive, regenerative, and resilient climate future through education, regenerative agriculture, conservation, protection, and clean energy solutions

Our efforts began in 2021, when the Cisco Foundation committed US$100 million over 10 years to fund nonprofit grants and impact investing in climate solutions. 

Mission

The mission of the Hearst Foundations is to identify and fund outstanding nonprofits to ensure that people of all backgrounds in the United States can build healthy, productive and satisfying lives. Through its grantmaking, the Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address significant issues within their major areas of focus—culture, education, health and social service—and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. In each area of funding, the Foundations seek to identify those organizations achieving truly differentiated results relative to other organizations making similar efforts for similar populations. The Foundations also look for evidence of sustainability beyond their support.

Whether providing a scholarship to a deserving student, supporting a rural health clinic or bringing artists into schools so children can see firsthand the beauty of the arts, the Foundations’ focus is consistent: to help those in need, those underserved and those underrepresented in society. Since the Foundations were formed in the 1940s, the scale and capabilities of the grant making have changed, but the mission has not.

Culture Grant

The Hearst Foundations fund cultural institutions that offer meaningful programs in the arts and sciences, prioritizing those that enable engagement by young people and create a lasting and measurable impact. The Foundations also fund select programs nurturing and developing artistic talent. Supported organizations include arts schools, ballets, museums, operas, performing arts centers, symphonies and theaters.

Funding Priorities in Culture

In the recent past, 25% of total funding has been allocated to Culture. Organizations with budgets over $10 million have received 60% of the funding in Culture.

The Hearst Foundations are only able to fund approximately 25% of all grant requests, of which about 80% is directed to prior grantees and about 20% is targeted toward new grantees.

Types of Support

Program, capital and, on a limited basis, general and endowment support

We envision a just, connected, and inclusive Greater Washington community in which systemic racism and its consequences no longer exist. The Meyer Foundation pursues and invests in solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community in which economically disadvantaged people thrive. We apply a systems approach to achieve a just, connected, and inclusive Greater Washington. This means our work and the work we support seeks to:

• Address the root causes of racial disparities in our region
• Shift the conditions, policies, practices, priorities, culture, and power to create systems that are equitable and inclusive. 
• Build the power and leadership of the people most directly affected by inequity based on the unique context of their experiences.

Core Grantmaking

We partner with organizations and projects that build the power of Greater Washington communities to reimagine, recreate, and reform systems in the pursuit of racial equity and justice.

At the Meyer Foundation, we believe systemic racism has led to our deeply inequitable economy and unjust systems, preventing too many people from accessing prosperity and opportunity. Our social contract–the moral code by which we live–is broken.

Instead, we believe that the social contract should be redefined to become inclusive and race-centered, to support a just economy that works for people most directly affected by racial inequity and injustice, and to improve the relationship between systems and the people they serve. This vision is an important component of the framework for our core grantmaking.

Through our grantmaking, we support work that strives toward a better future–one that is rooted in equity, justice, and our shared humanity and that helps build a more racially just society where everyone in our region can thrive.

What We Support

In addition to our eligibility requirements, organizations or projects seeking funding should:

• Address the root causes of inequity through systems change work. We define systems change as challenging and changing the culture, policies, practices, and priorities that create and perpetuate inequities. These inequities have only been further exposed and exacerbated during the pandemic.
• Build power for purposes of advancing racial and/or economic justice.
• Leverage one or more of these tactics for change:
  • Organizing & Base Building - Organizing is a grassroots method for building relationships and power, particularly among people and communities who have traditionally been excluded from decision making. Organizing may also be referred to as base building—recruiting and retaining a large group of members from impacted communities who participate in and help direct and implement the work of the organization.
  • Advocacy - Any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others. It includes public education, regulatory work, litigation, and work before administrative bodies, lobbying, voter education, voter registration, and more.
  • Coalition Building - A coalition is a collection of people and organizations with similar interests working together to influence outcomes around a specific cause. Coalition building is the process by which people and organizations come together to grow their base, coordinate efforts, deploy resources, and provide leadership and guidance to achieve objectives broader than a single organization might accomplish on its own.

• Actively participate in broader organizing, movement, and/or field-building work to advance racial and economic justice in Greater Washington.

What Does Meyer Look for When Selecting Grantee Partners?

We are most interested in how your work and approach align with our strategy and vision. To evaluate Interest Forms or proposals, we look at:

• Building power and leadership: To what extent is your organization or project building and supporting the leadership and power of those closest to the issues and most affected by racial inequities?
• Tactics: How does your organization/project apply one or more of the tactics of organizing and base building, advocacy, and/or coalition building?
• Movement building: How does your organization’s work contribute to broader work in DC, Maryland, or Virginia to advance racial and economic justice?

What Types of Grants Does Meyer Make? 

Meyer awards one-year and multi-year grants for general operations and projects. Meyer’s primary grantmaking strategy is to provide general operating support. We award project-specific grants (including, in a limited number of circumstances, for capital campaigns) when a particular project aligns with Meyer’s goals, but the overall work of the organization does not, or where the organization is based outside of Greater Washington but is carrying out work in the region.

Multi-Year Grants

Organizations that are good candidates for multi-year support are those that most closely align with the approach described above. We are especially interested in multi-year support for:

• Community organizing groups who have: 1) a proven track record building the leadership of people with lived experience in the issue(s) being addressed and 2) the ability to act and make change.
• Coalitions working on multi-year campaigns that address the priorities and/or concerns identified by their constituents.
• Anchor organizations hosting multi-stakeholder coalitions focused on changing policies and institutions that perpetuate racial inequity.
• Emerging organizations that have promising ideas and/or fill a critical gap in movements to shift systems toward racial and economic justice.

Helping Build Better Futures

Our mission is to deliver great value to our customers every day. For over four decades, our deep commitment to the principles of providing value and caring for others has helped define our culture. It extends beyond the walls of our stores, distribution centers, and offices, and into our local communities around the world. The intersection of these principles defines our global community mission:

Deliver great value to our communities by helping vulnerable families and children access the resources and opportunities they need to build a better future.

Our Social Impact Areas

We bring our community relations mission to life around the world by focusing our giving on four social impact areas where we believe we can have the most impact and are critical to helping families and children succeed and thrive.

Basic Needs

We are passionate about supporting nonprofit organizations that help fill critical basic needs such as a warm meal, clean clothing, and a safe place to sleep for vulnerable families.

Education & Training

Our efforts have focused on quality enrichment and extracurricular programs that provide skills, resources, and opportunities to support school and career success for children, teens, and young adults.

Patient Care & Research

We support organizations that deliver services to families and children facing health challenges and life-threatening illnesses.

Empowering Women

We support programs that provide services ranging from help for those fleeing domestic violence, to others that offer education, training, and job placement resources.

Our Mission

The Tony Robbins Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of people often forgotten.

We’re dedicated to creating positive changes in the lives of youth, seniors, the hungry, homeless and the imprisoned population, all who need a boost envisioning a happier and deeply satisfying way of life. Our passionate staff, generous donors and caring group of international volunteers provide the vision, inspiration, and resources needed to empower these important members of our society.

Grants

Dedicated to meeting challenges within the global community, creating solutions and taking action, The Tony Robbins Foundation provides monetary donations to various organizations around the world. Funding requests are evaluated on an ongoing basis. We look for organizations that align with our mission to empower individuals and organizations to make a significant difference in the quality of life of those often forgotten.

Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation collaborate with a wide range of nonprofit organizations that align with our strategic funding priorities. We prioritize our funding to activities and programs that have a broad reach and support the needs of underserved communities. We aspire to have a positive impact on the communities we serve by using our financial and volunteer resources and business expertise in collaboration with community organizations to help solve complex societal problems.

• Financial health
• Housing affordability
• Small business growth
• Sustainability

We may also support other local needs in eligible communities such as disaster relief, arts and culture, civic engagement, education, human and social services, and workforce development. However, opportunities are limited as our intent is to direct the majority of our giving within our major focus areas.

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.

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.

PLTW Computer Science - New Program (L3Harris Technologies)

Because science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are so essential in the aerospace and defense industry, L3Harris Technologies has partnered with PLTW with the goal of inspiring and empowering PreK-12 students. Across global locations and communities around the world where our employees live and work, we invest and partner to support STEM initiatives that align with our business strategy and reflect our values.

Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies is supporting PLTW grants to schools interested in starting and expanding PLTW programs beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

School Type:

• Public
• Charter

Grant Award and Distribution Schedule:

• Total Award: $20,000
  • 2025-2026: $10,000
  • 2026-2027: $10,000

PLTW Computer Science - Program Expansion (L3Harris Technologies)

Because science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are so essential in the aerospace and defense industry, L3Harris Technologies has partnered with PLTW with the goal of inspiring and empowering PreK-12 students. Across global locations and communities around the world where our employees live and work, we invest and partner to support STEM initiatives that align with our business strategy and reflect our values.

Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies is supporting PLTW grants to schools interested in starting and expanding PLTW programs beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

School Type:

• Public
• Charter

Grant Award and Distribution Schedule:

• Total Award: $10,000
  • 2025-2026: $10,000

PLTW Engineering - New Program (L3Harris Technologies)

Because science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are so essential in the aerospace and defense industry, L3Harris Technologies has partnered with PLTW with the goal of inspiring and empowering PreK-12 students. Across global locations and communities around the world where our employees live and work, we invest and partner to support STEM initiatives that align with our business strategy and reflect our values.

Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies is supporting PLTW grants to schools interested in starting and expanding PLTW programs beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

School Type:

• Public
• Charter

Grant Award and Distribution Schedule:

• Total Award: $30,000
• 2025-2026: $15,000
• 2026-2027: $15,000

PLTW Engineering - Program Expansion (L3Harris Technologies) 

Because science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are so essential in the aerospace and defense industry, L3Harris Technologies has partnered with PLTW with the goal of inspiring and empowering PreK-12 students. Across global locations and communities around the world where our employees live and work, we invest and partner to support STEM initiatives that align with our business strategy and reflect our values.

Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies is supporting PLTW grants to schools interested in starting and expanding PLTW programs beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

School Type:

• Public
• Charter

Grant Award and Distribution Schedule:

• Total Award: $15,000
  • 2025-2026: $15,000

PLTW Gateway - New Program (L3Harris Technologies)

Because science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are so essential in the aerospace and defense industry, L3Harris Technologies has partnered with PLTW with the goal of inspiring and empowering PreK-12 students. Across global locations and communities around the world where our employees live and work, we invest and partner to support STEM initiatives that align with our business strategy and reflect our values.

Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies is supporting PLTW grants to schools interested in starting and expanding PLTW programs beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

School Type:

• Public
• Charter

Grant Award and Distribution Schedule:

• Total Award: $20,000
  • 2025-2026: $10,000
  • 2026-2027: $10,000

PLTW Gateway - Program Expansion (L3Harris Technologies)

Because science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are so essential in the aerospace and defense industry, L3Harris Technologies has partnered with PLTW with the goal of inspiring and empowering PreK-12 students. Across global locations and communities around the world where our employees live and work, we invest and partner to support STEM initiatives that align with our business strategy and reflect our values.

Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies is supporting PLTW grants to schools interested in starting and expanding PLTW programs beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

School Type:

• Public
• Charter

Grant Award and Distribution Schedule:

• Total Award: $10,000
  • 2025-2026: $10,000

PLTW Launch - New Program (L3Harris Technologies)

Because science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are so essential in the aerospace and defense industry, L3Harris Technologies has partnered with PLTW with the goal of inspiring and empowering PreK-12 students. Across global locations and communities around the world where our employees live and work, we invest and partner to support STEM initiatives that align with our business strategy and reflect our values.

Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies is supporting PLTW grants to schools interested in starting and expanding PLTW programs beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

School Type:

• Public
• Charter

Grant Award and Distribution Schedule:

• Total Award: $20,000
  • 2025-2026: $10,000
  • 2026-2027: $10,000

PLTW Launch - Program Expansion (L3Harris Technologies)

Because science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are so essential in the aerospace and defense industry, L3Harris Technologies has partnered with PLTW with the goal of inspiring and empowering PreK-12 students. Across global locations and communities around the world where our employees live and work, we invest and partner to support STEM initiatives that align with our business strategy and reflect our values.

Through this partnership, L3Harris Technologies is supporting PLTW grants to schools interested in starting and expanding PLTW programs beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.

School Type:

• Public
• Charter

Grant Award and Distribution Schedule:

• Total Award: $5,000
  • 2025-2026: $5,000

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 Ross-Roberts Fund for the Arts

Stephen Roberts, a donor advisor for the Sue Goetz Ross and Stephen S. Roberts Music Fund, made a legacy gift in 2018 to help launch the Ross-Roberts Fund for the Arts. This gift ensures this fund will become part of the Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia, forever supporting arts and culture in the region.

Fund Goals

Build a world-class, dynamic, vibrant arts and culture sector by:

• Celebrating artistic genius and success
• Growing the capacity of existing arts organizations
• Assisting in the creation of new art organizations
• Increase understanding of the central and critical role of the arts in healthy communities
• Activate support for the arts

The Community Foundation intends to make up to 12 total grants:

• Budgets under $100,000: Eight $5,000 grants are available
• Budgets under $500,000: Two $10,000 grants are available
• Budgets above $500,000: Two $20,000 grants are available

Environment Fund

The Environment Fund launched in 2018 as a component fund of the Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia.

The mission of the Environment Fund is to protect, restore and improve the natural environment of Northern Virginia, thereby enhancing the health and quality of life of its citizens and the economy of the region.

Fund Goals

• Support and encourage collaboration among nonprofits, businesses, governments, educational institutions, and private philanthropic donors to promote actions that will have a beneficial effect on the health of the natural environment and local economy.
• Support public awareness and public education about protecting the natural environment and the impact of public and private actions on the natural environment.
• Support the efforts of citizen engagement that helps improve and protect the natural environment.

In 2025, applications will be accepted from nonprofit organizations that offer an educational program in the area(s) of:

• Conservation
• Energy Efficiency
• Sustainability
• Watershed Management
• Workforce and Climate

Charles B. Keesee Educational Fund Scholarship

About

The Founding of the Charles B. Keesee Educational Fund

In 1893 an ambitious young man, born and reared in Caswell County, North Carolina, came to Martinsville, Virginia to seek his fortune. That young man was Charles B. Keesee. In 1896 Mr. Keesee was married to Miss Olivia Helms Simmons of Floyd, Virginia. Having no children of their own, it was their desire to help worthy young men and women obtain an education at Baptist institutions. Mr. Keesee provided in his will for the establishment of an educational fund, and after his death in 1940, the Charles B. Keesee Educational Fund was established in 1941. Mrs. Keesee shared her husband’s interest in assisting young people toward greater educational opportunities. At her death in 1944, she left the major part of her estate to the Charles B. Keesee Educational Fund, Inc. Since its inception, the Fund assisted thousands of qualified students in paying their educational expenses.

Funding

Grants in an amount of $4,150 to $8,800 per year (2 semesters) for a maximum of four years may be available to students pursuing an eligible Master's degree who meet the application requirements

Depending upon the seminary or divinity school you attend, a student in the Doctor of Ministry/Doctor of Educational Ministry/Doctor of Education/Doctor of Philosophy program may be considered for a grant in the amount of $3,100 to $4,150 per year for up to three years.

About the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia

Founded in 1978, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is a tax-exempt trusted public charity that advances equity through philanthropy and community leadership.

Its work is guided by a strategic plan that advances four key priorities for the region:

• Social and Economic Mobility
• Opportunities for All
• Inclusive Systems of Economic Growth
• Community Resilience

Northern Virginia First Responders Scholarship Fund

The Northern Virginia First Responders Scholarship benefits first responders and dependents of active first responders in the Northern Virginia Area by helping to finance their higher education.

About the Foundation

Jesse W. Couch lived a life of zeal, honor, and dedication to the betterment of his community. The Couch family now humbly stewards the foundation he created to carry on his legacy of service for future generations. We believe that impact is best accomplished through partnerships with local organizations that know the people and communities they serve. We invest in and support efforts to protect the environment, further conservation and preservation initiatives, and save historical architecture that preserves community heritage. We also support initiatives that promote wellness and mental health and organizations seeking to provide and further education for all communities.

Annual Grant Focus

Each year, we seek to partner with and support non-profit organizations making an impact in the focus areas listed here.  The focus areas for 2025 are:

• Animal Wellbeing: We are dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations that nurture compassion and respect for all living animals. We must have animal-focused organizations that advocate for animal rights and provide humane treatment across all spectrums.
• Early Childhood Education: We are looking for schools that are providing young children with a creative and balanced approach to education. Things we love in early childhood curriculums:
  • Life Skills
  • Collaboration With Their Peers and Teachers   
  • Having Fun   
  • Montessori Teachings   
  • Project Based Teachings   
  • Diversity   
  • More Time Outside   
  • Less Screen Time
• Teachers: Teachers are essential to providing children with the best possible education. We must invest in their future and are always looking for teams that help them succeed in educating future generations.
• Get Outside: Being outside can improve memory, fight depression, lower blood pressure, and more! We support organizations that facilitate and encourage more outdoor activities that help create healthier communities. 

Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ SAM Grant

Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ charges its Board of Social Action and Mission with the responsibility of managing Rock Spring’s Wider Mission budget. This Board will consider 2025 grant applications for purposes that are consistent with Rock Spring’s identity as a Just Peace and an Open and Affirming Congregation that promotes ecumenical and interfaith witness.

Grant applications can request general operating support for the core programs of organizations or special projects beyond the organization’s normal budget scope. Grants are not made to individuals. Grant amounts will generally range from $500-$3,000, though larger amounts up to $5,000 may be considered in special circumstances.

Business Women's Giving Circle

Supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and inventive opportunities for women and girls.

The Business Women's Giving Circle (BWGC) was established in early 2014 with the goal of empowering girls and women of all ages and preparing them for business success by supporting organizations that create connections, opportunities, and confidence.

Since 2014, the Business Women’s Giving Circle awarded more than $520,000 to organizations providing exciting experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Leadership and Entrepreneurship with measurable impact on the lives of over 3,000 girls and young women in Northern Virginia.

Nonprofit organizations and schools offering charitable and educational services in STEM, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Mentorship programs to girls and young women in Northern Virginia are eligible to apply.

Semi-Finalist Pitch Week

In November, we hear pitches from our semifinalist grant applicants to develop the slate of grant winners. Each semifinalist presents, or “pitches” their program, and then addresses questions from BWGC members. After the pitches have concluded, the assembled members deliberate, document feedback for the presenter, and develop a recommended slate of grantees which is later presented to the full membership for approval. All BWGC Members will have the opportunity to vote on the slate of grantee finalists.

Community Progress Makers Fund

Community Progress Makers is a Citi Foundation initiative aimed at supporting local community organizations connecting low-income communities to greater social and economic opportunity. The Foundation first launched the Community Progress Makers initiative in 2015 with a vision of empowering local community organizations to grow their transformative impact through unrestricted, trust-based funding. The Foundation is committing an additional $50 million to support a fourth cohort of Community Progress Makers. Through an open request for proposals (RFP) process, the Foundation will select 50 community organizations to receive the following over three years: 

• $1 million in unrestricted grant support
• Access to technical assistance from national experts and leading researchers
• Opportunities to connect and share learnings through webinars and local and national gatherings

Selection Priorities

For this funding opportunity, the Citi Foundation will prioritize organizations that demonstrate:

• Deep connections to the communities served
• Track record of partnering with other community organizations and stakeholders to achieve positive change
• Utilization of data to inform planning and the capacity to collect, analyze, and share data, results, and learnings
• Track record and innovative vision in one of the following areas of work: 
  • Affordable Housing and Access, such as efforts to promote housing affordability; home ownership; and resident support services to help people more easily access employment, education, health, and childcare.
  • Economic Development, including the provision of technical assistance to small businesses; commercial corridor revitalization efforts; and green economy strategies that promote job creation.
  • Financial Health, such as efforts in delivering financial coaching; integrated financial capability services; and savings and asset building strategies.
  • Workforce Readiness, including organizations preparing young people and/or adults for careers and entrepreneurship.