Best Richmond County Grants for Nonprofits in Virginia

What We Do

Since our creation by Congress in 1984, NFWF has grown to become the nation’s largest private conservation foundation. We work with both the public and private sectors to protect and restore our nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats for current and future generations.

NFWF supports conservation efforts across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Since our founding, we've funded over 23,300 rigorously evaluated projects, awarded to both large environmental organizations and small local initiatives. We do not fund advocacy or litigation, and do not conduct membership campaigns. Instead, we focus on achieving results and building a better future for our world.

Chesapeake Bay Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership, is soliciting pre-proposals through the Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction (INSR) Grants program to improve water quality and reduce nutrient and sediment pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams. Major funding for the INSR Grants program is provided by EPA, with other important contributions from Altria Group, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the U.S. Forest Service. 

Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD) Program

The Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD) Grants Program delivered in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supports efforts to improve the condition and connectivity of habitats for at risk and federally listed species.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is committed to operating in full compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and Executive Orders. We continuously monitor legal and regulatory developments to ensure our policies, procedures, and operations align with current federal directives. We encourage all applicants to do the same.  

The ability and extent to which NFWF is able to make awards is contingent upon receipt of funds from federal agencies and/or other funding partners. Final funding decisions will be made based on the applications received and the level and timing of funding received by NFWF.

The WILD Program Pillars are:

• Pillar 1: Restore, conserve, and connect fish and wildlife habitat
• Pillar 2: Improve water quality for fish, wildlife and people
• Pillar 3: Align the power of nature to adapt to changing landscapes
• Pillar 4: Expand access to nature and outdoor recreation for all Americans
• Pillar 5: Build partnership capacity to collaborate and coordinate actions

The Chesapeake WILD Grants Program has three distinct tracks:

• Collaborative Conservation
  • Grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded for projects that support and enhance the capacity of partnerships, networks, and other collaborative models working collaboratively to advance place-based, landscape-scale, and crossjurisdictional habitat restoration, conservation, and connectivity outcomes.
• Planning and Technical Assistance
• Implementation

Virginia Department of Emergency Management

In July 1973, Virginia took measures to ensure that the Commonwealth and its residents would be protected from the effects of disasters, both natural and human-caused. Just 13 months after Hurricane Agnes caused record-breaking flooding, the Virginia Office of Emergency Services was created. The office was renamed the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) in 2000 (Va. Code Ann. § 44-146.18). Today, VDEM works with with local, state, tribal, and federal agencies and voluntary organizations to provide crucial resources during all hazard disasters.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements and activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack. The intent is to integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. It is also designed to promote coordination and collaboration in emergency preparedness activities among public and private community representatives, as well as state and local government agencies.

The NGSP, via State Administrative Agencies (SAA), provides funds to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist or other extremist attack to meet the following three objectives throughout the period of performance:

• Enhance equipment and conduct security-related activities to improve the security posture of nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack.
• Address and close capability gaps that are identified in individual nonprofit organization Vulnerability Assessments via funding spent on Planning, Equipment, and Training and Exercises that aim to enhance the protection of soft targets and crowded places.
• Strengthen relationships across non-profit organization, state, local, and territorial homeland security agencies for a whole community approach to preparedness.

Given the evolving threat landscape, it is incumbent upon DHS/FEMA to continuously evaluate the national risk profile and set priorities that help ensure appropriate allocation of scarce security dollars. In assessing the national risk profile, the following National Priority Areas (NPAs) shape current and future guidance:

• Enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places.
• Supporting Homeland Security Task Forces and Fusion Centers
• Enhancing Cybersecurity
• Enhancing Election Security
• Supporting Border Crisis Response and Enforcement

Likewise, there are several enduring security needs that crosscut the homeland security enterprise. The following are second-tier priorities that help recipients implement a comprehensive approach to securing communities:

• Effective planning;
• Training and awareness campaigns; and
• Exercises

Effective August 13, 2020, FEMA recipients and subrecipients may not use any FEMA funds under open or new awards to:

• Procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology of any system;
• Enter into, extend, or renew a contract to procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology of any system; or
• Enter into, extend, or renew contracts with entities that use covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system.

Virginia Applicants

Up to $3,381,162 will be available for Virginia applicants in 2025. Of that amount, funding will be split across two applicant groups: NSGP-Urban Areas (NSGP-UA), and NSGP-State (NSGP-S).

NSGP-State (NSGP-S)

Up to $2,400,000 will be available for applicants not located in a designated Urban Area by DHS. Individual awards may be up to $200,000.

Teacher Residency Program Grants

Teacher residency programs are intensive experiences designed to those enrolled in an Educator Preparation Program (EPP). Residents complete a year-long clinical practice placement in a partner school division while completing the undergraduate or graduate-level coursework needed to become licensed teachers. The format for residency programs vary: Some provide short-term training while others pair a program participant with a mentor teacher for a year long co-teaching experience. Because of the need for integration between clinical experiences and coursework, residency programs are conceived of as holistic; required coursework and clinical experiences together comprise the duration of a residency. Programs in Virginia require that participants commit to teaching in a specific division for a certain number of years after completing the residency. Additionally, residency programs may offer tuition remission and/or an additional stipend. 

Provide a detailed description of the teacher residency program. Grant funds will support the preparation, planning, development, and implementation of a site-specific teacher residency model that develops highly effective educators prepared to deliver high-quality, evidence-based instruction from their first day in the classroom. Programs may include resident and mentor stipends or other strategic incentives designed to recruit, prepare, and retain high-quality teacher candidates and mentor teachers, particularly in high-need schools and shortage areas.

Teacher residency models should be intentionally designed to prepare educators to effectively implement High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) through sustained, practice-based clinical experiences paired with aligned coursework and coaching. Residency experiences should provide candidates with opportunities to develop deep content knowledge, instructional decision-making skills, and the ability to use curriculum as the foundation for planning, instruction, assessment, and continuous improvement.

Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes

Describe the goals, objectives, and expected outcomes of the teacher residency program. Proposals should demonstrate how the residency will prepare candidates to:

• Deliver rigorous, standards-aligned instruction using High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM). 
• Implement evidence-based instructional practices, including the requirements of the Virginia Literacy Act and evidence-based literacy instruction. 
• Identify, evaluate, and effectively implement High-Quality Instructional Materials with fidelity while using student data to inform instructional decisions. 
• Develop strong content knowledge and instructional expertise through curriculum-based professional learning, coaching, and clinical practice. 
• Analyze student work and assessment data to improve instruction and accelerate student learning. 
• Create inclusive learning environments that effectively serve diverse PreK-12 learners, including students with disabilities, English learners, and students with low literacy levels. 
• Collaborate with mentor teachers, instructional leaders, and professional learning communities to continuously improve instructional practice. 
• Engage in reflective practice through observation, feedback, and coaching to strengthen instructional effectiveness. 

Budget Background Information: 

• Grant funds requested may not exceed $3,600,000. 
• Funding used for travel and travel-related expenses must be at state rates and in accordance with state travel regulations.
• Funding for tuition shall not exceed $12,500 per resident per academic year OR requested funding for tuition shall be discounted 35% per resident per academic year. 
• The budget and budget narrative should detail how the partner school divisions shall provide at least one-third of the dollar cost of each program, as required in the Appropriation Act. The local school division one-third contribution must be a cash match of funding.
• State funding should have a direct, measurable impact on the residents excluding professional membership and food/beverages.