Best Grants for New Nonprofits in Virginia

The Albert G. and Olive H. Schlink Foundation, established in 1966, has significantly impacted Ohio's nonprofit sector by increasing its annual grant distribution from an initial $500 to over $1.4 million in 2023. The Foundation prioritizes organizations with ties to Erie and Huron Counties and emphasizes thoughtful evaluation of all grant applications. With a focus on community needs, it continues to honor the founders' legacy while adapting to the evolving demands of local nonprofits.

The Jeffress Trust Awards Program in Research Advancing Health Equity supports Virginia-based partnerships in addressing systemic barriers to health equity. With funding up to $150,000 over two years, the program encourages innovative research in policy, systems, and environmental strategies. Eligible applicants include non-profits and municipalities, aiming to leverage community strengths to enhance health outcomes. This initiative prioritizes collaborative efforts and actionable insights to promote optimal health across Virginia's diverse communities.

Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund (VSDVVF) Grant Program for Prosecution and Discretionary Projects

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce two funding opportunities for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 27 under the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund (VSDVVF) grant program! The funding opportunities are open to current SFY 26 prosecution, discretionary, forensic/sexual assault nurse examiner VSDVVF subrecipients, as well as new competitive forensic/sexual assault nurse examiner applicants. Prior to completing your application, please review the grant guidelines associated with your funding category. 

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) partners with state, federal, local and nonprofit housing and community and economic development initiatives. DHCD programs strive to maintain the vibrancy of communities throughout the Commonwealth and include providing universal broadband access, investing in economic development initiatives, promulgating the statewide building and fire regulations, preserving the affordability and efficiency of Virginia’s homes and buildings, addressing homelessness, reducing eviction rates across the state and fostering innovative solutions to create affordable housing. DHCD invests over $350 million annually in addition to $2 billion in federal recovery programs as a partner to Virginia communities to create safe, affordable and prosperous communities to live, work and do business in Virginia.

Virginia Enterprise Zone – Real Property Investment Grant

The Virginia Enterprise Zone (VEZ) program is a partnership between state and local government that encourages job creation and private investment. VEZ accomplishes this by designating Enterprise Zones throughout the state and providing two grant-based incentives, the Job Creation Grant (JCG) and the Real Property Investment Grant (RPIG), to qualified investors and job creators within those zones, while the locality provides local incentives.

Highlights

The RPIG is available to investors that are undertaking rehabilitation, expansion, or new construction projects within the boundaries of an Enterprise Zone. The building or facility must be:

• Commercial: Including office and retail
• Industrial
• Mixed-use: At least 30% of usable floor space is devoted to commercial, office, or industrial use

Virginia Humanities offers Major Grants to support cultural nonprofits in Virginia that develop public humanities projects. These grants, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, are awarded biannually and aim to engage audiences with history, literature, and culture. Projects can include community forums, exhibitions, and curriculum resources, fostering dialogue and expanding access to the humanities. With a focus on immediate implementation, these grants are pivotal in enhancing cultural understanding across the state.

Virginia Humanities at WHRO Grants supports public humanities projects across Hampton Roads, offering up to $6,000 for initiatives that connect local communities with their cultural heritage. The grants aim to engage broad audiences through community forums, exhibitions, and media projects, fostering dialogue and understanding. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits within the WHRO service area. The program emphasizes inclusivity, preserving local stories, and enhancing public access to humanities resources.

The Share the Bounty Grant, offered by The Andersons Inc Charitable Foundation, aims to enhance the quality of life in communities through support for agriculture, social services, civic engagement, education, arts, and health initiatives. By investing in these key areas, The Andersons seeks to foster environments where individuals and families can thrive, ensuring a sustainable and vibrant future for all residents in the regions they serve.

Virginia Humanities offers Opportunity Grants to support cultural nonprofits in Virginia for public humanities projects. With funding of up to $5,000, these grants are designed for projects with a shorter timeline and scope, awarded twice a year. The grants aim to encourage community engagement and storytelling, allowing organizations to implement initiatives quickly. Eligibility includes 501(c)(3) nonprofits and similar entities, while funding excludes advocacy, certain arts, and international travel.

The Call for Kindness Grant, offered by Riley's Way Foundation, empowers young leaders aged 13-23 to launch impactful social projects focused on kindness and community connection. With grants up to $5,000, recipients receive essential mentorship, coaching, and community support. This initiative has already benefited over 3,500 youth nationwide, promoting values of empathy and social change. Applicants can pursue projects in diverse areas, including environmental justice, ensuring a broad impact in their communities.

The Community Progress Makers Fund, an initiative by the Citi Foundation, aims to empower local organizations by providing $50 million in unrestricted funding. This program, established in 2015, will support 50 selected community organizations over three years with grants of $1 million each, alongside technical assistance and opportunities for collaboration. The fund prioritizes organizations with strong community ties and a proven impact in areas such as affordable housing, economic development, financial health, and workforce readiness.

The Frankenmuth Insurance Foundation Charitable Grant supports qualified charities focused on community betterment and basic human needs. Founded in 2016, it aims to enhance lives through initiatives such as affordable housing, health programs, and the arts. Organizations eligible for funding must be tax-exempt and serve areas where Frankenmuth Insurance operates. Notably, the foundation excludes support for individuals, political groups, and projects typically financed by governments, ensuring its resources benefit the wider community.

Navigant Credit Union 

Navigant Credit Union is the longest-operating, member-owned credit union in Rhode Island. Since its founding in 1915, Navigant Credit Union has been dedicated to providing its members with unparalleled financial products and services, while working every day to stay committed to the financial well-being of the families, businesses and communities we serve. 

Navigant Credit Union Charitable Foundation Grant

For over a century, Navigant Credit Union has been committed to making a meaningful difference in the community. In 2017, we established the Navigant Credit Union Charitable Foundation to further amplify our impact in five strategic areas:

• Education & Financial Literacy: Organizational and capital support for programs, supplies, building products, sports facilities and teams.
• Social Services: Financial support for programs and organizations for children, veterans, hunger and housing.
• Public Health, Safety & Well-Being: Support for programs addressing public safety, emergency care and eradication of disease.

The Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship, awarded by Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, supports first and second-year medical students conducting research over 2 to 12 months. With a total funding of $7,000, students can receive reimbursement for travel expenses up to $1,000 for presenting their findings at national conferences. Eligibility requires enrollment in schools with active AΩA chapters, while those taking a year off for research or holding a PhD are ineligible.

The Park Foundation Grants for Animal Welfare focus on advancing the protection and conservation of wildlife, particularly through policy and advocacy efforts for threatened species. The foundation supports innovative, solution-oriented models that foster systemic change and compassion. Key areas include organizing for endangered wildlife, indigenous management practices, and supporting sanctuaries for great apes. Additionally, the foundation is committed to local efforts, including support for the Tompkins County SPCA, ensuring a compassionate society for all living beings.

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.

The NRA Foundation: Virginia Grants are designed to promote charitable purposes related to firearms and shooting sports, adhering to IRS 501(c)(3) requirements. Eligible organizations include nonprofit entities and government agencies with an EIN. The foundation supports educational programs, research in firearms safety, and community benefits, while excluding commercial ventures and fundraising activities. Grant requests should align with the foundation's mission to foster safety and education in the shooting sports and related activities.

The Camp-Younts Foundation Grant, established in 1955, focuses on supporting organizations that assist poor and needy individuals in Virginia and Metro Atlanta, Georgia. Preference is given to religious, educational, cultural, and civic organizations with outreach programs. The foundation only considers operating and non-capital grants, with average sizes ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations based in Metro Atlanta.

Project Lead The Way is offering a rolling grant opportunity for schools across the US to implement the PLTW Gateway program for the first time. With total funding of $9,100, the grant covers participation fees and training registration costs. Schools, including public, private, and charter, are encouraged to apply, particularly those serving low-income and minority majority populations. This initiative aims to enhance educational pathways in STEM for diverse student groups.

The Encova Foundation of West Virginia is dedicated to improving communities by supporting local causes that align with the values of its associates and policyholders. They focus on health, education, and wellness, emphasizing the importance of children's success. Organizations applying for grants must be U.S.-based and verified as charitable. Preference is given to initiatives impacting health and education, especially those involving Encova associates as active participants.

Wegmans Family Foundation Inc focuses on cultivating healthy communities through support for hunger relief, health initiatives, education, and youth programs. They prioritize collaborations with local nonprofits to enhance community well-being, offering assistance in key areas like economic mobility and youth engagement. Despite their wide-ranging support, they have specific ineligibility criteria, such as not accommodating personal requests or solicitation on their property, aiming to direct resources effectively where they are needed most.

The Kalliopeia Foundation Grant focuses on supporting projects that foster cultural and ecological renewal through a deep reverence for the Earth. By prioritizing US-based organizations that demonstrate strong community relationships and intergenerational leadership, the foundation seeks to empower marginalized voices and traditional practices. With an emphasis on land care and Indigenous leadership, Kalliopeia aims to cultivate a resilient future where diverse ways of knowing and being thrive harmoniously with nature.

The Meyer Foundation provides Rapid Response Grants to support nonprofit organizations addressing urgent challenges related to racial and economic justice in the Greater Washington, D.C. area. These grants are available to core grantee partners and focus on community organizing, advocacy, and direct actions. Eligible organizations must have received funding from the foundation since January 2024. Applications are open from February to November 2026, allowing partners to apply for up to two grants within the year.

The Queer Mobilization Fund (QMF) supports community-led projects that advance Queer and Trans liberation, particularly for BIPOC individuals in the Southeastern US. Established in 2016, QMF prioritizes grassroots organizations with budgets under $300,000. The fund emphasizes rapid response funding and capacity building, aiming to empower marginalized communities often excluded from financial support. QMF does not fund groups outside the Southeast or for-profit activities, ensuring resources are directed towards those leading efforts for LGBTQ+ rights.

VA 250 Grants

The VA250 Commission offers grant programs to support local commemorative events, programs, and activities. Local VA250 committees whose local governing body has passed a resolution of support are encouraged to apply. Funding for VA250 Grants is provided by the VA250 Commission. Projects should be focused on content on the American Revolution.

Applicants may apply for up to $10,000, and a 1:1 match is required. Grants will be managed as subawards through the University of Virginia.

The Commission prefers that the local committees choose one project per grant cycle to support.

The Starseed Foundation Grant offers support to 501(c)(3) organizations focused on enhancing the arts, environmental protection, literacy, and social services. Grants are available to organizations throughout the United States, with a specific emphasis on programs based in Oregon. Interested parties must first submit a Letter of Inquiry to be considered for funding. This initiative aims to improve the quality of life for underserved communities through cultural and educational enrichment.

The Bonnie Cardone Memorial Scholarship, offered by the Women Divers Hall of Fame, awards $1,500 to a woman diver enrolled in a U.S. or Canada degree program in journalism, graphic arts, photography, or videography. This scholarship aims to support those committed to using their education to benefit the ocean environment and community, promoting greater awareness and conservation efforts. Eligible applicants must demonstrate their dedication to these fields and their potential impact on marine ecosystems.

The CCI+A (CATAPULT & ASCEND) Funds provide support for Virginia-based university faculty and startups aiming to commercialize cybersecurity innovations. Applicants must attend mandatory information sessions and submit an Expression of Intent. The program includes mentorship and funding opportunities, helping innovators navigate the commercialization landscape. With a focus on developing viable market solutions, the initiative fosters collaboration between academia and industry, ensuring that groundbreaking research translates into impactful products that benefit the economy and society.