Foundation Background

The Alleghany Foundation is a private foundation that came about as a result of the sale of a community non-profit hospital to a for-profit hospital. The Alleghany Foundation is a Virginia nonstock corporation exempt from income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is managed by a Board of Directors, all the members of which are residents of the community. The Foundation’s ongoing purpose is to provide financial support that primarily benefits worthy activities in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia.

Purpose

The Foundation seeks applications in key focus areas with the goal of building upon the region’s wonderful assets to provide dynamic opportunities for all its residents. Proposals should contribute to the Foundation’s strategic areas of focus for grant, including the VISION 2025 Initiative.

Alleghany Foundation Grants

Strategic Funding Areas of Interest

The Foundation’s priority is to support proposals from organizations that contribute to the following outcomes:

• Economic Transformation – Harness our region’s strengths to develop a vibrant, diverse and higher-wage economy that can compete in the global marketplace.
• Educational Excellence – Seeks to invest with institutions, such as our local public schools and community college to move our school systems forward from “Good to Great.”
• Health and Wellness – Help the residents of the Alleghany Highlands lead healthier lives and access the comprehensive health care they need.
• Community Capacity – Grow local institutions and organizations with the vision, will, wisdom, and skills to work together to build a more prosperous, equitable, just and sustainable community.
• Leadership and Civic Vitality – Develop broad-based inclusive leadership that can sustain a forward-looking agenda for the community.
• VISION 2025 Initiative – A multi-pronged community-led effort for economic revitalization of the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia that is supported in partnerships with The Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, The Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation, and Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, and made up of the following working groups:
  • Real Estate, Utility Development and Marketing to Expand Industry Base
  • Alleghany Highlands Web Store and Small Business Support
  • Corridor Curb Appeal, Gateway and Main Street Enhancement
  • Community Landscaping and Destination Gardens
  • Alleghany Highlands Industrial Heritage and Technology Discovery Center

Danville Regional Foundation Grant

The region served by Danville Regional Foundation (DRF) has faced many challenges in the last decade-economic, health, educational, and social. Because these challenges are ongoing, DRF is committed to working with organizations that strive to create a healthy and thriving Danville/Pittsylvania County/Caswell County region.

DRF supports regional improvement through funding initiatives: 

• proposed by others (responsive grant making) that show potential for significantly impacting present problems by converting them into opportunities for ultimate success, 
• developed because of unanticipated opportunities where DRF funds, in cooperation with others, can enable productive advances that might not otherwise be attainable.

DRF will consider requests that reflect its mission, values, and areas of focus (outlined under "About the Foundation"). Beyond these previously stated specifics, funding is given greater consideration when the application demonstrates intersection of three areas: need, opportunity, and potential impact.

At DRF, we don't award grants just to fill a need or to embrace an opportunity. The grants we fund do both.

In addition, they lead to a larger impact that is visible in the community.

Here are four questions to ask as your proposal is prepared to see if your idea meets the need, opportunity and impact criteria:

• What issue and/or problem are you trying to change?
• How will you do it?
• Who will you connect to make this successful? What groups will you work with to make this happen?
• What does this change look like if you are successful? How will we know it when we see it?

DRF anticipates requests will exceed available funds. Grants will be made based on a competitive process; but, regardless, some very worthy projects will not receive funding. There is always more need than there is money available to grant. Funding decisions will come down to this question, what difference will it make?

Proposals may be submitted at any time and the review process will begin when they arrive at the DRF Office. Depending on the time of year when a proposal is received, the entire process (inquiry to receipt of funds) may take as little as three months or as much as eight.

Program Areas

Education

In the Dan River Region, DRF knows that the first step towards transformation in any community begins with the educational opportunities available to its residents. From investments in early childhood education to public school programs to STEM to higher education opportunities, DRF looks to make investments that will benefit the entire community no matter their income level or background.

Economic Development

One thing we know is the future will be significantly different than the past. A second thing we know is having the right skills will be critical to our individual and collective futures. Next, we know we need a vision of the future that helps to distinguish this region from 4,400 similar places in the United States. Fourth, we know we have to work together across political, social and economic structures, or we will make little progress individually. Finally, we know we are creating a new economy and that means we must develop, recruit and grow in new ways.

At DRF, we spend part of our time looking to what’s next. What’s the next series of investments we need to make to help transform the Dan River Region? As we look to answer this question, DRF realizes it will take the entire community to make positive change happen through economic and workforce development. To see the types of investments we’ve made through the years, visit our economic development and workforce development portfolios.

Health & Wellness

At DRF, we believe that a healthy population is key to our social, economic and physical vitality. The Dan River Region currently suffers from poverty, obesity and chronic disease at rates much higher than state and national averages. The situation is not unique to us. What is unique is the dedication and passion of the many organizations, individuals and community groups that are working to improve the health of our region.

Community Development

Community building takes resources — human and financial. At DRF, we have some of the financial resources to support different goals and initiatives throughout our region. But what we don’t have is the human capital needed to make every change that is wanted or necessary. Leadership and human capital must come from a wide variety of local sources, both public and private, and more importantly from within the community.

Community change starts right where we are standing: in our neighborhoods, our churches, our clubs, our circles and our businesses. It begins when someone decides to make a change for the better and to stop complaining about what they perceive isn’t happening. All the money in the world could be available, but without people committed to working together and dreaming big, it makes no impact.

These are the people and groups that DRF makes grants to throughout the year — ones with vision, with plans and with dreams for a better Dan River Region. Articulating needs are important, but not sufficient. Solutions are needed and citizens willing to commit to them are critical and what is often missing.

About Virginia Humanities Grants

Our grants support projects that explore the stories of Virginia—its history, people, communities, and cultural traditions—as well as issues and questions that impact the lives of Virginians in the present day. 

What We Fund

• Community forums and public discussions, including book or film discussion programs
• Community history projects, including oral histories
• Conferences and symposia, academic conferences where there is a strong public component
• Curriculum resources for K-12 classroom use
• Exhibits—physical and/or online
• Festivals and interpretive performances
• Institutes and similar programs for teachers
• Lectures and lecture series
• Media programs: production of films, script development, videos, television, radio, podcasts, websites, or digital media
• Project planning
• Print publications—books, brochures, exhibit catalogs, and interpretive maps
• Research that leads to programs having a direct public audience
• Travel expenses for project personnel (mileage and meals) 

ASF has two funding topical areas of focus, with the goal of remedying or mitigating the impacts of energy development in Appalachia:

• Greenhouse gas reduction: "the reduction, sequestration, offset, mitigation and/or storage of carbon dioxide (‘CO2’) and other greenhouse gas emissions" ("GHG")
• Stream and fishery restoration: "the mitigation of damage or pollution to streams and fresh water tributaries."

About the Foundation

Founded in 1957 by Mr. Robert G. Cabell, III, and Mrs. Maude Morgan Cabell, the Cabell Foundation was established as a private, non-operating foundation to support the permanent needs of charitable organizations throughout Virginia, with particular emphasis on agencies in the metro Richmond region. Since its inception, the Cabell Foundation has provided permanent gifts and challenge grants to a diverse mix of nonprofit institutions. Mr. and Mrs. Cabell believed the Foundation should be responsive to human need in its deliberations and in taking initiative that would inspire the community to action. Early awards supported higher education and the cultural arts, including the Valentine Museum, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Randolph Macon College and Hampden-Sydney College.Mr. and Mrs. Cabell and the founding board members recognized the value of focused, strategic support and chose not to blanket the community with token grants. Today, Cabell Foundation support provides important leverage for the charitable sector in challenging the generosity of the donor community. The long term vision of the Foundation is to continue to meet the philanthropic needs of the community and to exist in perpetuity. Communities across the Commonwealth have been enriched by Foundation support to cultural arts institutions, historic preservation sites, environment and conservation initiatives, community development efforts, higher education infrastructure and the social services sector.

Semi-Annual Competitive Grants

The cornerstone of the competitive grants program provides support for permanent, capital projects. Generally, awards are made on a challenge or match basis in order to help stimulate broad community support. The challenge may be in any form, such as matching the award in some multiple of the grant, raising a stated percentage of the total goal, securing a specified number of new gifts or other parameters set by the Foundation. Typically, no more than 50% of the matching funds for a challenge grant may come from other private foundations. Depending on the specific circumstances of each project, other conditions may be required prior to payment. Grant periods are typically 12-18 months from the date of the award notification. Competitive grants are generally paid in one payment. Proposals are reviewed twice a year during the Spring and Fall Grants meeting.

Funding Areas of Interest

The Foundation is multi-purpose in its support and accepts proposals from organizations that represent the following categories. Funding is not allocated across these program areas. The competitive nature of the proposals drives funding recommendations and decisions. Representative examples of grants in each category are listed below.

Cultural Arts: Museum exhibitions and expansion; collection processing and storage; performing arts venue renovations; building acquisition; and, technology infrastructure.

Civic & Community: Neighborhood development initiatives; civic engagement projects; and, recreational projects that promote increased access to public spaces regardless of economic or physical limitations.

Conservation & Environment: Watershed protection and preservation; reclamation projects; wildlife protection; and, environmental outreach and education.

Education: Libraries; laboratories and equipment; technology; and, general physical plant support to private colleges and universities. Limited support for capital needs related to workforce training and development projects at the community college level. The Foundation also supports special projects at Virginia Commonwealth University, The College of William & Mary and Virginia Military Institute.

Historic Preservation: Site acquisition; infrastructure repair; exterior and interior renovations; and, exhibit installation.

Social Services, Health & Welfare: Building acquisition and/or renovation for health clinics; affordable housing; domestic violence shelters; vocational rehabilitation; and, mental health services. Technology and equipment support for hunger relief programs; healthcare clinics; and job training.

Get Outdoors

Established in 2020, the Virginia’s Outdoors Foundation’s Get Outdoors (GO) program provides grants for projects that increase equitable access to safe open space in Virginia’s communities. Some examples of costs that can be covered include planning, capacity building, and infrastructure. The intent of the program is to serve as a flexible, adaptable tool to be used to address communities’ needs.

Current Opportunity

VOF is seeking proposals for projects that increase access to safe open space in Virginia’s communities, especially those that are underserved. The GO Fund requires the submission of a short pre-application. Pre-applications most aligned with program parameters will be invited to submit a final application.

Invitations to apply for the GO Fund will be sent within one week of receipt of a successful pre-application. The responses provided in the pre-application will be incorporated in and elaborated on in the final application.

What does VOF mean by “inadequately served, overlooked, or marginalized” communities?

There are communities in Virginia that have been subject to discrimination because of race, ethnicity, income, or other factors, which has resulted in less access to safe open space for recreation, education, and other uses. These communities may not have a high rate of land ownership, and therefore are unable to participate in traditional land conservation programs. VOF seeks to ensure that all Virginians have access to safe open spaces that result in better health and a higher quality of life. During the application process, applicants should describe how their community has been inadequately served or marginalized. The application should make clear how the project will result in better access to open space and who will benefit. Letters from community organizations and leaders should support the application. 

Purpose

To facilitate new and innovative art-based projects or services that reach and impact communities, including those that are underserved, under-resourced, and under-represented. 

Description

Community Impact Grants fund high-quality creative arts programming, the creation of new work, the expansion of successful arts projects, and/or arts-based services to the field. Impact Grants support any artistic discipline and on any scale. There is a 1:1 required cash match for the grant. 

Community Grants

Since 1950, charitable people have created discretionary and field-of-interest endowments at the community foundation. Their generosity gives us the flexibility to fund a variety of causes in southeastern Virginia. We channel this funding through our competitive Community Grants.

Economic Stability

Why it matters

We believe our region will thrive when its residents who experience barriers to success have the opportunities and supports they need to lead self-determined lives. Economic stability helps to create the conditions for children to learn and grow, strengthens an individual’s resolve to pursue hopes and dreams, and reduces the anxiety and stressors that accompany economic insecurity.

Economic Stability Community Grants focus on providing opportunities for people with barriers to success to become stable, self-sufficient, and prosperous. Programs that we support address:

• Ending homelessness in our region with a preference for programs that provide safe and affordable housing for individuals and/or families and provide supportive services to ensure housing stability.
• Workforce readiness training/certification acquisition and connection of low income individuals to employment. Preference is given for programs that offer supports to help the individual remain employed for at least one year.
• Development of sound financial education and savings programs to help low income individuals build financial assets for long-term economic well-being.

Desired Outcomes

Grant proposals should address one or more of the following outcomes:

• Individuals and families who are homeless are permanently located in safe/affordable housing and remain in housing for at least one year.
• Adults who are economically disadvantaged develop skills for jobs available in Hampton Roads and are employed for at least one year.
• Individuals who are underemployed obtain a higher-wage position post-training and remain employed for at least one year.
• Individuals who are economically disadvantaged improve their knowledge of financial literacy and participate in banking services to include increasing funds in a savings account.

Proposals for program funding must be able to articulate:

• Program’s fit with our stated priorities
• Program’s desired outcomes
• Organization’s plan for measuring program effectiveness in reaching outcomes

NOTE: Applications are accepted year-round, but must be submitted by November 1 to be reviewed at the February annual grant meeting.

Moses D. Nunnally, Jr. Charitable Trust B Grant

Charitable Trust B was established by the late Moses D. Nunnally, Jr. of Richmond, Virginia in 1984. Mr. Nunnally created this trust exclusively for charitable purposes. The trust has supported many worthy charitable organizations since its inception.

Mission

To support a variety of charitable activities in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area.

Program areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Education
• Health
• Human services
• Religion

Program limitations

• Charitable Trust B has a practice of primarily supporting charitable organizations located in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area.
• Preference may be given to programs related to healthcare, education, human services, religion, arts and culture.

States served

• Virginia

Geographic limitations

• Charitable Trust B has a practice of primarily supporting charitable organizations located in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area.

Funding

• Average grant size: Range varies but generally $5,000 to $75,000