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MAY 10, 2022 — To address vital opportunities for growing and strengthening Virginia’s early child care system, the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation has launched Ready Regions – a transformative network designed to enhance the coordination and accountability of early education programs across the Commonwealth.
An evolution of the Smart Beginnings network, this new system is made up of nine Ready Regions that span the entire state. Each Ready Region is coordinated by a lead organization that collaborates with parents, school divisions, early childhood care and education programs, business and other stakeholder organizations to coordinate and integrate critical services and resources for families with young children. Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond now leads Ready Region Central, which encompasses the cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond, as well as the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Greensville, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George, Surry, and Sussex.
The Ready Regions Network is made up of nine regions that span the state of Virginia. Greater Richmond is located in Ready Region Central, illustrated in green in the graphic above.
“A large part of what we do is convene nonprofits and child care providers to explore the issues they face and bring the right people together to find potential solutions,” said Katherine Busser, Immediate Past Board Chair for Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond. “Equitable access to high-quality early care for all families has long been one of those issues, and the Ready Regions network creates the infrastructure necessary to address that issue.”
The task of ensuring quality preschool and early care experiences used to be spread across multiple organizations with variations in their approaches, and participation in assessment programs was voluntary. A priority for Ready Regions will be overseeing a new uniform measurement and improvement system used in all publicly funded early childhood classrooms in Virginia by 2023. This new system will provide a uniform quality assessment and supply educators with the tools and supports they need to provide the best experience for their students to eventually increase school readiness.
About 90% of a child’s brain growth occurs before age five, which is why quality early care experiences are critical to success in school and later in life.
“You’ve probably seen news stories about the fracturing of the child care system and how important early care and education is to a strong economy and a strong community,” said Amanda Murphy, Senior Director at Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond. “We want to make sure all children have good experiences in those critical zero-to-five years, and this new program will help ensure that all children are getting a quality preschool experience.”
Over the last six years, the support, leadership and fiscal sponsorship of ChamberRVA has enabled Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond to grow into the powerhouse it is today. The Community Foundation is excited for the opportunity to continue and advance this important investment in the early care sector by serving as the new fiscal sponsor for Ready Region Central, further embracing Early Childhood Development & Education as a key area for investment.
To learn more about how you can support early care in Greater Richmond, contact Audrey Trussell, Vice President of Community Impact, at atrussell@cfrichmond.org.
JULY 9, 2019 — Made possible by donor established funds, the Community Foundation announces its 2019 Community Impact grant awards, totaling over $3 million to 83 organizations across the region. Community Impact grants are awarded through a competitive process and support local nonprofits whose strategies and outcomes align with the Foundation’s four focus areas: community vibrancy, economic prosperity, educational success, and health and wellness. Within these areas, the Community Foundation has adopted funding priorities in education, housing, and workforce development initiatives that will increase access and opportunity for low-income residents in Richmond.
Here are a few notable highlights from this years’ selection of grants:
“While we will always support program delivery,” Scott Blackwell, Chief Community Engagement Officer for the Community Foundation said, “we are growing our support for systems level and policy work. We need all three strategies to make lasting change for our community.”
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that community members enjoy good quality of life, with access to and an appreciation for the arts, cultural opportunities, and natural assets.
Art 180 - $35,000 To create and deliver innovative arts-based programs to youth in challenging circumstances.
CultureWorks - $60,000 To support CultureWorks service and leadership for the Richmond and Tri-Cities region. (third year of a three-year grant)
Richmond Ballet - $20,000 To support afterschool dance programs for students in Greater Richmond.
Richmond Symphony - $20,000 To fund the Big Tent Festival and ongoing music education programs.
SPARC - $30,000 To support out-of-school time arts programs that address the needs of low-wealth youth in Greater Richmond.
Science Museum of Virginia Foundation - $20,000 To support a year-round "applied STEM learning" pipeline for Richmond students in grades 5-8.
Virginia Museum of History and Culture - $40,000 To support the exhibition, "Determined: The 400-Year Struggle for Black Equality."
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation - $20,000 To support the exhibition, "Working Together: Louis Draper and the Kamoinge Workshop."
Virginia Repertory Theatre - $25,000 To support live theater productions communicating to Greater Richmond youth about human trafficking.
Virginia Voice - $15,000 To support equitable access to information, culture and community for individuals with disabilities through technology and the human voice.
Visual Arts Center of Richmond - $20,000 To continue the growth of art education and youth mentoring programs.
Leadership Metro Richmond - $10,000 To support two Leadership Quest scholarships for community leaders in low-wealth communities.
Re-Establish Richmond - $10,000 To support programs that empower refugees and immigrants in Richmond to rebuild their networks and become self-sufficient.
Sports Backers - $50,000 To advocate for equity-based transportation infrastructure through the development of safe and accessible places for people to bike and walk in greater Richmond.
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities - $30,000 To fund inclusion and equity workshops, retreats, and assemblies for students, educators, business leaders, law enforcement, elected officials, and citizens.
Blue Sky Fund - $20,000 To provide educator support and hands-on outdoor learning opportunities for elementary school students facing disadvantages.
Capital Trees - $15,000 To complete the Low Line and restore 2.5 historic acres of land between the 17th Street flood wall and Great Shiplock Park.
Enrichmond Foundation - $28,000 To provide landscaping- and horticulture-based job skills training for Richmond residents working to reclaim Evergreen, East End, and Paupers Cemeteries.
James River Association - $15,000 To protect the James River, improve water quality and connect people to the river for enhanced community vibrancy and individual health.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden - $30,000 To support a corps of community volunteers trained to lead urban greening initiatives in their own neighborhoods.
Maymont Foundation - $20,000 To implement the Maymont Explorers Program for Richmond youth.
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that the region’s resources are sustainable, and its residents are economically stable and secure.
Better Housing Coalition - $60,000 To support operations and fund consulting work to develop a business plan for resident services.
Habitat for Humanity Powhatan - $15,000 To support general operating costs and enable hiring of additional Habitat Store staff.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia - $75,000 To support work with housing choice voucher clients to help them find affordable housing in high opportunity neighborhoods.
Partnership for Housing Affordability - $25,000 To support collaborative work among community members, nonprofit leaders and local government representatives to create the Regional Housing Framework.
project:HOMES - $50,000 To support the Immediate Response Fund that quickly addresses hazardous living conditions of low-income families.
Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity - $50,000 To revitalize homes in the Maymont and Randolph neighborhoods.
CARITAS - $35,000 To support case management and shelter staff in the CARITAS shelter.
HomeAgain - $20,000 To support general operations of emergency shelters and community housing programs.
Homeward - $50,000 To support Homeward’s collaborative work with over 30 public and nonprofit homeless service providers of the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (third year of a three-year grant).
Housing Families First - $35,000 To support general operations, expand housing program capacity, and prepare for future rapid re-housing program expansions.
St. Joseph’s Villa - $40,000 To support families and individuals in Greater Richmond who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Virginia Supportive Housing - $35,000 To help our community end homelessness by providing permanent supportive housing services to ensure formerly homeless individuals remain stably housed.
Side by Side - $15,000 To support programs for LGBTQ+ youth ages 18-25 who are experiencing housing instability in the Richmond region.
HumanKind - $30,000 To support individuals as they build their financial well-being through employment, financial and benefits coaching or through facilitation of a fair-interest vehicle loan.
Neighborhood Resource Center - $30,000 To support NRC Works, Out-of-School-Time and Food Programs.
Richmond Opportunities, Inc. - $150,000 To support the Executive Director's salary, technology and data, and strategic communications.
Sacred Heart Center - $30,000 To support the general operating costs of the Sacred Heart Center, in providing educational and human service programs to adults, children, youth, and families.
Thriving Cities Group - $30,000 To support RVA Thrives' efforts to increase neighborhood leadership in the Jefferson Davis Corridor and disseminate the Community Voice Blueprint to improve how local organizations engage historically marginalized communities.
Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation - $20,000 To support continued work convening residents and partners to develop plans and actions that uplift the Northside neighborhood.
Center for Nonprofit Excellence - $15,000 To provide salary support for the consultant coordinating the Workforce Development Coalition.
Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia - $50,000 To support co-locating skill-building training, career advising, digital literacy and job placement and retention services at two pilot sites in coordination with the Work Access Collaborative.
IT4Causes - $20,000 To support programs that help low- to moderate-income technology students build on-the-job experience, soft skills and professional networks.
Reynolds Community College - $50,000 To support the new Kitchens at Reynolds facility located in the East End.
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that young people achieve in school, engage in their community and are prepared for the workforce.
FutureRVA - $50,000 To support FutureRVA’s three-year talent development and school-to-job strategies in high schools (third year of a three-year grant).
Partnership for the Future - $35,000 To support programming for low-income, college-bound students.
Boys & Girls Club of Metro Richmond - $50,000 To support high-quality staffing, learning programs and mentorship programs in Richmond and Petersburg.
Chesterfield Education Foundation - $25,000 To grow the operating capacity to support a growing school division.
Communities In Schools of Chesterfield - $25,000 To support expansion of programming to L.C. Bird High School.
Communities In Schools of Petersburg - $25,000 To support Integrated Student Support services in all Petersburg City Public Schools.
Communities In Schools of Richmond - $100,000 To deliver the Integrated Student Support model across 32 high-poverty Richmond Public School sites.
Henrico Education Foundation - $25,000 To support a Trauma-Informed Education Coordinator position at Glen Lea Elementary School.
Higher Achievement - $50,000 To support Summer and Afterschool Academies for underserved middle school students.
Junior Achievement of Central Virginia - $20,000 To provide financial literacy, workforce readiness, career discovery and entrepreneurship education for middle and high school students.
The Literacy Lab - $35,000 To support rigorously-trained, full-time tutors in high-need K-3 classrooms.
NextUp RVA - $200,000 To coordinate and deliver high-quality afterschool programs in four Richmond middle schools and expand services into Albert Hill Middle School.
Peter Paul Development Center - $50,000 To support afterschool and summer educational programs that help strengthen the academic performance of students in grades 2-12 in Richmond's East End.
The Podium Foundation - $15,000 To continue youth writing programs in Richmond, expand into Henrico County, and implement a trauma-informed care approach.
Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation - $25,000 To support general operations as the Foundation transitions its focus to fundraising in support of RPS' strategic goals.
Virginia Commonwealth University Foundation - $75,000 To continue the Richmond Teacher Residency - Petersburg program, creating a sustainable pipeline of highly effective teachers committed to the students of Petersburg City Public Schools for the long term.
Virginia Mentoring Partnership - $20,000 To support training, technical assistance, quality assurance and evaluation services for youth mentoring programs.
YMCA of Greater Richmond - $50,000 To support out-of-school time programs for low-wealth students in Richmond and Petersburg,
Family Lifeline - $25,000 To sustain the Early Childhood Home Visiting initiative serving vulnerable families in Richmond.
FRIENDS Association for Children - $25,000 To provide high-quality early childhood, preschool and school-age development programs.
Partnership for Families - $35,000 To implement programs that ensure Northside youth have the literacy skills necessary for kindergarten.
Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond - $100,000 To provide capacity building support (third year of a three-year grant).
Smart Beginnings Southeast - $25,000 To support quality and access to the early childhood system in Petersburg through Westview Early Learning Center.
SOAR365 - $25,000 To support services for children with disabilities by supporting therapists' travel to the child's natural environment and translation costs for non-English speaking families.
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation - $20,000 To support a Community Liaison position to work with families and service providers in the East End.
Virginia Literacy Foundation - $25,000 To support a project that helps achieve equity in kindergarten readiness and family literacy among children and families in Petersburg and Richmond's Southside.
YWCA of Richmond - $40,000 To provide operating support to create access to opportunities, strengthen resilience, and advance equitable systems for lifelong success.
Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that community members are healthy and safe.
Central Virginia Health Services - $50,000 To establish a school-based health center at Petersburg High School.
Conexus - $25,000 To support mobile vision clinic services in Chesterfield, Petersburg, Henrico and Richmond schools.
Free Clinic of Powhatan - $15,000 To support operating expenses vital to patient care, including salary support, prescriptions, dental services, medical and office supplies and marketing resources.
Richmond City Health District - $75,000 To support the Community Health Worker program.
Feed More - $50,000 To deliver healthy meals to food-insecure and homebound seniors and disabled adults in Central Virginia.
Greater Richmond Fit4Kids - $15,000 To equip parents and amplify their voices to lead policy and systems change efforts to improve their children's health and wellness.
Shalom Farms - $25,000 To improve the health and increase self-sufficiency of low-income communities with limited access to healthy food, resources, and supports to improve health.
Tricycle Urban Ag - $20,000 To increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in Richmond and Henrico.
ChildSavers - $50,000 To support quality early care and mental health care to help children overcome trauma through resilience.
Greater Richmond SCAN - $25,000 To reduce the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), build community resilience, and reduce the prevalence of ACEs in the region.
The James House Intervention/Prevention Services - $25,000 To provide trauma informed care, safe shelter, and advocacy for children and adults in the Tri-Cities affected by sexual violence, domestic violence, stalking, and child abuse and neglect.
Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging - $25,000 To support education and advocacy programs that increase equitable access to services, address the changing needs of our community, and enable more people to remain in their homes and communities.
NOVEMBER 11, 2020 — Childcare and early education centers are under more pressure than ever to deliver a high-quality, safe and reliable service while they also grapple with greater financial strain, facing issues such as restrictions on capacity, costs behind increased cleaning measures, and helping families in need of increased financial assistance.
To support this vitally important sector, the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund announces investments of over $382,000 into Greater Richmond’s nonprofit early education and childcare providers serving over 1,400 children in the region. Grant recipients include:
“The pandemic has had a significant impact on the Sprout School this year, especially for the families we serve,” said Linda Tissiere, Executive Director of YWCA Richmond. “The social distancing and safety protocols have created challenges as we have had to operate at 50% capacity. Yet, this grant has enabled us to add a virtual learning classroom for kindergarteners, open a new location on Bainbridge Street to include infant care, and ensure that the Sprout School is ready to expand to full capacity as soon as feasible.”
In September, this fund also made a grant to Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond to support the acquisition and distribution of cleaning supplies and PPE to 500 childcare programs in the Richmond region. The Community Foundation continues to work closely with Smart Beginnings and the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that childcare centers face across the region and how this industry can be best supported in the months to come.
“We sincerely appreciate the support of the Community Foundation as we work to support our childcare programs in Richmond,” said Rich Schultz, Executive Director of Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond. “Throughout the pandemic, many of our childcare programs have remained open to serve essential personnel and working families. Our early childhood educators are true heroes in this crisis, and they need our support. They are vital to our workforce, our economy and our community.”
Virginia has also committed $6 million in state funds to support childcare providers that will be allocated by the end of 2020, and more help is anticipated early next year.
To learn more about the COVID-19 Response Fund and how you can continue to support its efforts, please visit the Community Foundation website.
>> Nonprofits: Click here to sign up to collect free PPE & cleaning supplies
>> Volunteer to help Smart Beginnings distribute PPE and other essential supplies to local childcare providers:
>> Related reading: The Critical State of Childcare During COVID-19
The Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, together with its donors, is pleased to announce Community Impact grant awards for 2018, totaling $2.83 million to 78 organizations across the region. Community Impact grants support local nonprofits whose strategies and outcomes align with the Foundation’s four focus areas: community vibrancy, economic prosperity, educational success, and health and wellness. Over the past year, the Foundation has adopted funding priorities in education, housing, and workforce development initiatives that will increase access and opportunity for low-income residents in Richmond.
A significant number of grants were awarded in the City of Richmond, where economic challenges tend to be the highest, with a focus on the East End, Northside and Southside (including the Jefferson Davis Corridor) neighborhoods. Ten grants were also awarded in the Petersburg area, primarily in education. The awards support nonprofit partners who are focused on high quality programming, systems, and advocacy and policy.
Art 180 - $25,000 To create and deliver innovative arts-based programs to youth in challenging circumstances.
Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia - $30,000 To execute and expand Hands on History, the BHMVA's ongoing mission of providing invaluable opportunities to experience history and culture.
CultureWorks - $40,000 To support CultureWorks service and leadership for the Richmond and Tri-Cities region. (second year of a three-year grant)
Richmond Performing Arts Alliance - $25,000 To transform and expand Early Literacy Learning through the Arts programs to additional Pre-K classrooms.
Richmond Symphony - $20,000 To fund community-led Big Tent festivals and programming.
SPARC - $20,000 To support operating costs of SPARC’s outreach programs.
The Valentine - $30,000 To provide free access to interactive Richmond history programs in partnership with RPS and CIS.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation - $20,000 To expand and diversify its presence in the community through its Family and Community Outreach programs.
Virginia Repertory Theatre - $20,000 To support operations of the model access program.
Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers - $50,000 To advocate for equity-based transportation infrastructure through the development of safe and accessible places for people to bike and walk in greater Richmond.
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities - $25,000 To fund inclusion and equity workshops, retreats, and assemblies for students, educators, business leaders, law enforcement, elected officials, and citizens.
Capital Trees - $15,000 To restore and enhance Richmond's urban green spaces and to support agency infrastructure.
Maymont Foundation - $30,000 To support operations and Immersive STEM Summer Camp pilot in partnership with Peter Paul Development Center.
Children's Home Society of Virginia - $20,000 To support the Possibilities Project, a collaborative program providing youth who age out of foster care with housing and life skills.
Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, Inc. - $40,000 To support planning for GCCVA to lead a consortium of partners to improve workforce development services for challenging populations.
RVA Rapid Transit - $20,000 To advance the work of educating, organizing, and advocating for regional public transportation.
The READ Center - $20,000 To support adult literacy programs that include reading, writing, math and digital skills to at least 250 adults in our community.
CARITAS - $40,000 To support case management staff in the CARITAS shelter.
HomeAgain - $20,000 To support general operations of emergency shelters, bridge housing for veterans, rapid rehousing, and permanent and supportive housing.
Homeward - $50,000 To support Homeward’s collaborative work with over 30 public and nonprofit homeless service providers of the greater Richmond Continuum of Care and the development of strategic cross-sector partnerships (second year of a three-year grant).
Housing Families First - $40,000 To support strategic plan implementation and operation of Hilliard House and Building Neighbors.
St. Joseph’s Villa - $40,000 To support general operations of the Flagler Housing and Homeless Services Program, and educational and mental health services.
Virginia Supportive Housing - $40,000 To help our community end homelessness by providing permanent supportive housing services to ensure formerly homeless individuals remain stably housed.
HumanKind - $40,000 To support individuals as they build their financial well-being through employment, financial and benefits coaching or through facilitation of a fair-interest vehicle loan.
Neighborhood Resource Center - $40,000 To serve 460 individuals through NRC Works and Case Management, Out-of-School-Time, gardening, and food programs.
Sacred Heart Center - $40,000 To support the general operating costs of the Sacred Heart Center, in providing educational and human service programs to adults, children, youth, and families.
Thriving Cities Group - $40,000 To further develop the RVA Thrives steering committee and the development of collaborative, community-rooted projects on the Jefferson Davis Corridor.
Virginia Local Initiatives Support Corporation - $20,000 To implementation neighborhood revitalization strategies in Highland Park.
Better Housing Coalition - $40,000 To support BHC’s operations as they address the affordable housing shortage in our community and work to empower their 2,100 residents.
Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia - $75,000 To provide mobility counseling to deconcentrate poverty, integrate schools, and reduce barriers that prevent Housing Choice Voucher holders from living in neighborhoods of opportunity.
Project:HOMES - $40,000 To support the Immediate Response Fund that quickly addresses hazardous living conditions of low-income families.
Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity - $40,000 To revitalize 12 homes acquired from RRHA in the Maymont/Randolph neighborhood into safe, affordable, mixed-income housing for local individuals and families.
FutureRVA - $50,000 To support FutureRVA’s three-year talent development and talent attraction strategies (second year of a three-year grant).
Partnership for the Future - $40,000 To support programming for low-income, college bound students.
Blue Sky Fund - $20,000 To support the Explorers program to over 2,700 Richmond Public School students.
Chesterfield County Education Foundation - $25,000 To grow the operating capacity to support a growing school division.
Communities In Schools of Chesterfield - $25,000 To support expansion of programming to Meadowbrook High School.
Communities In Schools of Petersburg - $25,000 To support Integrated Student Support Program at the elementary level and develop and implement a Middle School Transition Program.
Communities In Schools of Richmond - $100,000 To support coordination services for students in RPS, including targeted services for Latino students in Southside Richmond.
Goochland Education Foundation - $25,000 To provide broadband devices for at-risk students to actively engage in learning outside the classroom.
Henrico Education Foundation - $25,000 To develop and implement trauma-informed care practices at Glen Lea Elementary School.
Junior Achievement of Central Virginia - $25,000 To provide financial literacy, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship education for 900 middle and high school students at JA Finance Park.
Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation - $25,000 To support general operations and the strategic needs of the RPS Superintendent and School Board.
The Literacy Lab - $25,000 To support 47 rigorously-trained, full-time tutors in high-need K-3 classrooms.
VCU Foundation - $100,000 To support the Richmond Teacher Residency program and a pilot in Petersburg to create a sustainable pipeline of highly-effective teachers committed to the students of RPS and PCPS for the long term.
Boys & Girls Club of Metro Richmond - $50,000 To support work in out-of-school time including creating and implementing trauma-informed systems within the five clubs and four neighborhoods they serve.
Higher Achievement Program, Inc. - $25,000 To support intensive program of expanded learning, mentorship, and opportunity for underserved middle school students.
NextUp RVA - $150,000 To expand a citywide afterschool network for Richmond’s youth through a unique model that multiplies the impact of investments by eliminating fragmented, duplicated services and removing cost and transportation barriers.
Peter Paul Development Center - $50,000 To support the after-school and summer educational program that helps strengthen the academic performance of students in grades 2-12 in Richmond's East End.
The Science Museum of Virginia Foundation - $25,000 To support the first-year programming and strategic audience development of a broad range of applied STEM skills and affiliated career pathways through project-based learning.
United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg - $50,000 To support delivery of continuous improvement process for up to 50 sites, improvement of Richmond YPQI, expansion of professional learning community to regional youth program providers, and design/delivery of advanced trainings for staff.
Virginia Excels - $15,000 To support pilot operations and programming of comprehensive advocacy training to parents and community members of Richmond Public Schools.
YMCA of Greater Richmond - $50,000 To support youth and teen programs in Richmond and Petersburg.
FRIENDS Association for Children - $25,000 To support early childhood, preschool, and school-age development programs.
Greater Richmond ARC- $20,000 To support services for children with disabilities by supporting therapists' travel to the child's natural environment and translation costs for non-English speaking families.
Partnership for Families - $40,000 To support a comprehensive planning process for a model that ensures child/parent success in early learning.
Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond - $100,000 To provide capacity building support (second year of a three-year grant).
Virginia Early Childhood Foundation - $20,000 To support Richmond Area Service Alliance (RASA) and steps to bolster two-generation supports for families in concentrated poverty.
Virginia Literacy Foundation - $40,000 To support a project that helps achieve equity in kindergarten readiness, and family and health literacy among Richmond’s Southside children and families.
YWCA of Richmond - $50,000 To provide operating support to create access to opportunities, strengthen resilience, and advance equitable systems for lifelong success.
Family Lifeline - $25,000 To support early childhood development initiatives.
ChildSavers - $50,000 To support general operations and programs in outpatient children’s mental health and child development services.
Side by Side - $20,000 To support transgender youth by increasing access to mental health services.
Central Virginia Health Services - $25,000 To give access to behavioral health services for underserved areas in the Petersburg region using interns in counseling and case management.
Daily Planet Health Services - $25,000 To provide specialized trauma-informed care.
Free Clinic of Powhatan - $25,000 To support various operating expenses vital to patient care.
Goochland Free Clinic and Family Services - $25,000 To support medical, dental, and mental health services.
Pathways - $40,000 To address otherwise untreated mental health issues for youth participants. (third year of a three-year grant)
Richmond City Health District - $75,000 To empower leadership and connectivity in public housing residents and providers through a collective impact model.
Virginia League for Planned Parenthood - $25,000 To support the operations for comprehensive, high-quality primary health care.
FeedMore - $50,000 To support Meals on Wheels and Senior Nutrition Programs.
Virginia Home for Boys and Girls - $20,000 To support the Group Care Services program to help children heal from trauma so they can transition to foster care, adoption or biological family.
Virginia Voice - $20,000 To give individuals with vision impairments equitable access to newspapers, magazines, and live theater performances.
The Community Foundation for a greater Richmond and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) have revealed a 5-year strategic partnership focused on new and expanded community programming.
“The Community Foundation is thrilled to partner with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, which has doubled down on its promise to be a dynamic and inclusive museum of the future. With our depth of experience and insight into community issues, we share the museum’s ongoing commitment to sharing compelling stories and engaging new audiences in conversation,” Scott Blackwell, Chief Community Impact Officer for the Community Foundation said.
As active contributors to the health and prosperity of the region, the Community Foundation and VMHC are both committed to redefining what it means to be a history museum or a philanthropic institution by using this partnership as an opportunity to build on respective strengths and create a public forum in which diverse members of the community can come together and consider issues against the backdrop of culture and history.
To kick off this exciting and innovative partnership, the Community Foundation will act as a signature sponsor for the VMHC’s Created Equal Film Series, a series of documentary films exploring diversity and equity-based themes including race, housing, environment, immigration, and more. The Created Equal Film Series was originally established by the VMHC in 2013 to honor museum trustee and Virginia civil rights activist Reverend Grady Powell.
“We want to not only tell the story of Virginia, but also tell the story of Virginians," said Jamie Bosket, president and CEO of the VMHC. “Our vision is to spark conversation, promote awareness, and be an institution that reflects all Virginians. By partnering with organizations like the Community Foundation, we will continue to share Virginia's ever-evolving story by shedding light on important issues that impact Virginians across the Commonwealth.”
The series of free film screenings allow family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors to watch and discuss inspiring stories of individuals who boldly and creatively confronted social issues — offering a roadmap to more compassionate conversations and insight into how we can work together to address challenges we face today.
“Together, we hope to bring attention to issues of equity through the inspiring stories of creative, committed, and trailblazing Virginians whose experiences can help connect the lessons from our past to the opportunity we have to pave our way to a more equitable future," Blackwell said.
Guests can expect to walk away with greater context for key community issues, inspiration from people who paved the way for progress, and a connection to each other through a shared commitment to building on their momentum. Guests will also receive resources that outline how to get involved locally in the issues that are discussed.
For more information and details on the Created Equal Film Series, please visit www.virginiahistory.org/createdequal.
Below is a complete film list for the 2022 Created Equal Film Series. Showtime is at 6:30 p.m. and screenings will be followed by opportunities to join in conversation with filmmakers and community members.
Each year, a portion of The Community Foundation’s grantmaking is awarded through a competitive process, in which local organizations apply for funding for programs and operations. We invite submissions in partnership with The Jenkins Foundation, one of TCF’s six partner foundations, which focuses its grant program on improving health care in the region. The process is guided by a framework in which the Foundation identifies nonprofit partners that are effectively, and many times collaboratively, working to lift up Richmond as a place where all of its residents can thrive.
As part of this collective vision for our community, our grants align with four priority areas – Cultural Vibrancy, Economic Prosperity, Educational Success and Health & Wellness – that we believe are the cornerstones to a healthy, vibrant community.
We are pleased to announce our latest grant awards, totaling just over $2 million, to the following organizations:
CULTURAL VIBRANCY Goal: to ensure that community members have access to and an appreciation for arts and cultural opportunities.
Capital Trees $25,000 to provide programming and operational support for projects to restore and enhance Richmond's urban green spaces. CenterStage Foundation $25,000 to facilitate the strategic planning process. CultureWorks, Inc. $120,000 to support awareness of the rich arts and cultural offerings in the Richmond region. Richmond Symphony $30,000 to fund community-led Big Tent festivals. School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community $40,000 to advance performing arts education outreach programs. Virginia Repertory Theatre $30,000 to support work with TRG Arts.
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY Goal: to ensure that the region’s resources are sustainable and its residents are economically stable and secure.
CARITAS $50,000 to support the CARITAS Shelter and Case Management Program. Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, Inc. $50,000 to support Business Development integration and Customer Service certification training. Greater Richmond Bar Foundation $25,000 to expand the Pro Bono Clearinghouse program. Homeward $150,000 (over 3 years) to support the convening and coordinating of 30+ public and nonprofit homeless service providers. Housing Families First $30,000 to provide families and single women experiencing homelessness with permanent housing and stabilization services. Junior Achievement of Central Virginia $50,000 to support programming to tenth-grade students and sponsor of the Philanthropy Center at Junior Achievement Finance Park. Neighborhood Resource Center $35,000 to support NRC Works as well as youth development programs for individuals and families in Greater Fulton. Sacred Heart Center $40,000 to build organizational infrastructure to grow and serve the Latino population in Greater Richmond. Virginia Supportive Housing $50,000 to support permanent supportive housing services to ensure formerly homeless individuals remain stably housed.
EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS Goal: to ensure children enter school ready to learn and receive effective academic and social support throughout their educational experience.
Armstrong Priorities Freshman Academy $30,000 to support the Third Pilot Year of the Armstrong Priorities Freshman Academy. Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond $50,000 to support ongoing core programs to over 400 youth daily at four Clubs in the City of Richmond. ChildSavers $50,000 to support quality early child care and education. Communities In Schools of Richmond, Inc. $100,000 to support coordination services for students in Richmond Public Schools. Friends Association for Children $30,000 to provide operating support for childcare and youth development programs. Higher Achievement Program, Inc. $50,000 to support the growth of programming focused on expanded learning, caring role models, and high expectations for low-income 5th-8th grade children. Partnership for the Future $50,000 to support programming for low-income, college bound students as well as to support a strategic plan to evaluate program expansion. The Literacy Lab $30,000 to support 36 full-time tutors. The Podium Foundation $15,000 to support middle and high school academic-year writing programs. VCU Foundation $54,000 to support the Richmond Teacher Residency. Virginia Mentoring Partnership $25,000 to provide general operating support. YWCA of Richmond $50,000 to support the Sprout School.
HEALTH & WELLNESS Goal: to ensure that Central Virginia residents are safe and healthy.
Access Now Jenkins $40,000 to support access to donated specialty medical care for low-income, uninsured patients. Better Housing Coalition Jenkins $40,000 to support the Senior Coordinated Care program, which provides health and wellness supports to older adults. Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation Jenkins $15,000 to expand a prevention-based mental health program into additional high schools. Chesterfield CASA Jenkins $20,000 to support training and supervision for volunteers serving as court advocates for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. CHIP of Virginia $30,000 to support the merger of CHIP of Virginia and Prevent Child Abuse Virginia.
The Daily Planet Jenkins $50,000 to provide access to medical transportation for older adults, promoting health and wellness in underserved communities.
Family Lifeline Jenkins/TCF $75,000 to support early childhood home visiting programs. FeedMore Jenkins/TCF $100,000 to support Meals on Wheels and Senior Nutrition Programs. Full Circle Grief Center Jenkins $25,000 to support community-based bereavement support groups. Gateway Homes Jenkins $40,000 to provide training, counseling, and support for individuals with serious mental illness. Greater Richmond SCAN Jenkins/TCF $100,000 to support Trauma Informed Care services that provide weekly intensive treatment groups for families affected by abuse. Henrico CASA Jenkins $25,000 to support training and oversight of additional volunteers serving as court advocates for abused or neglected children. Honoring Choices Jenkins $35,000 to implement an electronic health record system. Jewish Family Services Jenkins $12,500 to implement an electronic health record system. McShin Foundation Jenkins $25,000 to provide residential and wraparound services to clients in substance abuse recovery. Senior Connections Jenkins $25,000 to support Family Navigators who help families navigate and access children's mental health resources. Side by Side $30,000 to support transgender youth by increasing access to mental health services. St Joseph’s Villa Jenkins $30,000 to develop patient and family-centered educational tools. Virginia Dental Association Foundation Jenkins $25,000 to support the Crisis Stabilization Unit, which serves youth experiencing mental health crises. Virginia Treatment Center for Children Jenkins $40,000 to support a Clinical Practice Manager position to oversee operations at the Children's Mental Health Resource Center.
Learn more about how to apply for a grant
MAY 20, 2020 — The Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund continues to grow with an outpouring of support from individuals and businesses from across the region, including contributions of stimulus checks and from individuals who have fought COVID-19 themselves. Notably, the fund received a significant boost through recent gifts from two national companies with a local presence – The Humana Foundation and Facebook.
Providing a generous gift of $500,000, The Humana Foundation has designated Richmond as one of its 11 Bold Goal communities across the country. Through this program, they have adopted a population health strategy to improve the health of local residents by investing in programs that address food insecurity and social isolation among seniors – two areas of focus for the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund.
“The Humana Foundation understands the far-reaching strain the pandemic has placed on many organizations working on the frontlines to provide healthcare, food and employment for those disproportionality affected by the COVID-19 health crisis, and our aim is to remove barriers and help them respond, recover and rebuild,” said Walter D. Woods, Chief Executive Officer of The Humana Foundation. “We are supporting the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond because of the role they play in helping Central Virginia community organizations and public agencies assist people most affected by COVID-19.”
Facebook awarded $100,000 to the COVID-19 Response Fund as part of its overall response to the pandemic. This is in addition to their $250,000 investment in the RVA Small Business Relief Fund, established in partnership with Chamber RVA, and a grant of $280,000 to Henrico County Public Schools through the Henrico Education Foundation. Facebook has been part of the greater Richmond community since breaking ground on their data center in 2017.
"Henrico is our home, and we are invested in the long-term vitality of the community,” said Amber Tillman, Community Development Regional Manager, Facebook. “We are happy to be a part of the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund and to help provide resources to those who need it most during this difficult time."
As a demonstration of what a community can do when it comes together, the Fund has now raised in excess of $5.5 million dollars. Since its launch in mid-March, it has also distributed $2.5 million in grants to approximately 80 local nonprofit organizations and government agencies. An advisory committee from the philanthropic, business and public sectors are reviewing and distributing grants on a rolling basis.
Established in partnership between the Community Foundation, the Emergency Management Alliance of Central Virginia and Plan RVA, the fund was created with the dynamic nature of disaster situations in mind and, therefore, was designed to remain flexible to changing needs. Early phase grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund focused on emergency response strategies to ensure the health and safety of our community. However, as the region begins to reopen, the fund is expanding its scope to include longer term recovery, primarily through grants to organizations providing eviction prevention remedies, rental assistance and employment support services.
“While the fund will continue to accept emergency requests related to food and health care, we are beginning to look at the longer term, economic impact on individuals and families,” said Scott Blackwell, Chief Community Engagement Officer for the Community Foundation. “Philanthropy often plays a significant role in in lifting up people who face barriers to financial stability, but the pandemic has only amplified and exacerbated the need. Through partnerships with contributors like The Humana Foundation and Facebook’s Henrico Data Center, we are in a stronger position to help residents in need remain in their homes and return to work.”
While challenges continue and new needs emerge, the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund continues to demonstrate a deep commitment from all sectors to remain attentive, collaborative and solution oriented. The fund is anticipated to continue providing support to local organizations for several more months, or until funds are depleted.
Individual online donations to the fund are processed through United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg. United Way also provided $100,000 in funds to encourage online donations, a milestone that was reached last month.
“Our region’s needs are increasing, but so is the community’s response,” said James Taylor, President & CEO of United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg. “I am glad to see the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund expand to meet a broader range of needs and am grateful for the additional support from The Humana Foundation and Facebook’s Henrico Data Center.”
To view a full list of grants awarded to date, click here. To learn more about the fund or to donate, go to www.togetheroneregion.org.
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