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• Community Foundation Announces 2018 Community Impact Grants

  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.

   

  Community Vibrancy

  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.

  
  

  Arts and Culture

  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.
  
  

  Community Building

  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.
  
  

  Natural Resources

  Capital Trees - $15,000
  To restore and enhance Richmond's urban green spaces and to support agency infrastructure.

  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 - $30,000
  To support operations and Immersive STEM Summer Camp pilot in partnership with Peter Paul Development Center.

   

  Economic Prosperity

  Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that the region’s resources are sustainable, and its residents are economically stable and secure.   

  Adult Workforce Development

  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.

  
  

  Homelessness Reduction

  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.
  
  

  Neighborhood Development

  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.

  
  Safe and Affordable Housing

  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.

   

  Educational Success

  Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that young people achieve in school, engage in their community and are prepared for the workforce.  

  College/Career Readiness

  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.

  K-12 Academic Success - In-School

  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.           

   

  K-12 Academic Success – Out-of-School 

   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.

   
  

  Kindergarten Readiness

  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).

  Smart Beginnings Southeast - $25,000
  To support quality and access to the early childhood system in Petersburg through Westview Early Learning Center.

  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.

   

  Health & Wellness

  Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that community members are healthy and safe.

  Access to Primary Care

   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.
  
  

  Basic Physical Health

  FeedMore - $50,000    
  To support Meals on Wheels and Senior Nutrition Programs.

  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.

  
  

  Targeted Interventions

  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.

  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.

  
  

  Total Grants                                                          $2,830,000

• Impact 100 Richmond Awards $100,000 Grants to Shalom Farms and Peter Paul Development Center

  

  RICHMOND, Va. (May 10, 2016) – After presentations and a vote by its membership, Impact 100 Richmond is pleased to announce Shalom Farms and Peter Paul Development Center both will receive $100,000 transformative grants. The two grantees were announced at the organization’s Big Give event at The Steward School on Tuesday evening.
  
  Partnering with The Community Foundation Serving Richmond and Central Virginia, Impact 100 unites hundreds of women across the community to create $100,000 grants to strengthen nonprofits serving the Richmond area. The grants to Shalom Farms and Peter Paul Development Center mark a major milestone for the organization: Impact 100 has distributed $1 million since its inception in 2009. Because of the generosity of participants and the growth in membership, Impact 100 has been able to distribute two $100,000 grants each year since 2014.
  
  Shalom Farms grows and distributes fresh produce to underserved areas of metro Richmond. The Impact 100 grant will help the organization relocate to a larger, more accessible farm that will triple production, distribution and educational opportunities to those with limited or no access to fresh food.
  
  

  Peter Paul Development Center supports residents in the East End of Richmond and educates its students by equipping them to serve as positive contributors to their family, community and society. The grant will help complete the organization’s 5,000 square foot capital expansion campaign, nearly doubling the number of children served through its onsite academic program.

  “We are so excited to award our ninth and tenth grants to organizations that are having a tremendous impact in our community,” Impact 100 chair Leah Fremouw said. “Both Shalom Farms and Peter Paul Development Center are expanding their spaces and therefore their reach. For Peter Paul it means more students and families will receive the support they need to break the cycle of poverty. The grant to Shalom Farms will allow more people living in food deserts to have greater access to fresh fruits and vegetables.”
  
  Impact 100 seeks to fund projects that have a long-term impact, are programmatic in nature, are new or extensions of an existing project that changes the way the community or organization operates and demonstrates measurable outcomes. Grants align with the following focus areas: arts and culture, education, environment, family and health and wellness.
  
  Impact 100 is known as a giving circle, a way that enables individuals to pool charitable resources to increase the impact of their giving to a common cause through contributions of time, treasure and talent
  
  The Impact 100 strategy is well-researched, yet simple. At least 100 women give $1,100 each to create one or more $100,000 grants – with $1,000 used to support the important work of grant recipients and $100 to support ongoing operations. Members also can pool resources through an Impact Circle – two or three individuals who combine efforts to reach a full $1,100 donation.
  
  Impact 100 membership is open to all women throughout metro Richmond. Membership forms are available at www.impact100rva.org.
  

  
  

  Learn more about giving circles

• Community Foundation Announces 2019 Community Impact Grants

  

  

  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:

  • Continued investment in housing, from homelessness to home ownership;
  • Support for coordinators who are helping to advance the work of the out-of-school time programming and workforce development systems;
  • Support for the arts focused on removing barriers for participation;
  • Increased support for organizations serving Petersburg, which shares similar challenges and opportunities as Richmond City, primarily in education and health; and
  • A growing portfolio that includes investments in systems and advocacy, in addition to program delivery, because we believe that increased coordination of services and targeted public policy can accelerate and scale the kind of change that will improve lives across generations.

  “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.”  

  Community Vibrancy

  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.

  Arts and Culture

  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.

  Community Building

  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.

  Natural Resources

  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.

  ---

  Economic Prosperity

  Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that the region’s resources are sustainable, and its residents are economically stable and secure.   

  Affordable Housing

  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.

  Homelessness Reduction

  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.

  Neighborhood Development

  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. 

  Workforce Development

  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.

  ---

  Educational Success

  Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that young people achieve in school, engage in their community and are prepared for the workforce.  

  College and Career Readiness

  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.

  K-12 Academic Success

  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,

  Kindergarten Readiness

  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.

  ---

  Health & Wellness

  Grants awarded in this category aim to ensure that community members are healthy and safe.

  Access to Primary Care

  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.

  Basic Physical Health

  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.

  Targeted Interventions

  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.

   

  Total Grants: $3,058,000

  
  

• SisterFund Awards $20,000 to Partnership for the Future

  

  

  RICHMOND, VA – In partnership with The Community Foundation, SisterFund announces that its second annual grant to empower African American women and girls will be awarded to Partnership for the Future. The grant of $20,000 will be used to provide training, enrichment and mentoring for 179 high school girls and college women working to attain their college degrees.

  Partnership for the Future provides highly-motivated local high school students from challenging circumstances with the tools and experiences necessary to attain a college degree. In recent years, the program has expanded from real world training and college prep activities while in high school – such as SAT courses, college tours, cultural experiences and paid internships – to include mentoring and support once students enter college. Most participants are from low-income families and are often first to attend college. Partnership for the Future is designed to help young people unlock their full potential by giving them the road map and support to be successful.

  “Our membership was particularly impressed by the resourcefulness and collaboration demonstrated by Partnership for the Future,” said Cynthia Newbille, President of the SisterFund. “The program has achieved remarkable results with the support of its dedicated staff, 70 organizational partnerships and a cadre of 200 loyal volunteers. Since 2007, Partnership for the Future has a 100% matriculation rate and 86% of its students have graduated within 6 years or are persisting through college.”

  SisterFund represents the collective wisdom, service and philanthropy of 26 African American women leaders who believe they can make a greater difference together than they can alone. While many of its members have chosen professions in service to their community, the giving circle is an opportunity to come together to broaden their collective awareness about issues affecting African American women and girls and to support nonprofits serving this population through education, workforce and leadership development.

  Learn more about SisterFund, its membership and grant program by visiting www.sisterfundrva.org or call The Community Foundation at (804) 330-7400.

• Community Foundation and OST partners receive 'Transformational Philanthropy Award'

  

  

  ^{Photo credit: Scott Elmquist}

  NOVEMBER 15, 2019 — In celebration of National Philanthropy Day, the Central Virginia Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) honored ten awardees at a luncheon on November 14 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, recognizing those who have made an extraordinary impact on the quality of life, cultural vibrancy, and fabric of our region. Since 1996, AFP has honored more than 100 philanthropists, businesses, and volunteers in the community.

  The Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, Altria, the City of Richmond and the Robins Foundation were collectively nominated by NextUp and awarded the “Transformational Philanthropy Award,” which honors those who have created powerful change and compelling outcomes by significantly transforming the reach and scope of an organization. 

  Through a synchronized vision, coordinated funding efforts and joint planning, this partnership has created greater access to high-quality Out-of-School Time (OST) programming for youth in the City of Richmond.  This joint investment has added nearly 1,000 afterschool slots across RPS elementary and middle schools and community-based centers, and continued coordination and funding will ensure growth and sustainability for these programs.

  “As partners, we know that creating a coordinated OST system that provides access to consistent, high-quality afterschool experiences improves academic achievement, workforce readiness and social, emotional and physical health among RPS students,” said Scott Blackwell, Chief Community Engagement Officer at the Community Foundation.  “This is an example of collaboration at its best.  However, this is not a ‘get a win and move on’ strategy.  The stage is now set for additional work.”

  In the coming year, this collaborative partnership is putting together a community-wide OST Steering Committee to help guide strategy. Work groups will be formed to collect critical data from key stakeholders, create additional professional development opportunities for instructors, and continue the conversation around key barriers such as transportation access. 

  “Many people have seen the value and are committed to a long-term sustainable shift that will result in better social emotional health and academic outcomes for our children,” said Blackwell, “and we are proud to be a partner in this work to have greater impact and ultimately bring our community to a more prosperous place.”

• Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund awards $1.1 million in emergency grants to frontline organizations

  APRIL 15, 2020 — Just weeks after the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond and the Emergency Management Alliance of Central Virginia activated the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund as a way to rapidly raise funds and align resources where they are needed most, the fund announces its first round of grants totaling $1.1 million to 25 organizations providing immediate support to those most impacted by the pandemic.  

   

  While the region is in the early response phase of this crisis, the fund is initially focused on ensuring support for those most likely to contract the virus or those whose health could be further compromised during this time because of barriers to food access, healthcare or stable shelter.  

  
  “While the pandemic has impacted the operations of virtually every organization in our community,” says Scott Blackwell, Chief Community Engagement Officer at the Community Foundation, “We are currently targeting those on the frontline that need to pivot and adapt quickly to an ever-increasing demand for their services. Some organizations have repurposed their buildings, others require additional staffing to make up for fewer volunteers, and others need to purchase additional cleaning supplies and PPEs to ensure the safety of their staff and clients.”   

   

  An advisory committee from the philanthropic, business and public sectors are reviewing and distributing grants from the COVID-19 Response Fund on a rolling basis. The first round of grant recipients includes:

   

  • Safety net clinics to help with increased staffing, conversion to telehealth delivery and coordinating safe access to appointments and medication
  • Homeless service providers  for staffing, supply costs and new shelter options
  • Staffing costs and cleaning supplies for a domestic violence shelter and the Essential Personnel Childcare Center
  • The distribution of meals to food-insecure individuals, including children and seniors

  For a full list of grants awarded thus far, click here. 

   

  “By working in collaboration with local officials and our many fund partners, we are tapping into deep community knowledge to ensure we are doing the most good for the most people throughout every phase of this crisis,” said Ben Ruppert, finance chair of the Emergency Management Alliance and a fund advisory committee member. “As funds are available, we will remain flexible to the evolving needs as the situation continues to unfold.” 

   

  To date, the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response Fund has raised $4.25 million in contributions from foundations, businesses and individuals across the region. This includes a $100,000 matching grant from the United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg to incentivize new donations made through their website.  

   

  “Organizations stepping up to help will continue to need funding,” said James Taylor, President & CEO of United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg. “We are pleased to support this first round of grants, but we know there is a lot more to do. I encourage everyone in our region to join our local United Way in donating to the COVID-19 Response Fund.” 

   

  The campaign to raise funds and enlist support from the public continues as the impact from the crisis will likely stretch out for weeks and months.  To learn more about how the fund works and how you can help response efforts, please visit  www.togetheroneregion.org