2025 Education Grant Program

The Community Foundation of the New River Valley administers the Education Grant Program to support public school systems in the region. The foundation is dedicated to fostering charitable giving, promoting collaboration, and investing in sustainable solutions that enhance the quality of life for all residents of the New River Valley. The Education Grant Program is one of several initiatives that reflect the foundation’s commitment to improving educational outcomes and addressing student needs through targeted grantmaking. The purpose of the Education Grant Program is to provide financial support to educators, administrators, guidance counselors, support personnel, students, and parent organizations within public schools located in Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe counties, as well as the City of Radford. The grants are intended to address basic student needs, such as clothing, food, and school supplies, and to support projects that enrich the classroom and school experience. This includes funding for student clubs, afterschool programs, and extracurricular activities, thereby enhancing the overall educational environment. The program offers grants of up to $1,500. Applicants must complete a single online application, which allows them to be considered by multiple funding sources managed by the Community Foundation of the New River Valley. It is important to note that the Montgomery County Educational Foundation will not be soliciting applications through this system in 2025. Interested applicants for that specific funding source should contact Dr. Matt Dunleavy at Montgomery County Public Schools directly. Eligible applicants include educators, school administrators, guidance counselors, support personnel, students, and Parent Teacher Associations or Parent Teacher Organizations from public schools in the specified counties and the City of Radford. There are no restrictions regarding specific grade levels or types of projects, as long as the initiatives align with the goal of enhancing student well-being and the educational experience. The application process requires applicants to provide detailed information about their proposed projects, including the need being addressed, the anticipated effectiveness of the project, the target beneficiaries, goals and objectives, and a detailed project budget. Evaluation criteria focus on the extent to which the project provides opportunities beyond what is typically available through public funding, the relevance and potential impact of the project, and its overall benefit to students, school personnel, and the broader school community. The application for the 2025 grant cycle opened on May 30 and will close at 5 p.m. on July 18. No late applications will be accepted. Funding decisions will be announced in late October or early November, with grant checks delivered in mid-November. Additional resources, including application questions and a scoring rubric, are available to assist applicants in preparing their submissions. For further information, applicants can contact the Community Foundation of the New River Valley via email at [email protected] or by phone at 540-381-8999.