Laura Turner Fund

The Hampton Roads Community Foundation administers a number of Special Interest Grants that are supported by endowments established by donors who wished to address specific concerns or interests in the South Hampton Roads region of Virginia. These grants are designed to support 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that provide services within this geographic area. The foundation has identified 11 areas of interest, each with distinct eligibility requirements and deadlines. The grants are made possible by charitable individuals who created permanent funds to benefit the community in targeted ways. Among the Special Interest Grants, the Laura Turner Fund focuses specifically on developmental disabilities. This fund supports organizations and programs that help people with disabilities live better lives, with grants typically ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. A defining feature of the Laura Turner Fund is that proposals will only be considered for programs providing services to adults with cerebral palsy. This specificity ensures that the fund remains true to the donor’s intentions and directly impacts a group with significant needs. Applications for this fund must be submitted by October 1. The foundation requires applicants to provide financial documentation to ensure organizational accountability. Nonprofits must submit recent independently audited financial statements, a full IRS Form 990, or a 990EZ filing. For some funds, such as those addressing animal welfare, veterans, and developmental disabilities through the Jennifer Lynn Gray Fund or Laura Turner Fund, applicants may submit a 990-N with a profit and loss statement. This flexibility recognizes that some smaller organizations may not have the resources for audited statements but still maintains a minimum threshold of financial transparency. Applications for the Laura Turner Fund and other Special Interest opportunities are submitted through the foundation’s online portal. Sample applications are available for review to help organizations prepare strong submissions. While the foundation does not provide detailed evaluation criteria in the program description, applicants can expect that alignment with the fund’s stated purpose, demonstration of organizational capacity, and clarity of financial documentation will be central to the decision-making process. The Hampton Roads Community Foundation is located at 101 W. Main Street, Suite 4500, Norfolk, Virginia, and serves as the central administrator for these endowments. Interested applicants may reach the foundation at (757) 622-7951 or via email at Info@HamptonRoadsCF.org. The foundation also offers resources such as call-in days and nonprofit training to assist organizations in preparing competitive applications. Deadlines are strictly enforced, and late submissions are not accepted. The Laura Turner Fund is part of a broader collection of opportunities that include support for animal welfare, horticultural education, mental health research, survivors of abuse, veterans, and other specialized causes. While each of the 11 Special Interest Funds has its own parameters, they all share a commitment to improving the quality of life for residents of South Hampton Roads through donor-directed philanthropy. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review eligibility requirements before applying, as many of the funds are narrowly focused on specific populations or issues. The October 1 deadline is consistent across most of these funds, though a few have different application dates. Applicants should verify the correct due date for their specific fund of interest. Because these grants are recurring opportunities supported by endowments, organizations can anticipate that similar funding cycles will be available in future years, making it possible to plan multi-year strategies for applying. For the Laura Turner Fund in particular, nonprofits serving adults with cerebral palsy in South Hampton Roads have a reliable, albeit modest, source of annual support to advance their missions.

Sample application is available for review.