Early Childhood Care and Education in Virginia

The Robins Foundation is a private philanthropic organization based in Richmond, Virginia, with a mission to strengthen communities and improve outcomes for children and families. Through its Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) initiative, the Foundation seeks to support nonprofit organizations that enhance the developmental, educational, and social well-being of young children. The Foundation recognizes that early, high-quality care and education—combined with strong family engagement—are critical to children’s brain development, school readiness, and long-term success. The 2025 ECCE Cycle 2 grant round is the second and final ECCE funding cycle for the year. This opportunity is open to nonprofit organizations serving children and families from the prenatal stage through age five, specifically within Richmond City, Chesterfield County, Henrico County, and Petersburg, Virginia. Eligible applicants must be recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The Foundation does not fund projects focused exclusively on conference travel, budget shortfalls, capital investments, or religious-based curriculum or practices. Additionally, nonprofits that received a Robins Foundation grant in June 2025 are ineligible for this cycle. Grant awards will start at $25,000. Funding will prioritize programs and initiatives that foster high-quality learning environments, promote positive adult-child interactions, strengthen and sustain the early childhood workforce, and advance advocacy and policy efforts that benefit young children and their families. Projects must align with at least one of the Foundation’s four ECCE focus areas: direct high-quality programs for children ages 0–5, family engagement, workforce supports, and policy and advocacy. The application process begins with a mandatory pre-application questionnaire, available starting July 16, 2025, through the Foundation’s GOapply grants portal. Applicants must complete this questionnaire to access the scheduling tool for a required pre-application call with the program director, Meg Pienkowski. These calls must be scheduled and completed between July 21 and August 1, 2025. The pre-application questionnaire must be submitted by July 30, 2025. Following the pre-application conversation, eligible applicants will gain access to the full application form through GOapply. The completed full application must be submitted by August 29, 2025. Grant award decisions will be made, and applicants notified, in mid-December 2025. Technical guidance is available for applicants unfamiliar with the GOapply system, as the Foundation transitioned from its former SmartSimple portal in 2024. Questions about eligibility or the application process can be directed to grants@robinsfdn.org. General inquiries may also be made to the Foundation’s office at (804) 523-1144, located at 10 S. 3rd Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Schedule pre-application call early, as slots may fill quickly