Virginia Agriculture Grants

This grant provides financial support to local governments in Virginia to attract and expand facilities that process or add value to agricultural and forestry products sourced from the state.

This program provides funding to Virginia local governments to promote and strengthen agriculture and forestry industries through strategic planning and innovative initiatives.

This grant provides funding to charitable food assistance organizations in Virginia to purchase and distribute locally grown agricultural products, helping to combat food insecurity in the community.

This grant provides funding to organizations in Northern Virginia that support women and families by improving access to essential services and professional development opportunities.

This funding opportunity supports Virginia-based nonprofit organizations working on projects that enhance community well-being, safety, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation.

This program provides funding to food retailers and innovative food initiatives in Virginia's low-income communities to improve access to fresh foods and promote food security.

This grant provides financial support for projects that develop and preserve affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents in Charlottesville, particularly focusing on those earning 60% or less of the Area Median Income.

This grant provides funding to Virginia's local governments for infrastructure projects that enhance local food production and sustainable agriculture, prioritizing initiatives like processing facilities and farmers markets, especially in economically distressed areas.

This funding opportunity is designed to support organizations planning new special events in the Richmond Region that will attract visitors from outside the area.

This program provides funding to local governments for projects that enhance community infrastructure and promote local food production and sustainable agriculture.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that implement programs focused on education, public health, economic development, and the arts for residents of Charlottesville, Virginia.

The Town of Christiansburg in Virginia is offering a matching grant of up to $5,000 to for-profit business owners for improving their building façades in the town's historic central business areas, with the aim of encouraging investment and revitalization of buildings at least 50 years old.

This grant provides financial support to organizations in Charlottesville and Albemarle County that empower children and families through culinary education and improve access to healthy food for under-resourced community members.

The Ursula Landsrath Animal Rescue Fund (ULARF) is now accepting applications for its 2024 grant cycle. Donor Name: Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties State: Virginia County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/09/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Ursula Landsrath Animal Rescue Fund was founded in 2019 as a tribute to Ursula Landsrath. In addition to her career as a fashion model, movie stunt driver, skydiver, hotel manager, fashion boutique manager, and real estate investor, Ursula was a steadfast animal welfare advocate. In 2001, she founded the Animal Rescue Fund of Virginia that distributed more than $1 million in grants around the Commonwealth. ULARF continues her legacy and will consider applications from nonprofit organizations serving or rescuing animals in Virginia. Funding Priorities Spay/neuter, Trap Neuter Return programs for feral cats; Emergency medical funds, supplies, and equipment for farm, domestic, or wild animals; Costs of emergency repairs to organization facilities (unanticipated electrical/plumbing/water heaters, etc); Public outreach and education program expenses; and/or, Virginia-based regional animal assistance organizations providing support to smaller, local animal rescue or assistance organizations. Funding Information  Grants are expected to range from $1,000 to $3,000 per organization. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity in good standing with the IRS; Applicants must be an animal welfare organization; Applicants must be incorporated and operational in Virginia, Applicants must be in operation for a minimum of 12 full months prior applying. Organizations may only submit one application to ULARF per year. Ineligibility ULARF will generally not consider funding for wages, salaries, personnel, or training expenses. ULARF will not provide funding for fundraising or development costs. ULARF will generally not consider funding for vehicle purchases. ULARF will generally not consider funding for animal-assisted human therapy services; however, animal-assisted therapy organizations may be considered only if animal rescue is a considerable part of their mission, programming, and funding request. For more information, visit CFLNFC.

Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) is seeking proposals for projects that provide new or expanded public access to open space, such as parks, preserves, trails, greenways, outdoor classrooms, beaches, and boat launches, as well as projects that protect exceptional natural and cultural resources for the benefit of the Commonwealth. Donor Name: Virginia Outdoors Foundation State: Virginia County: All Counties Deadline: Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Details: Established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1997 and administered by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF), the Open-Space Lands Preservation Trust Fund (PTF) provides grants for acquisitions, easements, rights of way, and other methods of protecting open space for farming, forestry, recreation, wildlife, water quality, and more. In most cases, a right, privilege, or interest in real estate must be conveyed to either VOF or a locality, pursuant to Virginia’s Open-Space Land Act, to be eligible for PTF funding. Project Prioritization While VOF is offering grant awards for both public access and exceptional natural and cultural resource protection projects, VOF is prioritizing those projects in which the interest in real estate includes a provision to provide access to the property by the public. Successful proposals will protect and preserve open green space. Funding for resource protection easements will be prioritized for those projects that show exceptional characteristics in the following categories: historic and cultural, water quality, scenic and open space, habitat, agriculture and forestry, and policy alignment. Deed restrictions will protect the highest conservation values of a property. Funding Information There is approximately $1.7 million available for the first grant round of fiscal year 2025. In recent cycles, grant awards have averaged $150,000 per project. Eligibility Criteria PTF grants may be awarded to any person, organization, or locality with a real estate interest to convey on either public or private land. Land already under locality ownership may be eligible for PTF funding as long as the parcel is not already protected through certain existing deed restrictions. For more information, visit VOF.

This program provides financial assistance to businesses and property owners in Portsmouth for improving and renovating commercial spaces to enhance the local streetscape and attract more interest in the area.

The James City County is seeking applications for its Good Neighbor Grant Program to enhance the sense of community and environmental wellness of the neighborhoods through sustainable community planning. Donor Name: James City County State: Virginia County: James City County (VA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/16/2024 Size of the Grant: Less than $1000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The purpose of this grant is to encourage community members to take pride in and responsibility for their communal space. Projects will focus on the physical aspects of common areas through the installation of native plants, erosion control methods, place making for community members and other methods to improve environmental quality and minimize negative impacts. Examples: community garden, entryway landscaping, trail improvements, communal compost, playground and pool area landscaping, energy saving techniques and litter prevention measures. Funding Information  Matching grant awards up to $500. For more information, visit James City County.

Roanoke County Economic Development Authority’s Business Equipment Acquisition Program (BEAP) Grant offers funding opportunities for eligible for-profit businesses that desire to bolster their operations through the acquisition of new capital. Donor Name: Roanoke County Economic Development Authority State: Virginia County: Roanoke County (VA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Funding Information The Authority will award grants of up to 50% of capital acquisition costs in amounts up to $20,000 per award. Eligible Acquisitions Eligible capital acquisitions must be taxable, pursuant of the Roanoke County Code, as business personal property or business machinery or tools. Examples include: Tangible Personal Property such as furniture, fixtures, office and business machines, tools and equipment used in any business or profession. Computer Equipment Only. Does not include software. Includes computer equipment, printers, disk drives, mouse, modem, etc. Machinery & Tools used in manufacturing, mining, processing, broadcasting, dry cleaners, commercial laundry, and dairy businesses. Eligibility Criteria In order to qualify for an award, a business must:  Employ more than three (3) full-time employees (or FTEs) at a physical location in Roanoke County, Have operated as a for-profit business for at least one year in Roanoke County,  Have a current County or town business license and be in good standing with all applicable requirements, and Have been and continue to be in compliance and in good standing with all local ordinances, on the County tax rolls, current with Roanoke County taxes/fees or other assessments, and have a current business license as required. For more information, visit Roanoke County Economic Development Authority

The Arlington County Department of Human Services announces a grant funding opportunity to support the implementation of its Food Security Strategic Plan. Donor Name: Arlington County Department of Human Services State: Virginia County: Arlington County (VA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/09/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year Details: Awards will be granted based in part on an organization’s ability to address selected goals and strategies outlined in the Strategic Plan. Organizations may apply for a single project, and the maximum grant award is $25,000. Funding awards will be announced in September 2024. Funds must be spent by organizations by June 30, 2025. Funding Uses A food pantry purchasing software to better track clients and usage data. A food pantry, meal program, or housing program purchasing reusable bags or boxes to use in delivery efforts or single-use containers to distribute rescued food. A nutrition education provider who will teach a nutrition curriculum to a certain population of residents. A small food pantry purchasing a refrigerator or freezer to be able to offer produce, dairy and/or meat to clients. Funding Information The maximum grant award is $25,000. Grant Period  October 2024 through June 30, 2025 Eligible Activities To be eligible, projects must support at least one of the following strategies of the Strategic Plan. Systemic Change Improve nutrition equity by working to eliminate, reduce, and prevent disparities in food security policies, procedures, and practices to ensure that all those in need of food assistance receive the support they need. Food Access Enhance school-based supplemental food offerings, including food pantries, in-school snacks, and weekend food support. Establish new charitable food distributions in neighborhoods with unmet need. Increase capacity to deliver charitable food to those unable to access available resources. Increase food rescue & redistribution operations. Enhance and improve existing food assistance programs serving Arlington residents. Outreach & Education Promote food assistance resources and assist residents with enrolling in programs for which they may be eligible. Implement a coordinated SNAP outreach campaign. Increase nutrition education opportunities for residents of all ages. Partner with resident community leaders to share information about resources in key languages and provide compensation for their work. Capacity Building Develop training materials to inform social services staff and volunteers about food assistance programs, specifically SNAP and WIC, and help residents apply. Provide trauma-informed care training for staff & volunteers working with food insecure residents. Create a cultural foods guide for charitable food providers with partners from the region. Increase the capacity to share locally-grown produce from gardeners and farms with food pantries through expanded donation processing infrastructure. Collaborate with Arlington Public Schools (APS) through its forums to review existing programs and practices and address food equity. Informed Decision Making Use varied levels of engagement to encourage food assistance recipients to provide valuable feedback on programs and services. Collect data from food assistance organizations that provides information about usage trends and services provided. Eligibility Criteria Eligible organizations must serve or wish to serve Arlington residents through one of the above-listed strategies outlined in the Food Security Strategic Plan and be either: an IRS designated 501c3 nonprofit organization OR a faith-based organization OR a public school or university Organizations may be based in other jurisdictions, provided that the proposed project benefits eligible Arlington County residents. If projects are sponsored by faith-based organizations, outreach efforts and services must be provided to any eligible beneficiary, regardless of affiliation. Programs cannot be marketed exclusively to members of the sponsoring organization’s religious affiliation or denomination, and proselytizing while providing services related to this grant funding is prohibited. For more information, visit ACV.

The Community Climate Action Grant program supports creative local projects that build capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Albemarle County. Donor Name: Albemarle County State: Virginia County: Albemarle County (VA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/07/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The program’s purpose is to leverage community resources outside local government to help implement the County’s Climate Action Plan, adopted in 2020 by the Board of Supervisors. These Community Climate Action Grants will help make local climate action a more inclusive, participatory process. Local community groups and organizations can apply through a competitive process to receive a grant that will support a project that tangibly advances the goals, strategies, and actions of the County’s Climate Action Plan. Projects can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation, buildings, waste, agriculture, and natural areas; projects can also contribute to increasing carbon sequestration in agriculture or natural systems. Program Goals  Funds will be awarded to projects that address four program goals: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions Advance equity and inclusion Build community Support thoughtful and achievable projects. Funding Information Grant requests may range from $5,000 to $25,000. The request can represent the total proposed project budget or a fraction of a larger project budget with additional funding sources beyond Albemarle County. The total amount of funding available for 2024 is $100,000. Who may apply? Organizations or groups applying must be principally and physically located in Albemarle County. Any applicant or partnering group located outside of Albemarle County must demonstrate that the population or area served will primarily be people or places within Albemarle County. Eligible applicants must be community-based nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or community-based organizations affiliated with a 501(c)(3) willing to serve as a fiscal sponsor. For more information, visit Albemarle County.