Virginia Environment Grants

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.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is currently accepting applications for the spring round of the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Infrastructure Grant program. Donor Name: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) State: Virginia County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/06/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The AFID Infrastructure Program is focused on awarding reimbursable grants primarily for capital projects at new and existing food hubs, farmers’ markets, commercial kitchens and other value-added facilities such as those used for processing and packaging meats, dairy products, produce, or other Virginia-grown products. Small farmers, food producers, local food systems advocates and others interested in building their community’s local food and farming infrastructure are encouraged to learn more about the program and work with their localities to identify and develop suitable projects. Project Types  Projects receiving funding through the AFID Infrastructure Program must be infrastructure development projects that directly support local food production and sustainable agriculture/forestry and demonstrate a broad community benefit. Grant funds should be used primarily for capital expenditures. Priority Project Types Consideration will be given to the following project types: Processing facilities that are primarily locally owned, including commercial kitchens, packaging and labeling facilities, animal slaughtering facilities, or other facilities, and that are primarily utilized for the processing of meats, dairy products, produce, or other products. Farmers markets. Food hubs and other agricultural aggregation facilities. Funding Information The maximum award per grant is $50,000. Eligibility Criteria  Applications must be made by a political subdivision of the Commonwealth, typically Counties and Cities, but also Towns, Industrial and Economic Development Authorities, or Planning District Commissions. Applications may be made on behalf of more than one locality, provided each applicant contributes matching funds and a single political subdivision serves as the lead applicant and grant administrator. Applicants are permitted to have multiple active AFID Infrastructure Program grants but will only be eligible for one grant award per grant round. Applicants must be in good standing with any other awards from the AFID program. For more information, visit VDACS.

The Freeman Family Foundation supports a variety of charitable causes with a focus on organizations in the state of Virginia that benefit the arts, children, and the environment. Donor Name: Freeman Family Foundation State: Virginia County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Program Areas Arts, culture, and humanities Education Environment, animals Health Human services Funding Information Average grant size: $5,000 to $20,000. Geographic Limitations There are no geographic limitations; however, the foundation has a practice of primarily supporting organizations located in Virginia. Requirements To be eligible, organizations must qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applications must be submitted through the online grant application form or alternative accessible application designed for assistive technology users. For more information, visit Wells Fargo.

If you are a direct-market agribusiness located in Albemarle County, you’re invited to apply for an Albemarle Agribusiness Resiliency Grant. Donor Name: Albemarle County State: Virginia County: Albemarle County (VA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/10/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: This grant supports agribusinesses who are experiencing longer-term impacts of the pandemic, which includes higher costs due to inflation and rising interest rates. These impacts result in higher cost of capital overall and less capital to fund growth and reinvestment. To help offset these impacts, Albemarle County will distribute a second round of Agribusiness Resiliency Grants. Grants are available for direct-market agribusinesses – those selling products to restaurants, caterers, local stores; orchards, wineries, and cideries; or at farmers markets. Funding Information  The total budget for this round is $60,000 and staff anticipates making 3-8 grants total. Grant funding may be use for: New capital investments like machinery, tools, other business equipment. Expenses incurred to advance sustainable agricultural practices since July 1, 2022. Expenses incurred to enhance public health, safety, welfare of employees or visitors since July 1, 2022. Expenses incurred to comply with state or local regulations since July 1, 2022. Up to 20% of awarded funds may be used for advertising/marketing. Criteria  Must have a County business license and be in good standing with the County.  Proof of payment must be provided for all eligible expenses.  Grant awardees will be required to schedule a farm visit with the Economic Development Office prior to June 30, 2024.  For more information, visit Albemarle County.

Albemarle County is offering the second round of Agribusiness Resiliency Grants to support direct-market agribusinesses impacted by the pandemic, including local farms, food businesses, orchards, wineries, and cideries. The program aims to mitigate the effects of higher operating costs and difficulties in accessing capital by providing financial aid. The grants can be used for new capital investments, sustainable agricultural practices, public health and safety enhancements, and compliance with regulations. The application period is from April 19 to May 10, 2024, and applicants must be in good standing with a County business license.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofits and government agencies in specific Virginia counties and cities to implement projects that improve water quality, conserve land, and promote environmental education.

The Virginia Emergency Shelter Upgrade Assistance Fund was established by Senate Bill 350, introduced by Senator Lucas, effective from July 1, 2020. This fund is dedicated to providing matching funds to local governments for installing, maintaining, or repairing emergency shelter infrastructure to enhance resilience against natural disasters. This includes infrastructure for backup energy generation, such as solar energy generators, and wind retrofitting to improve structural integrity. The fund prioritizes projects that protect vulnerable populations, offer long-term risk solutions, and support primary shelter enhancements as verified by Local Capabilities Assessment Reports (LCAR). Eligible applicants are local governments with a current and locally-adopted emergency operations plan compliant with Virginia’s Emergency Services and Disaster Laws. Local governments are restricted to one application per year and must have completed any prior funded projects before applying.

The Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program, combined with funds from the National Park Service Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), provides a total of $40 million in funding. This initiative aims to safeguard the nation's military readiness, bolster relationships with communities, preserve the environment, and enhance resilience to climate change impacts on military installations and surrounding communities. It focuses on the acquisition of land and/or development of new outdoor public recreation facilities near military installations or airspace, promoting compatible land uses and preventing incompatible development. The initiative underscores the importance of partnerships, particularly between the Department of Defense (DoD) military bases and local communities, to achieve its goals. Projects must be situated within a designated REPI Partnership Opportunity Area and should serve both the general public and military families, highlighting the program's dual focus on enhancing outdoor recreation and supporting military missions.

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is accepting applications for the 2024 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant round from March 12 to May 7, 2024. Approximately $1.9 million in RTP funding is available. The RTP, funded by the Federal Highway Administration and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, is a federal 80-20 matching reimbursement program aimed at building and rehabilitating trails and trail-related facilities across non-motorized, diversified, and motorized trail categories. In 2024, the program is open for applications for both new trail construction and improvements to existing trails, following a competitive application process overseen by the RTP and the Virginia Recreational Trails Program Advisory Committee. Eligible applicants include city, county, town, tribal, or other government entities, as well as registered nonprofit groups partnered with a government body.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary NRCS is announcing the availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) State Program funding to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applications are accepted from eligible entities (Section C) for projects carried out in the state of Virginia. A total of up to $1,200,000.00 is available for the Virginia CIG competition in FY 2024. All non-Foreign, non-federal entities (NFE) and individuals are invited to apply, with the sole exception of federal agencies. Projects may be between one and three years in duration. The maximum award amount for a single award in FY 2024 is $900,000.00 For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov. Completing all steps required to start an application can take a significant amount of time, plan accordingly. Key Dates Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 10th, 2024, For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts. For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed. The agency anticipates making selections by June 30, 2024, and expects to execute awards by September 30, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

The Home Office Giving Program aims to enhance the Greater Richmond, Virginia area, making it an ideal place for families by supporting underserved youth and/or adults in specified localities. Eligible nonprofits must focus on promoting education and workforce success, health and wellness, or fostering resilient communities. They should also demonstrate a clear need for their program based on demand or the population served. Grant renewed every year. Grant annual opening/ closing deadline: September 1st to October 15th, with nonprofits being informed of their application status by the following spring.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Virginia-based technology companies in the early stages of development to help them validate their products and grow their businesses in the state.

This grant provides funding to organizations in Western Virginia for projects that enhance community vibrancy, education, and health, focusing on areas like arts, literacy, workforce development, and healthcare access.

This grant provides Virginia landowners who harvest timber with a tax credit for preserving streamside forest buffers, promoting water quality protection while incentivizing sustainable forestry practices.

The Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID) Planning Grant Program in Virginia aims to support local agriculture and forestry businesses by providing funding for innovative projects and encouraging collaboration between local governments and the ag/forestry community. The grants may be used for activities such as developing strategic plans, feasibility studies, business or marketing plans, creating local initiatives supporting agriculture or forestry-based businesses, and investing in the development of local agricultural development boards. Additionally, the program supports projects that implement innovative marketing strategies, develop strategic plans for agriculture or forestry economic development, create new policies or programs to preserve working lands, and fund feasibility studies or business plans with a positive impact on the local agriculture or forestry sector.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofits, researchers, local governments, and small businesses in Virginia to enhance recreational fishing through conservation, habitat restoration, and fisheries research.