Grant Program Summary
The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties now invites Black-led nonprofit organizations serving Loudoun County to apply for mini grants through its 2023 Black-led Nonprofit Grant Program of the Community Foundation’s Racial Equity Fund.
The Black-led Nonprofit Grant Program is made possible through generous support from Google. The Racial Equity Fund was established in 2021 to support grantmaking for emerging and grassroots Black-and-Brown-led nonprofit organizations, equity initiatives in our footprint, and advancement of equity leadership. In this initiative, the fund will focus on providing mini-grants to Black-led nonprofit organizations in Loudoun County. The Black-led Nonprofit Grants program was established with an inaugural grant cycle in 2022.
Grantmaking Priorities
The Black-led Nonprofit Grant Program seeks to provide general support mini-grants to Black-led organizations serving Loudoun County. Grants will be prioritized for organizations meeting the criteria below and seeking to directly serve the Black community in Loudoun. Examples include:
- Arts, Culture, Historical Preservation, and Humanities
- Education, Youth Development, and Workforce Development
- Community Improvement, Capacity Building, and Leadership Advancement
- Human Services, including organizations addressing behavioral health, basic needs, services for older adults, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations
- Civil Rights, Social Action, and Non-political Advocacy
Grants may also be prioritized for small and/or emerging organizations with budgets under $100,000 as well as returning grantees seeking renewed funding. However, new applicants meeting the eligibility criteria are welcome to apply.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, prospective applicants must meet all of these requirements:
- Have Black leadership in the senior executive position (paid or volunteer)
- Evidence of a racially and/or ethnically diverse board, staff, steering committee, or other leadership body and/or volunteers in leadership positions
- 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization or organization using a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. The use of a fiscal sponsor from a non-Black-led organization is permitted.
- Provide direct services in Loudoun County
Application Deadlines and Reviews
Applications are accepted online through the Community Foundation’s online grant portal. New users must create an account to access the application; existing users may log in with their email address and password. Once logged in, click the blue “Apply” button in the section for the Black-led Nonprofit Grant Program 2023 to begin your application.
Applications will be accepted starting June 30, 2023, and are due by Friday, August 11, 2023, 5:00 p.m. Applications will be reviewed and considered by a grants advisory committee of community members that includes representation from the Black community.
Pre-Application Workshop
An optional pre-application workshop was held online via Zoom for interested applicants on August 2, 2023. You may view a recording of the workshop here: https://youtu.be/Ky_a1JQzJOo.
Grant Size, Notification, Final Reporting
An estimated $20,000 will be available for distribution. Grants are expected to range between $1,000 – $3,000. Grants will be announced no later than August 31, 2023.
In addition to receiving grant funds, selected grantees will also receive a free admission for one full year (September 2023 through September 2024) to Community Foundation nonprofit programming opportunities, including the Nonprofit Academy, the Social Impact Institute, and the Racial Equity Framework.
All grantees will be required to share the impact of their grant through a survey that will be conducted in September 2024.
Application Instructions
Applications are accepted online through the Community Foundation’s online grant portal. New users must create an account to access the application; existing users may log in with their email address and password. Once logged in, click the blue “Apply” button in the section for the Black-led Nonprofit Grant Program 2023 to begin your application.
Questions?
Contact Nicole Acosta at [email protected] or 703-779-3505, x3.
