The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties and Community Foundation for Northern Virginia have partnered to offer grant opportunities in 2021 to qualifying organizations serving Loudoun County through the Loudoun Impact Fund.

The Loudoun Impact Fund is a giving circle of caring donors, each making gifts of $1,000 (per person) or $5,000 (per foundation or corporation) to the Fund. Gifts are pooled together to leverage funding and offer grants with impact, here at home. Many members are new to grantmaking and look forward to learning more about programs, needs, and solutions in Loudoun County.

Grantmaking Priorities
The Loudoun Impact Fund grant advisors will consider applications to fund services and projects that positively impact vulnerable or at-risk children and youth; people with disabilities; and/or older adults in Loudoun County. Proposed projects should address one or more of the following:

  • Basic needs support for low-income, vulnerable, or at-risk children or youth, people with disabilities, and/or older adults, including food, shelter, and housing;
  • Physical and behavioral health and wellness for low-income, vulnerable, or at-risk children and youth, people with disabilities, and/or older adults;
  • Trauma-informed services for low-income, vulnerable, or at-risk children and youth, people with disabilities, and/or older adults, addressing and preventing family violence and/or abuse;
  • Academic and school-readiness support for low-income, vulnerable, or at-risk children and youth;
  • Programs providing high-quality child care for low-income, vulnerable, or at-risk children and youth;
  • Programs providing life-skills, literacy services, job training, and/or employment placement services to low-income, vulnerable, or at-risk youth, people with disabilities, and/or older adults;
  • Youth development and leadership opportunities for low-income, vulnerable, or at-risk children or youth;
  • Programs providing social support, day-support, transportation assistance, and/or respite care for people with disabilities and/or older adults.

Organizations may request project-specific funding, or funding for general operating support.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity in good standing with the IRS, school, or faith-based organization (NOTE: The Loudoun Impact Fund can support faith-based organizations; however, it will not support projects that either provide or require religious teachings to its program participants or exclude participants of different faiths.)

Application Deadlines and Reviews
Applications must be submitted electronically through Applications will be accepted starting Friday, September 3, 2021, and are due by Friday, October 15, 2021, 5:00 p.m. The Loudoun Impact Fund members will review applications and make funding recommendations to the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors for approval.

Pre-Application Workshop
An optional pre-application workshop will be held online for interested applicants on Monday, September 20, at 10:00 a.m. To attend the workshop, applicants must register to get the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEscOigpjooHNG2vFGwLQr4D4MPW9MOT2e0

A link to view the recording of the workshop will be posted here after September 20, as well as emailed to all those who register.

Grant Size, Notification, Final Reporting
An estimated $50,000-$100,000 will be available for distribution. Grants are expected to range from $5,000 to $15,000; grants of less than $5,000 will be considered. Grants will be announced no later than November 23, 2021. Grantees will be requested to participate in an evening grantee & donor reception planned for the evening of December 9, 2021.

A final report of outputs, outcomes and grant expenses must be provided to the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties by November 1, 2022; all grant funds must be expended before that date. Extensions may be allowed, but must be approved in writing in advance.

Application Instructions
Applications are accepted through the Community Foundation’s grant application portal; click here to access the application. Organizations must create a user account first to access the application. Please note: This is a new application portal used by the Community Foundation, meaning ALL applicants will need to create a new login to apply.

Questions?
Contact Nicole Acosta, Vice President of Grants and Nonprofit Programs, at [email protected] or 703-779-3505, x3.