BLACKSBURG – This fall, the Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV) awarded $220,200 in grants to community organizations serving the New River Valley (NRV).
Since awarding its first grant in 1997, the foundation has awarded more than $7.6 million in grants to fund hundreds of organizations that serve the NRV region.
Each year, the CFNRV invites community organizations, including nonprofits and units of government (such as libraries), to participate in their competitive Responsive Grant application process to apply for up to $4,000 in operating support. This year, 69 organizations received Responsive Grants. These grants are flexible grant dollars that allow recipient organizations to use the funding where it is most needed.
“We made our first grant awards in 1997, giving away $3,000 to NRV nonprofits and schools,” said Jessica Wirgau, chief executive officer of the CFNRV. “Now, to award more than $220,000 in this Responsive Grant Program, and more than $600,000 in grants overall this year is incredibly gratifying. We’re grateful to the nonprofits whose program benefit our community, and to the donors who make these awards possible.”
The CFNRV manages more than 220 endowed funds designed to benefit the New River Valley. These funds give grants to a wide variety of charitable work and award scholarships to students pursuing higher education. During this year’s competitive grants process, 61 of these funds engaged in the grant-making process. These grants support work in the areas of animals, arts and culture, community and civic affairs, education, environment, health and wellness, poverty, and support, parenting, and care.
At a lunch reception at Thorn Spring Golf Course and Event Center in Pulaski in mid-November, the CFNRV recognized each of the Responsive Grant recipients. The event was sponsored by National Bank of Blacksburg, First Bank and Trust Company, and Atlantic Union Bank.
The CFNRV’s grant applications will open again in late May 2025. More information on the application process can be found at cfnrv.org/grants or by contacting the CFNRV team at cfnrv@cfnrv.org or 540-381-8999.
2024 Responsive Grant Awards for Montgomery County and Radford include:
Montgomery County:
Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry
Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation
Engagement Center for Creative Aging
Good Samaritan Hospice
Habitat for Humanity of the NRV
Historic Smithfield
Imagination Library – Montgomery County
Literacy NRV
Live, Work, Eat, Grow
Lyric Council
Montgomery County Christmas Store
Montgomery Museum of Art & History
Mount Rogers Community Service Board
Mountain View Humane
New River Community Action – CHIP of the New River Valley
New River Community Action – Virginia CARES
New River Family Shelter
NRV CARES
St. Mary’s Catholic Church – NRV Glean Team
Virginia Cooperative Extension – Montgomery
YMCA at Virginia Tech
City of Radford:
Havenwood Equestrian Center
New River Community Action – Emergency Assistance Program Radford
New River Community Action Head Start
New River Community Action Home to Stay
Radford Clothing Bank
Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread
Women’s Resource Center of the NRV
Community Foundation of the New River Valley
