GRANTS
The Suffolk Foundation’s Community Impact Grants Program supports qualifying nonprofit, charitable organizations that work to benefit the communities of Suffolk, Virginia, and Western Tidewater (Suffolk, Franklin, Southampton County, Isle of Wight County, and all municipalities therein). We fund a broad range of local projects, including (but not limited to) health, education, arts and culture, historical programs, human needs and services, environmental and animal welfare, and youth and senior programs.
As a community-based foundation, we focus on local organizations making a tangible difference for people in our community. We may sometimes also partner with larger organizations, in which case we prefer to fund direct project costs (as opposed to administrative or operating costs) for programs located in and serving our community.
ELIGIBILITY
Nonprofit, public charities that are tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) are eligible to apply for a grant. The proposed project or program must be located in, and serve residents of, Suffolk and/or Western Tidewater (Suffolk, Franklin, Southampton County, Isle of Wight County, and all municipalities therein).
Grants may be awarded in a wide range of categories, including:
- Human Needs
- Artistic, Historical, and Cultural Programs
- Education
- Environmental and/or Animal Welfare
- Health
Priority may be given to projects and programs that:
- Reach a broad section of the community, and/or that target needs that are not being served by other resources
- Improve the quality of life for families or neighborhoods
- Provide practical approaches for dealing with current pressing community problems
- Promote collaboration and resource-sharing among organizations
- Yield substantial benefits for the costs involved
- Meet demonstrable local needs
- Encourage matching gifts or added funding from other sources
Community Impact Grants are not generally available for:
- Non-tax-exempt organizations
- Individuals
- Deficit financing
- Debt reduction
- Research
- Event sponsorships
- Religious purposes (we do, however, support faith-based organizations for projects that contain no religious programming and serve the broader community–i.e., open to anyone, regardless of religion)
- Seminar/conference registration or travel
- Annual fund drives
- National or international purposes
- Government agencies
- Projects, programs, and facilities located outside of our service area
Responsibilities of the Grantee
- Upon notification of the grant award, grant recipients are required to sign and return a grant agreement in order to receive payment.
- Grantees are strongly encouraged to make public announcements about the project and the grant, and to acknowledge the Suffolk Foundation as grantmaker in all communications concerning the project. We ask grantees to send us copies of such communications for our records.
- We ask grantees to provide one or more photographs to us to illustrate the impact of the grant, to be used in our Annual Report and other publications.
Timeline
Our grant application is open in the fall of each year, with awards announced in mid to late December for funding for the following calendar year. Final grant reports are due by January 15* on the year following funding.
Grant Application Opens: September 1
Grant Application Deadline: October 15
Grant Decisions Announced: Mid to Late December
Grant Agreements Mailed: Mid to Late December
Grant Payments Made: Immediately upon the Foundation’s receipt of signed grant agreement
Grant Award Period: January 1 – December 31
Final Grant Report Due: January 15*
*The January final report is only required if the grantee does not apply for another grant the following fall, as our application form now includes questions for past grantees about grant results. A January report may also be required if the project is not concluded by the October 15 application deadline, or if grant funds are not expended by October 15. Grantees should contact the Suffolk Foundation staff with any questions about reporting requirements.
How to Apply
First, if your organization has not received a Community Impact Grant from the Suffolk Foundation in the past 12 months, we require you to call our staff before starting your application. This will allow us to learn more about your organization and determine your eligibility for a grant.
Even if your organization is a recent grantee, we urge you to call us as you are planning your proposal, so that we can provide feedback on your application ideas. This is particularly true if you are requesting a significant increase in funding over your latest Community Impact Grant.
Once you have reached out to our staff, come back to this webpage for the link to the online application. The online application is open September 1 to October 15 each year.
New in 2024
Community Action Coalition of Virginia Fund: The Suffolk Foundation is now managing grants for the Community Action Coalition of Virginia (CACOV). If your organization is a past CACOV grantee, you can apply for a CACOV grant (regardless of your eligibility for our other grant programs) by completing the Community Impact Grant Application Form. If your organization has typically received grants from both CACOV and the Suffolk Foundation in the past, you can simply complete this one application form once and be considered by both groups. If you have any questions, call our staff at 757-923-9090.
Coach Ron Killmon PRLPT Fund: The Suffolk Foundation has a new grants program through the Coach Ron Killmon PRLPT Fund, supporting nonprofit organizations and projects that serve disadvantaged children and youth, and that emphasize values such as character, work ethic, and discipline. Grants from the Killmon Fund are available to organizations serving Suffolk, Western Tidewater, Norfolk, and Virginia’s Eastern Shore (Accomack and Northampton Counties). There is not a separate application, process, or timeline for Killmon Grants; simply apply using our Community Impact Grant Application Form, following the timeline above. The Killmon Fund has $1,250 to award in 2024. Organizations and projects that meet the criteria for the Suffolk Foundation’s other grants may also be eligible for matching funds.
Women’s Impact Fund: The Women’s Impact Fund of the Suffolk Foundation awards annual grants to positively impact at-risk women and children in Suffolk and Western Tidewater. The Women’s Impact Fund has a separate grant application, timeline, process, and criteria. In 2024, the Women’s Impact Fund application will open on August 1, with an application deadline of September 12 at 5:00 pm. Click here for more information about Women’s Impact Fund Grants.
Emergency Needs: If your nonprofit has an urgent need that cannot wait for our regular grants timeline (i.e., funding in December), please contact us.
To discuss your proposal or learn more about our grants program, contact us:
757-923-9090 or office@suffolkfoundation.org.