Competitive Grants

Competitive Grant Processes

Deadline for 2023 grant submissions was September 1. Thank you for your interest. Check back next summer for 2024 grant applications.

Giving Back

The Giving Back process each year connects local nonprofit organizations with grant funding. The Giving Back process is a direct response to the ever changing and diverse needs of the nonprofit organizations in our community. Only nonprofit organizations physically located in, and serving, Harrisonburg and Rockingham County are eligible to apply. Each November summaries of all Giving Back applications are published in an edition of the Daily News-Record. This publication offers visibility for Harrisonburg and Rockingham County nonprofit organizations to share projects and funding needs with the local community.

EXCITING UPDATE FOR 2023 Giving Back GRANT APPLICANTS! Additionally, in 2023, all nonprofits submitting an application will be eligible for consideration as The Community Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary with the awarding of a $25,000 grant!

Applications submitted through the Giving Back process are also be considered for grant funding from the following funds:

• Community Endowment Fund – The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County has some unrestricted funds to give out each year from the Community Endowment Fund. This permanent fund helps finance projects of greatest benefit to Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.  The annual grant award exceeds $8,000.
• Valley Arts & Culture Fund – The Valley Arts and Culture Fund provides program, project and seed funds to small and medium sized nonprofit organizations promoting performing and visual arts and interpreting the culture and traditions of and in the Shenandoah Valley.  The annual grant award exceeds $1,400.
• Mary Spitzer Etter Endowed Fund –  This fund benefits the arts in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.  The annual grant award exceeds $4,500.
• Janet Sohn Endowed Fund – nonprofit organizations eligible: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Central Valley Habitat for Humanity, East Gate Ministries, RMH Foundation, and Salvation Army Harrisonburg.  The annual grant award exceeds $12,000.

Little Swiss Fund Grants

The Little Swiss Fund was established by an anonymous donor to benefit the nonprofit community in Highland County, Virginia. Nonprofits physically located in, and serving, Highland County, with broad active volunteer support and annual revenues exceeding $25,000, are encouraged to apply for annual grant funding. Organizations must receive less than half their income from government entities to be eligible. Religious organizations serving Highland County may also apply. Local clubs (civic and otherwise) and recreational facilities are not eligible to apply. Total annual grant funding exceeds $335,000.

Animal & Wildlife Nonprofit Grants

Hildred Neff was born in and lived in Rockingham County her entire life. She loved animals and was especially fond of cats. Hildred left her estate to create the Hildred Neff Memorial Fund to benefit nonprofit organizations that provide for the needs of either domestic animals or wildlife. Annual grant awards can range from $1,000 to over $22,000.

Sean Warner Memorial Endowment Fund

The Sean Warner Memorial Endowment Fund was established by Mark and Susan Warner to honor the memory of their son by helping other children. This fund was created to contribute to general charitable purposes within the area of emotional support services for children of divorced parents. This nonprofit grant is awarded every other year, through a competitive application process. This grant is approximately $500, and is awarded every other year.

Alvin J. Baird, Jr. Program Endowment Fund

The Alvin J. Baird, Jr. Program Endowment Fund was created in 2005. The purpose of the Fund was to support the mission of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic, which provided volunteer outpatient health services to the uninsured in a manner that promoted dignity, wholeness, and coordination of services. In December 2020, the H-R Free Clinic closed its doors. The Free Clinic Board instructed TCFHR to determine the use of the annual distribution from this endowment that would most closely honor the fund’s original intent. In 2021, The Community Foundation Board directed the annual distribution will be determined by a competitive grants process, and the distribution(s) shall be made to nonprofit healthcare organizations that address unmet healthcare needs in the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County community. The annual grant awards exceed $42,000 in total.

Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts

Earlynn J. Miller was the founder of the Dance Program at James Madison University and a passionate arts supporter, nurturing thousands of artists, students and community arts organizations during her lifetime. Earlynn not only supported JMU, but she was an active supporter of local arts organizations in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community, and beyond. Earlynn left an amazing legacy of financial support for the arts, one of which is the Earlynn J. Miller Fund for the Arts. This endowment provides grant funding through an annual competitive process for nonprofit arts organizations physically located in and serving Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. This large grant(s) will encourage arts nonprofit organizations to dream about the possibilities to significantly grow the arts in our community over time, honoring Earlynn’s passion and legacy. Annual grant funding exceeds $50,000 in total.