Eligibility Requirements

Here's everything you need to know about the geographic area we serve and who is eligible (or not) to apply for grants.

Geographic area we serve

The Hampton Roads Community Foundation welcomes grant applications from 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity organizations serving residents of South Hampton Roads, including those in:

  • Chesapeake
  • Eastern Shore of Virginia (Accomack and Northampton counties)*
  • Franklin
  • Isle of Wight County
  • Norfolk
  • Portsmouth
  • Suffolk
  • Virginia Beach

*Grants to Eastern Shore nonprofits are awarded in partnership with our affiliated Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation.

Note: Virginia Peninsula organizations may be eligible to apply for Special Interest Grant funding.

Eligibility requirements

If your organization has received a Hampton Roads Community Foundation grant in the past three years, we ask that you not apply for funding for the same type of grant. However, if you received a Community Grant for seed and program projects, you can apply for a Community Grant for Vibrant Places (nonprofit facilities improvement). Similarly, if you received a Vibrant Places grant, you can apply for seed and program support. You can apply annually for a Special Interest Grant, which will not affect your eligibility for a Community Grant.

Grants are generally NOT available for:

  1. Organizations without public charity tax-exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
  2. Individuals
  3. Fundraising events (such as tickets, raffles, auctions or tournaments), annual fundraising appeals or agency celebrations
  4. Ongoing operating support
  5. Capital projects and facilities and equipment upgrades that can be considered routine maintenance or replacements
  6. Houses of worship unless applying for the Nightingale Fund for Faith Community Nursing or the E.K. Sloane Fund for pianos
  7. Religious activities (organizations and activities that require religious participation by those receiving services)
  8. Political or fraternal organizations
  9. Endowment building
  10. Existing obligations, debts or liabilities or costs that an agency has already incurred
  11. Scholarly research
  12. Scholarships, camper fees, fellowships or travel
  13. Passenger vans for transporting youth
  14. National or international organizations or purposes
  15. Hospitals and similar health-care facilities unless applying for a Special Interest Grant
  16. Projects or services normally considered the responsibility of government*
  17. Private primary or secondary schools, daycare facilities or academies other than those whose primary purpose is for students with special needs**
  18. Capital campaign requests exceeding 5% of a campaign valued at $1 million or more

These exclusions are in addition to any specified by the grant for which you are applying.

*The community foundation will consider awarding grants to specific municipal entities or component units of government for projects generally provided by nonprofit agencies in other communities. This policy does not prohibit public and private colleges and universities from applying for funding.

**Public and independent schools are eligible to apply for a grant through the E.K. Sloane Piano Fund.

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