Community Foundation of the NRV engages public in grants process

For the third consecutive year, the Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV) is offering its online Grant Catalog for the public to assist with the foundation’s Responsive Grants process. Each year, the foundation has enough money available to fund approximately half of the requests received, so the Grant Catalog serves as a way for community members to engage in the process by making donations that help provide larger grants to more organizations.

The foundation’s Responsive Grant application invites any nonprofit and unit of government (such as a library) serving the New River Valley to apply for up to $4,000 in operating support, which is unrestricted funding that enables an organization to address ongoing or pressing needs. The CFNRV has dozens of funds set up by donors that are available to issue full or partial Responsive Grants to these organizations. In the areas where the foundation runs out of funding, the team opens the Grant Catalog to encourage the public to learn more about these important organizations and encourages them to contribute to the overall funding organizations will receive this year.

“Donors have so many options when it comes to contributing to nonprofits and we know it can be overwhelming to choose where to make gifts,” said Jessica Wirgau, Chief Executive Officer of the CFNRV. “Our Grant Catalog is particularly useful for donors because our review team has vetted each organization — looking at each organization’s financial statements, how they are addressing current challenges, their impact on our region, and more. Donors have the peace of mind to know that each organization in the catalog is making a positive impact in the NRV.”

Helping community members understand the needs in the New River Valley and making giving easier for donors are two essential tenets of the foundation’s work. Additionally, the CFNRV wants to make the grants process easier for organizations so grant dollars get into our community faster. By offering unrestricted funding via these Responsive Grants, organizations have the power to decide how to use the funding, which is especially important now as they continue to rebuild following the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to the rising costs of inflation.

The Grant Catalog will be open until Monday, October 31. Community members can visit cfnrv.org/grant-catalog to read more about each organization, view how much money has been awarded so far to each organization, and make a secure, online contribution to their favorite organization.