Williamsburg Community Foundation Announces Grants to Area Charities

On July 28, 2009, the Board of Trustees of the Williamsburg Community Foundation presented grants totaling $17,915 to six nonprofit organizations during a grant award ceremony. $9,955 was awarded from the Community Endowment while $7,960 was awarded by the Business Partners Make A Difference Fund.

Agencies that received grants from the Community Endowment Fund:

CASA provides advocacy services to abused and neglected children in court and in the community. This grant will help CASA expand its services from the Williamsburg/James City County into nearby York County.

Heritage Humane Society ($1,960)

This grant will assist the Heritage Humane Society in its program to help eliminate pet overpopulation and animal abuse in our community through a low cost spay/neuter program.

James City County Fire Department ($1,995)

Health and Human Service

This grant will be used to provide training tools to emergency communications officers. In particular, CPR mannequins and related CPR/AED educational supplies will be purchased.

Williamsburg Land Conservancy ($2,000).

Environment/Conservation

Last year the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation donated an 82-acre conservation easement to the Williamsburg Land Conservancy on land east of Route 132. This critical easement provides viewshed protection for a three-quarter mile segment of highway between Queens Creek and Bypass Road. This grant will be used to design, order and install appropriate signage identifying this unique area as protected by conservation easement.

Agencies that received grants from the Business Partners Make a Difference Fund:

This grant will assist with funding transportation requirements, which are an integral part of program delivery. Reliable transportation services assure clients will attend activities and families/caregivers receive additional hours of respite. Families/caregivers received 14,000+ hours of respite in 2008 and clients had additional social time with friends during the transit.

Heritage Humane Society ($1,960)

This grant will assist the Heritage Humane Society in its program to help eliminate pet overpopulation and animal abuse in our community through a low cost spay/neuter program.

Jamestown 4-H Education Center ($2,000)

Education

This grant will help fund the Outreach Education Program which provides free values-based outdoor and environmental programs to youth and adults in James City County, Williamsburg and York County.

Each year the Foundation distributes a percentage of its endowment to be awarded as grants to nonprofit organizations in our community.  As the Foundation’s permanent endowment grows through its investments and gifts from individuals and businesses, so will its ability to fund new and innovative local programs.  The Foundation also makes grants from donor-advised funds through recommendations by the funds’ donors.  Last year, grants from all funds at the Foundation totaled $213,901.  The Foundation gives donor-advisors and other philanthropic minded individuals in our community the opportunity to support programs that the Foundation is unable to fund through its community endowment, leveraging more dollars for the community.

The grants fall into the categories of Arts/Culture, Community Improvement, Education, Environment/Conservation, and Health/Human Services.  To apply for a grant, please click here. Please call 757-259-1660 with any questions about eligibility prior to filling out an application.