The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) today announced $2,659,244 in grants for 15 open-space conservation projects.
The grants were awarded from VOF’s Preservation Trust Fund, which provides grants for the protection of open space for farming, forestry, recreation, wildlife, water quality, and more. To learn more about VOF’s grant programs, visit https://www.vof.org/protect/grants/.
Grant Recipient Summaries
- Grantee: American Battlefield Trust
- Project Title: Protection in Perpetuity at McDowell Battlefield
- Locality: Highland County
- Grant Amount: $100,000.00
Description: The American Battlefield Trust seeks $157,500 to secure a conservation easement on the ±126.49-acre Rives Tract at McDowell. As Highland County faces surging development from rural subdivisions, this historic site is at high risk. Adjoining existing preserved lands, the wooded tract features a 1.5-mile trail. Permanent protection ensures the landscape remains intact for education and heritage tourism, thwarting commercial encroachment and securing this vital Civil War site in perpetuity.
- Grantee: Broadway Lions Foundation
- Project Title: Broadway Lions Park
- Locality: Rockingham County
- Grant Amount: $85,000.00
Description: The Broadway Lions Foundation proposes the development of a 3.5-acre parcel of undeveloped land owned by the Town of Broadway as a public park. The project includes construction of a new entrance, a new pervious parking lot, a walking and fitness trail, an events pavilion and lawn, and restrooms. The park will connect to the existing Broadway Heritage Park and provide additional amenities to complement the existing park. The park will also support the proposed Shenandoah Rail Trail.
- Grantee: City of Hampton Parks & Recreation
- Project Title: Sandy Bottom Parcel Acquisition
- Locality: City of Hampton
- Grant Amount: $77,955.99
Description: The City of Hampton is seeking funding to acquire a privately owned parcel located within the boundaries of Sandy Bottom Nature Park. This acquisition will resolve a long-standing access issue where a public trail crosses private land, ensure permanent public access to existing park infrastructure, and expand protected open space in alignment with the city’s conservation goals. By securing this parcel, Hampton will formally complete the park.
- Grantee: City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
- Project Title: Barton Heights Cemeteries Historic Land Protection
- Locality: City of Richmond
- Grant Amount: $50,000.00
Description: The City of Richmond proposes the permanent protection of an historic cemetery through a dedication as open space. The city-owned site holds significant cultural and historical value and serves as a place of remembrance, reflection, and community stewardship. Preservation Trust Fund support will ensure long-term protection of the land, safeguard its cultural landscape, and support responsible public access and ongoing preservation efforts.
- Grantee: Darden Farms
- Project Title: Darden Farms
- Locality: Southampton County
- Grant Amount: $150,000.00
Description: A purchase of open-space easement on Darden Farm, a certified Virginia Century Farm, will protect substantial conservation values. Located in Southampton County near the Virginia-North Carolina line, the property has approximately 630 acres of valuable working forestland and 300 acres of farmland with perennial and intermittent stream systems that drain to the state scenic Nottoway River.
- Grantee: Hopewell Economic Development Authority
- Project Title: Francisco Landing
- Locality: City of Hopewell
- Grant Amount: $200,000.00
Description: With the assistance of PTF funding, landowner Francisco Landing LLC will enter into a bargain sale with the City of Hopewell to permanently protect a property offering access and parking for the Hopewell City Park and the Hopewell Riverwalk. This project will provide a much needed resource for locals and visitors alike, fulfilling a long-term goal of the Hopewell EDA and City Council.
- Grantee: Katie Stovall
- Project Title: River Knobs – Stovall Property
- Locality: Washington County
- Grant Amount: $125,400.00
Description: The 200-acre River Knobs property, to be placed under open-space easement with VOF through the PTF grant program, is located within one mile of Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area and contains one half-mile of river frontage along with three miles of streams. Adjacent to a 260-acre VOF easement, the property is ranked outstanding or high priority in several conservation models, illustrating high conservation values in line with VOF’s portfolio.
- Grantee: Middlesex County EDA
- Project Title: Project Access – Waterfront Park (Broad Creek)
- Locality: Middlesex County
- Grant Amount: $209,500.00
Description: Middlesex County plans to create a waterfront park at Broad Creek with direct access to the Rappahannock River protected by a conservation easement to ensure long-term protection of open space, shoreline resources, and public access. Grant funds will be used to purchase the easement, helping offset the acquisition costs associated with this 1.18-acre site and the adjacent property. These were purchased for recreational and waterfront economic development purposes including a public boat ramp.
- Grantee: Newport News Green Foundation
- Project Title: Sarfan Food Forest
- Locality: City of Newport News
- Grant Amount: $185,300.00
Description: The Newport News Green Foundation requests funding for the purchase of an easement on Sarfan Food Forest, a project transforming a 5-acre vacant lot in the Southeast Community into the Peninsula’s first public edible forest, providing free, year-round access to fruit trees, berry patches, vegetables, pollinator meadows, and an outdoor classroom. Designed with community input and support from Virginia Tech, it will enhance food access, ecological health, educational opportunities, and neighborhood vitality.
- Grantee: Gibson Homestead LLC
- Project Title: Gibson Farm
- Locality: Lee County
- Grant Amount: $272,050.00
Description: This purchased easement will protect the Gibson Farm, a unique property extending from Route 58 across rolling fields to Poor Valley, continuing up the steep slopes of Cumberland Mountain, finally stretching to the famous White Rocks on the Virginia-Kentucky border. Eligible for historic designation, in part due to the historic farmhouse (circa 1830), the farm’s large fields, mixed hardwood forest, and 3,000 feet of Indian Creek provide both habitat for many natural heritage species and scenic views to travelers.
- Grantee: The Archaeological Conservancy
- Project Title: Protecting the Martin Indigenous Village Site
- Locality: Wythe County
- Grant Amount: $298,700.00
Description: The Archaeological Conservancy is seeking funding to purchase and protect 16.267 acres that contain the Martin Archaeological Site in Wythe County. The site encompasses the remains of an indigenous village site and cemetery dating to ~1295 CE with other deposits dating as far back as 2000 BCE. Martin Site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, represents one of the most well-preserved connections to the pre-contact communities and history in the Commonwealth.
- Grantee: The Trust for Public Land
- Project Title: Stratford Hall Historic Preserve
- Locality: Westmoreland County
- Grant Amount: $300,000.00
Description: The Trust for Public Land is collaborating with the Virginia Outdoors Foundation to permanently protect a 475-acre forested portion of Stratford Hall Historic Preserve, known as Kentucky Hill, located along the Potomac River in Westmoreland County. This work builds upon earlier efforts of VOF to protect this National Historic Landmark located within the Northern Neck National Heritage Area.
- Grantee: Town of Goshen
- Project Title: Goshen Community Park
- Locality: Rockbridge County
- Grant Amount: $350,000.00
Description: The Goshen Community Park project will expand public recreation and outdoor access for residents and visitors in the Town of Goshen, located in Rockbridge County, while protecting natural resources found on the property. With the support of a Preservation Trust Fund grant, the town will be in a strong position to transform a 40-acre, town-owned site overlooking the Calfpasture River into the first community park, with accessible multi-use trails, fishing access, parking, restrooms, and a space for community events.
- Grantee: Town of South Boston
- Project Title: Crossing of the Dan Expansion Project
- Locality: Halifax County
- Grant Amount: $80,339.00
Description: The Town of South Boston is requesting a Preservation Trust Fund grant to acquire two adjoining parcels, totaling 4.39 acres, to expand the adjacent Crossing of the Dan park. This project would enable the relocation of Revolutionary War artifacts, monuments, and interpretative displays to a higher elevation, thus preserving them for future generations. Currently, the exhibits are not accessible during flooding. The town is committed to preserving open green space with deed restrictions.
- Grantee: Wintergreen Country Store Land Trust
- Project Title: Spruce Creek Park and Archeological Site
- Locality: Nelson County
- Grant Amount: $175,000.00
Description: This project will support the purchase of an easement held by Thomas Jefferson Soil & Water Conservation District to protect water quality and an archeological site while also securing perpetual public access to Spruce Creek Park. For the past 20 years, Rockfish Valley Foundation has stewarded this site under a long-term lease with the landowner, Wintergreen Country Store Land Trust, and has developed an amenity that is vital to the community as park and environmental education classroom.
