Established in 2020, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation’s Get Outdoors (GO) Fund provides grants for projects that increase access to safe open space in Virginia’s communities, especially those that are underserved. Some examples of project types include planning, capacity building, programming, and infrastructure, although priority will be given to shovel-ready projects with tangible, measurable results. The intent of the program is to serve as a flexible, adaptable tool to be used to address communities’ needs.
Two grant rounds are held annually, with requests for proposals announced in January and June or July each year, and grant awards made in June and October or November. Grant agreements have a two-year lifespan.
The GO Fund requires the submission of a short pre-application. Pre-applications most aligned with program parameters will be invited to submit a final application. Invitations to apply for the GO Fund will be sent within one week of receipt of a successful pre-application. The responses provided in the pre-application will be incorporated in and elaborated on in the final application.
GO Fund grants may be awarded to state, local, regional, or tribal government entities, educational institutions, or non-profit organizations registered as tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Service code, https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-types. Federal governmental entities, for-profit entities, and individuals are not eligible at this time.
Applicants who have received past GO Fund grants of more than $5,000 must complete the approved project before submitting additional proposals. Other VOF grant awards do not impact GO Fund eligibility.
The amount of funding available for each grant round is determined annually and announced in June or July. Funding requests are capped at $25,000. Projects with budgets that greatly exceed $25,000 are not usually appropriate for the program unless the GO Fund award is meeting the final need to bring the project to fruition, or the proposal is focused on a specific stand-alone component of a larger project. Inversely, projects with a scope of work that could be completely funded and implemented through a GO Fund grant exclusively are competitive.
Funding will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis as progress is made. A one-time advance not exceeding $1,000 may be considered on a case-by-case basis and for good cause shown. No funds will be paid directly to a vendor. Partial funding is possible.
The Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) may provide funding for studies, planning, concept development, capacity building, programming, and infrastructure to enable safe use of or access to public open space, as well as for land acquisition. Priority will be given to shovel-ready projects with tangible, measurable results. Projects that seek to acquire or convey an interest in real estate (such as land acquisition, easement protection, lease agreement, or a right of way) should consider applying for a grant from VOF’s Preservation Trust Fund program, which can be accessed at http://www.vof.org/protect/grants/ptf/.
Applications are accepted through the VOF online grant portal, which can be accessed at https://www.vof.org/protect/grants/go/. VOF requires a pre-application to be submitted for review before a final application for funding may be submitted. Interested applicants should check the website for updates. Please email grants@vof.org with any questions about the application process or project eligibility.
VOF is seeking proposals for projects that increase access to safe open space in Virginia’s communities, especially those that are underserved. The GO Fund requires the submission of a short pre-application. Pre-applications most aligned with program parameters will be invited to submit a final application. Invitations to apply for the GO Fund will be sent within one week of receipt of a successful pre-application. The responses provided in the pre-application will be incorporated in and elaborated on in the final application.
GO Fund grants may be awarded to state, local, regional, or tribal government entities, educational institutions, or non-profit organizations registered as tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Service code, https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-types. Federal governmental entities, for-profit entities, and individuals are not eligible at this time.
Applicants who have received past GO Fund grants of more than $5,000 must complete the approved project before submitting additional requests. Other VOF grant awards do not impact GO Fund eligibility.
Should a GO Fund grant be awarded to a non-profit, the terms and conditions from the RFP will be part of the grant agreement.
There is $175,000 available for the first grant round of Fiscal Year 2024 with consideration of funding requests up to $25,000 per project. Projects with budgets that greatly exceed $25,000 are not usually appropriate for the program unless the GO Fund award is meeting the final need to bring the project to fruition, or the proposal is focused on a specific stand-alone component of a larger project. Inversely, projects with a scope of work that could be completely funded and implemented through a GO Fund grant exclusively are competitive.
Funding will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis as progress is made. A one-time advance not exceeding $1,000 may be considered on a case-by-case basis and for good cause shown. No funds will be paid directly to a vendor. Partial funding is possible.
VOF may provide funding for studies, planning, concept development, capacity building, programming, and infrastructure to enable safe use of or access to public open space, as well as for land acquisition. Priority will be given to shovel-ready projects with tangible, measurable results. Projects that seek to acquire or convey an interest in real estate (such as land acquisition, easement protection, lease agreement, or a right of way) should consider applying for a grant from VOF’s Preservation Trust Fund program.
VOF requires a pre-application to be submitted by 5:00 pm on July 17, 2023 for review before a final application for funding may be submitted. Final applications will be accepted by invitation only, and will be accepted until 5:00 pm on August 7, 2023 through the VOF online grant portal, which can be accessed at https://vaoutdoors.webgrantscloud.com/. Interested applicants should check the website for updates. Please email grants@vof.org with any questions about the application process or project eligibility.
The Weller Woods Learning Trail will provide the students of its namesake elementary school with opportunities to let nature be their teacher.
With help from volunteers and VOF’s Get Outdoors fund, Essex County’s Rotary Poorhouse Park is set for its long-delayed grand opening.
VOF’s Appomattox River Fund supplied the trees for a new segment of the Town of Farmville’s Dogwood Trail.
