Child and Youth Development

To help children and youth to thrive.

Most parents (75 percent) in Northern Virginia work full-time jobs, and 18 percent typically work more than 50 hours per week source: American Community Survey, 2015-19. Having meaningful afterschool and extracurricular activities can help build children and youth self-esteem, foster connections with adults in the community, and create safer neighborhoods.

To help children and youth to thrive, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia makes grants with a focus in Child & Youth Development annually through the Community Investment Funds grant cycle.

The Child and Youth Fund is a component fund of The Permanent Fund for Northern Virginia, an unrestricted endowment at the Community Foundation that makes grants to help build a community that works for everyone.
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In 2018, Girls on the Run NOVA received a grant to expand into an economically disadvantaged school. Coach Lauren Daly Lauren sought out a program that could increase healthy habits and raise self-esteem to help students succeed. Soon she held the first Girls on the Run practice as Coach Lauren.

Fast forward to the present and the Girls on the Run team at Loch Lomond is about to complete their second season. This team of sixteen 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade girls are becoming stronger, healthier, and more confident as individuals, but also as a team connected to each other and their coaches.

— Testimonial provided by 2018 Child & Youth Development Grantee, Girls on the Run

Nonprofits: Learn More & Apply

This Fund awards grants to youth development organizations or programs that support and provide opportunities to children and youth (age birth - 21) who may be at risk due to poverty (defined as up to 200% of the federal poverty level.)

For 2022, proposals in the following areas were considered:

• Afterschool / Summer Activities
• Academic Achievement

Criteria

For 2023, grant requests of up $15,000 were accepted. Proposals in the areas of afterschool/ summer activities, and academic achievement were considered.

• Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations providing charitable or educational services. Local, state and federal government entities are not eligible to apply.
• This year, grant requests will only be considered for general organizational support. Applications for capital improvements, endowments, or scholarship awards will not be considered.
• Grants will be made to organizations providing services in Northern Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, plus the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church and Manassas/Manassas Park).
• Grant requests of $15,000 will be accepted.
• Applications that are late or incomplete will not be considered.
• Only one application per organization will be considered.

Grant Application Portal

To apply or update a grant application, access the grants portal here:
Submit Applications or Review Past Grants Here

You will be instructed to set up an organizational profile before applying. If your organization has applied in the past, check with other staff members to get access to the organization profile already established. It contains grant history and past applications. Please do not set up a new profile unless you are sure your organization has not applied previously.

Grant Cycle Timeline

January 10, 2024	Applications Open
January 10, 2024	2023 Grants Webinar
February 1, 2024	Grant Reports Due from 2022 Grantees
February 7, 2024	Applications Due by 5pm
April 2024	Applicants notified of funding status
February 1, 2025	Grant Reports Due from 2023 Grantees