Education

To increase the number of children and adults who are prepared to enter a competitive workforce in the 21st century.

High-quality preschool has the potential to narrow long-standing racial and economic opportunity gaps, provide crucial relief to Northern Virginia's working parents, and produce stunning long-term returns on investment. Unfortunately, Northern Virginia's children at or near poverty have the second lowest rate of preschool enrollment in the country; just 29 percent of three-and four-year-olds in this income bracket are in school, compared with 41 percent nationally. It also has the largest gap in enrollment rates between these children and their counterparts in higher-income families. Source: Community Foundation for Northern Virginia.

To help increase the number of children and adults who are prepared to enter a competitive workforce in the 21st century, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia makes grants with a focus in Education annually through the Community Investment Funds grant cycle.

The Education 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, The Arc of Northern Virginia received a grant to support trainings for its trainers on a new application developed to assist individuals with disabilities navigating through their every-day lives. A client shared how this application is helping him. “Moving forward, I want to use the apps to do the other things I need to practice living independently, so I can practice having a good life, and becoming a good adult in the future. Using my iPad can help me because these apps can be used for any purpose.”

— Testimonial from 2018 grantee, The Arc of Northern Virginia

Nonprofits: Learn More & Apply

For 2025, applications will be accepted from organizations that provide Early Childhood Education to prepare children for elementary school and Basic Math and English Literacy skills to prepare adults for certificate, job training programs, community college, or university education.

Check out our GRANTS FAQs for 2025 information. 

THE 2025 GRANTS CYCLE IS NOW CLOSED.

See the list of 2025 Community Investment Fund grantees here. 

Criteria

• 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 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.
• Organizations with budget sizes of $150,000-$4.5M are eligible to apply. 
• 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.

Please make sure you're subscribed to our Nonprofit News and Resources list to stay up-to-date on funding opportunities. 

Grant Cycle Timeline

January 8, 2025	Applications Open
January 8, 2025	2025 Grants Webinar - Recording Available!
February 1, 2025	Grant Reports Due from 2024 Grantees
February 5, 2025	Applications Due
April 2025	Applicants notified of funding status
February 1, 2026	Grant Reports Due from 2025 Grantees