This week, the all-volunteer, nonprofit Nelson County Community Fund, Inc. (NCCF) awarded $129,610 to 14 nonprofit organizations that support Nelson County residents. Both the award total and the number of organizations given grants surpassed NCCF’s previous awards. The funds will help a wide range of organizations, from pediatric dental care, sexual assault survivor outreach initiatives, and nonviolent self-defense to emergency home repairs, and food and nutritional support.
“For 20 years, NCCF has been able to aid Nelson County’s most vulnerable thanks to our generous donors,” said Ken Heise, NCCF president. “By supporting our community nonprofits and initiatives we can help ensure that everyone in our region can thrive.”
NCCF donates money to nonprofits twice a year. In 2021, NCCF has issued $191,110 in grants to 18 community organizations and initiatives. Since its inception in 2000, NCCF has invested in Nelson County by giving $1,860,529 to 67 agencies and programs, such as medical facilities and community centers, food banks, housing assistance groups, and student/teacher educational projects.
Organizations Funded in the Summer 2021 NCCF Grant Cycle
American Red Cross of Central Virginia The BridgeLine
Collect, test & distribute blood to residents
The BridgeLine
Outreach: brain injuries programs
Blue Ridge Medical Center Medical Assistance Program
Medication assistance program
Blue Ridge Medical Center Medical Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric dental care & referral
Fight Like a Grrrl Inc.
Non-violent self-defense
Millennium Group — Nelson Heritage Center
Purchase gym equipment
Nature Foundation of Wintergreen
Educational programs & teaching materials
Nelson County Community Development Foundation
Emergency home repair for elderly & people with disabilities
Piedmont Habitat for Humanity
Add repair specialist to perform affordable home repairs
Piedmont Housing Alliance
Refrigeration for food assistance for Ryan School Apartments
Sexual Assault Resource Agency
Survivor services & outreach
Unity in Community Outreach Ministry
Support residents in need with emergency assistance
A recent local blood drive that also raised awareness of the need for donors to fight Sickle Cell anemia was a big success.
Funded by a grant from NCCF, the event drew more than 30 donors and collected enough units of blood to save more than 72 lives, according to Bill Brent, executive director of the Central Virginia Chapter of the American Red Cross.
The event was held on May 1 at the Nelson Heritage Center, the heart of Nelson County’s black community, as part of ARC’s Diverse Blood Donor – Sickle Cell Initiative. Brent lauded NCCF for its longtime support of ARC and for being “the first Central Virginia valued community partner to support its sickle cell initiative.”
“Not only did NCCF underwrite the event, but many board members also showed up, rolled up their sleeves and gave the gift of life,” he added.
Bill Hughes, spouse of NCCF Board member Linda Hughes, showed his support by giving blood at a special American Red Cross blood drive targeted at drawing diverse donors to provide blood to treat victims of Sickle Cell anemia. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already short supply of blood for those with this blood disorder.
ReImagineCVA will serve as a comprehensive search-and-discover guide to the active nonprofits and community organizations doing important work in Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, and Orange.
All community organizations, including those fiscally sponsored, can be uploaded to the site to create an individual organizational profile. The profile pulls data from each organization’s website, highlighting the organization’s mission, impact, and giving opportunities as a direct way to connect the community to what organizations need right now – from products and supplies to donations to ways to volunteer through hands-on or skilled volunteering.
ReImagineCVA is one more way for your organization to attract the attention of potential sponsors. Consider joining today.
Given the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NCCF has awarded grants to local nonprofits working to protect the health of critical migrant farmworkers, as well as provide financial support to needy families and college-bound students. NCCF awarded a total of $61,500 in grants in its Winter 2020 application cycle.
The newly formed Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative received a grant to support its mission to develop health care and educational resources for migrant and seasonal farmworkers. CVFWI initially is using the funds to spearhead the implementation of a COVID mitigation collaboration involving local growers, farmworkers, and health care providers to screen and vaccinate seasonal and migrant workers. The collaboration has the backing of large area growers who depend on this important source for farm laborers.
Blue Ridge Interfaith Ministry also received a grant to continue providing one-time financial assistance for utilities and other needs to indigent households.
The Monticello Area Community Action Agency’s emergency assistance program—newly renamed “Navigation”—also received a grant to help low-income families with rent, utilities, and other needs.
In addition, MACAA’s “Project Discovery” program received a grant to continue supporting low-income, first-generation college-bound high school students. In a year that has been particularly challenging for both students and educators, the program has focused on providing technology to bolster students’ virtual learning capabilities.
NCCF awards grants twice a year, in June and December. The deadline for winter grant applications is December 31, 2020.
NCCF makes grants to local nonprofits (and local chapters of national nonprofits) that support education, seniors, medical/dental care, hunger abatement, substance abuse treatment, refurbishing of substandard housing, and other humanitarian aid. However, we do not make grants for endowments, deficit reduction, and other purposes not covered in our mission. Click here to apply for a grant.
