Richard Lykes Rappahannock Community Fund Grant

The Richard Lykes Rappahannock Community Fund, established through a bequest from Richard Lykes, aims to enhance the quality of life in Rappahannock County. This fund supports nonprofit organizations based in the county or projects that specifically benefit its residents. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $10,000, addressing community challenges and creating new opportunities. Richard Lykes, a dedicated photojournalist and community member, left a lasting legacy through this fund.

Richard Lykes Biography
Richard Lykes was a freelance photojournalist whose work most often appeared in the Rappahannock News (Washington, Virginia). He was active in a number of county civic organizations including the Ki Theatre, the Rappahannock Association for the Arts and the Community (RAAC), the Rappahannock Historical Society, and the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection (RLEP). Lykes lived at Vista Hermosa Farm on Fogg Mountain near Flint Hill which he and his partner, Buddy Darden, purchased in 1992. He was an avid photographer since the mid-1950s but turned professional upon coming to Rappahannock County.
Before retiring in 2000 as an economist and research director for the Manufacturers Alliance, Lykes wrote extensively on international trade and authored several studies, including A Handbook on Financing U.S. Exports and Are You Ready for Disaster? A Corporate Guide for Preparedness and Response. Born in Laredo, Texas, Lykes attended college at George Washington University (B.A. and M.A. in International Affairs/Economics). Growing up bilingual in Spanish and English, Lykes also studied abroad at Mexico City College (Mexico) and did graduate work in international law at the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina) as a Rotary Foundation Fellow. Lykes has an identical twin brother, Roy, of Silver Spring, Maryland and brother, Dr. Frederick Lykes of Victoria, Texas. Richard Lykes died February 25, 2009.
A bequest from long-time Rappahannock resident Richard Lykes enabled the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation to create the Richard Lykes Rappahannock Community Fund, which is focused on improving the quality of life in Rappahannock County, addressing community challenges or creating new opportunities. Award amounts generally range from $1,000 to $10,000.

Eligibility

The Community Foundation’s competitive grant process seeks proposals from nonprofit organizations based in Rappahannock County or from any organization with a project that has specific benefit to residents of that county.