SisterFund Grants

SisterFund Grants, part of a collective giving circle at the Community Foundation, empowers African American women through philanthropy. With over 45 members, SisterFund focuses on enhancing educational opportunities, leadership development, and health for women and girls in the Richmond area. Grant priorities include advocacy for systemic reform, teacher training, and health equity. Organizations eligible for funding must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving specific localities, aiming to create impactful change for African American communities.

SisterFund is a collective giving circle at the Community Foundation. The focus is on donor education and grant-making initiative, uniting civic-minded African American women’s ideas and actions through philanthropy and collective giving.
SisterFund members engage in an experience that transforms our community in this powerful journey of giving.
The mission of SisterFund is to invest in local nonprofits engaged in helping African American women and girls chart a positive future for themselves through gains in education, workforce, leadership development, and health.
Grant Priorities
EducationAdvocacy and promotion of systemic reform and improvement in the quality of educational opportunities for African American women and girls Teacher/educator trainingTutoring, life coaching, and/or mentoringEnrichment opportunities beyond the classroom that expose students to potential educational or career pathsLeadership Development and SupportCoaching, mentoring, and/or training for African-American Female Executive Directors & CEOs of nonprofit organizations Workforce Development & SupportPrograms to support entrepreneurs Apprenticeship or job skills training programsEmpowermentPrograms that focus on social emotional development of adolescent girls, including those that focus on building self-confidence Programs that promote a positive self image/self concept for women and girls HealthPromotion of healthy lifestylesPromotion of equity in health care access and delivery of services

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for a SisterFund grant, your organization must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that serves the Cities of Richmond and Petersburg and/or the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, Goochland, and/or Powhatan. SisterFund seeks to support nonprofits that impact African American women and girls through efforts outlined in the Grant Priorities section.

Ineligibility

We regret that we cannot accept applications from:Individual religious institutionsPrivate foundationsColleges and universitiesIndividuals or scholarship applicantsWe also cannot accept applications to support:Debt reduction or operational deficitsEndowments or memorialsBridge funding or interim financingLegal expenses