Williamsburg Community Foundation Community Grants

The Williamsburg Community Foundation (WCF) offers community grants to support initiatives benefiting residents of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County. Organizations can apply for up to $5,000 through a streamlined application process that covers multiple funding opportunities. WCF prioritizes areas such as arts, culture, health, and community wellness, ensuring assistance reaches those in need. The foundation encourages first-time applicants to reach out for guidance before submission.

NOTE:
To make it easier for nonprofits to apply for funding, WCF now uses one grant application for both of our competitive grant rounds, regardless of the type of funding requested. This streamlined process means your organization can apply for multiple funding opportunities with a single application.In the past, organizations applied separately for Community Grants and Special Interest Grants (Altshuler Transportation, McGiffert Fund for the Performing Arts, and An Occasion for the Arts). Now there is just one application. All applications are automatically considered for Community Grants. If selected for a grant, your award may include funding from multiple WCF funds, which will be detailed in your award notification.If you have never applied before, please contact us first.
The Williamsburg Community Foundation enhances the quality of life in greater Williamsburg by connecting people with causes that matter, managing charitable funds, and providing grants and scholarships for our community’s most pressing needs and promising opportunities.
You may request up to $5,000 for programs that benefit residents in the City of Williamsburg, James City County and York County.WCF grantmaking priorities include the following broad categories (click on each to learn more):

• Arts and CultureChildren and Young AdultsEnvironment and ConservationHealth & Community Wellness & Economic MobilitySenior Services
• WCF grants also impact the following special interest areas:

Affordable and Accessible Transportation - Benjamin R. Altshuler Memorial FundVisual Arts - An Occasion for the ArtsVocal performances for adult audiences - Genevieve McGiffert Fund for the Musical Performing ArtsSupport for low-income women and girls – Williamsburg Fund for Women & GirlsSupport for low-income women and seniors – Peggy J. Swain Memorial FundBicycling – Mary Turnbull Bike & Walk Fund

Eligibility

The Foundation will make grants to organizations within its service area:that are qualified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(3); by the Internal Revenue Service and to private operating foundations,
government entities for public purposesor under certain circumstances religious organizations.

Ineligibility

The Foundation will not make grants for:unspecified use of funds;retroactive funding for any project expenses incurred before the Foundation’s decision date;multi-year grants or commitments;public and private K-12 schools except where specific funds (Altshuler Fund, Occasion for the Arts Fund) have indicated that the fund will support public and private K-12 schools.* Funding should be used to support activities or purchases that are not otherwise funded by local, state or federal government funds;religious purposes (but may be made to religious organizations for projects with a broad-based, inclusive community benefit);political or partisan purposes;individuals;a program or activity that engages in discrimination that would otherwise be prohibited by law;The Foundation will not generally make a grant two years in a row to an organization for the same project.