This fall, the CFNRV awarded $220,200 in Responsive Grants to community organizations serving the New River Valley (NRV). Since awarding its first grant in 1997, the foundation has awarded more than $7.6 million in grants to fund hundreds of organizations that serve the NRV region.
Each year, the CFNRV invites community organizations, including nonprofits and units of government (such as libraries), to participate in their competitive Responsive Grant application process to apply for up to $4,000 in operating support. This year, 69 organizations received Responsive Grants. These grants are flexible grant dollars that allow recipient organizations to use the funding where it is most needed.
“We made our first grant awards in 1997, giving away $3,000 to NRV nonprofits and schools,” said Jessica Wirgau, chief executive officer of the CFNRV. “Now, to award more than $220,000 in this Responsive Grant Program, and more than $600,000 in grants overall this year is incredibly gratifying. We’re grateful to the nonprofits whose program benefit our community, and to the donors who make these awards possible.”
Endowed funds benefit nonprofit work throughout the region
The CFNRV manages more than 230 endowed funds designed to benefit the New River Valley. These funds give grants to a wide variety of charitable work and award scholarships to students pursuing higher education. During this year’s competitive grants process, 61 of these funds engaged in the grant-making process. These grants support work in the areas of animals, arts and culture, community and civic affairs, education, environment, health and wellness, poverty, and support, parenting, and care.
At a lunch reception at Thorn Spring Golf Course and Event Center in Pulaski in mid-November, the CFNRV recognized each of the Responsive Grant recipients. The event was sponsored by National Bank of Blacksburg, First Bank and Trust Company, and Atlantic Union Bank.
A full list of this year’s grantees can be found below. The CFNRV’s grant applications will open again in late May 2025. More information on the application process can be found at cfnrv.org/grants or by contacting the CFNRV team at cfnrv@cfnrv.org or 540-381-8999.
2024 Awards By locality
Floyd County (9)
- Floyd Center for the Arts
- Floyd County Historical Society
- Floyd Friends of Asylum Seekers
- Handmade Music School
- June Bug Center
- New River Community Action – Floyd Backpack Program
- Plenty!
- Springhouse
- SustainFloyd Foundation
Giles County (6)
- Giles Band Boosters
- Giles Community Garden
- Giles County Christian Service Mission
- Giles County Shelter
- Green Wave Theatre
- Pembroke Women’s Club
Montgomery County (21)
- Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry
- Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation
- Engagement Center for Creative Aging
- Good Samaritan Hospice
- Habitat for Humanity of the NRV
- Historic Smithfield
- Imagination Library – Montgomery County
- Literacy NRV
- Live, Work, Eat, Grow
- Lyric Council
- Montgomery County Christmas Store
- Montgomery Museum of Art & History
- Mount Rogers Community Service Board
- Mountain View Humane
- New River Community Action – CHIP of the New
River Valley - New River Community Action – Virginia CARES
- New River Family Shelter
- NRV CARES
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church – NRV Glean Team
- Virginia Cooperative Extension -Montgomery
- YMCA at Virginia Tech
Pulaski County (7)
- Calfee Center
- Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley
- Pulaski Community Youth Center
- Pulaski County Library System for Imagination Library
- Wilderness Road Regional Museum
- Virginia Cooperative Extension – Pulaski (4-H)
- YMCA of Pulaski County
City of Radford (7)
- Havenwood Equestrian Center
- New River Community Action – Emergency Assistance Program Radford
- New River Community Action Head Start
- New River Community Action Home to Stay
- Radford Clothing Bank
- Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread
- Women’s Resource Center of the NRV
Wythe County (13)
- Bland Ministry & Dental Clinic
- Blessings Wythe Love
- Brock Hughes Free Clinic
- Edith Bolling Wilson Museum
- Family Resource Center
- One-on-One Literacy Program of Wythe & Grayson Counties
- Open Door Community
- Recovery Through Fitness
- Rural Retreat Depot Foundation
- Town of Wytheville Department of Museums
- Wythe County Breast Cancer Coalition
- Wythe County Public Schools Foundation for Excellence
- Wytheville Training School Cultural Center
Based outside the NRV, but serve the region (6)
- Feeding Southwest Virginia
- Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline
- New River Conservancy
- Rx Partnership
- Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center
- Virginia Hunters Who Care
Read on for the details on which of the CFNRV’s funds contributed to each organization’s grant award.
2024 Awards (List of funding total & source)
- Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry received $4,000 total from the Talbot Family Fund, the Todd Family Fund, & the Loving Care Fund
- Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Foundation received $2,000 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Bland Ministry & Dental Clinic received $4,000 from the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- Blessings Wythe Love received $2,000 total from the Loving Care Fund & the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- Brock Hughes Free Clinic received $4,000 total from the Jim & Sue McAlister Family Fund, the Home – Hunger – Health Fund, & the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- Calfee Center received $1,600 from the Piscura Family Endowed Fund
- Edith Bolling Wilson Museum received $2,000 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Engagement Center for Creative Aging received $2,000 from the Litschert Family Fund
- Family Resource Center received $2,000 from the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- Feeding Southwest Virginia received $2,000 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley received $2,400 from the Arts Alliance Endowment Fund
- Floyd Center for the Arts received $4,000 total from the JJ Fund, the Rosina & Dean Carter Fund for the Visual Arts, the Endowment for Floyd County, the Nelle Oakey Ryan Gardner Fund, & the Margaret & Samuel H. Tollison Family Fund
- Floyd County Historical Society received $2,000 total from the Endowment for Floyd County & the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Floyd Friends of Asylum Seekers received $3,000 total from the Endowment for Floyd County & the Piscura Family Fund
- Giles Band Boosters received $4,000 total from the Young Women’s Life Experiences Fund, the Endowment for Giles County, & the Stoop Fund
- Giles Community Garden received $4,000 total from the Susan Garrison Memorial Fund, the Endowment for Giles County, & the Cabell & Shirley Brand & SEEDS Student Fellowship & Mini-Grant Fund
- Giles County Christian Service Mission received $4,000 from the Endowment for Giles County
- Giles County Shelter (The Hope House) received $4,000 from the Endowment for Giles County
- Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline received $2,000 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Good Samaritan Hospice received $4,000 total from the Daniel C. & Joanne L. Bell Endowment Fund, the Silver Care Endowment Fund, the Worthington-Dolloff Cancer Treatment Assistance Fund, & the Sarah Lee Alderson Memorial Fund
- Green Wave Theatre received $2,000 from the Endowment for Giles County
- Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley received $2,560 from the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund
- Handmade Music School received $1,000 from the Endowment for Floyd County
- Havenwood Equestrian Center received $2,000 from the Litschert Family Fund
- Historic Smithfield $4,000 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Imagination Library – Montgomery County received $4,000 total from the Mary E. Sanders Family Fund, the Smart Beginnings NRV Charitable Fund, & the Luba Fabrycky Memorial Endowment Fund
- June Bug Center received $4,000 total from the Katherine M. & William H. Sanders Family Fund, the Carolyn & Donald Rude Family Fund, the Luba Fabrycky Memorial Endowment Fund, the Endowment for Floyd County, & the Miller Family Fund
- Literacy NRV received $4,000 total from the Dan & Beverly Fleming Family Fund, the Shuler Family Reading Fund, the Fund for Equity & Inclusion, & the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund
- Live, Work, Eat, Grow received $4,000 total from the Warren Lloyd Holtzman Merit Grant Fund & the Susan Garrison Memorial Fund
- Lyric Council received $4,000 total from the Virgil Speaks Fund, the Jane Brugh Layman Charitable Fund, & the Community Service Fund
- Montgomery County Christmas Store received $4,000 from the Children’s Shelter Home Endowment Fund
- Montgomery Museum of Art & History received $2,400 from the Arts Alliance Endowment Fund
- Mount Rogers Community Service Board received $2,940 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Health Care Fund & the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- Mountain View Humane received $4,000 total from the Paws & Claws Endowment Fund & the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- New River Community Action – Children’s Health Improvement Partnership (CHIP) of the New River Valley received $1,960 total from the Loving Care Fund & the Endowment for Giles County
- New River Community Action – Radford Emergency Assistance Program received $2,000 total from the Piscura Family Fund, Ghia Borg Memorial Fund, the Sarah Lee Alderson Memorial Fund, the Margaret & Samuel H. Tollison Family Fund, & the Miller Family Fund
- New River Community Action – Floyd Backpack Program received $1,000 from the Endowment for Floyd County
- New River Community Action – Virginia CARES (Community Action Re-Entry System) received $2,000 total from the Endowment for Giles County & the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- New River Community Action Head Start received $4,000 total from the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund & the Luba Fabrycky Memorial Endowment Fund
- New River Community Action Home to Stay Program received $4,000 from the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund
- New River Conservancy received $4,000 from the Homer T. & Beverly A. Hurst Family Endowed Fund
- New River Family Shelter received $4,000 total from the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund & the David & Lillian Francis Charitable Endowment
- NRV CARES received $4,000 total from the Robert E. & Nadine J. Newcomb Parenting Skills Fund, the Matthew Allen Special Memorial Fund, the Children’s Shelter Home Endowment Fund, & the Cabell & Shirley Brand & SEEDS Student Fellowship & Mini-Grant Fund
- One-on-One Literacy Program of Wythe & Grayson Counties received $4,000 total from the Wythe County United Legacy Fund & the Gerus Blieszner Fund
- Open Door Community received $4,000 from the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- Pembroke Women’s Club received $4,000 total from the Lydia Roeske Wright Memorial Fund, the Children’s Shelter Home Endowment, the Endowment for Giles County, & the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Plenty! received $1,000 from the Endowment for Floyd County
- Pulaski Community Youth Center received $4,000 from the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund
- Pulaski County Library System for Imagination Library received $4,000 from the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund
- Radford Clothing Bank received $4,000 total from the Loving Care Fund & the Janice Woodward Endowment Fund
- Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread received $4,000 from the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund
- Recovery Through Fitness received $2,000 from the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- Rural Retreat Depot Foundation received $4,000 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Rx Partnership received$4,000 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Health Care Fund
- Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center received $4,000 from the Highlands Fund
- Springhouse received $4,000 total from the Robert & Emily Stuart Grassroots Leadership Development Fund, the Endowment for Floyd County, & the Gerus Blieszner Fund
- St. Mary’s Catholic Church – NRV Glean Team received $4,000 total from the HMM Poverty Assistance Fund & the Sarah Lee Alderson Memorial Fund
- SustainFloyd Foundation received$4,000 total from the Mary Jean & John L. Brown Endowment & the 4-17 Fund
- Town of Wytheville Department of Museums received $4,000 from the Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Virginia Cooperative Extension Pulaski 4-H received $4,000 from the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund
- Virginia Cooperative Extension Montgomery County received $4,000 total from the Loving Care Fund & Ghia Borg Memorial Fund
- Virginia Hunters Who Care received $2,560 total from the Wellness Fund, the Hulannie A. Jenkins & Kimberlyn Atherton-Jenkins Family Fund, & the Sarah Lee Alderson Memorial Fund
- Wilderness Road Regional Museum received $4,000 total from the Nicholson Family Fund, the Beatrice S. Kalka Endowment Fund, & the Sarah Lee Alderson Memorial Fund
- Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley received $4,000 total from the Hawk’s Ridge Fund, the David & Lillian Francis Charitable Fund, the Endowment for Giles County, the Blue Roads Educational Fund, & the Gerus Blieszner Fund
- Wythe County Breast Cancer Coalition received $2,000 from the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- Wythe County Public Schools Foundation for Excellence received $2,000 total from the Wythe County United Legacy Fund & the Litschert Family Fund
- Wytheville Training School Cultural Center received $2,000 from the Wythe County United Legacy Fund
- YMCA at Virginia Tech received $1,780 total from the MANISTAL Fund & the Cottingham-Stuart Community Fund
- YMCA of Pulaski County received $4,000 from the Ann & H.W. Huff, Jr. Family Fund