Education Grant Program

The 2026 Education Grant application cycle closed at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 17, 2026. We do not accept late applications for any reason.

Applications will be under review from now through October. During the review period, you will not be able to see your application in the system. All decisions will be announced in early November via email and physical mail. If you have questions in the meantime, please reach out at 540-381-8999 or at cfnrv@cfnrv.org.

2026 Grant Cycle

Two CFNRV board members with two representatives from Shawsville Middle School
Representatives from Shawsville Middle School at our 2025 grantee reception.

The Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV) manages several funds that award grants to public school systems. The Education Grant Program invites public school personnel to complete a single application within our online application system to be considered by multiple funding sources.

The Montgomery County Educational Foundation (MCEF) will NOT be soliciting applications through the CFNRV’s online system in 2026. Please visit the MCEF website for more details on that separate application process. You can also contact Dr. Matt Dunleavy, Director of Grants, Innovation & Partnerships at Montgomery County Public Schools at mattdunleavy@mcps.org or at 540-382-5100 ext. 1015.

Eligibility & Grant Amounts

  • Amount Available: Up to $1,500
  • Who is Eligible?: Educators, administrators, guidance counselors, support personnel, students, and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs)/Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) from public schools in the counties of Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, and Wythe, and the City of Radford.
  • What Projects Can Receive Funding?: Applications supporting basic student needs (such as clothing, food, or school supplies) are welcome, as are projects that enhance the classroom or school experience and/or support student clubs, afterschool programs, and extracurricular activities.
  • Application Timeline:
    • Friday, May 29 – Online application opens
    • Friday, July 17 at 5 pm – Application deadline
    • Week of July 20th – end of October – Review process
    • Late October/Early November – Funding decisions announced
    • Mid-November – Grant checks delivered

Application Details

The Education Grant Program asks applicants to provide information about their project as follows:

  • Need & Effectiveness – Describe the need to be addressed and how the proposed project will meet that need.
  • Impact & Benefits – Describe who the project benefits and about how many will benefit.
  • Goals & Objectives – Describe the project’s goals and objectives and how you will track progress.
  • Project Budget – Upload a detailed project budget. The budget should include both expenses and revenues, even if the only source of income would be this grant.

Evaluation

  • Evaluation Criteria: Evaluators will consider how the proposed project provides opportunities above and beyond what is available through public funding, how well the proposed project meets the need described, and the impact and benefits to students, personnel, and the school as a whole. Scoring rubrics can be found below.

Resources

The links below will assist you in setting up an account in the CFNRV’s online application system, completing your application, and understanding the review criteria.

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