30 in 30 Green Grants

July 1 2021

2021 Green Grant Recap

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized

During this year’s 30 in 30 Green Grant program we found that people and organizations came out of their shells to embrace the good kind of change! After receiving a record number of applications, the judges had a difficult time choosing! We would like to thank all who applied, and congratulate our 2021 grant award recipients.

Since 2011, Keep Virginia Beautiful has provided $285,750 for 355 different projects throughout the state! We’ve awarded grants to urban areas, rural counties, historic parks, and municipalities — places as diverse as the Commonwealth itself. Because 2020 was a year that brought the national spotlight to diversity, equity, and inclusion, our organization met to determine how we could better support these groups. We decided to create a special focus of our Green Grants this year to add five additional grant awards specifically to diverse groups and underserved populations.

We would like to extend our gratitude to our judges, for their dedication to reading, evaluating, and scoring all the grant applications. They are experts in their fields, and we appreciate their time!

We would also like to thank our sponsors, without whom this would not be possible:

The Green Grants program demonstrates the power of volunteers and people who have the desire to make a difference in the communities where they live. And the impact of the projects and programs they carry out is multiplied by the number of people who see, and hopefully follow, their example. We are proud to be part of this impact.

The following is a recap of the 2021 projects, with links to descriptions of each grant award. Congratulations to all!

Date	Organization	Award
June 1	Partnership for a new Phoebus	$1,000
June 2	Pretty Purposed*	$1,000
June 2	Friends of the Dahlgren Trail*	$750
June 3	Chancellor Elementary PTA	$1,000
June 4	Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office	$1,000
June 5	Scott County Litter Control	$500
June 6	Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation	$1,000
June 7	SCRAP RVA	$750
June 8	Tech For Troops	$1,000
June 9	Teens with a Purpose*	$1,000
June 9	Culpepper Garden*	$1,000
June 10	Warm Hearth Foundation	$500
June 11	Greenworks Committee	$1,000
June 12	Substance Abuse Free Environment, Inc.	$1,000
June 13	Parish Day School	$1,000
June 14	SOVA Botanical Gardens	$1,000
June 15	Corporation Town of Floyd	$1,000
June 16	RVA Rapid Transit*	$500
June 16	Primeplus Senior Center*	$1,000
June 17	York County Beautification Committee	$500
June 18	16 Frogs Citizens Panel	$1,000
June 19	Friends of Bellemeade Park	$1,000
June 20	City of Buena Vista	$1,000
June 21	Town of Big Stone Gap	$1,000
June 22	Lynchburg Grows	$1,000
June 23	Charterhouse Schools*	$500
June 23	Pulaski County High School*	$1,000
June 24	VTC Env. Institute	$750
June 25	Clean Valley Council	$1,000
June 26	Sustainability Matters	$1,000
June 27	Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads	$500
June 28	Patrick County Chamber of Commerce	$1,000
June 29	Naturally, Newport News	$1,000
June 30	Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Norfolk Chapter*	$1,000
June 30	Kids Central Inc.*	$1,000

*Additional grants were awarded this year to benefit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) organizations that assist diverse groups and underserved populations.

June 30 2021

Green Grant Announcements Wrap up with Two $1,000 Awards

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized At-risk youth, Beautification, Green Grants, LOVE works, recycle, recycling

A special focus of our Green Grants this year is to support diverse groups and underserved populations by adding five additional grant awards, for a total of thirty-five awards. We are pleased to wrap up our thirty days of grant awards announcements with these two special organizations.

Today we recognize Jack and Jill of America, Norfolk Chapter, an organization dedicated to nurturing the next generation of African American leaders by providing children ages 2-19, with experiences that emphasize leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving and civic duty.

Teens with Jack and Jill of America will use their grant funds to host a neighborhood paper shredding event for students at Southside STEM Academy at Campostella. Over 1,000 students in need will be able to pick up vital school supplies, while their families will have the opportunity to safely shred unwanted personal documents.

Today we also recognize Kids Central, a non-profit organization serving over 200 children and families in Southwest Virginia. Kids Central works to prepare vulnerable children to succeed in school and in life by delivering services including early learning, healthcare, and family support.

Kids Central will use their grant funds to install a flower garden with a LOVE sign to promote the love and beauty of the area. The love sign will showcase the cultural heritage of Wise County, Dickenson County, and the City of Norton with photos that depict the unique history of the area.

Every year, government, non-profit, civic and service organizations in Virginia were invited to apply for grants for $500 to $1,000 describing how they plan to tackle an environmental concern in their community regarding Litter Prevention, Recycling, Cigarette Litter Prevention, or Community Beautification. Since 2011, Keep Virginia Beautiful has provided $254,500 for 320 different environmental programs and projects all across the Commonwealth, due to the generosity of their partnership with Altria, as well as additional support from Coca-Cola, WestRock and Keep America Beautiful.

June 29 2021

$1,000 Grant Awarded to Naturally, Newport News

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized cleanup, Cleanup Kit, Green Grants, litter, Litter Prevention, Newport News

Congratulations to today’s award of our 2021 Green Grants — Naturally, Newport News, who will receive a grant award of $1000 for its Litter Prevention project.

Naturally, Newport News is the Keep America Beautiful affiliate for the City of Newport News. They work to strengthen litter awareness and prevention initiatives. Naturally, Newport News recently began a “City Department Challenge,” which encourages city departments to start their own litter cleanup events, using cleanup kits provided by Naturally, Newport News.

Green Grants funds will be used to purchase cleanup kit supplies, including safety vests, litter grabbers, and gloves, to be loaned out for the City Department Challenge.

June 28 2021

Patrick County Chamber of Commerce

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized barn quilt, Beautification, Community, Community Beautification, garden, Green Grants, Pocket Park

Patrick County Chamber of Commerce, in Southwest Virginia, is today’s 30 in 30 Green Grant award announcement! They will receive $1000 for their Community Beautification project.

The Patrick County Chamber of Commerce works to promote economic development, workforce training, tourism and activities that enhance business and civic leadership. Their Community Beautification project focuses on a town-owned lot adjacent to a local restaurant in downtown Stuart. The space will be converted into a vibrant pocket park. Tony’s Pizza Pocket Park is highly visible from the main thoroughfare and convenient to restaurants for outdoor dining.

The Patrick County Chamber of Commerce will use their grant funds to purchase large planters and supplies to plant flowers in the new park, and will paint the existing picnic tables. The Patrick County Barn Quilt group will paint large barn quilts to create a blind for the dumpster, while depicting local heritage through the designs.

June 27 2021

Green Grant Award Goes to Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized cigarette butts, Cigarette Litter, cleanup, Green Grants, Portsmouth, streets

Congratulations to today’s award of our 2021 Green Grants — Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads, in Portsmouth, will receive a grant award of $500 for its Cigarette Litter Prevention project!

Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering students to stay in school and achieve in life. They work with communities to provide students with assistance from matters relating to food and healthcare, as well as academic assistance and mentorship programs.

Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads recently launched the “Keep Our Streets Clean” initiative, which is designed to reduce the amount of cigarette litter in the community. The project will focus on making cigarette trash receptacles more accessible, and educating community members on the importance of properly disposing of cigarettes. Communities in Schools of Hampton Roads will use their grant funds to purchase fire-safe outdoor ashtrays and additional trash cans.

We’re grateful to have partners like these that are tackling the #1 most littered item, cigarette butts!

June 26 2021

Sustainability Matters Awarded $1,000 Green Grant

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized Beautification, Community, environment, garden, Green Grants, landfill, native plants, pollinator garden, Pollinators, trash, wildflowers, Wildlife

Congratulations to today’s award of our 2021 Green Grants, Sustainability Matters, in Shenandoah County, who will receive a grant award of $1000 for its Community Beautification project.

Sustainability Matters is a grassroots organization in rural Shenandoah Valley that provides knowledge, motivation, and a peer support to landowners, farmers, and small business owners, enabling them to implement positive environmental practices, support pollinators and wildlife, and grow their own food. They recently launched the project “Making Trash Bloom,” an initiative to plant landfill trash cells with native perennial meadows instead of turf grass. Landfills seal a 5-acre trash cell every 3-5 years, and the land can never be used to grow crops or be planted with trees. Turf grass, the current preference for planting trash cells, has little ecological value.

The plan for the Community Beautification project from Sustainability Matters is to plant native wildflowers on completed trash cells instead of turf grass, turning this under-used area into a crucial habitat for wildlife and pollinators. It will also be a beautiful area for the public to see as they go to or pass by the landfill. Grant funds will be used to purchase seeds and planting supplies for blossoming gardens at landfills.

June 25 2021

$1,000 Grant Awarded to Clean Valley Council

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized cleanup, Green Grants, litter, Litter Prevention, Roanoke

We continue to announce the awards for our annual 30 in 30 Green Grants each day during June. Today, we’re pleased to award Clean Valley Council, in Roanoke, a grant of $1000 for its Litter Prevention project.

Clean Valley Council is an environmental conservation organization that provides educational programming on issues including litter prevention, recycling, storm water protection and stewardship in Southwest Virginia.

Clean Valley Council will use their grant funds to purchase litter grabbers, reusable gloves, and other supplies for litter cleanup events. They host two scheduled cleanups a year, in the spring and fall. They also offer Anytime Cleanups for community members. They have several Anytime Cleanup Satellite Stations to make litter prevention easy and accessible for all.

June 24 2021

VTC Environmental Institute is Awarded a Green Grant

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized award, awards, environment, erosion control, Green Grants, Native grasses, native plants, Petersburg

Congratulations to today’s award of our 2021 Green Grants! VTC Environmental Institute, in Virginia Beach, will receive $750 for their Community Beautification project. We continue to announce one grant award each day during the month of June.

VTC Environmental Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to working with lawn and landscape industries, cities, environmental groups, and others to preserve and restore the environment.

VTC Environmental Institute will work with Virginia Cooperative Extension Agents at Virginia State University to establish erosion control projects in the City of Petersburg. Erosion control is important for maintaining soil quality, filtering pollutants that end up in our waterways, and providing natural habitats for wildlife and vegetation. VTC Environmental Institute will use their grant funds to purchase native grasses for this project and materials for amending the nutrient-drained soil.

June 23 2021

Two Beautiful Projects Awarded Green Grants

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized ADA compliant, Beautification, garden, Grant, Grants, native plants, Sensory Trail

A special focus of our Green Grants this year is to support diverse groups and underserved populations by adding five additional grant awards, for a total of thirty-five awards!

Today we recognize Pulaski County High School, a public high school who will receive $1,000 for their “Sensory Trail” Community Beautification project. They began converting overgrown walking paths behind the school to a handicap-accessible trail and native plant oasis. The Sensory Trail is designed for people with disabilities, and follows ADA compliances.

Pulaski County High School will use their grant funds to add native plants, with a focus on pollinator-friendly perennials. They will set up poles and ropes to mark the Sensory Trail, and add educational exhibits along the pathway. The trail will serve as a much-needed outdoor space for students and community members.

Today we also recognize Charterhouse School – Edinburg, a school dedicated to supporting high-risk children and families, collaborating with communities to help them reach their full potential.

They will receive $500 for their Flower Box Beautification project to restore flower boxes at the front entrance of their school building. Students will plant new flowers that are native to Virginia and pollinator-friendly. This will be an opportunity for students to learn about gardening and the value of pollinators, as well as practicing counting skills and measuring plant growth.

June 21 2021

Big Stone Gap Awarded $1,000 Green Grant

Beckey Watson 30 in 30 Green Grants, Uncategorized award, cigarette butts, Cigarette Litter, CLPP, Downtown, Green Grants

Congratulations to the Township of Big Stone Gap, today’s award of our 2021 Green Grants! They will receive a $1000 grant for their Cigarette Litter Prevention Project. We’ll be announcing one each day during the month of June.

Big Stone Gap is a town of over 5,000 people in Wise County. The Township is working to beautifying the downtown historical district and convert from a coal-reliant entity to a tourism-driven economy. With surrounding historical venues and outdoor recreation, he Historic Downtown is currently growing with several new restaurants and shops.

However, as tourism activity has increased in Big Stone Gap, there has been a subsequent rise in cigarette littering. Big Stone Gap will use funds from their Green Grants award to purchase and install cigarette receptacles in high traffic areas around town, including the historic downtown and public parks. The placement of receptacles will provide a significant reduction in cigarette littering, and beautify the town in the process.