Grants

Jar of pennies with a young plant growing out of it

Need a Little Seed Money?

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Jar of pennies with a young plant growing out of itOur 2024 Green Grant applications are now available on our Green Grant Program webpage!  Each year we award thirty grants for environmental projects and programs to groups and organizations in Virginia.  The Green Grants program empowers groups all across Virginia to make an environmental impact in their own communities.  This is one of the ways we can engage the people who live in Virginia to improve our natural and scenic environment.

Applications can be submitted between now and April 30, 2024.  Thirty awards will be announced, one each day, in June.  Grant awards are available for $500, $750, or $1,000 proposals. You can read the general Grant Application Guidelines for more information, and can apply in any of the four categories:  Litter Prevention, Recycling/Waste Reduction, Cigarette Litter Prevention, or Community Beautification.

There is so much we can do within our own communities, and we hope a little seed money can help you start or enhance a program or try a new method of living in a more sustainable way.

Here are some ideas for projects and programs that you may need to solve a need for

  • Install cigarette butt receptacles in a no-smoking area or parking lot in your;Green Grants Logo
  • Host a Fix-it Fair to keep items out of the landfill that will have life left in them after small repairs;
  • Purchase grabbers, safety vests, and gloves for volunteers to clean up roads and the landscape;
  • Start a composting program with produce that would be thrown away at a restaurant or at a farmers market, to reduce food waste;
  • Supply your classroom with re-usable lunch boxes, water bottles, storage bags, cloth napkins, and utensils to see how much less trash you create each day.

Thank you for caring about the natural and scenic environment in your community, I hope that you’ll apply for a Green Grant this year.  Please reach out to Beckey Watson at [email protected] if you have any questions about the program.

Green Gifts logo of a gift with leaves for a ribbon and KVB logo

Green Gifts for You

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Green Gifts logo of a gift with leaves for a ribbon and KVB logoIt’s hard to believe that our organization has been striving for a cleaner, greener Commonwealth for 70 years!  What started out in 1953 as the Virginia Anti-Litterbug Council, became Keep Virginia Beautiful, Inc., a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.  We’ve enjoyed the support of our Board members, volunteers, event participants, sponsors, local Affiliates, allied partners, and donors.  We’ve come a long way together!

One of the ways we’re celebrating this year is by offering YOU gifts – Green Gifts!  We want you to have the resources to reduce waste and beautify Virginia.

Applications for Green Gifts will be accepted between September 15 – October 15, 2023, and decisions will be announced by the end of October.  The form is very short, and won’t take long for you to tell us what you would like to accomplish with a Green Gift!

Schools, faith groups, scouts, civic, and other organizations are invited to apply in the category that best suits their needs.  (Awards will not be made to individuals.)  You may apply for more than one category, but each group may only receive one award.

  • Trex Bench  To beautify to a public space to encourage community gathering
  • Glasdon Recycling Bins  Set of 6 recycling bins to start or add to your recycling program
  • Dumpsters.com  Use of a roll-off dumpster for large-scale cleanups (check for areas served)
  • Cigarette Litter Prevention Program   Supplies, including a mounted receptacle, 10 car cup ashtrays, and 50 pocket ashtrays, to encourage others to collect cigarette butts to be recycled
  • Dogipot Pet Waste Station  To encourage proper disposal of pet waste in a public area

If you’d like to learn more, click HERE for details and photos of the Green Gifts that will be awarded.

Please review the full Green Gifts Guidelines before applying.  The application form is at the bottom of the Green Gifts webpage.

If you have questions about the Green Gift campaign, please contact Beckey Watson, Development Director, [email protected].

Thank you for joining in our mission to improve the natural and scenic environment of Virginia! We are grateful to our sponsors for supporting our Green Gift campaign:

Trex logo, grey oval                           Glasdon logo

   Dumpsters.com logo               PepsiCo Logo         
Keep America Beautiful - Green Trees Logo

Green Grants Logo

Five Fall Green Grants Awarded

, , , , , , ,

Green Grants LogoAs we continue to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Keep Virginia Beautiful, we’re happy to announce five Fall Green Grants were awarded to our local affiliates and allied partners!  These organizations work hard year-round to keep their communities clean and green.  Here are the awards for this special Fall Green Grants Program:

Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, $1,000 for Recycling
UTRR plans to conduct its second Fix-it-Fair for the citizens of Russell County. The first fair, held in the fall of 2022, was a rousing success. The event will have six “fixers” available:  mending/sewing, furniture repair, small appliance repair, evaluation of electronics, and jewelry repair. The fixers will offer to repair the items free of charge to the citizens.

The purpose of the Fair is to encourage people to repair items they already have, instead of throwing them away and buying a new product.  That’s a great way to recycle and reuse!

Keep Suffolk Beautiful, $500 for Litter Prevention
KSB launched a successful litter kit lending program with Suffolk Public Libraries several years ago.  It allows residents with library cards to “check out” litter kits (for 4 people) from each of their public library locations.  The Library Lending Litter Kit program is widely used, and is in need of repair or replacement of supplies, as well as a fresh logo and marketing to reach additional library patrons.

Having supplies for a litter cleanup is a great way for families or neighbors to safely remove litter from the landscape.  If you’re a resident of Suffolk, we encourage you to go to your local library and “Check it out!”

Keep James City County Beautiful, $1,000 for Community Beautification
KJCCB currently works with Master Gardeners on two gardens on County property:  the Pollinator Garden at Veterans Park, and the Water-Wise Demonstration Garden at the Human Services Building. KJCCB will use grant funds to purchase plant markers for both gardens and an educational sign about the Water Wise garden, to replace an outdated sign with no information.

Helping the public to identify and learn more about native plants is a great way to increase the number of backyards that include native plants for enjoyment by pollinators and neighbors!

askHRgreen, $1,000 for Litter Prevention
askHRgreen.org is a public awareness program of the 17 cities and counties of Hampton Roads that encourages environmental stewardship among all residents in southeastern Virginia.  They host hundreds of small local cleanups throughout the year.  A lack of litter grabbers and other cleanup supplies has been a barrier in the past to recruiting volunteers. Funds from this grant will be used to purchase 150 litter grabbers and 40 five-gallon buckets to create 40 additional litter kits for public use.

In a coastal region like Hampton Roads, litter on the ground almost always travels into a waterway becoming marine debris and harming natural systems.  The litter kits will enable volunteers to clean up land areas and water ways!

Clean Valley Council, $1,000, for Recycling
CVC will host their first “Reuse it and Repair it Fair,” where residents with lightly damaged or broken items will connect with local skilled volunteers to fix them. Items such as electronics, bicycles, clothing, shoes, small appliances, musical instruments, athletic equipment, and jewelry will be accepted.  Grant funds will be used to purchase basic tools and supplies, and will include activities for children, enabling them to learn how to accomplish simple repairs.

Entrance to the Fair will be free. Local nonprofit partners will be on site as well, offering their services to the community.

Congratulations to our Fall Green Grant Awardees!  This brings our total to 35 awards for Green Grants projects and programs during 2023 – which means we’re halfway to our goal of supporting 70 community projects to celebrate our 70th Anniversary.

We’ll be announcing more information soon about the remaining 35 Green Gifts that we’re giving away this fall!

People building a house

Habitat for Humanity – Roanoke Valley is Awarded $1,000 Green Grant

, , , , , , ,

People building a houseOur final 2022 Green Grant is awarded today!  That totals thirty Green Grants awarded in the month of June!  Congratulations to Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley for their Community Beautification project that was selected by the judges to receive a $1,000 Green Grant!

Founded in 1986, Habitat for Humanity – Roanoke Valley has built or rehabbed nearly 260 homes providing homeownership to over 1,000 adults and 280 children. They are committed to their mission of building strength, stability, and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing.

Habitat Roanoke is also committed to building and repairing homes in the greenest manner possible and believes that energy efficiency is a major part of the affordable housing solution. The organization’s green goals are pursued through construction materials and practices, recycling programs, and ongoing research for ways to improve all sustainability efforts.

As a community outreach project, Habitat Roanoke will collaborate with the Southeast Action Forum civic group and volunteers to transform a vacant lot near two major roads into a place that will become a beautiful community gathering space.

The Community Beautification project will involve local residents (adults and children) working together to clean the area that was formerly a dump site.  They will enhance the area by painting a mural of sunflowers on a 100-foot wall. Residents will work under the supervision of a local artist and Southeast Action Forum leadership. The City of Roanoke supports this initiative, as does the owner of the wall that will be decorated.

Funds from the Green Grant will be used to purchase supplies for the planned improvements to the new gathering space including tarps, rollers, paint, paint brushes, a stipend for the artist, two permanent trash bins with designed wraps, yard signs, and some seating.  These items along with the work of volunteers and an artist will improve the appearance and use of the blighted area by creating a gathering space for residents that is bordered by a mural of sunflowers.

Now that’s a beautiful idea!  We can’t wait to see the pictures!

Children smiling

$1,000 Award Goes to the Children’s Museum of Richmond

, , , , , ,

Children smilingCongratulations to the Children’s Museum of Richmond for their Green Grant award of $1,000 in the Recycling Category!  By installing a water refilling station at their downtown location, they will offer families the opportunity to refill water bottles brought from home.

Community volunteers created the Children’s Museum of Richmond in 1981, with the goal of designing a place to inspire young children to develop their imaginations.  Their mission is to inspire growth in all children by engaging families in learning through play.

Through its 40+ year history, the museum dedicated its efforts toward further serving our local communities by bringing even more opportunities to learn and play closer to where our visitors work and live.

The Children’s Museum of Richmond’s Downtown location currently has several water fountain areas for families to use during their visit. However, they do not have a place for families to refill water bottles that they bring with them. The Museum does offer individual plastic bottles of water for sale at the front desk. The water refilling station will help the Children’s Museum reduce its own waste footprint by limiting the number of plastic bottles sold.

The Children’s Museum serves children 0-8 years old and their families. As an educational institution, they know the importance of teaching foundational skills and knowledge to the youngest citizens. Funds received from the Green Grant will be used to purchase a water refilling station.  This will allow the Museum to expand its environmental education by talking about the water refilling station and the benefits that it provides. Information and signs at the  refilling stations, along with parent-led and teacher-led prompts, will explain the impact of plastic on Richmond, Virginia, the United States, and the world at large.  This will be a practical addition to the Museum as an educational tool for those that visit.

The hope is that by setting the example of refilling water bottles, rather than depending on single use bottles of water, it will introduce good habits at an early age.  Providing children with a strong sense of environmental ethics while they’re young will make eco-friendliness second nature to them as they grow up.

Large Fake Cigarette Butts

Green Grant of $1,000 Awarded to askHRgreen for Cigarette Litter Prevention

, , , , , , , , ,

Large Fake Cigarette ButtsToday’s Green Grant award goes to askHRgreen in the amount of $1,000 for their Cigarette Litter Prevention Program.  It’s one of thirty grants being awarded throughout Virginia in June as part of our 12th Annual “Green Grants” Program.

askHRgreen.org is a public awareness program of the 17 cities and counties of Hampton Roads that is administered through the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission. askHRgreen encourages environmental stewardship among all residents in southeastern Virginia.

askHRgreen.org is dedicated to curbing cigarette litter and are actively engaged in educating the public about cigarette litter through their #NoButtsAboutIt campaign. There are two key parts to this campaign. First, large-scale cigarette butt replicas were constructed and are displayed in prominent locations around the region, bringing awareness to the problem of cigarette litter. At two feet tall, the cigarette replicas make a big statement that cigarette litter is not a small problem.

For the second action item to the #NoButtsAboutIt campaign, askHRgreen.org places cigarette waste receptacles into the hands of local businesses to assist them in eliminating cigarette butt litter on the ground and in the landscape.  Locating a convenient disposal option for smokers at transition points, such as the entry door from the parking lot of retail businesses, restaurants, grocery stores, gyms, libraries, and more, is a proven way to combat cigarette litter.

askHRgreen LogoInitially launched in spring 2021, the program has provided 48 cigarette receptacles to area businesses thus far, at no charge. This represents a small number of the businesses interested in receiving a cigarette butt receptacle at their location. There are over 100 additional requests pending for receptacles.

The Green Grant funding will help askHRgreen provide an additional twelve receptacles for area businesses, as well as create new outreach materials featuring the #NoButtsAboutIt large-scale cigarette butts.

With cigarette butts being the most often littered item in Virginia, it’s good to see programs like this one that will give smokers options for proper disposal of cigarette butts.  Congratulations askHRgreen!

Cville TimeBank Logo

Cville TimeBank receives $500 Green Grant for Repair Café

, , , , , , , , , ,

Cville TimeBank LogoWe’re about a week away from announcing the last of the thirty grants in June as part of our 12th Annual “Green Grants” Program!

To help repair broken items, the Cville Timebank has been awarded a $500 grant for its Repair Café initiative.

The Cville Timebank is an organized exchange system through which members earn Time Dollars for time spent helping other members. One hour of service earns one Time Dollar, and everyone’s time and service are valued equally. Cville TimeBank keeps track of service offers, requests, exchanges, and Time Dollars.  Some recent examples are learning how to make sushi, one member repairing an heirloom quilt for another member.  And a request to dig four post holes was answered by a member who had that ability and time to offer that service!

At a Repair Café event, hosted by Cville Timebank, folks bring their broken stuff to be repaired by volunteers for free. It’s a fun, friendly way to keep perfectly good stuff out of the landfill and spend some quality time together as a community.

Funds awarded by the Green Grant will go towards putting on the Repair Café and purchasing supplies needed for repairs, such as replacement electrical cords and plugs, assorted sewing supplies, bulbs, batteries, tape, glue, and gloves.  Cville Timebank expects about 50-75 attendees, each allowed to bring in up to three items for free repair.  All those items will be put back into service and kept out of the landfill!

What a great way to reuse what we already have – congratulations Cville Timebank!

Gloucester Logo

Gloucester Clean Community Bags a $1,000 Green Grant

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Gloucester LogoGloucester Clean Community’s “Bag It Up” campaign was selected as one of the thirty Green Grant Awards we’re announcing each day in June.  Their goal is to offer reusable grocery bags to consumers at the farmers’ market this summer to decrease the amount of single-use plastic bags used during food purchases.

Although plastic produce and shopping bags are popular with consumers because they’re lightweight, and a hygienic way of carrying food item, they can take their toll on the environment.  Many plastic bags are sent to the landfill, fowl up recycling sorting equipment, or end up littering the landscape, becoming a hazard for farming and mowing equipment as well as wildlife.

Clean Community is aiming to help mitigate the use of single-use plastic bags in their community. Through a public outreach program, they plan to provide community members with reusable bags at farm stands in Gloucester.  They want to educate and encourage residents and visitors to think before automatically picking up single-use plastic bags.  They hope to enlist the help of the local 4-H, boy scouts or girl scouts to assist in enlightening the youth and the public by handing out reusable cloth bags at local farm stands.

Green Grant funds will be used to purchase reusable grocery bags to give away for free to the public.

Farmers' MarketClean Community will measure how many bags are handed out throughout the summer. A short survey or outreach will be offered to people regarding their knowledge of plastic pollution and ask why they do or do not use reusable grocery bags. Any leftover reusable grocery bags will be used to hold our Clean Gloucester Day cleanup volunteers’ supplies for our Fall Cleanup.

Gloucester County Clean Community in Gloucester strives to help keep Gloucester County clean and green. They promote recycling and proper disposal of solid waste, facilitates group cleanups and beautification projects, as well as conduct community outreach and education programs for schools.

Way to keep your community clean Gloucester!  Congratulations!

$1,000 Grant goes to Groundwork RVA!

, , , , , , , , , ,

Litter near riverTo help today’s youth understand urban waterways and how the impact we have on rivers impact the source of drinking water for the city, Groundwork RVA was awarded a $1,000 grant as part of Keep Virginia Beautiful’s 12th Annual Green Grants Program.

Groundwork RVA’s mission is to cultivate the next generation of urban conservationists. They work with youth and communities to facilitate environmental, economic, and social well-being in neighborhoods by changing places, lives, and systems, believing that a greener Richmond works for everyone in the city.

The Green Team is Groundwork RVA’s high school-aged program.  They work as a community-based conservation leadership program that emphasizes urban environmental restoration, job readiness, and service-learning.

Groundworks LogoThis summer, the Green Team plans to embark on a mission to better understand urban waterways and the impact that individuals have on the river that serves as the source of drinking water for the city.  The Green Team will tour Richmond City water treatment facilities to understand what happens to the water before it reaches people’s homes, and once it leaves.

Several key litter cleanup locations will be identified and adopted by the Green Team. The cleanup sites will consist of locations accessible by foot as well as river islands that are only accessible by boat. The youth will visit these sites weekly to perform litter cleanup and maintenance. By including these locations, they are accessing areas that many litter cleanup groups are not able to visit.  It also gives their team an opportunity to experience, grow in comfort, and help clean the river. In addition to the weekly litter cleanups, they plan to work with the Forge makerspace at the Science Museum of Virginia to design litter prevention signs.

Green Grant funds will be used for boat rentals to reach river islands, and to purchase litter grabbers, work gloves, and other cleanup supplies.

Thank you for the work you’re doing with our youth Groundwork RVA, and congratulations!

Man at workbench

$1,000 Green Grant Awarded to Upper Tennessee River Roundtable

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Man at workbenchIn an effort to encourage reusing and fixing items that are owned, instead of throwing the item away, the Upper Tennessee River Roundtable will host a Fit-it-fair with funds awarded as part of our 12th Annual Green Grants Program.

The Upper Tennessee River Roundtable provides environmentally beneficial programs to a wide range of communities ranging from cities to rural counties.  They will organize the Fix-it-fair in partnership with Keep Southwest Virginia and the Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District at the local farmers’ market in Russell County.

The event would have “fixers” for mending, furniture repair, small appliance repair, electronic repair, bike repair, handyman, and jewelry repair.  Community members will sign up for time slots online and bring their items in during that time on the day of the event.  Repairs will be made at no cost to the residents.

Green Grant funds will be used to offer a small stipend to those who are repairing items, as well as costs of signage and repair supplies.

Upper TN River LogoRepairing items gives people a chance to hold on to items that have sentimental value, or ones that have a second life in them, and it avoids those items being added  unnecessarily to the landfill.  The area in Southwest Virginia has a strong community with a love for things with historical significance and fixing things in creative ways so, it is expected that the community would celebrate this event wholeheartedly.

We look forward to seeing how many items can be saved by skilled “fixers” and hope to share pictures of this great community event!  Congratulations and good luck!

Load More