The following represents the Eligibility Principles that the Community Assistance Grant creators believe best represent their goals for the grant. These grant guidelines are specific to the CAG Grant. Northern Piedmont Community Foundation has a set of grant guidelines for all the grant cycles we run throughout the year. You may click here to review NPCF grant guidelines.

Eligibility and Funding Principles: Community Assistance Grant

The Community Assistance Grant program invites proposals for projects from 501(c)(3) nonprofits that have been in operation for at least three years, and who deliver services within Fauquier, Rappahannock and Northern Culpeper counties.
Grants are allocated for program services as well as general operating support. This grant award provides unrestricted funding to help organizations with on-going or emergent needs. By emergent, we mean that the grant awards may fund a specific program or project in which needs are immediate in nature and address or alleviate hardship. We encourage collaborative proposals that build and develop community resources and partnerships. Award amounts generally range from $5,000 to $25,000 and

  • help sustain successful existing programs;

  • scale-up existing programs in the number/areas served;

  • make quality improvements to existing programs;

  • start new programs; or

  • make purchases for needed equipment, supplies, or training

Priority consideration will be given to nonprofits demonstrating strong management and a proven track record of accomplishments.

The Community Assistance Grants begin with an LOI (letter of inquiry). This is the only grant cycle that NPCF runs that has an LOI component. NPCF grant evaluators read your LOI’s and then make the difficult decision on whether to invite your organization to continue and submit a full application. The LOI is submitted online just as you would a grant application.

Letter of Inquiry: Community Assistance Grant*
To all of you creating an LOI - we ask for brevity. This is not meant to be an application. Although we are asking a number of question, we do ask that you find ways to summarize - both for your own mental health and for our evaluators.
Please include the following in your 1-2 page letter of inquiry:

  1. a brief overview of your organization's history and mission,

  2. a description of the proposed project,

  3. how your project addresses an emergent community need,

  4. statement of need: describe your project's target population and impacted geographic area--including how many individuals/groups will be reached,

  5. the expected outcome of your project, and how you plan to evaluate the progress of your project if it is funded.

NPCF may consider offering general operating support instead of project-focused grants, and/or may offer multi-year commitments.

Please click here to go to our online grant application page to begin the process.