The Virginia Outdoors Foundation is making $1.7 million available from its Preservation Trust Fund (PTF) and Get Outdoors (GO) programs for grants that protect open space for public use.
Of the total, $1.3 million is reserved for PTF Public Access grants, which may be used to acquire land, easements, rights of way, lease agreements, or other interests in real estate that result in significant public access. The real estate interest must either be acquired by a local government or conveyed to VOF to be eligible for funding, and protection must meet the requirements of Virginia’s Open-Space Land Act.
The remaining $400,000 is reserved for GO grants, which may be used to fund infrastructure, studies, planning, and capacity building to enable safe use of, or access to, public open space, as well as for acquisition. GO grants prioritize underserved communities. Individual projects may receive no more than $25,000.
The application deadline for both grant programs is 11:59 p.m. EST, March 11, 2022. Application forms, eligibility requirements, and other materials may be found online at https://vof.org/ptf and https://vof.org/go. VOF encourages potential applicants to contact staff prior to applying to discuss eligibility and seek guidance on producing a successful application. Contact grants@vof.org or (434) 282-7054 with questions or for information on how to apply.
