VOF will host a one-hour Forest CORE Fund Grant Workshop Webinar on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. using Microsoft Teams. The webinar will address key program requirements and criteria, provide guidance on material to submit with the application and share tips on navigating the grant portal. Registration is required. Click the button below to register.
The Forest CORE (Community Opportunities for Restoration and Enhancement) Fund for the Mountain Valley Pipeline region was established under VOF’s TERRA Program in June 2018 using $15 million from a mitigation agreement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC. The Fund’s purpose is to mitigate forest fragmentation that results from the clearing and grubbing activities along the pipeline’s 303-mile right-of-way through Virginia. Grants will be awarded to projects that mitigate for forest fragmentation by preserving, connecting and enhancing forest resources.
Projects must be located within localities 50 miles or less from the Mountain Valley Pipeline route. See below for an interactive map of the route and eligible area for projects, which is outlined by the bold line on the map.
To provide mitigation of forest fragmentation through:
Projects that result in avoided deforestation such as:
Projects that establish new forest land such as:
Projects that restore or enhance forest land such as:
The amount available for the next grant round will be announced in October 2025.
Any forest land preserved, established, or enhanced using funding from this grant program must be:
The FY2025 grant round for the Forest CORE Fund is now closed. Awards were announced at the March 2025 meeting of the VOF Board of Trustees. The next grant round will open in October 2025. Please contact grants@vof.org with questions.
Scroll down to the Downloads section to obtain a PDF version of the 2020-2021 grant manual and supporting documentation. Note that the FY 2021 grant round has been completed. These documents are being provided for reference only.
Questions about grants from this fund should be sent to Emily White, ewhite@vof.org.
The 820-acre preserve in Giles and Bland counties is managed for its old-growth trees and offers possibilities for reintroducing the American chestnut and butternut tree.
Effort led by The Conservation Fund and Virginia Department of Forestry included support from a $1 million grant from VOF’s Forest CORE Fund.
The webinar provided an overview of the 2020 grant round, which is focused on community-supported conservation projects in nine Southwest Virginia localities.
