July 7, 2016
Cameron announces over $2 million in June cycle for nonprofits serving Tri-Cities
The Cameron Foundation has made $2,066,337 in grants to support the work of 25 nonprofits operating in the Tri-Cities area of Virginia. The responsive grant awards, which resulted from a competitive application process, were approved by the Foundation’s Board at its June meeting. A second round of responsive grants will be decided in the fall.
Among the larger commitments made this round, a $555,000 award to YMCA of Greater Richmond provides continued support for youth development programs at the Chester branch, renewed funding for diabetes programming at the Petersburg branch, and multi-year support for the organization to make capital improvements to the Petersburg facility. The improvements will enable the local branch to deliver expanded out-of-school time programs for children and teens, to offer more community meeting space, and to improve fitness and wellness offerings.
Additionally, a renewal grant of $250,000 to Virginia’s Gateway Region (VGR) will provide support for the organization’s efforts to expand and enhance economic opportunities in the Foundation’s footprint. The area includes the cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell; the counties of Dinwiddie, Prince George and Sussex; and the portion of Chesterfield County lying south of Route 10. Board Chair Pam Martin Comstock explained, “VGR plays a critical role serving as a conduit across communities and businesses to promote the region and stimulate sustainable economic growth and vitality.” Through collaboration over the last five years, VGR has contributed to bringing 5,600 new jobs and $2 billion in investment to the region.
“Each of these organizations provides important services to the community in ways that also align with the Foundation’s mission for a healthy, vibrant and economically vital region,” said Grant Committee Chair Cleveland A. Wright. He also noted how the grants reflect the Foundation’s support for broader work that contributes to a culture of health, ranging from efforts to attract and keep jobs in the region, to organizations delivering youth development programs.
The full list of responsive grants for the June cycle includes:
Alzheimer’s Association–Greater Richmond Chapter – $20,925
Army Quartermaster Foundation, Inc. – $5,000
Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities/Preservation Virginia – $40,000
Central Virginia Health Services – $312,000
Chesterfield CASA, Inc. – $20,000
ChildSavers of Richmond/Memorial Child Guidance Clinic – $30,000
City of Petersburg Department of Planning & Community Development – $81,060
Communities In Schools of Virginia – $90,000
Downtown Churches United, Inc. – $56,000
Friends of the Waverly Library – $18,152
GReat Aspirations Scholarship Program, Inc. (GRASP) – $10,000
Greater Richmond Fit4Kids – $45,000
Hopewell Downtown Partnership, Inc. – $30,000
Hopewell Food Pantry – $35,000
Hopewell-Prince George Healthy Families – $30,000
Learn to Earn, Inc. – $70,000
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Virginia – $100,000
Petersburg Health Department – $160,000
Reach Out and Read Virginia – $4,600
Southside Health Education Foundation – $40,000
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church – $25,000
Virginia’s Gateway Region – $250,000
Washington Street United Methodist Church – $25,000
Willcox Watershed Conservancy – $13,600
YMCA of Greater Richmond – $555,000
Cameron President J. Todd Graham explained that the Foundation offers an assortment of resources to augment the nonprofit sector in the region. In addition to two responsive grant cycles each year, the Foundation is undertaking a number of proactive efforts as a supplemental strategy to improve the Foundation’s impact through increased collaboration with community partners. With its proactive work, priority is given to visible, high impact projects that transform the community and that address the social determinants of health. Examples of these determinants include food access, safe and affordable housing, educational attainment, income, and improved work and neighborhood environments. As it has since its early years in providing support to the Tri-Cities area, the Foundation also continues to make multiple capacity-building investments to strengthen nonprofit management and governance within the organizations serving the region.
ABOUT THE CAMERON FOUNDATION
Founded in 2003, The Cameron Foundation is a private foundation that was formed from the proceeds of the sale of Southside Regional Medical Center by the Hospital Authority of the City of Petersburg. Its service area includes the region historically served by the hospital. Since the Foundation began grantmaking in 2004, it has awarded more than $75 million to organizations serving residents of this area.