June 30, 2020
Cameron Foundation awards more than $1.1 million in June grant cycle
The Cameron Foundation’s Board of Directors has approved $1,113,707 in grants to 24 nonprofit organizations serving the Tri-Cities area. Funding recommendations were decided in the Foundation’s June Board meeting and represent one of two regular grant cycles each year. The second round of responsive grants, which currently are under consideration, will be decided in October.
Among the largest grants this time, two awards underwrite direct services in health care, and two others advance economic development in the region. The top grant of $164,757 was made to Central Virginia Health Services, a community health center that provides services on a sliding fee to accommodate low-income, uninsured, underinsured, and otherwise medically underserved residents. Situated near Southside Regional Medical Center (SRMC), the Central Virginia Health Services-Petersburg facility is accessible to individuals referred from SRMC as well as those living in Petersburg and nearby municipalities. It offers a broad range of health care, including primary medical, dental, behavioral health, health education, care coordination, and pharmacy services. Cameron’s funds will support the dental program there.
“Our work with Central Virginia Health Services addresses many core needs for residents in our community,” commented Cameron’s Board Chair Pam Martin Comstock. “And, by providing services on a sliding fee scale, the organization reduces barriers that keep people from obtaining this care,” she added.
Also in the area of direct health services, Petersburg Health Department was awarded renewal funding of $112,500 to continue its work at the HealthSpace Teen Clinic. The facility acts as a primary resource for reproductive health for teens and as the initial point of contact in allied health for many of these youth. The center especially focuses on the prevention of early pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and poor reproductive health.
Cameron’s Grants Committee Chair Jeffrey W. Geisz noted, “As a health legacy foundation, we are mindful of the importance of supporting these services, especially with our nonprofit partners who focus their work on reducing health disparities.”
The Foundation also made two large economic development grants in its June cycle. These include $136,063 in general operating support for Virginia’s Gateway Region as well as $95,000 to Virginia LISC for continuation of its initiative to expand economic opportunity in Petersburg. Both organizations are longstanding community partners in the Foundation’s work. Virginia’s Gateway Region facilitates economic development growth through business development opportunities, fostering regional cooperation, and advancing resources that make the region a viable competitor for capital investments and job growth.
Virginia LISC is a critical partner in two of Cameron’s proactive initiatives centered on residential development: Partners for Neighborhood Renewal-Poplar Lawn and Petersburg ArtistSpace Lofts. Additionally, LISC’s trademark Financial Opportunity Center program, locally located at Pathways in Petersburg, assists low-to-moderate income residents in achieving financial stability by integrating employment, financial, and income support services.
“This grant cycle includes a number of examples that reflect how the Foundation is balancing its investments between direct health services and interventions in some of the social determinants of health,” Cameron’s President J. Todd Graham pointed out. “This time, Cameron’s allocation of resources to Virginia’s Gateway Region and LISC Virginia to support economic development work is essential due to the strong correlation between economic vitality and a region’s health,” he added.
The full list of June grant recipients includes:
Al-A-Mo Recovery Center, Inc. – $22,500
Art on Wheels – $12,600
Better Housing Coalition – $50,000
Central Virginia Health Services Inc. – $164,757
Chesterfield CASA, Inc. – $16,200
Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Alliance for Social Ministry (CCHASM) – $20,250
Colonial Heights Volunteer Fire and Emergency Medical Services – $17,216
Communities In Schools of Petersburg – $70,250
Feed More, Inc. – $49,690
FLITE Foundation – $31,590
Greater Richmond Fit4Kids Inc. – $40,500
Hopewell Food Pantry – $31,500
Jessica Ann Moore Foundation – $11,680
Lamb Center for Arts and Healing – $45,000
NAMI Central Virginia – $26,615
Petersburg Health Department – $112,500
Petersburg Symphony Orchestra – $20,000
Prince George County Fire & Emergency Medical Services – $30,566
River Street Education Inc. – $7,310
Smart Beginnings Southeast – $39,950
Virginia LISC – $95,000
Virginia’s Gateway Region Inc. – $136,063
Waverly Rescue Squad Inc. – $21,470
YMCA of Greater Richmond – $40,500