Environmental Improvement Fund Grant Application Procedures and Schedule

Overview

 

The following procedures will be followed when reviewing grant requests received by HRSD during each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). All requests will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth in the HRSD Environmental Improvement Fund Guidelines. HRSD will consider requests for two categories of grants: Environmental Opportunity Grants (grants of $500 or less) and Strategic Environmental Grants (grants in excess of $500).

Environmental Opportunity Grants (Awarded Quarterly)

Requests for Environmental Opportunity Grants (grants of $500 or less) will be reviewed quarterly. No application form is required. These requests may be in the form of a letter emailed to lrice@hrsd.com or mailed to:

Leila Rice
HRSD Director of Communications
P.O. Box 5911
Virginia Beach VA 23471-0911

The letter should include the amount requested, a description of the activity to be funded, and an explanation of how the activity meets the eligibility and selection criteria set forth in the HRSD Environmental Improvement Fund Guidelines. The following schedule and award amounts have been established:

HRSD’s Grant Review Committee will meet the first week of October to consider requests received from July 1 – September 30 and may award up to $1,000 in grants of less than $500.

HRSD’s Grant Review Committee will meet the first week of January to consider requests received from October 1 – December 31 and may award up to $1,000 in grants of less than $500.

HRSD’s Grant Review Committee will meet the first week of April to consider requests received from January 2 – March 31 and may award up to $1,000 in grants of less than $500.

HRSD’s Grant Review Committee will meet the first week of July to consider requests received from April 1 – June 30 and may award up to $1,000 in grants of less than $500.

An organization can receive only one Community Opportunity Grant each fiscal year.

Strategic Environmental Grants

HRSD’s Grant Review Committee will consider requests for Strategic Environmental Grants (grants in excess of $500) periodically. Requests for Strategic Environmental Grants will be evaluated based upon the eligibility and selection criteria set forth in the HRSD Environmental Improvement Fund Guidelines and the proposed project’s compatibility with the HRSD Strategic Plan.

Requests for Strategic Environmental Grants must not exceed five pages (single spaced, 12-pt type) and must include at a minimum:

  • Qualifications of the organizations and the person who will oversee the project
  • Problem statement or needs assessment (why the effort is needed)
  • Project goals and objectives (what will be accomplished)
  • Methodology (how it will be accomplished)
  • Evaluation (metrics by which the project will be measured)
  • Communication Plan (published papers, presentations, webinars, etc.)
  • Deliverables (reports, software, templates, etc.)
  • Budget (the total amount of funding required, how much is requested from HRSD, and an accounting of how the HRSD funds would be used)
  • Project timeline including scheduled updates to HRSD

NOTE: No funds will be awarded for salaries for faculty or staff, travel, conferences, conventions, group meetings or seminars. Meetings may be funded only if they are a critical part of the project’s methodology.

Requests for Strategic Environmental Grants may be emailed to lrice@hrsd.com or mailed to:

Leila Rice
HRSD Director of Communications
P.O. Box 5911
Virginia Beach VA 23471-0911

HRSD will not award a Strategic Environmental Grant in excess of $50,000, and may choose to award only a portion of the funding requested. An organization can be selected for only one Strategic Environmental Grant each fiscal year. HRSD employees or Commissioners, or members of their immediate families, may not request grants on behalf of organizations in which they participate.