Henrico’s Environmental Action Resource Team (HEART) has awarded its first round of Community Impact Grants, helping the organizations finance projects and programs focused on sustainability for the community.
“The county has implemented many projects to support environmental sustainability over the years. That said, we recognize the strength and passion within our community for these issues and we want to support organizations investing so much in this work,” Sustainability Division Director Samantha Hudson said. “We know that to truly move the needle, we must invest in collective impact and lift up others in the community who are doing this important work.”
The Henrico County Board of Supervisors allocated funds for the Community Impact Grants program in the county’s 2024-25 fiscal year budget as part of funding for HEART. The organizations will receive grants ranging from $1,000 to $2,400 for building pollinator gardens, hosting cycling events, beekeeping training programs and more.
The recipient organizations and their programs are:
- Henrico County Cooperative Extension 4H Program: The group will support youth leadership development and community engagement projects for participants in the Henrico County 4-H program.
- Virginia Capital Trail Foundation: The foundation willencourage Henrico youth to stay active outdoors during the summer and experience the Virginia Capital Trail by providing free registrations to the Summer Challenge event.
- Capital Region Land Conservancy: The organization will increase accessibility and services at the Varina LandLab Conservation Area by adding an ADA-compliant portable restroom facility.
- Dorey Park Farmers Market: The group will host a conference with VPM Media Corp. to support community gardens in Henrico and central Virginia.
- Richmond Beekeepers: The group will replace beds of ornamentals plants with native Virginia varieties near the driving range at Belmont golf course, which is operated by First Tee – Greater Richmond.
- Beyond Boundaries: The organization willhost an accessible, inclusive community day at Deep Run Park to encourage public engagement with nature through outdoor activities, including fishing, paddling, biking and hiking.
- Henrico Master Gardeners: The group will build a pollinator garden with native perennials, trees and shrubs on a plot in the Fox Hall neighborhood owned by its homeowners association. It will serve as a pilot project for potential development of gardens in other neighborhoods.
- RVA Rapid Transit: The organization willsupport volunteers and increase community involvement in the Adopt-A-Stop program, which provides litter collection at GRTC bus stops in Henrico.
HEART will share updates on the projects with community members regularly, as well as monitor the use of the funds.
The application period for the second round of Community Impact Grants will open after July.
To learn more about the grants and the projects they will fund: https://henrico.gov/heart/community-impact-grants/
