Apply for an Unsolicited Grant
Eligibility
Any organization meeting the basic requirements may apply for an Unsolicited Grant from the Williamsburg Health Foundation (WHF). Before applying, applicants should review WHF’s strategic plan for alignment of their proposed plan and the Foundation’s grantmaking guidelines.
Unsolicited Grant Application Requirements
Applying for an Unsolicited Grant requires the submission of WHF’s online grant application. WHF has two separate Unsolicited Grant applications: 1) project/program proposals and 2) capital project proposals.
Both applications require organizations to identify the need, target population, strategy for addressing the need, and alignment of the proposed request with WHF’s strategic plan and funding strategies.
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- Project/Program Proposals (Grant Cycles 1, 2, and 3): The project/program application requires interested applicants to attach a completed WHF Program Budget Packet located on WHF’s website.
- Capital Project Proposals (Grant Cycle 3): Capital project requests relate to the construction, expansion, or renovation of buildings and/or the acquisition of land. While the capital project application does not require submission of the WHF Program Budget Packet, the application itself requires budgetary information specific to the capital project.
Please note:
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- Applicants may rework/resubmit a previously declined WHF application to clarify how the proposal fits WHF’s strategic focus.
- While an organization may receive more than one Unsolicited Grant award in a calendar year, WHF’s Board does consider prior/existing WHF application(s) and grant(s), award amount(s), and fiscal management of these grant(s) in their consideration of awarding an additional WHF grant (see Grant Application Screening and Review below).
Links to Apply
Links to applications for each grant cycle will open on WHF’s website approximately one month before the appropriate grant cycle deadline. THE LINK TO APPLY FOR A PROJECT/PROGRAM GRANT FOR GRANT CYCLE 2 WILL BE ACTIVE BY MAY 12, 2026.
Grant Cycle Deadlines
- Project/Program Proposals (Grant Cycles 1, 2, and 3): Organizations interested in submitting an Unsolicited Grant request for project/program proposals have three opportunities to apply during the calendar year. For grant cycle deadlines, please see the current Grants Calendar.
- Capital Project Proposals (Grant Cycle 3): Applications for capital project requests are considered only in the last funding cycle of the year. For Grant Cycle 3 deadlines, please see the current Grants Calendar.
Optional Information Session
Before each grant cycle opens, new applicants have an opportunity to attend an optional information session at WHF’s office located at 4801 Courthouse Street (Suite 201).
Grant Application Screening and Review
After the application deadline has passed, all submitted Unsolicited Grant applications will be reviewed, and WHF staff may follow up with specific questions.
The Foundation considers the following criteria when reviewing grant applications:
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- Anticipated impact of the project toward improving health and well-being in the Foundation’s service are of Greater Williamsburg.
- Alignment with the Foundation’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan.
- Evidence supporting need for the proposed effort in Greater Williamsburg.
- Extent to which the proposed effort is designed to make progress toward one or more of the Foundation’s focus areas.
- Project’s ability to provide services to the population at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- Extent to which funds requested are for the purpose of replacing federal, state, or local government funds, which are generally not favored except for temporary or emergency funding.
- Organization’s prior/existing WHF application(s) and grant(s), award amount(s), fiscal management of these grant(s), and current reporting status.
Please note:
Submission of a grant application does not guarantee funding. The application pool is very competitive, and the Foundation routinely receives more strong proposals than can be funded in a grant cycle. Even if each proposal meets the criteria outlined above, the Foundation typically is unable to fund every submission.
Need Help?
While Foundation staff will not review applications prior to submission, WHF’s Program Officer, Kelly Metcalf-Meese, is available to answer general questions about the Foundation’s grantmaking program and application process. Please feel free to reach out!
