Keep Virginia Beautiful offering grants; apply by April 30

Since 2011, Keep Virginia Beautiful has given 150 organizations over $110,000 to empower them to make a positive and long-lasting difference in their respective communities.

Grant applications will be accepted throughout Earth Month (April 1-April 30) using the online application at http://www.keepvirginiabeautiful.org/programs/30-in-30/

Judging will take place in May, and winners will be announced each day in June for grant awards from $500 to $1,000 in these categories: Litter Prevention, Recycling, and Community Beautification. Grant winners will be announced daily at http://www.keepvirginiabeautiful.org and through social media.

In addition, due to the generosity of our sponsors, Altria, the WestRock Foundation, Keep America Beautiful, and Trex we are expanding our 30 Grants in Thirty Days program!  We are adding an award category for Cigarette Litter Prevention, to fund even more winners this year!

DESCRIPTION OF CATEGORIES:

Litter Prevention – Grants will be awarded to parks, communities, government or non-profit entities that implement programs in Virginia to reduce litter. Funding will support educational outreach materials, and clean-up events. The purpose of these grants is to support sustainable prevention and a measurable reduction of litter within Virginia’s communities.

Recycling – Grants are awarded to schools, parks, communities, government or non-profit entities that implement programs in Virginia to reduce waste and increase recycling. Funding will support educational outreach materials, receptacles, and recycling events. The purpose of these grants is to promote waste reduction and a measurable increase in reuse and recycling within Virginia’s communities.

Beautification – Grants will be awarded to schools, parks, communities, government or non-profit entities in Virginia which support programs that beautify and clean. Funding will support community gardens, restoring vacant lots, highway and shoreline enhancement, plantings, graffiti abatement, revitalization projects, and sustainable neighborhood gardens.  The purpose of these grants is to support beautification efforts within Virginia’s communities.

Cigarette Litter Prevention – A new addition to our 30 Grants in Thirty Days initiative! Cigarette butts account for over 30% of all U.S. roadway litter and storm drain litter.  Grants will be awarded for projects that include public education and awareness of the issue of cigarette litter, placing ash receptacles at transition points such as entrances to public buildings, and/or distributing pocket or portable ashtrays to adult smokers.