Grant Seekers

The Jefferson Trust funds new projects and programs that enhance the University of Virginia and enrich the student experience. All UVA students, faculty, staff, and University Associated Organizations are eligible to apply.

We like bold, original ideas that:

• Create a tangible impact on the student experience, the UVA community, or broader society
• Are genuinely novel—whether short-term initiatives, early-stage research, or scalable concepts
• If intended to be long-term, illustrate clear leadership transition plans/ sustainability
• May advance the University President’s or Provost’s priorities and/or pan-University collaboration

We typically do not fund:

• Existing projects or programs, unless the proposal represents a significant and innovative expansion
• Salaries, unless essential to the proposal’s work (e.g., student workers, faculty release, or program coordination)
• Physical spaces, unless integral to a new project or program
• Grant timelines exceeding three years

We do not fund:

• Ongoing operational or recurring annual expenses
• Fundraising events/ activities
• For-profit ventures
• Political activism

Our focus is on funding the best ideas, with a secondary goal of supporting a broad range of schools and disciplines. Additionally, no single grant may exceed 25% of available funding.

Major Cycle Grants

Major Cycle grants are typically $10,000 to $300,000 but there are no minimums and maximums vary based on available funds.  Please review our grant history to get a sense of what has been funded in the past.

The cycle consists of three stages:

1. Letter of Inquiry (LOI)—ideas that align with the criteria above may be submitted at any time. LOIs are reviewed on a rolling basis but submitting well before a proposal deadline is strongly encouraged.
2. Proposal—select LOIs will be invited to submit a full proposal.
3. Pitch—select proposals will be invited to deliver an in-person pitch to, and answer questions from, the Trust’s Board who make the funding decisions.

Flash Funding Grants

Requests up to $10,000 are proposal-only (no Letter of Inquiry or in-person pitch). Grants are made to short-term projects or immediate use opportunities, often for student organizations. Grants are awarded monthly until each semester’s $100,000 allocation is granted.

Ready to share your idea?

If you’re unsure whether your project might be a good fit, contact Amy, our Director of Grants, at 434-243-9078 or abonner@virginia.edu. An idea is more likely to be funded if we have a chance to work with the grant seeker.

Preview forms:

• Letter of Inquiry (LOI)
• Major Cycle Proposal
• Flash Proposal

When you’re ready to submit a Letter of Inquiry or proposal, log on to our Grant Portal.