Grant Seekers

If you have an innovative idea or want to radically expand an existing program or project, consider applying in one of our two grant cycles available each semester.

Guidelines for both cycles are simple:

  1. All UVA students, faculty, and staff are eligible to apply.
  2. We like proposals that have a tangible positive impact on the student experience, the University community, or society at large (locally, nationally, and globally) and encourage innovation and/or leadership.
  3. We fund innovative ideas and radical expansions of existing programs and projects. We do not provide sustainable, operating funds, nor support ventures with a for-profit outlook.
  4. We fund single and multi-year timelines (no more than three), provided the budgets for each year are submitted.
  5. Physical spaces are typically not funded unless tied to funding a new program.

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.

Fall Semester

  1. Letter of Inquiry
    Open Now
    Rolling Review
  2. Proposal
    Invite only
    July 31
  3. Pitch
    Invite only
    September 12

Spring Semester

  1. Letter of Inquiry
    Open Now
    Rolling Review
  2. Proposal
    Invite only
    January 31
  3. Pitch
    Invite only
    April 17

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.

Fall Semester

  1. Round #1
    Open: August 1
    Deadline: August 31
    Funding: ~September 15
  2. Round #2
    Open: September 1
    Deadline: September 30
    Grant: ~October 15
  3. Additional Rounds
    As funding allows

Spring Semester

  1. Round #1
    Open: January 1
    Deadline: January 31
    Funding: ~February 15
  2. Round #2
    Open: February 1
    Deadline: February 28
    Grant: ~March 15
  3. Additional Rounds
    As funding allows

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:

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