RVA Funding Directory

🎓VUU Sydney Lewis School of Business

Entrepreneur Resource Directory

A comprehensive "Business Resource Directory" serving the Richmond metro area—including Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico counties—featuring categories like Finance and Funding, Venture Capital, and Loan Programs.

Key Resources Include:

Bridging Virginia — nonprofit providing loans up to $50,000 plus technical assistance
Activation Capital and Opportunity Hub — assists with SBIR grant writing and administrative services
ACCION USA — microloans and training tailored for low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs
Local banks and credit unions offering small business lending (e.g., Atlantic Union Bank, Credit Union of Richmond)
Venture capital firms like 80amps, Blue Heron Capital, and New Dominion Angels
Business support from SBDC and Women's Business Center of Richmond

This PDF directory is regularly updated and great for identifying who's offering funding or support locally.

📄 Download Directory (PDF)

🚀United Virginia Enterprise Foundation

This organization specifically supports social enterprises in Richmond and Virginia broadly.

Services Offered:

Ignite Impact Social Enterprise Accelerator
One-on-one counseling, training, and access to capital
Database of 500+ social entrepreneurs and support organizations

A very direct and mission-aligned resource for social entrepreneurs.

🌐 Visit UVEF Website

🏛️City of Richmond

Community Grant Opportunities

The City maintains a regularly updated list of grants for community-based initiatives, including green infrastructure, neighborhood planning, and civic projects.

Grant Programs Include:

Neighborhood Climate Resilience Grant (NCRG)
Lowe's Hometowns Foundation grants
Max & Victoria Dreyfus Foundation funding
AARP Community Challenge grants

Perfect if your social enterprise has a community, environmental, or public benefit component.

🏛️ View Grant Opportunities

🤝United Way Greater Richmond & Petersburg

Deep Impact Grants

United Way offers Deep Impact Grants, which provide stable funding in focus areas such as community wellness.

Program Details:

LOI (Letter of Intent) for the 2024–2025 cycle is open through August 31, 2025
$4.4 million invested into local agencies in the current funding year
Focus areas: Community wellness and social impact

Depending on your focus area, this could be a promising opportunity.

🤝 Learn About Deep Impact Grants

📊Cause IQ

Richmond Foundations Directory

A powerful data-driven directory listing 756 foundations and grantmaking organizations in the Richmond metro area.

Notable Foundations Include:

The Robins Foundation
Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond
Red Gates Foundation
Pauley Family Foundation
Mary Morton Parsons Foundation

Excellent for vetting and identifying potential funders based on geography, mission alignment, and funding capacity.

📊 Browse Foundation Directory

🏢GO Virginia

Grant Database

While not Richmond-specific, the GO Virginia grants database tracks state-level grants available to entrepreneurs and transformational projects.

Grant Focus Areas:

Economic development initiatives
Workforce development programs
Transformational projects with regional impact

May include opportunities applicable to social enterprises with economic development components.

🏢 Explore GO Virginia Grants

🌍Candid

National Foundation Directory

For a national-level resource, Candid (formerly GuideStar/Foundation Center) provides comprehensive databases like the Foundation Directory Online and Foundation Maps.

Database Features:

Foundation Directory Online — comprehensive funder search
Foundation Maps — geographic funding analysis
990 forms and financial data for due diligence

Excellent if you're looking to scale or secure funding beyond the local sphere.

🌍 Access Candid Database

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