PEACE
Grant Opportunity
Overview of the P.E.A.C.E. Grant:
The Community Foundation is deeply committed to improving 3rd grade literacy rates across our region. Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical milestone that strongly predicts long-term academic success, high school graduation, and future opportunity. Ensuring that every child reads on grade level by this pivotal year is not only an educational priority — it is a community responsibility.
To accelerate progress, the Foundation is launching a targeted grant opportunity for organizations that currently operate — or are prepared to pilot — an innovative summer literacy program designed to measurably increase reading and writing performance among third-grade students. We are seeking programs that demonstrate strong instructional design, meaningful student engagement, clear metrics for growth, and the ability to deliver measurable outcomes outside of the traditional school day.
Through this investment, the Foundation aims to support scalable, sustainable models that strengthen literacy skills, engage families and community partners, and positively influence students’ academic confidence and long-term success.
Grant requests up to $15,000 will be considered. Grantees will be expected to complete an interim report or call, as well as a final report. If the grantee holds an appreciation event, they will invite members of the P.E.A.C.E. committee to attend or agree to a site visit.
Please review The Community Foundation’s overall grant guidelines by visiting our Grant Guidelines page.
Please refer to the Competitive Grant Opportunities page for important dates for all our competitive grantmaking.
For support in designing a proposal that makes best use of available grant funds, we encourage you to contact Director of Donor Services, Casey Hu (casey.hu@cfrrr.org) or 540-373-9292.
- Applications open March 19, 2026.
- Applications will not be accepted after 5:00 PM on April 17, 2026.
- Awards will be announced May 1, 2026.
Lift Every Voice
The strongest communities involve and celebrate a variety of perspectives, a range of talents and a spectrum of ideas. The Community Foundation recognizes that the viewpoints and voices of people of color are not always adequately represented in our region.
Our Equity Lens
The Community Foundation is a devoted advocate for the vitality and well-being of everyone in the Rappahannock River region. Our goal is full and equal access to opportunities, power and resources for everyone – especially communities of color, as well as under-resourced communities.
This year, The Community Foundation’s board issued a unanimous statement about our willingness to advocate for racial equity. The foundation formed a committee and established a new fund designated for this purpose.
The Community Foundation does not have all of the answers. We do have the responsibility to step in and listen to, listen for and listen with our community’s rich chorus of voices.