Environmental Education and Stewardship Grants

The project description should total no more than 2,000 characters for the executive summary and no more than 2,000 characters for the supplemental information. The proposal should include:

• Specific plan of action including project activities, locations and targeted audiences (K-12 applicants include grade levels)
• Anticipated outcomes that address identified community need
• Effective evaluation methods
• Plans to sustain the program and share results with Dominion Energy and the community

The Environmental Education and Stewardship Grants Program is being offered in and near communities served by Dominion Energy Companies, including:

• Colorado: Garfield, Moffat and Rio Blanco
• Connecticut: Bozrah, Colchester, East Haddam, East Lyme, Franklin, Griswold, Groton, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Lyme, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Old Lyme, Preston, Salem, Sprague, Stonington, Voluntown and Waterford.
• Georgia: Please send us an email (1-2 paragraphs) about your organization, potential project and localities served, and Dominion Energy will provide invitation code if appropriate.
• Idaho: Franklin.
• Maryland: Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.
• New York: Please send us an email (1-2 paragraphs) about your organization, potential project and localities served, and Dominion Energy will provide invitation code if appropriate.
• North Carolina: The counties of Alamance, Alexander, Beaufort, Bertie, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Camden, Caswell, Chatham, Chowan, Cleveland, Currituck, Dare, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gaston, Gates, Granville, Halifax, Haywood, Henderson, Hertford, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Madison, Martin, McDowell, Nash, Northampton, Orange, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Tyrell, Vance, Wake, Warren and Washington, and the cities of Roanoke Rapids and Weldon.
• Ohio: Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Auglaize, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Guernsey, Jefferson, Hardin, Harrison, Holmes, Knox, Lake, Mahoning, Medina, Mercer, Monroe, Noble, Paulding, Portage, Putnam, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Van Wert, Washington and Wayne.
• Pennsylvania: Please send us an email (1-2 paragraphs) about your organization, potential project and localities served, and Dominion Energy will provide invitation code if appropriate.
• South Carolina: All localities are invited to apply.
• Utah: All counties with the exception of Kane and Wayne.
• Virginia: All localities are invited to apply.
• West Virginia: All localities are invited to apply.
• Wyoming: Carbon, Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater and Uinta.

Other areas in the Dominion Energy footprint: geographic restrictions apply. Please send us an email with one paragraph about your organization and localities served.

The maximum grant award is $25,000 for nonprofit organizations in areas where Dominion Energy has significant assets or customer base. If the project narrative and budget do not adequately support the requested funding amount, lesser amounts may be awarded. The maximum grant for K-12 schools is $5,000.

Budget items may include but are not limited to: supplies and materials, equipment specifically related to the proposed project and staff training.

A panel of Dominion Energy representatives that includes members of Dominion Energy’s local Community Investment Boards, Foundation staff and Environmental Services staff, serving as subject matter experts, will review the applications. The review panel will consider whether the proposal:

• Focuses on specific, short term project(s) that promise measurable results to improve the environment and/or provide meaningful educational opportunities
• Represents innovative and promising ideas to meet stated objectives
• Demonstrates careful planning and strong likelihood of success, including plans to sustain the project
• Includes plans to evaluate and share results on effectiveness of the program

The Environmental Education and Stewardship Grants program will not cover:

• Support for capital and/or land acquisition
• Long-term research projects
• General operating grants
• Overhead, indirect costs or endowments

Grant recipients will be asked to:

• Meet with Dominion Energy representatives to review their proposal, discuss project parameters and receive the grant check
• Complete a detailed final report one year after receipt of grant

2018 Environmental Grant Awards

Dominion Energy is awarding $1 million in grants through its philanthropic arm, the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, to 129 organizations in 12 states working to improve natural spaces or encourage environmental stewardship. Since 2003, Dominion has donated nearly $32 million to a wide variety of environmental projects across its footprint.

The competitive grants program supports environmental education and stewardship projects that preserve, enhance or make nature more accessible. A sampling of this year’s grant recipients include:

• Ann’s Circle, Dowell, MD, for a pavilion and outdoor classroom for nature programs, summer camps, family outings and others visiting the Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center.
• Blue Sky Fund, Richmond, VA, to provide urban youth with environmental field trips and weekly adventure clubs that  feature outdoor activities and education. 
• Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic, CT, to give students a deeper understanding of science by letting them explore wildlife, plants and habitats outside the classroom.
• Elizabeth River Project, Portsmouth, VA, for its “Place of Peace” oasis in Paradise Creek Nature Park where at-risk youth can experience and help revitalize nature.
• Mineral County Alternative School, Keyser, WV, for its recycling program that turns paper into fire-starter bricks to be sold in the school’s general store, giving special needs students a real-world  exercise in finances and recycling.
• Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition, Akron, OH, for two beautification projects enhancing a historic towpath trail used by 2.5 million hikers and bikers each year.
• Therapeutic Adventures, Inc., Charlottesville, VA, for its adaptive sports program that helps people living with disabilities enjoy nature while skiing, paddling, fly-fishing and more.
• VCU's Rice Center, Charles City, VA, to offer environmental programming to college students, teachers and K-12 students on the James River.
• Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach, VA, for rescue and treatment of sea turtles hooked by recreational anglers.

Download the full list of the 2018 Environmental Education and Stewardship Grants.