Century Fund

Overview

The Century Fund provides $100,000 annually to support transformational projects by nonprofit organizations in the Lynchburg region. A transformational project fundamentally changes how a nonprofit functions, results in positive outcomes, creates new or improved services/facilities/programs, and significantly advances the organization's mission.

Eligibility

Applicants must be nonprofit organizations serving Lynchburg and/or Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell counties, organized for charitable purposes and recognized by the IRS as 501(c)(3) public charities under Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a). Public educational institutions without IRS determination letters may also be eligible. Previous recipients may reapply after 5 years.

Key Requirements

Applicants should demonstrate the project is aligned with their mission and board-adopted strategic plan, show a track record of effective programs and strong financial management, include a structured business plan for ongoing support, state clear goals and outcomes, measure program effectiveness, and demonstrate efforts to collaborate with other organizations. The grant must be a significant portion of total project funding, and projects with completion within 2 years are generally preferred.

Application Questions

Applicants must answer questions including: What is the proposed timeline? How is this project transformative for Central Virginia's quality of life? How many people will it serve? How does it differ from ongoing efforts and previous grant-funded projects? What is the total project cost? What other funding sources have been identified? How will success be evaluated?

Key Dates

• Applications accepted: February 1–28 annually via online portal
• Award announcement: End of June each year

Award

• $100,000 granted to one organization for one project per fiscal year
• Awarded only if applications meet established criteria; may not be awarded in a given year

How to Apply