Grants

The Falls of the James Group of the Sierra Club periodically awards grants to groups participating in efforts to protect the environment. Due to cancellation of the Big Yard Sale in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Grants Program is suspended. However, as of March 2022, we are able to resume donations to local environmental organizations on a smaller scale than previous grants. This is thanks to funds received from the sale of shirts and reusable bags featuring artwork by VCU students. To find more information about the grants process, see the Guidelines and Application (Word Document or PDF).

Past Grant Recipients

Groups that have received a grants are:

  • Shalom Farms
  • Green New Deal Virginia
  • Richmond Hostel for construction/renovation of building on 2nd Street
  • Partnership for Smarter Growth for workshops and walking tours
  • Virginia Association of Farmers Markets for annual conference costs
  • United Parents Against Lead for testing drinking water in Richmond public schools
  • Tree Lab for growing trees to be used in public spaces in the city of Richmond
  • Friends of Bryan Park for removal of debris from newly acquired land next to park
  • Sustainable RVA for outreach to the public encouraging composting
  • Drive Electric RVA to purchase electronic kiosk for events
  • WRWK Radio station for operating expenses.(multiple grants)
  • Capitol Region Land Conservancy for costs associated with adding acreage to easement on James River Park System
  • Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative to train solar installers
  • Mountain Valley Watch for legal costs incurred opposing Mountain Valley Pipeline
  • Blue Sky Fund for general grant to support mission of exposing youth to nature.(multiple grants)
  • Earth Hacks for supporting competition of students at VCU to design solutions to environmental challenges
  • Mapping Environmental Racism project for creation of a map showing fossil fuel infrastructure impact on minority communities
  • Preserve Montgomery County to support efforts against the Mountain Valley Pipeline
  • Virginia Union University for various projects, including Earth Week on campus and film screening in the RVA Environmental Film Festival
  • Protect Hanover for legal costs in opposition to Wegmans facility
  • Virginia Network for Democracy & Environmental Rights to support The Rights of Nature effort and a Butterfly Garden
  • RVA Environmental Film Festival for general support and money for film contest prizes. (multiple grants)

All members of FOJG can be proud that our efforts at the Big Yard Sale, the September Raise and, in past years, the Holiday Auction, allow us to financially support these wonderful local organizations.

Our Grants Committee is a subset of the ExCom whose members receive and evaluate grant requests from environmental organizations in central Virginia. The committee makes recommendations about each request at the next ExCom meeting held after receipt of the request. The Grants Committee currently is comprised of Glen Besa, Joe Brancoli and Bruce Tarr.

Raise Funds for Sierra Club Falls of the James Group's Grants Program

By purchasing a reusable item, you can help fund community projects that protect the environment and advance environmental justice.

Sierra Club Online Store

We are selling t-shirts and totes in honor of our Skip the Plastics campaign to impose a 5% tax on plastic bags in Virginia. All products are WRAP certified. In an effort to prevent waste, we are working with the Richmond-native company Bonfire to print and distribute all products on demand. Graphic courtesy of Sera Davenport.

Now more than ever we need to fund locally-led environmental conservation projects! To restart this impactful grants program, we will be selling reusable products through this online store November-December 2021. We will be sharing the impact of past projects throughout the campaign so make sure you follow us on social media.

Enrichmond TreeLab
Enrichmond TreeLab