Prompt Response Grants

Prompt Response Grants is sponsored by Arlington Community Foundation. Arlington Community Foundation is accepting grant requests from its Prompt Response Fund for one-time opportunities that enhance an organization's future position.

Grant Opportunities: Prompt Response, STEAM Fellowship, and More - Arlington Community Foundation Grant Opportunities: Prompt Response, STEAM Fellowship, and More The Foundation offers several grant programs to support nonprofits working in our community. Deadlines and program guidelines vary.

Meeting the Moment (MTM) Grants Meeting the Moment (MTM) is Arlington Community Foundation’s responsive grantmaking initiative designed to help local nonprofits navigate a rapidly shifting landscape. As rising costs, growing demand, and uncertainty in policy and funding continue to affect our community, MTM provides support that helps trusted nonprofit organizations stay strong, adapt, and continue serving Arlington residents.

Summer 2026: Capacity Building Grants (application now closed) What do we mean by capacity building? In this grant round, ACF will support organizations who have innovative ideas for one-time funding that builds their capacity to deliver inclusive and accessible programming into the future. Specifically, we are seeking organizations pursuing efforts to increase organizational readiness, build infrastructure, or support staff well-being.

The goal of this grant round is to help organizations implement approaches that increase their sustainability over time.

Building infrastructure refers to researching, developing and testing strategies that are intended to save an organization costs over time, e.g., one-time costs for materials and/or equipment upgrades, data collection systems, shared services collaborations, etc. Improving staff and/or volunteer well-being refers to planning and implementing initiatives that reduce burnout, improve retention, and build mission alignment.

We are pleased to offer funding in two categories for this grant round: Category 1: Arts & Cultural organizations A thriving ecosystem of arts and cultural organizations supports ACF’s values of fostering a sense of belonging, amplifying collective wisdom, and creating lasting impact.

For this grant round, we are seeking organizations that are primarily based in Arlington, Virginia and whose primary purpose is offering arts and cultural programming, accessible to County residents, through offerings in the visual arts, music, theater, dance, cultural preservation, etc. Expand for full details and eligibility requirements Grants awarded will start at $2,500 and ACF will grant a total of $50,000.

These grants are designed to leverage one-time opportunities that put the organization in a better position into the future. Grants will not be awarded for ongoing programmatic expenses, staffing expenses, or event sponsorships. Grants will be awarded to organizations and not individual artists.

To be eligible, organizations must fit the definition of organizations whose primary purpose is offering arts and cultural programming, and: be a 501(c)3 public charity or fiscally sponsored 501(c)3, have filed a 990 or 990-EZ as their most recent tax return, and request funding that will be used to support programming in Arlington.

We are particularly interested in strong proposals from organizations with small operating budgets (<$2 million). Category 2: All nonprofit organizations This funding category is open to nonprofit organizations of all mission areas whose work benefits the community and aligns with ACF’s values . Organizations should have a track record with demonstrable impact serving Arlington residents.

Expand for full details and eligibility requirements Grants awarded will range between $2,500 to $10,000, although larger grants may be awarded for exceptional proposals. These grants are designed to leverage one-time opportunities that put the organization in a better position into the future. Grants will not be awarded for ongoing programmatic expenses, staffing expenses, or event sponsorships.

To be eligible, all organizations must: be a 501(c)3 public charity or fiscally sponsored 501(c)3, have filed a 990 or 990-EZ as their most recent tax return, and request funding that will used to support programming in Arlington. We are particularly interested in strong proposals from organizations with small operating budgets (<$2 million).

Early 2026: 16 Inaugural MTM Grants at $25,000 each awarded to human services nonprofits In its inaugural grant round during early 2026, Meeting the Moment received over 50 applications and awarded 16 general operating grants of $25,000 each to human service nonprofits working to prevent displacement and advance economic mobility for Arlington residents: Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) Arlington Neighborhood Village Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV) Legal Services of Northern Virginia OAR of Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church Shirlington Employment and Education Center True Ground Housing Partners These organizations are providing food, housing support, medical care, education, employment services, advocacy, equitable access, and other vital support that helps Arlington residents build stability and opportunity.

We are grateful for their work, and for every organization that applied during the inaugural round and shared how they are meeting this moment in our community. Meeting the Moment is Arlington Community Foundation’s first major open grantmaking round since 2020.

Our goal is to offer this level of grantmaking on a regular basis, while continuing to learn from local nonprofits so we can shape more responsive and targeted grant opportunities. Meeting the Moment is also an opportunity for donors to invest in the strength and resilience of Arlington’s nonprofit community.

If you would like to learn more about Meeting the Moment, future opportunities, or how you can support this work, please contact Christy Cole, Vice President & Chief Philanthropy Officer, at ccole@arlcf. org . Arlington Community Foundation is now accepting grant requests up to $2,500 from our Prompt Response Fund.

Grants may be awarded to support a time-sensitive, unanticipated opportunity or need that would be difficult for an organization to address without a prompt response grant. Eligible grantees are 501(c)(3) or publicly supported organizations serving Arlington residents. Prompt response grants are not meant to support political or religious activities.

Neither are they meant to be awarded for general operating support or to start new programs. Any grant amounts awarded should be committed or expended expeditiously and, at the latest, within 3 months of the date of the award. Prompt Response Fund grant requests will only be considered by the Foundation if it is determined that: The request could not have been predicted or reasonably planned for.

The request is to support a short-term urgent funding need or opportunity created by an unforeseen event. The request covers a last dollar purpose for a one-time event. The request is time-sensitive in nature and a response is needed within 45 days or less.

This request will not be a recurring cost. Example of an emergency request: To help get the office back into safe operational use after a ceiling tile fell. Example of a last dollar request: To help 10 students participate in an upcoming school event that they would otherwise have to miss without this funding.

Requests may be submitted at any time by nonprofit 501(c)3 agencies serving Arlington County residents.

Generally, Prompt Response Fund grants are NOT awarded: For costs associated with programs or services provided to citizens outside of Arlington County For sectarian or religious purposes To cover general operating expenses To cover expenses that will be recurring in nature Examples of approved Prompt Response requests: To provide meals for clients displaced by renovations to residential units.

To provide formal clothes for nine children from economically disadvantaged families so that they may attend a one-time theater performance. To provide transportation subsidies for students from low-income families to attend a leadership conference because other sources of funding will not cover transportation. For emergency lodging for 12 individuals displaced by a recent affordable housing apartment fire.

To make a donation to the Prompt Response Fund, click here .

Video: application tutorial STEAM Workforce Development Teacher Fellowships ($5,000 Stipend) Fellowship Goals: The goals of the Arlington Community Foundation (ACF) STEAM Fellowship are to provide Arlington Public School (APS) teachers with opportunities to learn about workplace needs in STEAM-related fields, to use the experience to share findings with colleagues, to enhance student learning, and to help prepare students for future workplace expectations.

Eligibility: High school, middle school and elementary school teachers and other educators in APS with at least two years of classroom teaching experience in APS by June 30, 2026, and who intend to stay with APS for at least two years beyond the fellowship. New STEAM Fellow applicants will be prioritized over prior ACF STEAM fellows.

All applicants must submit two letters of recommendation – one from their current principal and one from a professional colleague. There are instructions on how to submit the letters of recommendation in the application below. Fellowship Placements: A program goal is to offer experiences that are mutually beneficial to fellows and the placement host.

The ACF Workforce Development Committee will work closely with award recipients to help identify placements in business, government, or nonprofit sectors. We also anticipate that teachers applying for the fellowships will know of STEAM-related businesses and fields in which they would like to have a fellowship experience.

We encourage teachers to work independently to create their own placements to submit to the ACF Workforce Development Committee for final approval. Three-week placements may be subdivided among multiple hosts for a minimum of one week each. Term: Three-week summer fellowship or up to 120 hours.

Schedules may vary. Fellowship dates are flexible and will be determined by the STEAM Fellow and their fellowship placement. Requirements: 1) Collaboration with ACF’s Workforce Development Committee in identifying a fellowship placement.

2) Completion of the 3 week/120-hour fellowship. 3) An oral briefing and written report to ACF in Fall 2026 on how your summer experience will enhance student learning and reflect the workplace expectations of a selected field or career path. 4) A plan for how you will share your learning with colleagues in the 2026-27 school year.

Arts Requirement: If you plan to pursue a fellowship in the arts, you must demonstrate how you will build connections between the arts and science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Stipend and Other Benefits: $5,000. Teachers who successfully complete their fellowship will be eligible to earn 90 points toward recertification as an Educational Project.

Need some inspiration? Meet previous STEAM Fellows 2023 STEAM Fellowship: Making the plaques for Arlington “Stumbling Stones”. Read on WTOP News .

2022 STEAM (Formerly STEM) Fellows: A 6 minute video where 3 Fellows share their experiences. Watch on YouTube . For additional information about Arlington Community Foundation’s grants, contact Brian Marroquín .

, Director of Grants and Initiatives . at the Community Foundation. Whether you’re a business executive thinking about corporate giving or a nature lover who wants to protect our parks, we’d love to hear from you.

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