As we note in our popular training video, one of the most frequent questions we receive in the grants office is “Where do we find the grants!?” The Foundation Center is one of those places. The website ( http://foundationcenter.org/ ) offers a comprehensive database of grant opportunities, along with profiles of all active U.S. foundations and recent grants awarded by the nation’s top funders. If you’re interested in finding funding for a specific program or idea, this is a good place to start. However, Foundation Center requires a $$$ subscription, which the Roanoke Main Library provides free of charge to the public. If, like me, you’re curious about how to make the most of this service, please join me on a field trip on Thursday, Dec. 13, when the library’s Virginia Room hosts a hands-on class about Foundation Center. The class begins at 2 p.m., but I will be leaving Virginia Western at 1:30 p.m. If you would like to carpool, please let me know: sseagle@virginiawestern.edu. And please don’t forget to register for the workshop by email at main.library@roanokeva.gov. Foundation Center BasicsWhat: Learn how to find grants for your nonprofit in this hands-on class.When: 2 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 13Where: Virginia Room,… Continue Reading Foundation Center class on Dec. 13 will help us find grant moneyRead More
Dr. Matthew Goff was awarded an Innovation Grant to pay for 3D anatomy and physiology software that students can access for free. I really can’t rave enough about the Virginia Western Educational Foundation’s Innovation Grants, which are due in March. These annual grants award up to $10,000 to faculty and staff (including adjuncts and part-timers) … and because it’s an internal grant program, the odds will be ever in your favor (unlike more competitive federal, state or foundation grants). I have previously blogged about the perks of Innovation Grants, but I will summarize: An innovation grant project can amplify your strengths and what you love most about your job.They can be a way to solve a problem that you have long complained about.Grants are professional development — not only will they stretch you and your collaborative skills, but they will get you noticed on campus, in the community, and if it’s successful enough — throughout higher ed.You can test an idea with this “starter grant” and build bigger funding opportunities based on what you learn.But most of all, the best Innovation Grants fulfill the mission of the community college and help our students succeed. I will give you a perfect… Continue Reading How one Innovation Grant will help thousands of biology studentsRead More
Last year, Roanoke’s newspaper reported on a New York Times analysis that ranked Roanoke in the bottom 10 in the nation for economic mobility. Just today — Oct. 1 — the Census Bureau and researchers at Harvard and Brown universities published the Opportunity Atlas, which maps searchable, nationwide data about the outcomes of adult children and the neighborhoods where they grow up. Or, as the New York Times put it, data that will make it possible to pinpoint “where children of all backgrounds have the best shot.” As the Times story notes, what seems to matter most for success is the neighborhood within about a half a mile of a child’s home. “For any government program or community grant that targets a specific place, this data proposes a better way to pick those places — one based not on neighborhood poverty levels, but on whether we expect children will escape poverty as adults.” Researchers believe the findings will help cities identify new sites for Head Start centers, or where students might receive more priority for selective high schools or other programs. “The larger question is how to convert struggling neighborhoods into places where poor children are likely to thrive.” Explore… Continue Reading 3 brief bits about one big issue: PovertyRead More
About Shelley
Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.
Recent Posts
- Innovation, and the LOI. August 25, 2025
- Some 24/25 Highlights July 16, 2025
- Have you heard? October 28, 2024
- The Game of Life – Innovation Edition! August 29, 2024
- Why Try An LOI? May 10, 2024