The RAFT FUND Micro- and Mini-Grant Program with support from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund
14 Mini and Micro-Grant Awards Granted to Build Resilience in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, VA
The RAFT is pleased to announce awards for resiliency projects in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula regions of Virginia. These proposals were awarded as part of the Micro- and Mini- Grant Program, with $150,000 in funding generously provided by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. The application period is currently closed. Resilient communities are able to anticipate, adapt, endure, and thrive in the face of change, uncertainty, and adversity. The funded projects have a strong community involvement component, are cost effective, and contribute to social and economic success. A list of project titles and awardees follows.
The People of the River: The Mattaponi Indian Tribe & Reservation Fish Hatchery, $25,000 mini-grant awarded to the Mattaponi Indian Tribe & Reservation
Making needed repairs/updates to the Fish Hatchery on the Mattaponi Indian Reservation that services the Mattaponi River and the Reservation Residents allowing the Tribe to continue to run the facility that replenishes the supply for the community to fish the waters that have sustained us for centuries.
Septic Tank Pump Out Assistance for Low-to-Moderate Income Individuals, $25,000 mini-grant awarded to the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission
In support of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act to improve water quality and the Virginia Department of Health to improve public health, the MPPDC will assist low-to-moderate income (LMI) homeowners in the Middle Peninsula with pumpout of their septic systems.
A Healthy Harvest for the Northern Neck & Upper Middle Peninsula, $25,000 mini-grant awarded to the Healthy Harvest Food Bank, Inc.
Healthy Harvest Fresh will serve as an educational center through aquaponics production by partnering with local schools and community organizations to demonstrate an innovative and environmentally conscious solution to fresh, healthy food production.
Rapid Rehousing Supplementation and Expansion, $25,000 mini-grant awarded to Bay Aging
Bay Aging will expand its existing Rapid Rehousing program to include financial support to pay application fees, accommodate clients who do not qualify under current funding guidelines, and provide landlord incentives.
Establishing Food Sovereignty in the Northern Neck Project, $10,000 total- two $5,000 micro-grants awarded to Just Harvest
Just Harvest will expand its educational efforts by supporting the creation of locally controlled infrastructures to maintain newly established methods of food production, preservation, distribution, and waste disposal.
Kinsale Resilience, $5,000 micro-grant awarded to Cople District Volunteer Fire Department
Create inventories of resources that can be used in an emergency and workforce development initiatives and identify areas in need of improved signage, visibility, and safety to inform the Hazard mitigation Plan and improve the resilience around the Kinsale community of Westmoreland County.
Renovation/Restoration of Historic Woodville School, $5,000 micro-grant awarded to the Woodville Rosenwald School Foundation
Physical improvements to the building will increase safety, security, and access so that it can be opened to the public and serve as a community asset demonstrating the resilience of African Americans in the face of Jim Crow laws and other legal and social obstacles in the pursuit of education.
Regional Response Planning, $5,000 micro-grant awarded to the Essex County Office of Emergency Services
Essex will host public safety meetings and meetings with partners on radio systems, and interoperability improvements, update mutual aid agreements, and geospatially enable Essex County Emergency Plans for data sharing across the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.
Shoreline Management on the Northern Neck, $5,000 micro-grant awarded to the Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR)
FOR will educate landowners, local government staff, and elected/appointed officials about shoreline management options, the permitting process and funding opportunities in Westmoreland, Richmond, Lancaster and Northumberland Counties.
Septic Outreach on the Middle Peninsula and the Northern Neck, $5,000 micro-grant awarded to the Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR)
FOR will create literature about and conduct outreach in Essex and Middlesex counties for at-risk communities and those suffering from resilience issues due to failing septic systems.
Essex Motel Voucher Expansion Program (EMVEP), $5,000 micro-grant awarded to the Gloucester United Emergency Shelter Team (GUEST)
The EMVEP will be a solution to not having a physical emergency shelter in Essex County. The goal of this program is to provide emergency shelter via motel vouchers until an actual shelter is established.
Richmond County Fire Education, $5,000 micro-grant awarded to Richmond County Volunteer Fire Department
The Richmond County Volunteer Fire Department will make fire safety fun but memorable andeducate youth within the county through school, county fair, and main street programs to improve survivability, grow with the community, add to our membership, and help people in any time of need.
Thrive Virginia Community Garden in collaboration with Fox Moon Farms, $5,000 micro-grant awarded to Thrive Virginia
Thrive Virginia will develop a community garden in King & Queen County develop and implement educational programming for youth with special needs to manage and maintain the community garden and implement a community fridge project to allow rural clients access to fresh and organic produce.
The RAFT Funding Sources
The first year of research for The RAFT was conducted in the 2015-2016 academic year by the Institute for Engagement & Negotiation at the University of Virginia (UVA) in collaboration with the Virginia Coastal Policy Center (VCPC) at William & Mary Law School. The RAFT was officially launched by a 2016 Restoration and Community Stewardship grant by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). This grant enabled completion of the Scorecard and testing The RAFT process with three pilot communities in three different coastal planning districts. Since then, the project has received a variety of grants, including from the Virginia Environmental Endowment, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Coastal Management, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and an anonymous donor. Other institutions that have supported various aspects of The RAFT include the Virginia Sea Grant Adaptation and Resilience Program, the Environmental Resilience Institute at UVA, and the School of Architecture at UVA.
