Funding Resource Directory
Trusted Funding Resources
A curated directory of organizations and tools where Northern Virginia students, entrepreneurs and community groups can look for funding. Within each category, local sources come first, then Virginia, then national. Some entries are search tools or guidance sources rather than direct funders.
ScholarshipsSources for students, families and adult learners. · 8 resources
- Community Foundation for Northern Virginia(opens in a new tab)Northern Virginia
Regional community foundation that administers scholarship funds for Northern Virginia students.
- State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)(opens in a new tab)VirginiaGuidance & support
Virginia’s higher education coordinating agency, with information on state financial aid programs.
- Virginia Space Grant Consortium(opens in a new tab)Virginia
Offers scholarships and fellowships for Virginia students in STEM fields related to aerospace.
- CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder(opens in a new tab)NationalSearch tool
U.S. Department of Labor–sponsored database for searching scholarships and other awards.
- UNCF(opens in a new tab)National
United Negro College Fund scholarships supporting students, including those attending HBCUs.
- Thurgood Marshall College Fund(opens in a new tab)National
Supports students at public HBCUs and predominantly Black institutions through scholarships and programs.
- Fastweb(opens in a new tab)NationalSearch tool
Free scholarship search service that matches students to listings.
- Federal Student Aid(opens in a new tab)NationalGuidance & support
U.S. Department of Education guidance on finding and applying for scholarships safely.
Business GrantsFunding programs, financing guidance and support for entrepreneurs and small businesses. · 8 resources
- Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)(opens in a new tab)Virginia
State-supported funding programs for early-stage, technology-focused Virginia companies.
- Virginia SBDC(opens in a new tab)VirginiaGuidance & support
Small Business Development Center network offering advising, including help understanding capital and financing options.
- Virginia Business One Stop(opens in a new tab)VirginiaGuidance & support
State portal listing business resources, licensing information and support programs.
- SBIR / STTR(opens in a new tab)NationalRestricted programs
Federal research-and-development funding for small businesses with qualifying technology projects.
- SBA Grant Information(opens in a new tab)NationalRestricted programs
Explains the limited SBA grant programs available. SBA does not offer general grants to start or grow a business.
- Hello Alice(opens in a new tab)NationalSearch tool
Small business platform that shares grant programs, funding information and resources.
- National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)(opens in a new tab)National
Membership association for the self-employed that offers resources and member grant programs.
- U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)(opens in a new tab)NationalRestricted programs
Federal economic development funding, generally awarded to communities, regions and organizations rather than individual businesses.
Community GrantsSources for nonprofits, grassroots groups and local programs. · 9 resources
- Community Foundation for Northern Virginia(opens in a new tab)Northern Virginia
Regional foundation offering grant programs for nonprofits serving Northern Virginia.
- Arlington Community Foundation(opens in a new tab)Northern Virginia
Grant opportunities for nonprofits serving the Arlington community.
- ACT for Alexandria(opens in a new tab)Northern Virginia
Alexandria’s community foundation, supporting local nonprofits through grants and giving programs.
- Virginia Humanities(opens in a new tab)Virginia
Statewide humanities council offering grants for public humanities projects in Virginia.
- Virginia DHCD(opens in a new tab)Virginia
Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, which administers housing and community development programs.
- Grants.gov(opens in a new tab)NationalSearch tool
Official federal portal for finding and applying to federal grant opportunities.
- National Endowment for the Arts(opens in a new tab)National
Federal agency offering grants to eligible arts organizations and projects.
- National Endowment for the Humanities(opens in a new tab)National
Federal agency offering grants for humanities research, education and public programs.
- Candid(opens in a new tab)NationalSearch tool
Nonprofit information service with tools for researching funders and grants; some features require a subscription.
Listings are informational; eligibility, deadlines and availability are determined by the provider.
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