LINK Foundation Grant Program

The Burke and Herbert Bank Foundation provides charitable funding as part of its long-standing commitment to strengthening the communities it serves. With a history spanning more than 170 years, the bank emphasizes responsible growth, economic development, and meaningful local impact. The foundation operates with the belief that individuals and organizations within a community are best positioned to understand and address its needs. As such, it invites community members, nonprofit organizations, and local leaders to propose initiatives that align with shared goals of improving quality of life. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support programs and organizations that contribute to community well-being across several focus areas. These include empowerment and self-sufficiency, healthcare, housing, hunger relief, education, community development and recreation, and the arts. The foundation prioritizes initiatives that create sustainable, long-term benefits rather than short-term solutions. Programs that promote financial literacy, job readiness, access to healthcare, stable housing, food security, educational advancement, and community engagement are all considered within scope. Funding is restricted to qualified nonprofit organizations that meet specific eligibility requirements. Applicants must be recognized as 501(c)(3) public charities by the Internal Revenue Service and must operate within the geographic areas served by Burke and Herbert Bank. Organizations are limited to receiving funding once every 24 months from the date of a previous award. The foundation also places importance on organizational strength, including sound fiscal management and active board involvement. Additional priority is given to organizations with direct involvement from a bank employee in a leadership or volunteer capacity. The application process requires prospective applicants to review eligibility guidelines and submit a support request form. While the exact components of the application are not fully detailed, applicants are expected to provide comprehensive information about their organization, the proposed project, and its anticipated community impact. The foundation evaluates submissions based on alignment with funding priorities, demonstrated community need, organizational capacity, and the potential for broad or meaningful benefit within its service areas. The funding cycle operates on a quarterly basis, with four distinct application deadlines throughout the year. For the 2026 cycle, deadlines occur on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31. Award notifications are issued approximately two months after each deadline, with grant distributions following shortly thereafter. This structured cycle allows applicants multiple opportunities within a year to submit proposals and receive consideration. Certain types of requests are explicitly excluded from funding consideration. These include applications from individuals, political organizations, religious institutions for general operations, government agencies, and organizations with high administrative overhead costs. The foundation also does not support fundraising events, sponsorships, athletic activities, or non-academic school-related events. Additionally, national organizations are generally ineligible unless they demonstrate strong local presence and alignment with the foundation’s service areas. Overall, the Burke and Herbert Bank Foundation grant program is designed to support impactful, community-driven initiatives led by qualified nonprofit organizations. Through a structured application cycle and clearly defined priorities, the foundation seeks to invest in programs that foster resilience, opportunity, and long-term prosperity within the communities it serves.

Prioritize projects with employee involvement; demonstrate strong fiscal management and board engagement