Healthy Spaces Grant

The Healthy Spaces Grant is offered by the Obici Healthcare Foundation, a private philanthropic organization established in 2006 following the sale of Louise Obici Memorial Hospital to Sentara Healthcare. The Foundation’s mission is to improve the health status of residents within its defined service area, which includes several cities and counties in Virginia as well as Gates County, North Carolina. Its work focuses on addressing the needs of underserved populations, particularly the indigent and uninsured, while supporting initiatives that prevent illness and promote overall wellbeing. The purpose of the Healthy Spaces Grant is to fund infrastructure projects that encourage physical activity and healthy eating. The program prioritizes “shovel-ready” initiatives that create or improve access to community assets such as walking trails, playgrounds, parks, farmers markets, community gardens, and healthy food retail options. The Foundation emphasizes that environmental access to these resources is a critical driver of healthier behaviors, particularly in communities facing disparities such as food insecurity and limited recreational facilities. Funding is intended primarily for capital expenses, equipment, and limited personnel or consulting support necessary to implement projects. The Foundation explicitly excludes funding for administrative overhead, educational programming, conferences, lobbying, research, and activities that do not directly contribute to infrastructure improvements. Projects must be located within the Foundation’s service area and must not duplicate services already supported through other funding streams. Grants are one-time awards with a one-year performance period and may be awarded for less than the requested amount. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and government entities serving the defined geographic region. Faith-based organizations and schools may also apply, provided they meet additional requirements such as joint use agreements ensuring public access to funded spaces. Applicants must demonstrate strong governance, financial management, and alignment with the Foundation’s mission. The program encourages collaboration and community engagement, particularly in underserved areas where health disparities are most pronounced. The application process requires submission through the Foundation’s online portal and includes a proposal cover sheet, narrative, project work plan, detailed budget, financial documentation, and supporting materials such as letters of support. The narrative must describe the project’s impact, alignment with organizational mission, implementation capacity, partnerships, and evaluation methods. The Foundation also offers optional pre-submission consultations and technical assistance to help applicants refine their proposals and ensure alignment with funding priorities. The grant operates on multiple funding cycles throughout the year, each with a defined proposal deadline, review period, and grant start date. For 2026, deadlines occur on May 15, July 15, and December 1, with corresponding notification and start dates extending into early 2027. All applications must be submitted by 2:00 PM Eastern Time on the stated deadlines. While multiple cycles are planned, later cycles are subject to funding availability. The program is recurring, and unsuccessful applicants may revise and resubmit in future cycles.

Prioritize shovel ready infrastructure projects that directly improve access to physical activity or healthy food and demonstrate clear implementation capacity and community impact