Donations to The Ashland Fund can be made on the Community Foundation’s website (link to come). All donations made to The Ashland Fund are held in that fund by the Community Foundation for distribution at the direction of the Ashland Foundation Board of Directors.

Thanks to our partnership with the Community Foundation, The Ashland Fund can accept a wide variety of monetary donations, including: cash, check, real estate, stock, bequests, and more. For additional information on the types of gifts eligible for donation, please contact Curtis Shifflett with the Community Foundation at: cshifflett@cfrichmond.org.

As a 501(c)3 in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Ashland Foundation is required to file Form 990 annually.

In addition, upon completion of the first grant cycle, the Board of Directors will publish an annual Impact Report outlining fundraising activities and grant disbursements as well as present publicly to Ashland Town Council. The first Impact Report will be available by September 2025.

Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing services to Town of Ashland residents.

The Ashland Foundation, through The Ashland Fund, distributes grants annually. Generally, the application process opens in February for a period of 2 months each year. Grant decisions are made in June with awarding in July-August. For specific deadlines for the current year, please see our Receive page.

Grant decisions are made by the Ashland Foundation’s Board of Directors composed of individuals with strong local ties to the community. Applications that demonstrate alignment with the favorable criteria specified on the Receive page will receive strongest consideration.

The Community Foundation of Richmond provides administrative support to the Ashland Foundation by accepting donations to The Ashland Fund and distributing grant payments at the direction of the Ashland Foundation Board of Directors.

Seed funding for the Ashland Foundation will be provided by the Town of Ashland in 2025 as part of the FY2025-26 budget. Our hope is that the Town of Ashland and Town Council will allocate a lump sum to the Ashland Foundation each year that will be combined with private donations to maximize local impact.

As a primary funder for The Ashland Fund, the Town of Ashland holds three seats on the Board of Directors to ensure effective stewardship of public funds.

The Ashland Foundation’s Board of Directors uses a variety of criteria to evaluate the quality and relevancy of grant applications. Please see our Receive page for a detailed list.

Every January, Board Member and Assistant Town Manager, Martha J. Miller, holds grant consultation appointments. These 1-hour consultations are a great way to get feedback on your project and how to strengthen your application before submitting. See the Receive page for details on meeting with Martha.

The Ashland Foundation and its primary funder, the Town of Ashland, strongly prefers funding requests with a clear objectives and measurable outcomes. Funding for operating costs may be considered, but awarding is contingent upon demonstration of strong financials and a clear fundraising strategy that includes diverse funders (not just Foundation funds). Requests for ongoing funding will not be considered.