Grants

Grants

Your gifts to the UVA Parents Fund support many essential areas of the student experience: health, wellness, and safety services; academic and career planning; diversity initiatives; volunteer efforts; club sports; and more.

The Parents Program has allocated more than $1 million across Grounds annually for the last several academic years. Members of the Parents Council administer the grants and prefer to provide “seed money” to initiate new programs or to meet a one-time need—not to provide annual funding for existing programs.

See our Terms and Conditions

Thanks to parents like you, the UVA Parents Program is able to provide a margin of excellence for our undergraduate students. See a full listing of all grants awarded Academic Year 2023–24

Our Grant Cycle for the 2023-2024 Academic Year is currently closed. The cycle for the 2024-25 Academic year will begin on August 1, 2024. Those seeking additional funding opportunities click here.

For the 2023-24 cycle, all student applicants will be required to participate in a grant training session provided by the UVA Parents Program. More information on this will be forthcoming this fall.

The Rainy Day Fund

The UVA Parents Program offers one-time grants to current undergraduate students facing unexpected financial hardship. In 2016, an anonymous gift from a UVA family created the Parents Rainy Day Fund. This endowed fund helps students facing financial hardship that potentially could derail their studies by providing one-time grants for basic necessities or other unforeseen expenses, such as travel costs during a family emergency. Learn More

Grants

FAQs

How do I request funds from my organization’s grant?

We operate primarily on a reimbursement basis. To request a reimbursement, email the following to Marcy Sheldon (marcy.sheldon@virginia.edu):

ALL receipts and/or proofs of payment
- Scanned receipts, email confirmations of purchase, screenshots of credit card statements or payments made from a bank account for specific items will all suffice.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are submitting more than 5 receipts, you must also include a list of all expenses, with each line item listed, as well as a total at the bottom. The list can either be in Excel form or Word form, but you must list every expense.

A completed disbursement form noting:
- Your organization’s name and project
- The person or organization that should receive the reimbursement
- The reimbursement recipient’s address, even if (s)he will be picking up the check. This is a requirement of the UVaFund.

You can download a disbursement form here.

You will also need to submit a grant report for your organization at the time you submit your disbursement materials. Your grant report should include highlights of your event or project. You may include photos, but it’s not a requirement.

ALL CHECK RECIPIENTS WITH A LOCAL ADDRESS MUST PICK UP THEIR CHECKS AT ALUMNI HALL.

My organization doesn’t have enough money to pay for some or all of our budgeted expenses. Can our grant money be used to pay for catering, or other costs?

Yes, you can use your grant to cover pre-approved expenses that were listed in your original grant application.

For any expenses that you would like for the Parents Program to pay upfront, email the following to Marcy Sheldon (marcy.sheldon@virginia.edu):

An order confirmation (or invoice)
A completed disbursement form (see instructions above for what to include on this)

**If you are asking for us to pay a local business for food or other services on your behalf, it will be incumbent upon your organization to pick up the check from Alumni Hall and deliver it to that company.**

In some cases, companies may be required to complete a W9 form if they are not already registered with the UVaFund. It is your group’s responsibility to 1) determine if the company needs to complete a W9 form, and 2) submit the form to Paula Wagner at the UVaFund.

When and where will checks for my organization be available?

Reimbursement materials are usually processed in 7-10 days. Parents Program Grant accounts are managed by the UVaFund at Alumni Hall. You can contact the UVaFund in person, or at 434-243-1141 to see if your check is ready.

My group has an account with the UVaFund. Can reimbursements from our grant account be deposited into our group’s UVaFund account?

Yes. Specify on the disbursement form that you would like to receive the reimbursement as an internal fund transfer. Please note your group’s UVaFund account number.

My group’s project or needs changed. Can we use our grant to pay for things that weren’t in our budget, or that cost more than we anticipated?

Yes, provided that:

You give two weeks’ written notice of any changes to the UVA Parents Program
Your costs stay within the total amount of your grant

Email Marcy Sheldon (marcy.sheldon@virginia.edu) detailing how you originally planned to use your grant, and your organization’s proposed changes. Please allow up to one week’s time for approval to be granted or denied.

Our grants are made possible through the generosity of our Parents Program donors, and at the discretion of our Executive Committee. This policy is to ensure that grant recipients use their funds in line with our donors’ expectations.

How can I get a UVA Parents Program banner for my event to show that your program is one of our sponsors?

These items are available for pickup at the UVA Parents Fund Office at 2420 Old Ivy Road, Charlottesville. From the Lobby, head upstairs to Reception, Room 231C. Prior to coming, please contact Marcy Sheldon (marcy.sheldon@virginia.edu) to request these items. Please specify when you plan to come by to pick up the banner and when you plan to return it.