About Va Foundation for Independent Colleges
To secure financial support that enables college-bound students to access and graduate from outstanding Virginia independent higher education institutions.
Focus Areas
Scholarships/financial aidHigher education (independent colleges & universities)Faculty research and professional developmentLeadership developmentSTEM education supportDiversity, equity & inclusion
Who They Fund
member institutions (organizational recipients)students (scholarship recipients)
Funding Style
distribution-to-member-institutionprogram-restricted fundingscholarship/grantmaking
About Va Foundation for Independent Colleges
VA Foundation for Independent Colleges centers its grantmaking on the 17 member colleges it serves, with most recent awards described as distributions to member institutions for programs and scholarships. Its work is closely tied to access and affordability in Virginia independent higher education, alongside faculty development and leadership support. Recent grants show a steady flow of mid-sized institutional support rather than isolated, one-time gifts. The largest recent award in the data is $164,141 to the University of Richmond, and other recurring recipients include Marymount University, Shenandoah University, Bridgewater College, and Virginia Wesleyan University. These grants are paired with scholarship support that is routed through member colleges, reflecting a structure designed to strengthen institutions while helping students attend and remain enrolled. The foundation also supports faculty recognition and professional growth. Its program list includes the Maurice L. Mednick Memorial Fund for research and advanced study, Harris Family Faculty Awards, and scholarship programs that can be endowed by donors or administered through member institutions. The result is a funding pattern that combines institutional support, student aid, and faculty advancement within a single college network.
What Va Foundation for Independent Colleges Funds
Scholarships are a core part of the foundation’s work. It gives support to member institutions for student financial aid, including need-based aid, and its scholarship programs are used to help students at the 17 member colleges and universities access independent higher education. Faculty development is another clear thread. Through the Maurice L. Mednick Memorial Fund, the foundation supports professional development for VFIC college faculty with fellowships for research and advanced study, and the program description notes typical research awards of about $2,250. The Harris Family Faculty Awards recognize faculty excellence in undergraduate teaching, rising scholarly promise, and instructional technology. It also funds leadership programming. The VFIC/Altria Leadership Scholars Award appears in student spotlights, showing that leadership development is part of the foundation’s student support mix. An Applied Ethics Bowl program is listed as well, indicating support for intercollegiate academic competition within the member-college network.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.1M
Total Assets
$45.1M
Total Revenue
$3.6M
Total Expenses
$3.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $121K and $137K, with a median of $131K.
25th Percentile
$121K
Median
$131K
75th Percentile
$137K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
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