VJAS Receives $24,000 Grant in Support of the Lewis and MacKenzie Scholarships

Historic Amount of Virginia Program Grants Awarded in October 2025 as VEE helps to “Meet the Moment”
​VEE’s Board of Directors awarded a historic amount of Virginia Program grants at its October meeting. VEE had received a record number of applications, including several responding to its decision last April to consider general operating requests from those affected by federal grant cancellations and reductions.
In making its decisions, the Endowment placed a priority on sustaining investments in long-time nonprofit partners; supporting ongoing priority projects and programs; and assisting those impacted by federal funding reductions. In an effort to “meet the moment,” the Board awarded 23 grants totaling $611,005, the largest single Virginia Program grant round in many years. With these October awards, it exceeded the annual 5% spending cap, awarding a total of over $850,000 in VEE’s FY2026 (April 2025 – March 2026). In addition, the Board approved two James River Water Quality Improvement Grants totaling $817,369. It previously awarded three Community Conservation Program grants totaling $317,592 last April. Altogether, in FY 2026, VEE awarded 38 grants for $1,745,968.

The VA Junior Academy of Science was one of its recipients.  Joe Maroon, Executive Director of the Virginia Environmental Endowment (VEE), is advising VAS of the VEE Board's recent award of $24,000 in support of the "Lewis and MacKenzie Scholarships 2026 & 2027" proposal.  Congratulations!