Across the New River Valley, many nonprofits are working quietly and steadily to meet local needs, but most residents only see a small piece of that work. The Community Foundation of the New River Valley (CFNRV) exists to connect these everyday acts of care with long-term, reliable funding.

How the Community Foundation of the New River Valley strengthens the NRV

The Community Foundation of the New River Valley is a nonprofit that pools local donations into invested funds, then uses the earnings to make ongoing grants and scholarships across the region. It serves Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe, and the City of Radford, with a mission to encourage giving, nurture collaboration, and invest in lasting solutions.

Unlike organizations that run a single program, CFNRV is a hub. Local individuals, families, and businesses create charitable funds at the foundation. CFNRV invests those funds and, year after year, distributes a portion of the earnings to support nonprofits, schools, and students.

Since its first grant in 1997, CFNRV has awarded millions of dollars in grants and scholarships, including more than $269,000 to nonprofits and schools in 2025 alone, according to its grantmaking report on cfnrv.org. For a rural region, that steady level of support is significant.

CFNRV also brings partners together around big regional issues such as food access, early childhood education, aging in community, and nonprofit leadership. Networks like the Thrive Food Access Network help reduce duplication, share resources, and move surplus food quickly to where it is needed most.

Endowments and donor-advised funds: how CFNRV grows local giving

An endowment at CFNRV is a charitable fund that is invested so it can support the community in perpetuity. Donors typically contribute at least $10,000 to start an endowed fund; CFNRV then invests the principal and uses a portion of the investment earnings each year to make grants or scholarships.

This structure means a single gift can keep working for generations. For example, a $10,000 endowment might generate around $300 annually for grants, without reducing the original gift. Over decades, that reliably supports local organizations even as donors’ circumstances change.

Donor-advised and other endowed funds are flexible tools. A donor may:

  • Support a broad area, such as veterans, education, or food security.
  • Designate specific organizations to receive annual agency grants.
  • Create a scholarship for students from a particular county or pursuing a certain field.

As of 2026, CFNRV manages more than 200 endowed funds, including 48 agency funds that provide direct annual support to specific nonprofits, according to recent agency grant announcements on cfnrv.org. Each fund reflects a story, a set of values, and a decision to invest in the New River Valley’s future.

Grants and capacity-building support for nonprofits like Mountain Valor

For organizations such as Mountain Valor, CFNRV’s grant programs are a crucial source of flexible support. Through its Responsive Grants, CFNRV invites nonprofits and public agencies each year to request operating funds, generally up to several thousand dollars per grant.

These grants can pay for everyday needs that keep programs going: rent, utilities, technology, staff time, fuel, or outreach. In 2025, more than 70 organizations received Responsive Grants, with awards helping cover everything from food distribution to classroom materials, according to CFNRV’s fall grantee report on cfnrv.org.

Beyond direct funding, CFNRV invests in nonprofit capacity. Its Nonprofit Leadership Institute, Third Thursday workshop series, and resource library provide training in fundraising, financial management, board development, and storytelling. This support matters for small, rural nonprofits that often rely on lean teams and volunteers.

Mountain Valor benefits from this ecosystem. Workshops on donor communication, for example, can strengthen how the organization explains veterans’ needs, tells impact stories, and builds a sustainable fundraising plan that mixes grants, individual gifts, and partnerships.

Inside GiveLocalNRV: how the regional giving day works

GiveLocalNRV is CFNRV’s annual online giving day, designed to spotlight local nonprofits and make it simple for neighbors to support causes they care about. Each June, donors visit GiveLocalNRV.org to give to one or more organizations during a 24-hour campaign.

The platform is available year-round, but the giving day concentrates attention and momentum. Participating nonprofits create profiles, share stories, and invite supporters to give. Donors can build a single “cart” of gifts to many organizations at once, making it easy to spread support across the region.

CFNRV and event sponsors add extra incentive through prizes and bonus grants. In recent years, the giving day has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, with some campaigns approaching or surpassing $900,000 from thousands of individual gifts, as highlighted in CFNRV’s GiveLocalNRV news updates on cfnrv.org.

For many organizations, GiveLocalNRV is now a regular part of their fundraising calendar. It helps them:

  • Reach new donors who browse by cause or county.
  • Reconnect with existing supporters at a predictable time each year.
  • Compete for challenge grants and random “golden ticket” prizes that stretch each donation further.

How Mountain Valor benefits from CFNRV grants and GiveLocalNRV

Mountain Valor is a clear example of how CFNRV’s tools can strengthen a mission over time. As a rural, veteran-serving nonprofit, Mountain Valor must balance immediate needs—like helping a family navigate VA benefits or secure safe housing—with long-term organizational stability.

Through CFNRV’s Responsive Grants, Mountain Valor can apply for operating support that covers essentials such as outreach to rural veterans, staff time for complex benefit applications, or transportation to partner appointments. Agency funds established by donors could, over time, provide Mountain Valor with annual, predictable grants.

Participation in GiveLocalNRV adds another layer. By building a strong campaign page, sharing veteran stories with consent, and mobilizing volunteers as peer-to-peer fundraisers, Mountain Valor can:

  • Attract first-time donors who might not have known the organization existed.
  • Encourage small recurring gifts—$10, $25, or $50—that collectively sustain core programs.
  • Compete for event prizes that can add several hundred or thousand dollars beyond direct donations.

When Mountain Valor pairs this giving-day strategy with CFNRV-led training on messaging and donor stewardship, each year’s campaign becomes more effective, not just louder.

Ways donors and neighbors can support Mountain Valor through CFNRV

For community members who want to support veterans and their families, CFNRV offers several pathways that directly benefit organizations like Mountain Valor.

Individuals and families can:

  • Give online to Mountain Valor during GiveLocalNRV at GiveLocalNRV.org.
  • Make a one-time or recurring gift to Mountain Valor’s page on the platform throughout the year.
  • Work with CFNRV to establish a designated or donor-advised fund that names Mountain Valor as a beneficiary.

Businesses and professional advisors can partner with CFNRV to align charitable goals with regional needs. For example, a company could set up an agency fund or sponsor GiveLocalNRV prizes that specifically highlight veteran-serving organizations.

Neighbors who are not able to give financially can still help by volunteering, sharing Mountain Valor’s campaign messages, or attending CFNRV workshops that build nonprofit leadership skills. Each action contributes to a more stable, connected support system for rural veterans.

By understanding how CFNRV, endowed funds, grants, and GiveLocalNRV work together, donors and partners can make choices that not only respond to today’s needs, but also strengthen organizations like Mountain Valor for the long term.