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Harvest Foundation of the Piedmont

Annual Giving
$16.7M
Grant Range
$5K - $12.0M
Decision Time
3mo

The Harvest Foundation of the Piedmont

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $16,731,867 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 30 business days (PUP! grants); Quarterly reviews (General Responsive grants)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $12,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Martinsville City and Henry County, Virginia exclusively

Contact Details

Address: P.O. Box 5183, Martinsville, VA 24115
Phone: (276) 632-3329
Email: info@theharvestfoundation.org
Website: https://theharvestfoundation.org/
Grantee Portal: https://harvest.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp

Pre-Application Support: The Foundation strongly encourages all grant seekers to schedule an appointment with a program officer before completing a grant application.

Overview

The Harvest Foundation of the Piedmont was established in 2002 from the sale of Memorial Hospital and has since become a transformative force in rural Virginia. With assets totaling over $267 million, the foundation has committed more than $206 million through over 400 grants to local nonprofits and municipalities. The foundation's mission centers on creating a vibrant Martinsville-Henry County through place-based investments in economic development, education, healthcare, and quality of life initiatives. Operating under its current 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, the foundation focuses on building "Thriving Youth, A Vibrant Community, and a Resilient and Diverse Economy." In 2024 alone, the foundation awarded nearly $17 million in grants. The foundation has received recognition from the Center for Effective Philanthropy, ranking in the top 5% of their cohort for relationships with grantees, including responsiveness, candor, and openness to ideas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

General Responsive Grants - Varies (Multi-year commitments possible) The flagship program provides rolling grant funding for nonprofits serving Martinsville and Henry County. Recent awards have ranged from $200,000 over three years (Fuller Center for Housing) to $12 million (Family YMCA). Applications are reviewed quarterly by the Grants Committee and Board of Directors.

Project Hope - Up to $15,000 (One-year projects) Supports small, grassroots projects that build hope through volunteerism and positive community engagement. Must be completed within one year. Applications open in Spring; awards announced in September with an October celebration luncheon. The 2024 cycle awarded $63,825 to six organizations.

PUP! (Pick Up the Pace) - Up to $25,000 (Rolling basis) A streamlined small-grants program for local efforts demonstrating positive impact on residents. Projects must be completed within 12 months. Staff typically makes award decisions within 30 business days of submission. Recent awards include $23,200 for Earn While You Learn program and $25,000 each for pickleball courts.

Pass GO - $5,000 annually (Up to $50,000 over 10 years) Student loan repayment opportunity for qualified professionals in high-demand fields (teachers, healthcare professionals, engineers, community college faculty, mental health professionals) who work and live in Martinsville or Henry County. First payment arrives after one full year of employment. Currently supporting 40 participants including 24 teachers.

Priority Areas

The foundation's 2022-2026 Strategic Plan focuses on three priorities:

Thriving Youth (81.5% of 2024 grants - $13.5 million)

  • Systems and school readiness for children birth to age 5
  • 0-21 coalition with shared goals
  • First-class youth learning and development opportunities
  • College access and success (SEED Fund - college promise program)

Vibrant Community (14% of 2024 grants - $2.3 million)

  • Maintaining the healthcare SafetyNet system
  • Supporting behavioral health infrastructure
  • Housing capacity growth and affordable housing
  • Broadband expansion
  • Uptown revitalization
  • Community connectivity and conversations
  • Building a powerful shared community narrative

Resilient and Diverse Economy (4.5% of 2024 grants - $735,550)

  • Increasing jobs and tax base
  • Building entrepreneurial ecosystems
  • Workforce development
  • Economic mobility and upward mobility systems
  • Addressing transportation barriers
  • Understanding poverty causes and cultures

Eligible Activities Include:

  • New programs or expansion of impactful ongoing programs with sustainability plans beyond foundation funding
  • Replication of proven practices addressing local needs
  • Research or planning to inform program decisions
  • Policy work and legislative advocacy
  • Collaborative nonprofit efforts
  • Capacity building and strategic planning

What They Don't Fund

Across All Programs:

  • Direct grants to individuals including scholarships and fellowships
  • Programs outside Martinsville or Henry County, Virginia
  • Debt reduction
  • Religious or political activities
  • For-profit organizations
  • Medical research
  • Endowments
  • Sponsorships including fundraising events, galas, athletic teams/events
  • General operations or budget shortfalls (Project Hope and PUP! only)

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Kate Keller | President (Since July 2020) Kate brings 20+ years of experience in health and nonprofit sectors. She previously served as Vice President of Strategy and Policy at Interact for Health in Cincinnati, where she implemented initiatives totaling $22 million and established 24 school-based health centers. Kate holds a B.A. in Political Science from Eastern Michigan University and an M.P.A. from the University of Cincinnati. Her philosophy: "We don't just invest in programs, we invest in people." She emphasizes doing philanthropy "to do with" communities rather than "onto" them.

F. DeWitt House, Jr. | Vice President, Community Investments DeWitt has over 30 years in education as a teacher, coach, principal, and assistant superintendent. He formerly served as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction at Henry County Public Schools. Kate Keller noted: "DeWitt has been instrumental in bringing transformative programs to life."

Board of Directors

Danny Wulff — Chairman Owner/operator of Chick-fil-A of Martinsville. His priority: "I want residents to feel like they have a voice and a seat at the table."

Kelvin G. Perry — Immediate Past Chairman Assistant Director for Office of Economic Development and Tourism in Danville, Virginia. Over 30 years in banking; former president/CEO of First State Bank. Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church. Joined the Board in 2017.

Anne Smith — Vice Chair Governance & Nominating Committee Chief administrative officer and president of domestic upholstery at Hooker Furniture with 30+ years in human resources and leadership.

Travis Hodge — Vice Chair Grants Committee, Secretary Organizational Development and Human Resources professional committed to advancing Martinsville-Henry County.

John Korff — Vice Chair Finance & Administration Committee, Treasurer Retired president and CEO of Virginia Glass and Mirror.

Other Board Members:

  • John "Jeb" Bassett - COO/SVP at Bassett Furniture Industries
  • Valenica Eggleston-Clark, MD - Family medicine physician at Carilion Clinic
  • John Favero, D.O. - Owner of Martinsville Family Medicine
  • Laura Frazier - Assistant attorney general for Commonwealth of Virginia
  • Judy Hodge - Retired elementary music teacher (30 years)
  • William "Bill" L. Kirby, IV - VP and Commercial Market Manager for Carter Bank & Trust
  • DelShana LeGrant, Ed.D. - Early childhood consultant and owner of LeGrant Education Services
  • Sharon Ortiz-García - Senior epidemiologist at Virginia Department of Health
  • Litz Van Dyke - CEO and director of Carter Bank & Trust

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Step 1: Pre-Application Consultation The Foundation strongly encourages all grant seekers to schedule an appointment with a program officer before completing a grant application. Contact info@theharvestfoundation.org or (276) 632-3329 to arrange a meeting.

Step 2: Online Application Access the cloud-based grants management system at https://harvest.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp using your organization's (or fiscal sponsor's) EIN to create an account.

Step 3: Review Process Applications undergo a three-stage review:

  1. Due diligence process by Program Staff - Strong proposals recommended to Grant Committee
  2. Review by Grant Committee - Strong proposals recommended to Board of Directors
  3. Review by Harvest Board of Directors - Final decision on funding

Decision Timeline

General Responsive Grants: Quarterly review cycle with 2026 deadlines:

  • 1st Quarter: December 5, 2025
  • 2nd Quarter: March 6, 2026
  • 3rd Quarter: July 3, 2026
  • 4th Quarter: October 2, 2026

PUP! Small Grants: Reviewed as proposals arrive; typical decision within 30 business days

Project Hope: Applications open Spring 2026; awards announced September 2026; celebration luncheon October 2026

The Foundation commits to keeping applicants informed throughout the process.

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. The foundation notes: "The Harvest Foundation receives many requests and not all of the requests will be selected for funding." Historical data shows the foundation made 33 awards in 2019, 29 awards in 2018, and 21 awards in 2017, though this does not reflect total applications received.

The 2023 Grantee Perception Survey had an 81% response rate, and notably, "even grantees who have had a proposal to Harvest declined in the past hold positive perceptions about this process overall."

Reapplication Policy

There is no stated waiting period for reapplication. Rejected applicants are encouraged to contact the Foundation for feedback at info@theharvestfoundation.org or (276) 632-3329. The Foundation treats all proposals - including those from first-time applicants - "based on the same criteria."

Application Success Factors

What The Foundation Values

Strategic Alignment is Critical All proposals must align with the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan's three priorities: Thriving Youth, Vibrant Community, and Resilient Diverse Economy. Projects must directly serve Martinsville and/or Henry County, Virginia residents.

Strong Applications Demonstrate:

  • Clear case for why the proposed plan is the best approach to address the identified need
  • Evidence that the organization has the ability and capacity to execute the plan
  • For new/expanded programs: sustainability plans showing how programs will continue beyond foundation funding
  • For replications: proven practices with evidence of success elsewhere
  • Community benefits with anticipated results
  • Strategic partners and collaborative efforts
  • Long-term impact on the community
  • Implementation timeline (within one year or less for PUP! and Project Hope)

What Grantees Say (2023 Perception Survey Findings)

The foundation received exceptionally high ratings from grantees in several areas:

Top5% Nationally For:

  • Relationships with grantees
  • Responsiveness to grantees
  • Candor in communications
  • Openness to ideas from grantees about programs and strategies

Major Strength: "External engagement. Harvest's understanding of the grantees' local community and the communities they serve received a high rating."

Non-Monetary Support: Nearly 80% of grantees report receiving non-monetary assistance (compared to 58% at typical funders), demonstrating the foundation's commitment to capacity building beyond just funding.

One Area for Improvement: Grantee ratings for the relevance, adaptability, and straightforwardness of the reporting process are less positive than other measures.

Recent Funded Projects as Examples

These grants illustrate the types of projects the foundation supports:

  • Family YMCA: $12 million for comprehensive community programming (2024)
  • Educational Leadership Initiative: $1.085 million (2024)
  • Smith River Synergy: $1.2 million for environmental initiative (2024)
  • Community Development Finance Institution: $450,000 for financial access programs (2024)
  • Fuller Center for Housing: $200,000 over three years for affordable housing efforts
  • Hope Center Ministries: $365,000 over three years to expand recovery services
  • Uptown Partnership: $350,200 over two years for planning grant
  • Salvation Army: $15,000 to create community garden and outdoor environment (Project Hope 2024)
  • Virginia Museum of Natural History: $15,000 for Growing Strong Communities greenhouse project (Project Hope 2024)
  • Pregnancy Care Center: $23,200 PUP grant to grow Earn While You Learn program
  • City of Martinsville and County of Henry: $25,000 each (PUP grants) for outdoor pickleball courts

Key Success Factors

Consultation Before Application: Organizations that schedule pre-application meetings with program officers appear better positioned for success, as staff can guide alignment with strategic priorities.

Geographic Specificity: The foundation exclusively serves Martinsville City and Henry County, Virginia - projects must directly benefit these communities.

Evidence-Based Approaches: Whether proposing new programs or replications, demonstrating proven practices and measurable impact strengthens applications.

Sustainability Planning: For General Responsive grants, showing how programs will continue beyond foundation funding is essential.

Collaborative Approach: The foundation values partnerships and collaborative nonprofit efforts that strengthen the overall community ecosystem.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Schedule a pre-application meeting with a program officer before applying - the foundation strongly encourages this and it demonstrates your commitment to alignment with their priorities
  • Focus heavily on strategic alignment - your proposal must clearly connect to one or more of the three strategic priorities (Thriving Youth, Vibrant Community, Resilient Diverse Economy) in the 2022-2026 plan
  • Geographic restriction is absolute - only projects directly serving Martinsville or Henry County, Virginia residents are eligible; this is non-negotiable
  • The foundation values relationships - they rank in the top 5% nationally for responsiveness, candor, and openness to grantee ideas, so engage authentically and be prepared for genuine dialogue
  • Consider the right program fit - General Responsive for larger, multi-year initiatives; Project Hope for grassroots community engagement projects under $15,000; PUP! for quick-turnaround projects up to $25,000 needing decisions within 30 days
  • Demonstrate sustainability - for General Responsive grants, show how your program will continue after foundation funding ends; unsustainable programs are unlikely to receive support
  • Match their "do with" philosophy - President Kate Keller emphasizes doing philanthropy "with" communities rather than "onto" them, so proposals should reflect community voice and partnership
  • Don't be deterred by past rejections - the 2023 survey found that "even grantees who have had a proposal to Harvest declined in the past hold positive perceptions about this process overall," and reapplication is welcomed

References

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