Request for Proposals to the Popular VI Community Fund

In partnership with the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI), Popular Inc. established the Popular VI Community Fund at CFVI with an initial donation of $100,000 in 2022. The purpose of this fund is to enhance the philanthropic interests of Banco Popular and its employees in the US and British Virgin Islands.

This funding opportunity’s primary goal is to support youth education, youth economic empowerment (vocational training/employment support), and/or environmental projects in low to moderate income communities. Youth education projects must improve academics, promote youth staying in school or provide financial education. Economic empowerment projects must support employment and/or vocational training. Environmental projects must be focused on environmental work in the community. Projects should be focused on supporting children, youth, and families in the US Virgin Islands and/or the British Virgin Islands in low to moderate income communities.

Applications will be reviewed on a competitive basis in alignment with the Fund’s priorities. Preference will be given to programs that run over several months and make a significant impact and affect change in the community.

Summary of Funding

Organizations may apply for up to $10,000 to support program-related costs.

• Grants are available to nonprofit organizations that provide direct services in the areas of youth education, youth economic empowerment (vocational training/employment support), or environmental projects, focused in low to moderate income communities.
• Funding is intended to support the capabilities of organizations through project and program-based support
• CFVI and Popular, Inc. are committed to equitable grantmaking and will consider geographic diversity and the importance of reaching underrepresented communities in funding decisions

Funding Priorities

• Projects that serve low to moderate income communities and individuals will be prioritized.

Eligibility

• Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (or BVI equivalent)
• Events are not allowed
• Applications from organizations with reports past-due to CFVI will not be considered
• Applicants are limited to no more than 2 consecutive awards from the Popular VI Community Fund

Period of Performance

• The period of performance is January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026

Application Process

• Applications must be submitted using the application in CFVI’s online grant portal
• Applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm AST on October 31, 2025
• New applicants must create an account in CFVI’s online grant portal
• Returning applicants should log in using their previously created account
• You may preview the application form here
• The grant portal will not accept applications after the established deadline. Once the application has been submitted, an automatic email receipt will be sent confirming that all application materials were successfully received
• Grant awards will be publicly announced via the CFVI website

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria. Each criterion is worth up to 5 points.

• The proposal’s alignment with the funding priority: impact in low to moderate income communities
• The relevance of the proposed project and/or program activities to the funding goals and the importance to the local community
• The feasibility of completing these activities within the established performance period
• The experience and qualifications of the relevant personnel dedicated to the proposed activities
• The capacity of the organization to administer the grant and the viability of the program and organization
• The impact of the project activities to the intended audience
• Whether the budget is reasonable/cost-effective and linked to proposed activities and outcomes
• Overall evaluation of the quality of the proposed program and impact of the project as a whole

The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands and Popular Evaluation Committee will evaluate applications in accordance with the criteria outlined above. The evaluation process may be amended to accommodate changing circumstances. For the most up-to-date guidance, please visit cfvi.net/grants-scholarships/grants/.

Reporting Requirements

Recipients must comply with the following reporting requirements:

• Interim report due no later than June 30, 2026
• Final financial and performance report due no later than January 31, 2027 (or within 90 days of project completion, if the project is completed sooner)

Applicants with additional questions are encouraged to contact Beth Nuttall, Director of Grants and Programs, at bethn@cfvi.net.

Grant Application Webinar

CFVI will host a grant application webinar on October 3, 2025 at 10 am AST. This webinar will be recorded and made available on the CFVI website.

Click to Register

Applicants will be notified by Dec 31, 2025 at https://cfvi.net/Grant-Opportunities