The Health Equity Fund (HEF) has invested in Richmond communities since 2021 as a program of the Richmond and Henrico Public Health Foundation (RHPHF). For 2026, HEF is administering funds as one of four priority areas under the City of Richmond’s new Richmond Thrives Grants Program.
This is a new funding source and a new competitive grant cycle — distinct from any HEF-administered opportunity in prior years. Applicants should not assume past HEF funding, applications, or relationships carry over into this process.
HEF is offering interested organizations the opportunity to apply for funds supporting both direct programming that addresses immediate health outcomes and broader strategies that tackle the root causes of poor health in Richmond communities.
Applications are now open and will close on September 25th, 2026.
Want to draft your application offline? Download the Richmond Thrives HEF Application Drafting Doc
HEF supports work across the following focus areas:
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Applications are reviewed and ranked by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and HEF’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC) — 11 members with lived experience across HEF’s focus areas. The CAC recommends awards to the RHPHF Board, which considers those recommendations alongside HEF’s goal of supporting a diverse range of services and makes the final funding decision. There is no fixed number of awardees; partial funding may be offered in some cases.
Reach out to us at hef@rhphf.org.
Gaps in funding and resources too often create or exacerbate disparities in our health outcomes. The HEF seeks to fill these gaps for vital, innovative, evidence-based initiatives by investing in community-led programs seeking to improve health and quality of life for Richmond residents experiencing the following deep health disparities and the longstanding impacts of racism.
Through community-based investments, the HEF seeks to make measurable improvements in the following health outcomes:
Through community-based investments, the HEF seeks to make measurable improvements in the following health outcomes:
Through community-based investments, the HEF seeks to make measurable improvements in the following health outcomes:
Through community-based investments, the HEF seeks to make measurable improvements in the following health outcomes:
Through community-based investments, the HEF seeks to make measurable improvements in the following health outcomes:
Through community-based investments, the HEF seeks to make measurable improvements in the following health outcomes:
Through community-based investments, the HEF seeks to make measurable improvements in the following health outcomes:
To prioritize where the HEF makes investments, a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) of Richmond residents informs and leads these decisions. CAC members have a combination of both lived and professional experience in the health disparities of focus for the HEF.
The CAC has helped to shape the process as well as the selections for funding, weighing complex questions of how the HEF can best fill gaps to address community needs.
Cultural and language supportive services to ensure access to testing and treatment and connections for broader follow up care. Also, access to chronic disease management programming for uninsured or Medicaid patients.
Personal follow up and support for unstably housed patients to ensure access to up to date vaccination and connections to primary care.
Sustain and increase communicable screening for HCV, Syphilis, TB, and HIV.
Increase colorectal cancer screening for low-income and uninsured residents
Expanded hotline services for Spanish-speaking individuals.
STI/STD testing, educational resource linkage, emergency support services referral, and harm reduction services offering.
Access to vaccine, resources, and referral services for Spanish-speaking clients.
Expanding feeding program into comprehensive health fairs.
Enhancing community-based diabetes self-management education program.
Community-engaged design and planning for holistic healing space.
Resource distribution, health education, and race events for those at high risk for chronic disease.
Expanding community-led food production, nutrition education, and healing-centered wellness programming in Richmond's East End.
Stocking free store with high-value and high-quality foods.
Youth urban agriculture and skill-building program for Richmond's East End.
Expanding food access through community fridge network, skill share classes, and community cook days.
Expansion of mobile market program.
Three-season youth farming program and online urban farm fellowship.
Culturally relevant emergency nutrition services.
Access to community doulas for families and certification support for doulas.
Access to maternal and child health resources at in-home visits.
Access to community doulas for families and certification support for doulas.
Holistic, wraparound support for new and expecting parents with children ages 0-5.
Access to community doulas for families and certification support for doulas. Also, expand maternal health hub program providing diapers to families in need and access to care coordination services.
Doula services and perinatal programs that support justice-impacted birthing people in prison, jail, rehabilitation facilities and on probation in the community.
Trauma therapy and mental health support for children and families.
Mental and behavioral health care support for those experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.
Youth-centered public health campaign, mindfulness-based restorative practices, and Healing Center Engagement training
Mental health skill building program for the uninsured.
Expanding community and individual mental health services in three RRHA community resource centers.
Community based, healing-centered case management program for emerging adults touched by the criminal legal system.
Mental health and emergency services for LGBTQ+ survivors of violence.
Counseling and mental health services for underserved women.
Transitional housing support, nutritious meals, and case management for residents with a history of substance use.
Love Cathedral Education Academy (LCEA) curriculum implementation and recovery-centric services to assist those in treatment or in recovery for substance use disorder.
Case management and peer-led workshops for justice-involved individuals with a history of substance use.
Transitional housing support and case management for residents returning from incarceration settings with a history of substance use.
Transitional housing support and case management for residents returning from incarceration settings with a history of substance use.
Transitional housing support and case management for residents returning from incarceration settings with a history of substance use.
Substance use disorder treatment program for residents returning from incarceration settings with a history of substance use.
We add updates and information to this site to inform our communities and partners on the HEF’s activities.
For additional information, contact hef@rhphf.org