Southern Virginia Community Challenge
Supported by Microsoft
ChangeX will help you to start a new community project in your neighborhood. Our $35,000 challenge is dedicated to helping you build thriving and sustainable communities across Southern Virginia.
How it works
- Select an idea listed below and register to get your project page
- Use your project page to complete the 30 Day Challenge
- Submit a photo and your action plan
- Once you're active let us know what impact you are having in your community
Who can apply
- You want to start a ChangeX idea to improve your local community
- You're passionate about building a thriving community where you live in Mecklenburg, Halifax, Charlotte, Luninberg, and Brunswick Counties in Southern Virginia
- You are an individual, an existing local group or a community organization
What you get
- Seed funding to start your selected idea
- Free starter resource pack, mentorship and technology tools to get started
- Additional impact funding, once you report back on the social impact of your active project
Explore & Pick an Idea to Start
Explore and select an idea that you want to start in your community
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Funding available
Community Fridge
Start a community fridge in your community to share good food that would otherwise go to waste.
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Funding available
Open Orchard
Organize an Open Orchard to bring people together, to provide free fruit to local residents and to green our urban environments.
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Funding available
Girls Who Code
Start a Girls Who Code Club in your community and get girls excited about coding and computer science
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Funding available
Repair Café US
Organize a free meeting place in your community to repair things instead of throwing them away.
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Funding available
Cycling Without Age
Start a Cycling Without Age chapter in your community and give more people the opportunity to feel the wind in their hair.
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Funding available
The Last Plastic Straw
Start a grassroots campaign to reduce and eliminate wasteful plastic straws from our communities.
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Funding available
Pollinator Partnership
Invite pollinators to your neighborhood by planting a pollinator friendly habitat in your garden, farm, school, park or just about anywhere!
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Funding available
Recycle Across America
Start recycling right with standardized recycling labels for your school that will help you to improve recycling and save your school money.
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Funding available
Grow Remote
Help to increase employment opportunities in regional areas by connecting companies, remote workers and local communities.
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Funding available
Men's Shed
Provide a space in your community where men can find meaning, friendship and belonging.
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Bee Friendly Farming
Promote pollinator health on your farm and receive recognition and consumer support for it.
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Funding available
Grow it Yourself
Get together with people in your community and share the joy of growing your own food.
Why are people starting these ideas?
The Southern Virginia Community Challenge is an opportunity for communities to come together to create thriving communities across Southern Virginia. We’re excited to support local action across Southern Virginia and to see the collective impact we can have in building healthier, more sustainable communities.
- Holly Beale (Microsoft Datacenter Community Development Team)
