Media & Community Relations

Media Relations

VHCF expects all grantees to generate local media attention for their projects to inform the community of the services they offer and the successes they achieve. Media objectives are defined for each organization in the Letter of Agreement.

VHCF often assists new projects in generating media coverage by sending out press releases to each project's local media contacts announcing the VHCF grant award. To facilitate this process please download the Local Media Contact Form (.xls), fill it out and e-mail it to your program officer.

Community Relations

No organization or project operates alone. VHCF itself would not be possible without the support of our partners and we expect VHCF grantees to actively engage community partners in making their projects successful.

One of the ways the Foundation will evaluate your project is by contacting your partners within the community. These are the individuals and organizations who have either contributed cash or in-kind goods or services or who are part of your referral network.

Approximately eight months into the grant year, VHCF will send each of your Community Partners a letter to thank them for their involvement, explain a little about the Foundation's mission, and ask them to complete a brief Partner Assessment Survey (.doc). We will use their responses to help us evaluate the extent to which you have engaged them in your efforts as part of the decision-making process for continuation funding. Please note that this is an important part of VHCF's review of your project. If surveys are not received, we will call you and ask that you call your partners and encourage them to complete and return their surveys, so you can receive a fair and thorough evaluation.

Community Partner Contact Information Form (.xls) – If you have not already done so, please download this form, fill it out and e-mail it to your program officer.

Visit the grantee orientation web page to download VHCF media communications tips and resources and other media and communications resources.