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CavFutures Foundation is thrilled to announce the recipients for the third year of it's one-of-a-kind grant program, Champions of the Community, This cycle, 22 local nonprofit organizations were selected to receive funding for their impactful initiatives in the Charlottesville community. Make-A-Wish of Greater Virginia, Reclaimed Hope Initiative, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge, Charlottesville Community Bikes, Charlottesville Free Clinic, Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Piedmont CASA, Cultivate Charlottesville, College Mentors for Kids, Computers4Kids, Piedmont YMCA, Benjamin Hair - Just Swim For Life, Camp Holiday Trails, Athletes In Action, HER Sports, 100 Black Men of Central Virginia, Stepping Stone, Building Goodness Foundation, Bennett's Village, LilyPads Housing, and The Yellow Door Foundation make up the grant recipients for 2026.

CavFutures Foundation is proud to partner with this diverse group of nonprofits dedicated to addressing critical needs and driving positive change within our community. These selected organizations exemplify innovation, dedication, and a deep commitment to improving the lives of our fellow residents. The 22 grant recipients selected this year are the most awarded since the inception of the Champions program. The total amount granted in 2026 totaled $200,000. During its three-year history of the program, Champions of the Community has donated over $530,000 to nonprofit organizations in Charlottesville and surrounding areas.

"This program has evolved over the last three years into an amazing opportunity to bring our student athletes closer to the community in which they live in through awareness and philanthropy," CavFutures Foundation Executive Director Lo Davis said. "We are grateful to the Weinberg Family Foundation for their continued collaboration and support that allows CavFutures Foundation and UVA to make such a meaningful impact not only in the lives of our student athletes but the greater Charlottesville community."

Of the group of this year's recipients, nine are first time grant awardees through the Champions program. The organizations receiving grants in 2026 support the Charlottesville community in everything from swim safety to court advocacy for youths.

Grant applications received a thorough examination by the UVA Student-Athlete Leadership Academy team, made up of 21 student-athletes across 10 teams. The Leadership Academy students spent the semester receiving education on philanthropy, grant making and the awarding process.

"I was amazed by how many sectors were covered, whether it was camps for families, swim lessons for any ages, or mentorship for young Black students," fourth year rower Dylan Bentley said of the program. "This process in particular revealed to me how important it is to know and hold your values and learning how to use those values as a roadmap to decision making. This program is so incredibly unique, and its impact on all those that come into contact with it cannot be understated."

For more information about CavFutures Foundation and its grant program, please visit www.cavscare.org.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Jack Callahan was three years old when he was diagnosed with metastatic cancer. Fourteen months of treatment at the University of Virginia, near his family's home, and in Philadelphia followed.

Now, seven years later, Jack is a healthy 10-year-old with a healthy love for baseball.

"He told me his plan was to be in the majors, but if that didn't work out, he'd be a minor league player," Jack's mother, Emily Callahan, told Cville Right Now. "He loves baseball."

Wednesday afternoon, Jack Callahan and 11 other children who battled critical illness, got the chance to spend some time with the UVA baseball team, part of an event put on by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia and CavFutures.

The children and their families visited Disharoon Park, spent time on the field with the Cavaliers players and coaches, then hung out with them in the stadium's club, eating pizza and doing some arts-and-crafts projects. First-year coach Chris Pollard gave each child a baseball.

"It's just a day of joy and a reminder to find moments every day to find joy with one another," Emily Callahan said.

Lo Davis, executive director at CavFutures, said the organization hopes to expand the number of events it puts on. "This is just the beginning," Davis told Cville Right Now. "We want to look at doing more events with Make-A-Wish, with more teams."

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – CavFutures Foundation is the nonprofit arm of the Official NIL Collective of the Virginia Athletics Department CavFutures. While the conversation around collegiate athletics has primarily been about player compensation, the CavFutures Foundation has also emphasized partnering UVA student athletes with local area nonprofits to enhance their student experience.

For the second straight year, the CavFutures Foundation has invested heavily into the community and this year the total dollar amount was over $200,000 going to local nonprofits.

"We could not be more excited for how the second year of Champions of the Community went," said Lo Davis, Executive Director of CavFutures Foundation.

For more information about CavFutures Foundation and its grant program, please visit www.cavscare.org.

A program-high 22 Charlottesville nonprofits to receive grants in 2026

CavFutures Foundation is thrilled to announce the recipients for the third year of it's one-of-a-kind grant program, Champions of the Community. This cycle, 22 local nonprofit organizations were selected to receive funding for their impactful initiatives in the Charlottesville community.

The total amount granted in 2026 totaled $200,000. During its three-year history of the program, Champions of the Community has donated over $530,000 to nonprofit organizations in Charlottesville and surrounding areas.

"This program has evolved over the last three years into an amazing opportunity to bring our student athletes closer to the community," CavFutures Foundation Executive Director Lo Davis said.

Contact:
Lo Davis
Executive Director
CavFutures Foundation
lo@cavalierfutures.com
434-999-8821

Twenty Charlottesville nonprofits to receive grants in 2025

CavFutures Foundation is thrilled to announce the recipients for its second year of its one-of-a-kind grant program, Champions of the Community, resulting in the selection of 20 local nonprofit organizations to receive funding for their impactful initiatives in the Charlottesville community.

Seven more grants were awarded in Year 2 of the program, with the amount given back to the community totaling more than $200,000.

Contact:
Lo Davis
Executive Director
CavFutures Foundation
lo@cavalierfutures.com
434-999-8821

Thirteen Charlottesville non-profits to receive grants in 2024

CavFutures Foundation is thrilled to announce the conclusion of its inaugural grant program, Champions of the Community, resulting in the selection of 13 local non-profit organizations to receive funding for their impactful initiatives in the Charlottesville community.

"We are incredibly excited to collaborate with these outstanding non-profit partners on their projects," said Lo Davis, Executive Director of CavFutures Foundation.

Contact:
Lo Davis
Executive Director
CavFutures Foundation
lo@cavalierfutures.com
434-999-8821

CavFutures, the NIL (Name Image and Likeness) collective supporting University of Virginia student athletes has announced the launch of CavFutures Foundation (CFF). CavFutures Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that will serve as a complimentary entity to CavFutures and is dedicated to educational programming related to personal growth and development, mental health advocacy, financial literacy, personal and professional branding and more.

"This is about more than just bringing NIL opportunities to Charlottesville. This foundation will allow us to provide essential programming and support as we help student-athletes to leave their own legacy here," according to CavFutures Executive Director Lo Davis.

If you would like more information or make a donation to support CavFutures Foundation please go to www.cavscare.org.