04/25/2025
This week, we celebrated our 2025 Meta Data Center Community Action Grant recipients at the Henrico Data Center. It was a joy to bring together this year’s grant recipients, community partners, Meta team members, and local leaders!
Through our Data Center Community Action Grants program, Meta provides funding for nonprofits and schools — addressing critical community needs by putting the power of technology to use for community benefit, giving people the power to build strong, sustainable communities, improving local STEAM education — to support the long-term vitality of the Richmond Region. Learn more on this year’s projects:
Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU
To enhance the patient experience with VR by stimulating movement and imagination, providing opportunities for relaxation and stress reduction, and supporting patients of all abilities in play and healing.
CodeVA
To develop a modular STEM learning program for after-school settings, providing learners with hands-on experiences in coding, engineering, and robotics to build critical 21st-century skills.
Deep Run High School Robotics Booster Club
To further develop cybersecurity education to build a safer community in today’s world.
Girls For A Change
To bridge the digital divide and equip Black girls with the essential digital literacy education and resources they need to thrive.
Greater Richmond Fit4Kids
To provide STEAM education by building three new learning gardens that lead to scientific exploration and the adoption of healthy habits including increased consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables and water.
Henrico Education Foundation
To level up Esports opportunities for Henrico students by establishing Esports clubs in three high schools to boost engagement, attendance, and STEM skills while fostering teamwork and career readiness.
James River Association
To secure tangible STEM learning tools that will enable JRA to engage with students across the Richmond region and bring watershed concepts to life.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
To fully integrate technology into the garden’s conservatory, creating opportunities for immersive visitor experiences and infrastructure that will enable the garden to better care for its collections.
The Metropolitan Business League
To empower youth in Virginia with the skills and confidence to become future entrepreneurs through innovative teaching and hands-on experiences in STEM and business.
Sports Backers
To develop an instructional space and provide critical technology to connect the community to Sports Backers’ Active Living Hub, a gathering place that will house active living initiatives.
Partnership for the Future
To introduce Henrico high school students to STEAM careers and majors through Cultural Capital Workshops and college tours.
Richmond Symphony
To create a STEAM makerspace that facilitates the creation of new musical compositions through technology for young composers in Henrico County and across the Richmond region.
Science Museum of Virginia
To explore the impact of AR/VR technologies on the future of architecture and construction careers with MiX teens/museum guests and expand access to AR/VR technologies for the museum’s diverse guests.
The Richmond Forum
To boost connectivity for speech and debate competitions at local middle and high schools by obtaining laptops and hot spots to ensure smooth tournaments and less Wi-Fi inconsistency.
Virginia Commonwealth University
To introduce virtual reality learning modules and credentials to advance middle school STEM education and increase student problem-solving skills.
Our thanks to Virginia Economic Development Partnership Henrico Economic Dev Authority Henrico County Government Henrico County Public Schools Chamber RVA Rvatech/ RVA 757 Connects for joining us. A big shoutout to Amanda Miles Photography for the fantastic photos.
