The City of Fairfax has established a grant program to help support nonprofit human services organizations that serve city residents. 

Eligible organizations must be located in Fairfax City and/or provide services to city residents. Organizations may choose to apply for either a mini-grant ($5,000-$10,000) or a standard grant ($10,001-$50,000), both distributed through a competitive process.

Applications will be accepted from Sept. 23 through 4 p.m Nov. 4. Recipients will be announced Dec. 10. 

Visit fairfaxva.gov/nonprofitgrants for information on eligibility, the application process, and the FY25 grant timeline.

Enjoy live music, beer, food, and more in Old Town Square. Rock the Block starts at 6:30 p.m. 

Bring a chair or blanket. No pets, please. 

The Council Reporter for the Sept. 24 meeting includes video segments linked to agenda items. View the Reporter. A meeting summary is provided below.

• Mayor Catherine Read presented proclamations acknowledging Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, 2024, as National Hispanic Heritage Month; ARTS by George!; Blue Star Welcome Week; and Sept. 28, 2024, as National Day of Service to end hunger and food insecurity in the City of Fairfax.
  
  
• City Council appointed the following applicants to the new Housing and Healthy Communities Advisory Board: Mark Light, interim chair; Susan LaCroix, vice-chair; Dominic Bonaiuto, INOVA Health System representative; Gabriel Derosier, lending institution representative; and Ginny Atwood, nonprofit substance use disorder organization representative. Appointees will serve a two-year term.
  
  
• City Council approved the painting of a new mural on the exterior wall of the Draper Drive Park bathroom. The goal of the mural is to raise awareness and inspire action toward environmental cleanup, waste reduction, and pollution and litter mitigation. The mural will feature local animals cleaning up the park and will be paid for with Plastic Bag Tax revenue ($8K).

Public Hearings

• City Council adopted proposed amendments to the Code of the City of Fairfax, Chapter 110 (Zoning), relating to urban agriculture. The addition of urban agriculture as a permitted use in the city would likely result in a net positive fiscal impact by expanding the types of revenue-generating businesses in the city.
  
  
• City Council approved a resolution to reappropriate general/operating, capital, and enterprise funds that were appropriated in FY 2024 and have not yet been spent or committed as of June 30, 2024.

Work Session

• City Council discussed a request by Combined Courthouse, LLC, for eight special exceptions for a proposed mixed-use development at 10300 Willard Way (Courthouse Plaza). Watch the presentation.

A city council special meeting is slated for Oct. 1. View the agenda (subject to change). 

Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday nights in City Hall. Watch meetings live on Channel 12 (COX/Verizon) and online, or catch a replay at 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

Help shape the Urban Forest Master Plan. This survey will provide insight into the community's values and concerns regarding the urban forest. It will also help the city refine its outreach efforts for the remainder of the plan. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

Take survey.

Preserving existing trees on your property can reduce your stormwater utility fee. Preserved trees must be healthy, unaffected by invasive species, and at least 38 inches in circumference.

Watch this video to learn how to document the preservation of your trees. You can count multiple trees for 157.5 inches or more of circumference in total. With this credit, you are eligible for a maximum of one BU credit on your stormwater utility bill.

Learn more about the city's stormwater utility. 

Please use the comments tool on Engage Fairfax to provide feedback about the updated Comprehensive Plan.

The City Council public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 8.

If you have any questions, please use the questions tool on Engage Fairfax, or reach out to Amy Lynne Denny directly at amylynne.denny@fairfaxva.gov.

George Mason’s College of Science invites space enthusiasts of all ages to attend the 2024 Space Day on Sept. 28 from 3-9 p.m. in Dewberry Hall on the Fairfax Campus.  

This dynamic event will educate the public on the technology and science behind some of the leading aerospace projects in the area. The day offers lectures from those at the forefront of space exploration and several organizations with hands-on space-related activities, educational information, and more. NASA Astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren will headline the event and take participants on a journey beyond the Earth's atmosphere. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/2hmvsn6j.

Mason Observatory

Enjoy an evening under the stars at the Mason Observatory. The public can learn more about the stars, our solar system, galaxies, and celestial events every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Scientific talks are approximately 45 minutes long. The information presented is appropriate for ages six and older. Learn more at https://science.gmu.edu/observatory.

Read the police department’s daily crime and weekly arrest reports. 

Explore job opportunities with the police department

Fairfax City PD needs you! Watch these short videos.