Search Through Grants for Community Service Projects in West Virginia in the U.S.

Mission

To encourage human development in West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania through strategically placed charitable resources.

Guiding Principles

The following principles guide the Foundation’s grants programs in those regions:

• We honor Michael and Sarah Benedum’s belief in “helping people help themselves,” and we seek opportunities to cultivate the creativity of people and communities.
• We nurture leadership within the communities we serve, and we participate in leadership when it adds value.
• We encourage planning, projects and programs that cross geographical and political boundaries so that access to services and economic growth is maximized.
• We expect collaboration among the public, private and nonprofit sectors in order to leverage the resources that each can bring to common concerns.
• We strive to advance innovative practices that demonstrate measurable and sustainable benefit.
• We seek projects that contribute to advancement in public policy.

In keeping with the wishes of Michael and Sarah Benedum, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation is a regional philanthropy focusing on West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation generally invests two-thirds of its grant dollars in West Virginia and one-third in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Foundation serves the entire state of West Virginia. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, the service area includes Allegheny, Washington, Greene, and Fayette Counties. This four-county area is a natural connector between Pittsburgh and West Virginia and contains rural communities that may benefit from the Benedum Foundation’s experiences in West Virginia.

However, the Foundation recognizes that economic regions do not follow political boundaries, and therefore, the Foundation both encourages projects that cross state lines, and supports economic initiatives that benefit the multi-state economy centered on Pittsburgh.

Program Areas: Community Development and Health

The Foundation supports Community Development and Health Services grants programs in West Virginia,.

Health

West Virginia will benefit when all families have access to high-quality health care. The best possible resources are required for families to raise their children to be productive members of their communities.

Emphasis in this program area is placed on innovations in health care delivery systems, a strengthening of the public health infrastructure, and community-based health promotion; especially regarding chronic disease prevention and management. Collaborative efforts involving communities, businesses, and public agencies are encouraged through technical assistance, program development, research, and public policy. Current specific areas of interest include:

• Support for a healthier quality of life for West Virginians through access to affordable health care, preventive health services, state-level policy development, and quality care systems across the lifespan.
• Ensuring a system of accessible and affordable health care for children, and the promotion of healthy development and child-focused public policy.
• Address social drivers of health to promote health and well-being.

Community Development

Improving capabilities of leaders, organizations, and interested citizens to address challenges and opportunities will help communities be more prosperous through their own efforts.

The Benedum Foundation promotes the economic well-being and quality of life of West Virginia communities.

Current specific areas of interest include:

• Activities that engage diverse groups of citizens in the life of the community.
• Efforts that help communities organize, plan, and implement ambitious but achievable improvement strategies.
• Leadership development.
• Programs that improve the effectiveness and accountability of nonprofit and public organizations.
• Efforts to expand technology access, affordability, and utilization.

What does this program do?

This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

What is an eligible area?

Rural areas including cities, villages, townships and towns including Federally Recognized Tribal Lands with no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census Data are eligible for this program.

How may funds be used?

Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and / or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment and pay related project expenses.

Examples of essential community facilities include:

• Health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
• Public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangars or street improvements.
• Community support services such as child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing.
• Public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment.
• Educational services such as museums, libraries or private schools.
• Utility services such as telemedicine or distance learning equipment.
• Local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses.

Grant Approval

Applicant must be eligible for grant assistance, which is provided on a graduated scale with smaller communities with the lowest median household income being eligible for projects with a higher proportion of grant funds. Grant assistance is limited to the following percentages of eligible project costs:

Maximum of 75 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 5,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 60 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 55 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 12,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 70 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 35 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 20,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 80 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 15 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 20,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 90 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income. The proposed project must meet both percentage criteria. Grants are further limited.

Community Grant Program

Purpose and Overview

The mission of the ARH Foundation for Healthier Communities is to further healthcare, education and community involvement in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia through philanthropy and fundraising for Appalachian Regional Healthcare.

In accordance with our mission the Foundation will accept grant applications on a continuing basis from non-profit organizations within our service area. All proposals must fall withing the following guidelines:

• Sound plan to increase the health and wellbeing of a group or community within the ARH Service Region.
• Specific and measurable goals for project evaluation.
• Desire to promote coordination and collaboration among organizations or institutions to prevent duplication of services.
• Evidence of realistic organizational planning and management.

Project Areas Considered for Funding

The program or project for which funding is being requested must address needs or opportunities to improve the quality of life for women and children in South Central Kentucky and meet at least one or more of the following criteria:

• Education: Activities that promote or strengthen health and healthy lifestyle education.
• Health: Activities that improve health outcomes.
• Human Services: Activities that support public protection, employment/jobs, food and nutrition, agriculture, housing and shelter, public safety, disaster preparedness and relief.
• Other Civic Endeavors: Other activities that will improve the health and quality of life for our communities..

The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation’s grantmaking priority areas include Community Economic Development (CED), Education, Health, Arts & Culture, and Basic Needs. Occasionally, the Foundation offers additional competitive grantmaking opportunities known as special initiatives.

Grantmaking Priorities

Community Economic Development

• Increase workforce development and career and technical education that result in job opportunities that pay a livable wage and benefits
• Support small businesses in TGKVF’s service area and/or ensure a robust and effective small business support ecosystem, with a particular focus on entrepreneurship
• Build upon the community’s social and economic condition through visible improvements, business districts, recreational and cultural enhancements, and support for gathering spaces

Health Priorities

• Improve access to preventative, behavioral, and oral healthcare for marginalized communities
• Increase the capacity of communities, organizations, and social enterprises to develop healthy recreational opportunities and/or expand access to locally grown, healthy foods
• Expand the amount of public greenspace, access to streams and bikeable/ walkable trails

Education Priorities

• Increase access to proven education programs, including out-of-school time, tutoring mentoring, and/or learning programs that emphasize STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, or math) education
• Deepen the impact and scale of programs that connect and involve families in their child’s education
• Expand proven post-secondary guidance, career advisory, and/or trade and vocational schools that train students for available jobs

Arts & Culture Priorities

• Increase the number and reach of programs that foster creativity, self-expression and cross-cultural exchange, especially in underserved areas
• Advance creative arts and cultural work that takes risks, engages audiences in new ways, and/or crosscuts with other sectors, including education, health, basic needs, and community economic development
• Support arts and cultural activities that include diverse populations as both audiences and active participants, particularly those that emphasize performing arts and/or youth involvement

Basic Needs Priorities

• Support and encourage collaboration among nonprofit, public, and private sector efforts to ensure equitable access to basic needs resources such as of food, shelter, and clothing for individuals and communities in crisis
• Strengthen initiatives that work to reduce food insecurity by increasing access to low-cost or no-cost food for individuals and families in need in underserved, population-dense, and rural communities
• Engage with programs that provide immediate, adaptive, short-term shelter options and stabilize long-term housing for individuals and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness

Background

The Highmark Foundation is a private, charitable, organization of Highmark Inc. that supports initiatives and programs aimed at improving community health. The Highmark Foundation's mission is to improve the health, well-being and quality of life for individuals who reside in communities served by Highmark Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. We fulfill our mission by awarding high impact grants.

Ideally, the Foundation seeks evidence-based programs that impact multiple counties, that achieve replicable long-term models, and that attract collaborative funding by community partners.

Foundation grants have been awarded to hospitals, community health centers, health service organizations, local community groups and government agencies committed to improving community health.

Our focus is health. The Foundation awards health-related programmatic grants to charitable organizations to implement evidence-based programs aimed at improving community health within Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Grant funding is used to support projects that:

• Are consistent with the Foundation’s goals, strategies and focus
• Demonstrate new and sustainable ways to solve health problems
• Illustrate the effectiveness of early intervention and preventive health

Funding Priority Areas

The Foundation awards grants in the area of health, defining health broadly to include social, behavioral and other dimensions beyond illness or disease. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking on four areas:

Chronic Disease

For more than a decade, the Foundation has funded chronic disease intervention and prevention programs for the most vulnerable populations in the region. By analyzing data from global, national, and statewide resources, the Foundation determines where it can make significant impact among populations by reducing the burden on both patients and health care providers.

One major example of the Foundation's leadership is its funding of community-based programs and services that have been created to reduce the effects of diabetes among minority populations. Through comprehensive, multilevel strategies, the Foundation has provided millions of dollars which grant these individuals easier access to diabetes prevention programs.

The Foundation has also supported national efforts—locally. For example, the Foundation was one of the first in the nation to fund an initiative known as Mission Lifeline. This is an initiative of the American Heart Association which advances the systems of care for patients who have experienced the most severe form of heart attack.

Data analysis of other chronic diseases, such as osteoporosis, certain types of cancer, asthma, and many others, are constantly being reviewed by the Foundation staff to determine significant impact opportunities with outcomes that are both measurable and achievable.

Funding Programs and Interventions that Address:

• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Obesity

Family Health

Family health initiatives have been at the heart of many programs funded by the Highmark Foundation.

For five years, the Foundation's Highmark Healthy High 5 initiative focused on five areas that ultimately impacted family health: physical activity, nutrition, bullying, self-esteem and grieving. Many of the programs funded were not just aimed at children, but incorporated the entire family unit.

Childhood obesity and bullying remain major public health concerns for the nation and the region, and will remain critical issues for the Foundation. To that end, the Foundation is continuing to fund school and community-based programs that directly impact these issues and bring about positive change for children's physical and mental well-being.

The Foundation also funds programs in the area of maternal health, such as the doula pregnancy programs, walk-in clinics for uninsured and underinsured women, and parenting education classes. For the region's senior population, the Foundation funds programs that provide senior access to home health or palliative care, as well as routine health screenings and interventions.

Funding Programs and Interventions that Address:

• Nutrition and Physical Activity
• Adolescent Health
• Maternal Health
• Senior Care
• Mental Health

Service Delivery Systems

Serving a diverse geographic area that encompasses urban and rural populations presents a unique set of challenges. However, despite the differences in these settings, gaining access to quality health care is a challenge for many individuals in both. In urban settings, there is a lack of health care providers, but the underinsured or uninsured often lack the resources to gain access. In rural settings, the situation is even worse. There are very few health care providers available, and those that are available may not have the capacity to serve the underinsured or uninsured populations.

During the past decade, the Foundation has funded many programs across the region to help underserved and uninsured populations gain access to quality and, in some cases, free health care. This is most evident in the area of dental care and oral health, in which the Foundation, through a series of grants, allowed more patients to gain access to quality dental care.

The Foundation has also provided grants to help organizations hire and recruit health care professionals. It has funded millions of dollars in grants to address the nursing shortage in Pennsylvania. In fact, approximately 5,000 nursing students, nurses, medical students, residents, first responders and nursing faculty have benefited from Foundation funding.

Finally, the Foundation has provided grants to organizations planning to invest in new capital and technologies that will better serve their local population. By providing funding for capital expenditures at locations such as Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHC), nonprofit organizations, and community hospitals, the Foundation allows these facilities the ability to serve more patients.

Funding Programs that Address:

• Access to Care
• Recruitment of Healthcare Professionals
• Community Health Clinics
• Screenings

The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and Regional Affiliates (PACF) works with individuals, families, businesses, and civic or nonprofit organizations to make a positive and permanent commitment for the future of our community.

The PACF is a single 501(c)(3) public charity that manages nearly 500 charitable funds started by people just like you. The PACF works in partnership with its local affiliates to provide leadership and develop philanthropic resources to meet the needs of an 11-county service area. Since 1963, PACF has helped local citizens support charitable needs and touch every aspect of life in the community in a variety of lasting ways.

The Foundation is committed to improving our collective future by inspiring philanthropy and connecting people with opportunities to make a meaningful difference; engaging citizens to address key issues; and delivering results that matter for the people of our area.

Special and Urgent Needs (SUN) Grants

SUN grants (up to $4,000) help organizations with non-budgeted, unforeseen, and time-sensitive emergencies or opportunities that arise from time to time and for which a quick response regarding Foundation support is necessary.

 Requests can be submitted at any time to the Foundation's Senior Program Officer. 

Parkersburg Area Community Foundation (PACF) works to provide regional leadership and develop philanthropic resources to meet the needs of an 11-county service area: Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties in West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio.

PM Company's Spirit of Giving

The PM Company's Spirit of Giving is a charitable initiative started in 2007 by Pat Minnite Sr. to support local charities and nonprofit organizations, particularly in the Mid-Ohio Valley area. The program is designed to provide financial grants to organizations serving vulnerable and underserved populations primarily in Wood County, West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio, where The PM Company does most of its business

The Spirit of Giving Story

The Spirit of Giving fund was created by Pat Minnite, Sr., at the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation in 2007 as a source to benefit local charitable efforts and non-profit organizations through grants. It took on a life of its own when it became the focus of our annual Christmas party at the Grand Pointe Conference and Reception Center.

Once upon a time, The PM Company sent cards, chocolates, and other typical gifts to our associates during the holidays. Then it occurred to us that the money spent on those tokens of appreciation could go further, and be more meaningful, if we all came together to celebrate the true meaning of the season. We asked our tenants, vendors, and business partners to join us in collecting donations of goods and dollars for several local groups who serve those in need, and the Spirit of Giving was born.

Past Projects

The fund supports a wide range of local nonprofit efforts, from health and welfare to education and family services, aligning with The PM Company's mission to give back positively to the community.

The Corrine and Henry Bower Memorial Foundation is a Pennsylvania-based private charitable trust with an annual giving amount around $35,000. The foundation primarily funds wellness, education (middle school electives), general support, and visual arts programs, making a few grants per year.

The foundation’s grants are administered through a Distribution Committee that pre-selects applicants to apply by directed invitation. Funding is regionally focused, serving the City of Philadelphia and selected surrounding counties in Pennsylvania, as well as some areas in Ohio, New Jersey, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.

About Us

Our legacy and our future

The Nicholas County Community Foundation is a 501(c)3, public charity, created by and for the people of Nicholas County in 2006. We manage collection of charitable funds created by donations from caring citizens and businesses. This collection of funds is Nicholas County’s permanent endowment whose earnings support a wide variety of causes throughout the county.

The NCCF is a foundation for the community, making grants to community organizations. We are also a foundation created by the community. We are able manage a variety of funds established by individuals, business, families, churches and organizations.

The NCCF works to keep the wealth and assets of our great community here in Nicholas County, forever.

Case Statement

The work of the Nicholas County Community Foundation falls into three basic areas: (1) we raise funds from individuals, families, businesses and groups for all types of local charitable needs; (2) we invest funds for long-term sustainability and prudent growth; and (3) we distribute funds as grants and scholarships according to donor’s wishes and in light of local needs. Our principle aim is to help donors build permanent endowments for the long term support of Nicholas County as a whole. Local needs change over time, and we help donors give gifts today which will remain effective forever.

Mission Statement

Nicholas County Community Foundation connects charitable giving with a permanent source of funds to ease local needs while enriching the community for today and tomorrow.

Vision Statement

The Nicholas County Community Foundation visualizes Nicholas County as a vibrant, compassionate community without walls where all people collaborate to build a prosperous community. The foundation is a leader in the development of this vision by providing expertise and inspiration for community members to participate in local charitable giving as a way to connect their personal values with long-term community impact.

Nicholas County Community Foundation Grant

The Nicholas County Community Foundation knows that our quality of life is enhanced by a diverse and healthy nonprofit sector. That is why we encourage nonprofit organizations in Nicholas County to apply for our competitive grant making funds.

The Nicholas County Community Foundation (NCCF) is making discretionary grants from the Seelinger Family Foundation Fund and the Fund for Nicholas County. The Seelinger Family Foundation Fund is a field of interest fund “dedicated to maintaining and improving the areas of Summersville, West Virginia and Nicholas County, West Virginia, including but not limited to, their schools and educational systems, parks and recreation commissions, extracurricular organizations, governing bodies, athletic associations, fine arts centers and cultural and historical societies.”

The Fund for Nicholas County fund is our unrestricted fund. These funds are used to assist organizations that serve all of Nicholas County.

The NCCF focuses the unrestricted grantmaking program on capital and equipment projects and special programs in the areas of: arts and culture, education, health and human services, recreation, and youth and family services. Within these focus areas, the foundation places priority on supporting:

• One time projects/programs;
• Seed money for pilot projects or for responding to unmet or emerging community needs;
• Matching grants that leverage additional funding;
• Projects that reach a broad segment of the community;
• Projects not adequately served by existing community resources;
• Expansion of existing programs;
• Start up of new projects/programs of established organizations;

The Responsive Grants Program is a competitive grants program in which applicants can apply for project, capacity building, equipment or technology, small capital projects, or general operating support in support of the organization’s mission.

Priority Areas

Healthy Eating, Active Living

We support projects and strategies that prevent or manage chronic health conditions by promoting healthy eating and active living through one or more of the following:

• Education about the health benefits of a healthy weight, good nutrition, and physical activity
• Efforts that encourage and support behavior change
• Environmental changes that make healthy choices the easy choices
• Increased access and distribution of healthy foods
• Promotion and provision of opportunities for increased physical activity
• Coalition and cross-sector collaboration that promotes healthy eating and active living through policy or programmatic change

Thriving Neighborhoods

We support projects and strategies that address improving neighborhood conditions where people live, learn, work, and play so that everyone has the ability to achieve their full health potential by:

• Improving the accessibility, affordability, and quality of health and health care
• Improving access to reliable transportation options so people can reach needed health and social services
• Improving access to stable and safe housing to foster a healthy living environment
• Supporting efforts to increase connections to community resources and to one another to foster an environment of social connectedness and belonging
• Improving access to high-quality early childhood programs including in-home programs designed to improve maternal and child health, parenting skills, and child development as well as programs supporting the health and well-being of the preK-12 student population
• Supporting coalition and cross-sector collaboration that improves neighborhood conditions and advances policy or programmatic change

Mental Health and Addiction

We support projects and strategies that address mental health and/or addiction. Related to mental health, we are interested in the area of health promotion and prevention. Related to addiction, we are interested in the areas of prevention, early intervention, and recovery support. We are especially interested in evidence-based programs focused on:

• Prevention activities such as education and stigma reduction of mental health and substance use disorders; trauma-informed care practices and supportive environments in schools, churches, workplaces, and other community settings; and provision of mental health services in schools and school-based health clinics
• Early intervention activities such as identifying and reducing individual risk factors for substance use, improving connections to needed services across various systems, and harm reduction efforts to reduce the number of deaths and the spread of disease
• Building the behavioral health workforce, including peer support specialists/peer recovery supporters, supporting high school and college pipeline programming, and encouraging careers in behavioral health
• Supporting people in recovery with positive supports such as housing, connections to employment, and transportation
• Coalition and cross-sector collaboration that advances policy or programmatic change

For more than 20 years, The Baltimore Life Companies have viewed community involvement as our responsibility, not only through financial support of local organizations, but through our employees’ commitment to volunteerism. To further demonstrate our belief in good corporate citizenship, Baltimore Life has established a community grants program to help nonprofit organizations enhance the quality of life in communities—Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and the surrounding communities—where our employees live and work.

Grants of up to $500 will be awarded to multiple organizations. Our grants program is a continuation of Baltimore Life’s long-standing tradition of giving back to our communities.

Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation

Grants from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation are distributed in four focus areas (human needs, environmental stewardship, education, community vitality) and are limited to organizations defined as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.

Grant applications will be accepted online during two annual grant cycles, one in the spring and one in the fall.

Funding

Most grant awards range from $1,000 to $15,000, while higher amounts may be awarded when a program is an exceptional fit. We often receive funding requests far in excess of our Foundation budget. Regrettably we must often decline support for otherwise worthy proposals. Such a response does not reflect on Dominion Energy's view of the value of the organization or its services.

 Parkersburg Area Community Foundation

The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and Regional Affiliates (PACF) works with individuals, families, businesses, and civic or nonprofit organizations to make a positive and permanent commitment for the future of our community.

The PACF is a single 501(c)(3) public charity that manages nearly 500 charitable funds started by people just like you. The PACF works in partnership with its local affiliates to provide leadership and develop philanthropic resources to meet the needs of an 11-county service area. Since 1963, PACF has helped local citizens support charitable needs and touch every aspect of life in the community in a variety of lasting ways. The Foundation is committed to improving our collective future by inspiring philanthropy and connecting people with opportunities to make a meaningful difference; engaging citizens to address key issues; and delivering results that matter for the people of our area.

Fall Community Action Grants Program

The PACF's grant programs serve ten West Virginia counties (Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood) and Washington County, Ohio. Community Action Grants are not made outside of the service region.

Generally, maximum grant amount awarded is $20,000. Requests for more than $20,000 may be considered for projects that are highly collaborative or have regional broad-scale impact; you must contact the Foundation prior to submitting a request in excess of $20,000.

PACF’s Funding Priorities

Community Action Grants are made in the fields of: Arts and Culture, Education, Health and Human Services, Recreation, Youth and Family Services, and Community and Economic Development. The Foundation focuses on: Capital and Equipment Projects, Program Development, Capacity Building, and Operating Support. Within these focus areas, the Foundation also gives special consideration to projects that build a strong, resilient, and inclusive community, including projects that address ongoing substance use disorders and related community impact, and the advancement of an inclusive community and/or the elimination of racism and bias.

Thanks to the generosity of individuals, families, and businesses, our Foundation administers several opportunities for nonprofits in our region to apply for financial support. Each opportunity is unique. This is because the donors who established the funds have thoughtfully constructed areas of focus and parameters for support to fulfill their own visions for improving the quality of life in our community.

Community Action Grants

Twice a year the Foundation's competitive grant process matches community needs with grants available from the Foundation's Unrestricted and Field of Interest Funds.

Generally, the largest grant that will be considered is 20,000. Requests for more than $20,000 may be considered for projects that are highly collaborative or have regional broad-scale impact; you must contact the Foundation prior to submitting a request in excess of $20,000.

What are the PACF’s Funding Priorities?

Community Action Grants are made in the fields of:

• Arts and Culture,
• Education,
• Health and Human Services,
• Recreation,
• Youth and Family Services, and
• Community and Economic Development.

The Foundation focuses on:

• Capital and Equipment Projects,
• Program Development,
• Capacity Building, and
• Operating Support.

Eligibility criteria differ based on the type of support requested, so please review the following descriptions carefully.

Capital and Equipment

Support the renovation or construction of facilities, purchase of major equipment, major repairs to facilities.

Program Development

Support the development of new services or programs designed to respond to unmet community needs and the expansion of existing programs to serve new audiences.

Capacity Building

Support projects that provide an organization with technical assistance and/or training to be able to more effectively meet their mission and/or provide services.

Operating Support

Support projects designed to: Increase financial stability (Type 1); Help a strong organization increase its capacity (Type 2). The Foundation expects to award only a limited number of operating support grants each grant cycle.

Funding Priorities

Priority is given to projects that serve communities where the PACF and its affiliates are the only community foundation in operation. Priority counties for Foundation support are: Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood Counties in West Virginia.

Priority is given to projects that:

• have significant impact on the people and communities served by the applicant organization;
• reach new audiences, expand existing programs or services, or respond to emerging needs;
• strengthen the organization’s capacity to deliver its services and meet community needs;
• are well-planned and can reasonably be achieved;
• have a matching grant opportunity or seek a matching grant to leverage more funding;
• have limited access to other sources of support; 

The Impact Fund awards recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms who seek to confront economic, environmental, racial, and social injustice. Since our founding in 1992, the Impact Fund has made more than 800 recoverable grants totaling more than $10 million for impact litigation. We award grants four times per year, most within the range of US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Social Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants and legal support to assist in human and civil rights cases. We have helped to change dozens of laws and win cases to improve the rights of thousands. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Texas and North Carolina, incarcerated people with mental health disabilities are forced to remain in jail despite being found not guilty and unable to proceed with a criminal trial.
• In Orange County, California there are currently 13 gang injunctions under effect, which disproportionately affect young men of color.
• In Chicago, Illinois, the city’s homeless shelter program is inaccessible to people with disabilities.
• In Springfield, Oregon, the city and its police department used excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters.
• In West Virginia, the state fails to protect children in foster care from abuse and neglect. 
• In Montana, voter suppression laws disadvantage young adults and give priority to gun owners.
• In Gary, Indiana, a gun manufacturer negligently marketed and distributed its guns, leading to an epidemic of gun violence in the city. 
• In Vancouver, British Columbia, the police perpetuate systemic discrimination against Indigenous people through bureaucratic measures.

Environmental Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants to support local litigation for environmental justice. These grants are for cases aiming to help people or communities who are affected by environmental harm or who lack access to basic environmental needs, such as clean water, clean air, adequate waste treatment, and green spaces. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Centreville, Illinois, the city’s failure to maintain its sewer system has caused raw sewage to flood peoples’ homes, endangering the property and health of a predominantly Black community.
• In Fresno County, California, the California Department of Transportation approved a highway expansion project that would increase air pollution and traffic in one of the state’s most environmentally burdened communities.
• In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the proposed expansion of a highway would divide the region's Black, Asian, and Latine neighborhoods and cause pollution and ill health.
• In North Dakota, the five-month closure of a highway in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests disproportionately affected the livelihoods and health of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe members.
• In Ontario, Canada, mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system causes catastrophic environmental and health impacts for the Grassy Narrows First Nation.
• In Sacramento, California, the county government and Sacramento Area Sewer District violated the Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage into nearby rivers.
• In the Eastern Coachella Valley in California, 1,900 residents of the Oasis Mobile Home Park suffer from arsenic-laced drinking water, wastewater contamination, and overcharging for utilities.

Economic Justice

The Impact Fund provides financial and other forms of support to cases fighting for economic justice. From workers' rights to consumer protection for vulnerable populations, impact litigation is a powerful tool to hold corporationss and the government accountable. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Brooklyn, New York, a prominent mortgage lender engaged in predatory practices, leaving homeowners of color at risk of losing their homes. 
• In Washington, live-in caregivers are unconstitutionally excluded from the state’s wage-and-hour protections.
• In Ravalli County, Montana, the county has created a “modern-day debtors’ prison” by incarcerating people unable to afford pre-trial fees. 
• In San Diego, California, vehicle ordinances target unhoused vehicle owners even when no adequate housing alternative exists.
• In New York, a federal immigration detention facility is violating minimum wage and forced labor laws by forcing detainees to work for just a dollar a day. 
• In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city and county destroy the property of unhoused individuals and conduct forced evictions from public spaces. 
• In Miami, Florida, insurance companies discriminate against a nonprofit community development corporation renting to tenants with Section 8 rental subsidies.

Community Impact Grants

While many of the charitable funds established at the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, Inc. have been either designated for a specific purpose or are otherwise restricted in their distribution, the Foundation has developed a pool of several unrestricted funds. These funds were accumulated from multiple donors who simply wanted to make an unrestricted gift and placed their trust in the Community Foundation to manage the gifts and their distributions.

It is these unrestricted funds that allow the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley to engage in a process of “Community Impact” grant-making each year.

Focus Areas

• Substance Abuse Prevention/Treatment
• Next Generation Leadership/Mentoring
• Youth Recreation/Activities
• Programs that enhance Economic Development and Workforce Development

While these focus areas have been identified by the foundation, they do not prohibit funding to projects that fall outside the areas should they be a great benefit to the community.

Overview

This grant program assists organizations in providing direct material aid to populations and communities that are under-resourced in the foundation’s service area. For example, grants may be awarded to organizations to provide food, clothing, personal care items, and/or emergency assistance for utility and rent payments for individuals in need. Grants range from $500 to a maximum of $5,000.

The Basic Needs/Direct Service GrantsProgram may be a fit for your organization if you need funds to provide direct material aid.

Mission

The mission of the Foundation is to benefit the welfare of children and families and to support public safety in specific communities.

Vision

• Children and families receive the help they need to overcome abuse, addiction and poverty so they can have a brighter future.
• Public safety providers have the skills and equipment needed to protect and save lives.
• Families are provided a solid foundation through faith based programs.

Geographic Focus

• Barry County, Missouri
• Cabell County, West Virginia
• Jackson & Josephine Counties, Oregon

To support the Mission and Vision of the Robert & Frances Chaney Family Foundation grants are awarded in the areas of human services, public safety and faith based programs.

Background

The work of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, which began in Buckhannon in 1921 with the formation of St. Joseph’s Hospital, continues through the work of the Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon, West Virginia. The Sisters, through their sponsorship of the Foundation, will continue their legacy of care and outreach to the community they have served for so long and with such dedication for many years to come.

Established in 2015, the vision of the Pallottine Foundation of Buckhannon states that communities in Buckhannon, West Virginia and surrounding areas will maintain healthy lives – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It is the mission of the Foundation to support initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles and transformative change in the community.

Healthy Communities

The Healthy Communities Initiative provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations administering health-related programming to address the behavioral, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual needs of the community. The initiative also supports projects that improve the nonprofit’s internal capacity to work effectively and develop strong finances, leadership, and infrastructure.

Focus Areas

•  health and wellness
• capacity building
• spiritual and pastoral care
• food insecurity
• substance use disorder, and
• tobacco use prevention and cessation.

What does this program do?

This program is designed to provide technical assistance and training for small rural businesses. Small means that the business has fewer than 50 new workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue.

What kind of funding is available?

There is no maximum grant amount; however, smaller requests are given higher priority. There is no cost sharing requirement. Opportunity grants are limited to up to 10 percent of the total Rural Business Development Grant annual funding.

How may funds be used?

Enterprise grants must be used on projects to benefit small and emerging businesses in rural areas as specified in the grant application. Uses may include:

• Training and technical assistance, such as project planning, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional or/technical reports or producer service improvements.
• Acquisition or development of land, easements, or rights of way; construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities.
• Pollution control and abatement.
• The capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital.
• Distance adult learning for job training and advancement.
• Rural transportation improvement.
• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Opportunity grants can be used for:

• Community economic development.
• Technology-based economic development.
• Feasibility studies and business plans.
• Leadership and entrepreneur training.
• Rural business incubators.
• Long-term business strategic planning.

Supporting Historic Sacred Places

A program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Fund for Sacred Places provides financial and technical support for community-serving historic houses of worship across America.

What We Offer

The National Fund for Sacred Places provides matching grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to congregations undertaking significant capital projects at historic houses of worship, along with wraparound services including training, technical assistance, and planning support.

What We’re Looking For

The National Fund for Sacred Places assesses applicant eligibility according to the core criteria shown below, while also striving to build a diverse participant pool that reflects a broad range of geographic, cultural, and religious identities.

Historic, Cultural, or Architectural Significance

We are looking for buildings that have historic, cultural, or architectural significance—and sites that have important and relevant stories to tell. Many of our participants are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the state register, or the local register. Your building does not have to be on one of these lists, but eligibility for one or more of these lists is a good benchmark for National Fund eligibility.

As part of the National Trust’s commitment to telling the full American story, we particularly encourage congregations to apply that illuminate a unique or overlooked aspect of American history and that expand our understanding of our shared national heritage. We encourage submissions related to historic sacred places of importance to historically and contemporaneously underrepresented communities including, but not limited to, women, immigrants, Asian Americans, Black Americans, Latinx Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and LGBTQIA communities.

Successful applicants are able to demonstrate their place in history by answering questions such as:

• Does the building tell a story relevant to our history—either cultural or religious?
• Does the history highlight previously underrecognized communities, stories, or locations?
• How has the building served the community over time? Does the building have a great physical presence in its community due to its location or programming?
• Is the building the work of a notable architect? If so, is it a high-quality example of their body of work?
• Is the building an exceptional example of its architectural style or building technology?
• Does the building embody the congregation’s resilience over time?

Community-Serving Congregations

We are looking for congregations that are engaged in their communities and that are serving others. Engaged congregations operate and host programming that serves vulnerable, at-risk, and diverse populations; share space with non-affiliated groups and organizations (often at subsidized rates); work with other congregations, faith-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and/or municipalities; and have a widespread reputation for being a welcoming center of community life.

Project Scope and Need

We fund historic preservation projects addressing urgent repair needs and/or life safety. We also fund projects that increase congregations’ ability to open their buildings to new populations or to serve greater numbers of people. All projects must adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, which is a universally accepted framework for doing work to older and historic properties.

We prioritize congregations/projects where there is a demonstrated need (meaning that the congregation cannot raise the funds alone) or where it is clear that our grant will have a catalytic effect (meaning that our grant is likely to lead to additional monies being contributed to the project).

Readiness

Once-in-a-generation capital projects require a great deal of planning. We are looking for applicants that understand their buildings’ needs and that are ready to undertake a capital campaign. National Fund congregations typically have a history of successful capital campaigns, which demonstrate an ability to raise significant funds and complete a project.

Successful congregations come to us with a realistic fundraising goal, which has been generated with the help of qualified preservation professionals and is not too far beyond the congregation’s fundraising capacity.

Healthy Congregations

The National Fund prioritizes healthy, stable congregations so that our investment is truly impactful and lasting. We look for the following, although this is not an exhaustive list of characteristics that indicate healthy congregations: tenured, well-respected clergy; capable lay leadership; stable or growing membership; financial strength and stability; support of the judicatory or governing body, if applicable; and a history of weathering any congregational conflict or trauma with resilience.

The American Water Charitable Foundation is an independent, 501(c)(3) private foundation, supported by the shareholders of American Water. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees, composed of officers and leaders of American Water or its subsidiaries, review Foundation programs, guidelines, and distribution of funds.

Applications will be accepted in the following states served by American Water, in addition to its Military Service locations: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The Water and Environment Grant Program will be awarded to help fund innovative, community-based projects that:

• improve, restore or protect the watersheds, surface water and/or groundwater supplies
• promote water conservation
• improve equitable access to water-based recreation in underserved communities 

Guidelines for Grants

The Stealey Community Fund is administered by the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, Inc. (CFOV), with the advice of the Stealey Community Fund Advisory Board.

Ruth Stealey Green created the Stealey Community Fund as a memorial to her family. The Stealey family has a long history in the development of the Town of Middlebourne and its activities. Mrs. Green directed that the income from the fund was to be distributed, in the discretion of the Community Foundation’s Board of Directors, “. . . to educational, religious and community organizations and programs, which exist in the Middlebourne, West Virginia community, including organizations and programs situated outside the municipal boundaries of the Town of Middlebourne which benefit the residents of Middlebourne.” It was her desire that special consideration be given to programs and projects which will improve the quality of life of the residents of Middlebourne such as improved library, recreational, municipal and youth services.

About

The Preservation Leadership Forum of the National Trust for Historic Preservation is a network of preservation leaders — professionals, students, volunteers, activists, experts — who share the latest ideas, information, and advice, and have access to in-depth preservation resources and training.

Henry A. Jordan, M.D., Preservation Excellence Fund - Mid-Atlantic States

The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Henry A. Jordan, M.D., Preservation Excellence Fund provides funding to deserving organizations demonstrating commitment to the protection of natural and cultural resources in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The Jordan Preservation Excellence Fund was established in November 1996 in recognition of Dr. Jordan’s distinguished service to the National Trust and his visionary leadership of the national preservation movement. Applicants can apply for up to $5,000.

The fund awards programs and activities that:

• Facilitate positive dialogues between the diverse interests of historic preservation, land conservation, business development, transportation, and government in a search for common ground in protecting the environment
• Stimulate the development of local and state policies that protect the cultural landscape and its resources
• Heighten public awareness of or increase involvement in issues relating to the livability and sustainability of communities
• Encourage innovative partnerships and approaches to open space conservation and historic preservation

The Community Foundation of the Virginias, Inc. promotes philanthropy by fostering charitable giving, serving our donors' interests, and effectively responding to the needs and opportunities of communities in Mercer County, West Virginia, Tazewell County, Virginia, and surrounding area.

Through scholarships and grants in the areas of Education; the Arts, Culture and the Humanities; Health; and Human Services, the Community Foundation matches the generosity of the people of our area with the needs of area organizations and individuals.

Grant Categories

Applications may be submitted in any of four categories:

• Education
• Health
• Human Services
• Arts and Humanities

Mission Statement

Beckley Area Foundation exists to inspire and facilitate generous charitable giving that advances our community.

About Us

Beckley Area Foundation was established in January 1985 by ten community-minded citizens. It began with a gift of $1.1 million from the Dr. Thomas Walker Memorial Health Foundation as "seed" money for this Raleigh County project. BAF assets have grown to over $70 million with over 500 different funds managed by our three trustee banks. Today, Beckley Area Foundation is one of West Virginia’s largest community foundations.

Only the income from these funds is spent. The initial gift remains intact to serve the community forever. Since its inception, BAF has distributed over $23 million to charities and other worthy projects in the fields of education, public recreation, health & human services, the arts, animal services and beautification.

Buckner Woodford Clay, III Memorial Fund - Environmental Preservation

Dr. Thomas W. Jarrett, a retired Beckley orthodontist, established this fund in memory of a friend who had been interested in environmental issues, particularly anti-littering education and enforcement. The Clay family has made several generous contributions to this fund. Income is intended for environmental causes.

​At the current time, this fund has $35,000 available to award. Project or program must be completed by February 28, 2026.

Mission Statement

Beckley Area Foundation exists to inspire and facilitate generous charitable giving that advances our community.

About Us

Beckley Area Foundation was established in January 1985 by ten community-minded citizens. It began with a gift of $1.1 million from the Dr. Thomas Walker Memorial Health Foundation as "seed" money for this Raleigh County project.  BAF assets have grown to over $60 million more than 500 different funds managed by our three trustee banks. Today, Beckley Area Foundation is one of West Virginia’s largest community foundations.

Only the income from these funds is spent. The principal remains intact to serve the community forever. Since its inception, BAF has distributed over $21 million to charities and other worthy projects in the fields of education, public recreation, health & human services, the arts, animal services and beautification.

Community Fund of McDowell County - Arts, Education, Economic Development, etc.

The mission of the Community Fund of McDowell County is to enhance the lives of those who live, work and visit McDowell County; to promote the emotional, intellectual and physical well-being of McDowell County citizens; to support the advancement of education, arts, culture, historic preservation, good citizenship, character development and youth activities; to inspire economic independence among McDowell County citizens; and, to serve as a versatile vehicle through which donors may realize their charitable objectives. The income from this fund will be distributed for charitable purposes in McDowell County.

This fund has $1,500 available  to award.