Search Through Grants for Education Nonprofits in West Virginia in the U.S.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region stretching along the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi, including western North Carolina.

Established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 26 million people into America's economic mainstream.

Area Development Program

ARC’s Area Development program relies on a flexible “bottom up” approach to economic development, empowering Appalachian communities to work with their state governments to design impactful investment opportunities supporting our mission and investment priorities.

Within the scope of our Strategic Plan, ARC’s Area Development program makes investments in two general areas: critical infrastructure and business and workforce development. Critical infrastructure investments mainly include water and wastewater systems, transportation networks, broadband, and other projects anchoring regional economic development. Business and workforce investments primarily focus on entrepreneurship, worker training and education, food systems, leadership, and other human capital development.

ARC Strategic Plan

A comprehensive strategic planning process involving federal, state, and local officials and citizens resulted in, Appalachia Envisioned: A New Era of Opportunity – ARC Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which focuses investments under these five general goals:

• Building Appalachian Businesses:
  • Strengthen and diversify the region’s economy through inclusive economic development strategies and investments in entrepreneurship and business development
• Building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem
  • Expand and strengthen community systems (education, healthcare, housing, childcare, and others) that help Appalachians obtain a job, stay on the job, and advance along a financially sustaining career pathway.
• Building Appalachia’s Infrastructure
  • Ensure that the residents and businesses of Appalachia have access to reliable, affordable, resilient, and energy efficient utilities and infrastructure in order to successfully live and work in the region.
• Building Regional Culture and Tourism:
  • Strengthen Appalachia’s community and economic development potential by preserving and investing in the region’s local, cultural heritage, and natural assets.
• Building Community Leaders and Capacity:
  • Invest in the capacity of local leaders, organizations, and communities to address local challenges by providing technical assistance and support to access resources, engage partners, identify strategies and tactics, and conduct effective planning and project execution.

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

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.

What We Fund

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

The Foundation makes grants in two program areas that span both states:

Education

The Benedum Foundation seeks to foster learning environments, across formal and informal educational systems, that position young learners to thrive in career and life. Academic achievement, social and emotional wellbeing, and real-world workforce preparation are the ultimate objectives of this program.

The Foundation places a high priority on teacher quality and the most advanced instructional tools. Because schools do not function in isolation, the Foundation also looks to the resources of community organizations, business, and higher education to reinforce the learning objectives of the classroom. In preparation for the rising demands of the workplace, the Foundation recognizes the need for all students to enter some form of post-secondary education.

Although the Foundation is interested in any significant opportunity to improve the education system, current specific areas of interest include:

• Programs that improve teacher quality through professional development and innovative instructional strategies.
• Early childhood educational practices that bolster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development, including early intervention services that support school-success.
• Expanded and extended learning opportunities that complement and enhance the learning that occurs during the traditional school day.
• Career education and future readiness skill development, aligning secondary and post-secondary programs to high-demand, high-wage occupations.

Economic Development

Innovation will be the cornerstone of the future success of the economy in West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation supports economic development activities based upon the region’s strengths in research, technology, and advanced manufacturing.

The Foundation’s agenda seeks to promote regional planning and cooperation, recognizing that with respect to any endeavor, “region” should mean whatever area is most appropriate to optimize the available opportunity, without reference to historic, geographic, or political boundaries. The expected outcomes of the Foundation’s Economic Development grants are the creation and growth of innovative, wealth-producing businesses and high-quality jobs.

In addition, many of the communities in the region served by the Foundation are rural, and enjoy abundant natural assets that provide economic opportunities that complement centers of technology-based growth. The Foundation currently supports efforts to advance agriculture, outdoor recreation, artisanship, and cultural tourism. Current specific areas of Foundation interest include:

• Promotion of entrepreneurship.
• Projects that promote technology-based economic development.
• Programs to promote the growth and accessibility of new capital for businesses in distressed communities and areas of high unemployment.

FirstEnergy Foundation Grant

The FirstEnergy Foundation's contributions to local nonprofit organizations help strengthen the social and economic fabric of our communities. Funded solely by FirstEnergy, the Foundation extends the corporate philosophy of providing community support.

The FirstEnergy Foundation priorities: 

• Improving the quality of life in our communities and supporting key safety initiatives
• Empowering our communities’ workforce development and educational initiatives
• Promoting local and regional economic development
• Supporting employee leadership and volunteer interests that align with our business interests

Opioid Settlement Funding Requests

Clarksburg has received and will continue to receive funds from the settlement proceeds. As part of the settlement agreement, the City must manage those funds to help alleviate the opioid crisis and the harm that it has caused. The City may do this, in part, by providing grants to organizations.

The West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding provides guidelines as to how to apply the settlement funds. Clarksburg summarizes and interprets that the settlement funds should be used for projects that further one or more of five categories.

Those categories are: 

• Education
• Emergency Services
• Prevention
• Intervention
• Rehabilitation

Opioid Settlement Background

Beginning in the 1990s, the increased prescribing of opioids caused an increase in addiction and overdoses across the country. Additionally, increases in overdoses caused by the use of heroin and synthetic opioids began in 2010. It is estimated that nearly 645,000 people nationwide died between 1999 and 2021 from an overdose involving any opioid. This increase in opioid addiction and overdoses has been referred to as an epidemic by the health care industry and others.

West Virginia has been particularly hard hit by the opioid epidemic. In 2014, West Virginia had an overdose death rate of 35.5 deaths per 100,000 people, almost 2.5 times the national average of 14.7 deaths per 100,000 people. Both of our United States Senators state that West Virginia leads the nation in overdose deaths.

Part of the opioid crisis has been blamed on the pharmaceutical industry. These allegations have led to lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies by states across the nation. Such lawsuits have resulted in settlements totaling billions of dollars.

West Virginia, at the state and local level, brought various lawsuits against the pharmaceutical industry. These lawsuits have resulted in a number of settlements. The settlements have been structured according to the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding and funds are being distributed, in part, to local governments.

Strengthening Our Communities

The Steel Dynamics Foundation, Inc., awards grants to nonprofits in the local communities where our employees live and work.

Our Primary Goal

Enhancing the quality of life and improving local economies in the communities where our employees live and work.

Our Top Priorities

• Higher Education:
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM)
  • Finance and Business
• Economic & Community Development
• Human Services

Post-secondary education and economic and community development

• We believe a better-educated workforce creates a stronger economy with higher living standards and more opportunities for everyone to benefit from it, including those less fortunate.

Human Services

• Improving the quality of life and making our communities more attractive places to live and work. We consider applications for nonprofit organizations that have significant impact in our communities, serve a large population, meet the greatest needs and have the widest access.

Management at your local facility will review your request and make a decision based on level of support by facility and employees. If local SDI facility has not been involved with your organization management may consider, at their discretion, to forward your request to the Foundation, to hold for consideration of a donation from their facility, or to decline the request.

Perdue Farms is a fourth-generation, family owned U.S. food and agricultural company. We were founded on trust—a value that carries through everything we do. Through our two operating divisions, Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness, we’re making steps every day toward our goal of becoming the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. Our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger.

We're Committed to Being Careful Stewards. Stewardship is one of our company's core values. Our stewardship platform, "We believe in responsible food and agriculture®," challenges us to continually improve. Learn more about the progress we've made in the areas of food, environment, animal care, people, community and our partners.

What we support

We believe in putting our resources where there is a direct benefit to a broad-based spectrum of the community.

• We strive to strengthen our communities by focusing our efforts on agriculture and the environment, education, fighting hunger and poverty, health and social services, and public safety
• We also support organizations that celebrate the heritages and cultures of our communities

Our Responsibility

• Food Producing: Quality Food
• Environment: Protecting the Environment
• Animal Care: Providing for the Welfare of Animals
• People: Caring About Others

Perdue Farms is the family-owned parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Perdue Farms are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products.

Through Perdue Farms Perdue, Harvestland and Coleman Natural food brands; through Perdue Farms agricultural products and services; and through Perdue Farms stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, Perdue Farms are committed to making Perdue the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. At Perdue, Perdue Farms believe in responsible food and agriculture.What We Support

• We strive to strengthen our communities by focusing our efforts on agriculture and the environment, education, fighting hunger and poverty, health and social services, and public safety
• We also support organizations that celebrate the heritages and cultures of our communities
• We may give additional preference to organizations in which our associates have direct involvement, but the overarching consideration is the betterment of the community

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

EQT Foundation

EQT is proud to be a part of the many communities where we operate, live and work. We believe strongly that giving back is a responsibility, and we’ve stayed true to that belief since the EQT Foundation was established in 2003 as a dedicated resource for financial, in-kind and volunteer support to communities touched by our business.

Since its inception, the EQT Foundation has awarded more than $74 million to nonprofits throughout the operational footprint of EQT Corporation. We are committed to supporting the education and training of children and adults; the development of diverse, livable communities; and preserving our natural environments.

The EQT Foundation believes in meaningful engagement with the communities it calls home and takes great pride in being a responsible and responsive corporate citizen. The EQT Foundation focuses its resources on areas that have a direct effect on the stability of communities and, in turn, contribute to the success of its business operations in those areas.

Funding Priorities

The EQT Foundation’s funding strategy endorses organizations and programs that directly impact the community and its residents. The Foundation supports nonprofits that demonstrate positive, needed, and trusted impacts throughout their community with special attention given to proposals grounded in analysis that demonstrate creative approaches to addressing critical issues.

The EQT Foundation also seeks evidence of:

• Geographic setting that aligns with EQT Corporation’s business locations;
• Ability to manage available resources effectively; and
• Outreach that gains solid public recognition and support for the nonprofit, its programs and sponsors.

The Foundation’s funding priorities are:

Community Enrichment

Encourage the development of diverse, safe, healthy, and sustainable communities, which can help to retain residential, commercial and economic growth.

Examples: Food banks, libraries, farmers markets, arts & music programs, community festivals & initiatives

Education & Workforce

Promote proficiency in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) topics for youth, as well as training programs to create a future skilled workforce.

Examples: In-school STEM-based curricula, computer and science camps, project-based learning, teacher professional development, career planning and preparation

Environment

Support the preservation of natural resources, and educate children, residents, and businesses to employ conservation techniques to minimize adverse impacts on the environment.

Examples: community gardens, watershed conservation, environmental education, preservation and restoration of green spaces

The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation (EWVCF) was founded in 1995 to help donors create endowed funds to benefit 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (including schools, churches and government agencies) in Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties.

Healthcare Grants

Eastern Panhandle CARE Fund – Healthcare grants will be awarded to support Eastern Panhandle healthcare programs that provide one or more of the following: Empowerment through health education; connection to community healthcare resources; or access to affordable, high-quality, patient-centered care.

In 2001, Food Lion created a 501(c)(3) foundation operated by a volunteer board of directors in order to streamline requests for financial donations to eliminate hunger.

The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation supports a variety of hunger-related initiatives, including "Feeding the Hungry" grants each year. The foundation has given away more than $17.5 million across Food Lion’s operating area since its inception. Specifically, grants support children at risk of hunger and support feeding agencies by helping to increase their "fresh" capacity so families can put nutritious meals on their tables. The foundation also helps provide nutrition education to eliminate the health risks of the hungry.

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; 

As a family foundation in Pittsburgh, PA, our philanthropic traditions are well rooted in our continued support of organizations that foster transformative programs which best serve the local community as a whole in the areas of arts and culture, education, environmental, health and medical, human services, and religion.

Even though the Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation encompasses many broad areas of concern, or categories, there is no one area deemed more important than the next. Nevertheless, the Foundation has found it beneficial underwriting grants that are tangible in nature or serve a higher number of individuals within the community and surrounding areas. The Foundation continually aids organizations that are endlessly striving to serve the community in various ways such as improving social conditions, expanding education, and working to better the environment.

Category Definitions

The Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation’s Board of Directors has designated several areas of concern comprised of specific intentions.

• Arts/Culture: Performing arts, humanities, media and communications, multipurpose museums, public broadcasting, and historical preservations.
• Education: Promotional programs for elementary, secondary and vocational systems, colleges/universities, graduate programs, adult and multipurpose libraries.
• Environmental: Support of natural resources, beautification programs, pollution control, environmental education, and horticultural/botanical programs.
• Health/Medical: Rural health care, crisis intervention, special programs in health centers, and prevention/treatment of specific diseases.
• Human Services: Youth development and recreation, disaster relief, employment training/ placement, multipurpose agencies, and abuse prevention.
• Religion: The theological education and ecumenical programs as well as the mission of many churches, synagogues, and religious charities.
• Miscellaneous: Because every grant cannot be included into a category, the Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation permits grants for animal welfare, community development, sports, camps, fire and police departments and economic development as miscellaneous grants.  

WV Culture: Arts in Education - Arts Exposure Projects

Provides support to present performing, literary, and visual artists to students in grades K-12. 

WV Culture: Arts in Education - School-Based and Out-of-School-Based Projects

Provides support for curriculum-based, hands-on projects that involve K-12 students and teachers in the arts during daily instruction or outside of regular school hours.

Program Areas

We believe an auto company can also be a vehicle for change. That’s why Toyota is proud to partner with nonprofit organizations in the dozens of communities where we operate. Investing in and creating better opportunities for our communities and its citizens improves their quality of life, builds lasting relationships and helps enrich society.

Let’s make an impact – together. We work collaboratively to address some of society’s most pressing challenges – and fund programs tied to our strategic priorities.

What We Fund

Nationally, Toyota focuses on:

• STEM Education
• Workforce Readiness

Regionally, Toyota makes contributions to help support the specific needs of local communities. Please note that Toyota entities based in Plano, Texas (Toyota Motor North America, Toyota Financial Services and Toyota USA Foundation) as well as Production Engineering and Manufacturing Center (PEMC) have moved to an invite-only grant application process.

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

Wild East Action Fund

The Wild East Action Fund supports projects that accelerate the pace of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape.

Since 2018, the Wild East Action Fund has supported a variety of land protection and conservation capacity-building projects that have accelerated the pace and scale of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape. This funding opportunity is available to conservation organizations, including nonprofit partners and public agencies, that support the mission of the Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership (ATLP).

In celebration of ATC’s 100th anniversary and the ATLP’s 10th anniversary, ATC is excited to host a Wild East Action Fund cycle!

The Wild East Action Fund is a private, competitive grant opportunity, administered by ATC, supporting the ATLP mission to connect the wild, scenic, and cultural wonders of the A.T. landscape. The Wild East Action Fund seeks applications that aim to accelerate the pace and scale of A.T. landscape’s conservation and resiliency.

ATC has identified needs and strategies, at multiple scales, to effectively support the acceleration of conservation and resiliency within the A.T. landscape. The program’s three grant categories are designed to catalyze new and existing conservation partners’ knowledge, abilities, and expertise to address many of these dynamic needs:

• Land Protection
• Conservation Planning
• Community Resilience

The Wild East Action Fund supports projects that contribute to the protection of lands and waters within the A.T. landscape, enhance capacity for strategic conservation activities, build community support for a conserved and resilient A.T. landscape; and champion an A.T. landscape that encourages all people to feel welcome, respected, supported and valued.

Community Resilience

Purpose - Recover from and build community capacity to address/mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Community Resilience grants are available for projects that support community resiliency in the face of weather-related impacts and a changing climate. We anticipate three types of resilient community projects to be competitive in this cycle; the most competitive applications will address more than one of the following themes:

• Recovery, rebuilding, development of outdoor recreation, cultural, or historic assets.
• Restoration, stabilization, recovery of natural resources, ecological systems, or open space.
• Community building, place-making, or preparedness.

Eligible projects can include, but are not limited to, volunteer workdays/clean-ups/events, youth leadership and workforce training related to conservation or natural resource stewardship, public education or outreach campaigns or events, downtown recovery, beautification, revitalization, and resiliency planning or pre-planning activities, and recreational/cultural/historic asset improvements. Competitive projects will advance climate resiliency, be collaborative and/or community-driven, support public access to open space and recreation opportunities, and/or address Hurricane Helene recovery. It is important that applications clearly demonstrate how the project will help the community recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene and/or strengthen a community’s capacity to respond, mitigate, or adapt to future risk and uncertainty associated with the increasing severity of weather events and a changing climate. As much as possible, project outcomes should include, or strive to strengthen community support for, conservation actions and nature-based solutions to climate change. 

Funding

Up to $400,000 will be granted through the Wild East Action Fund to qualified land protection, conservation planning, and community resiliency projects. Conservation Planning and Community Resiliency grant requests between $5,000 and $20,000 will be considered.

All funding opportunities require a cash or in-kind match. Match ratio will be considered on a case-by-case basis, evaluated on the circumstances of the organization and project context. The match should be secured or demonstrate with confidence that it will be secured during the grant period.

Funding for the Conservation Planning and Community Resilience grant categories are made possible through the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s A.T. Resiliency Fund. 

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.

George F. & Elah P. Evans Foundation

Provide and promote health care and education for the residents of Harrison and Lewis Counties, West Virginia.

Program Areas

• Education,
• Health and Medical Research

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;

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.

 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.

The Ruth Danley and William Enoch Moore Charitable Fund is a private grantmaking foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, established in 1992. It focuses primarily on philanthropy and voluntarism, with an emphasis on charitable and educational purposes.

The fund specifically supports K-12 education for Native American children living on reservations, aiming to improve educational opportunities in these communities.

The foundation administers grants primarily to select regions based on donor preferences, including Pittsburgh and various counties in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Washington DC, and West Virginia.

The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation (EWVCF) was founded in 1995 to help donors create endowed funds to benefit 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (including schools, churches and government agencies) in Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties.

Youth Grants

Youth Grants will be awarded to programs that assist sick, needy, dependent, neglected, and disadvantaged children; improve the quality of life for children in the community; and/or provide educational, athletic, academic, social, civic, or community-based activities that involve or support children. Programs that celebrate diversity and/or promote equity and inclusion are encouraged. Grants will go up to $5,000.