Best Pleasants County Grants for Nonprofits in West Virginia

About Your United Way

Our Mission

United Way of the Mid-Ohio Valley improves lives by uniting the helpers in our communities to advance the common good.

Our Vision

United Way of the Mid-Ohio Valley will create a tangible impact on the health, education, and financial stability of our communities.

United Way Funding Process

United Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley grants is how we invest local dollars in our communities to address specific community-centered issues. Funding decisions are made through an annual competitive application process.

Our grants are invested in high-performing nonprofit organizations that provide programs and services aligned with our four strategic priority areas of Education, Income (Financial Stability), Safety Net, and Health. Awardees help to improve community conditions across our regional footprint in the counties we serve: Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wood, and Wirt in WV, Athens, and Washington Counties in OH.

With a mission to strengthen communities, nonprofits and public institutions in Pleasants County, West Virginia can seek up to US $4,000 for unforeseen, time-sensitive needs or opportunities. The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation’s SUN Grants support eligible 501(c)(3) and public entities serving its 11-county area, including Pleasants County.

Nonprofits and local partners in Pleasants County, West Virginia can seek funding to plan or implement economic revitalization projects in coal-impacted communities, including workforce and job creation efforts. With a mission to strengthen Appalachian economies, Appalachian Regional Commission provides grants up to US $2,500,000 for entrepreneurial development, industry clusters, workforce training, and broadband initiatives.

Nonprofit and community organizations in Pleasants County, West Virginia can seek grants for local community services needs, from library resources to emergency equipment for fire departments. With a mission to enhance quality of life, Pleasants Community Foundation provides flexible support that may benefit a wide range of 501(c)(3) initiatives in the county.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and public institutions providing direct material aid can apply for Sisters Health Foundation’s Basic Needs/Direct Service Grants, awarding US $500 - US $5,000. Funding supports food, clothing, personal care items, and emergency assistance that advance healthy eating, active living, thriving neighborhoods, or mental health and addiction in Pleasants County, West Virginia and the broader Mid-Ohio Valley.

Teachers, librarians, nurses, and counselors in Pleasants County, West Virginia can seek up to US $3,000 to enhance classroom learning experiences through the GrantED Education Mini Grant. Parkersburg Area Community Foundation supports innovative academic success and enrichment projects, with one application allowed per educator each year and no limit on applications per school.

Focused on community development, Parkersburg Area Community Foundation invites Pleasants County, West Virginia 501(c)(3) nonprofits and public institutions to apply for grants up to US $20,000. Funding supports arts and culture, education, health and human services, youth and family services, recreation, and community and economic development, including capital projects, programs, capacity building, and operating support.

Nonprofits and conservation partners working on forest and freshwater habitat restoration in Pleasants County, West Virginia can seek US $75,000 - US $500,000 for stewardship projects. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program funds activities like improving mixed-age forests and stream health to benefit native birds, fish, mussels, and other wildlife.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and public institutions improving health and well-being can seek more than US $5,000 for projects in Pleasants County, West Virginia. Sisters Health Foundation supports healthy eating and active living, thriving neighborhoods, and mental health and addiction through project, capacity-building, equipment, small capital, or general operating support.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Pleasants County, West Virginia working on housing stability, hunger relief, workforce development, or STEM initiatives can access funding through the FirstEnergy Foundation. The foundation provides grants up to US $25,000 to strengthen community outcomes across its service area; unsolicited applications are not accepted, so contact the Community Involvement Department first.

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation provides Pleasants County, West Virginia Black American culture and heritage practitioners with fellowship support to sustain Black Appalachian storytelling traditions. Individual applicants must identify as oral tradition culture bearers with strong ties to Black Appalachian identity and heritage in eligible ARC-designated counties across Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia.

501(c)(3) nonprofits and public institutions in Pleasants County, West Virginia can apply for Parkersburg Area Community Foundation’s Community Action Grants, awarding up to US $20,000 for capital projects, equipment, program development, capacity building, and limited operating support. Organizations serving the foundation’s 11-county region, including Pleasants County, may be especially competitive.

Traditional artists and keepers of folk traditions in Pleasants County, West Virginia can receive $5,000 to deepen their practice through the CALT Emerging Traditional Artists Program, supporting learning opportunities and related expenses. Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation also offers cohort-based professional development, including virtual workshops, peer connections, and an in-person convening.

Parkersburg Area Community Foundation provides Pleasants County, West Virginia 501(c)(3) nonprofits with grants for financial education and youth initiatives, teachers, community and cultural development, senior and veterans programs, and food insecurity projects. Eligible organizations must be located in Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Wirt, or Wood counties in West Virginia, or Washington County, Ohio.

State and local agencies, local governing boards, nonprofits, tribes, and higher education institutions in Pleasants County, West Virginia can seek support for critical infrastructure and workforce or business development projects. With a mission to strengthen Appalachian communities, Appalachian Regional Commission provides flexible, bottom‑up Area Development investments in utilities, transportation, broadband, entrepreneurship, and worker training across eligible Appalachian counties.

Nonprofit organizations and individual folk or traditional artists in Pleasants County, West Virginia can apply for Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation’s CALT Experiences grants, awarding US $1,000 - US $10,000 for public-facing traditional arts projects. Funding supports workshops, performances, exhibitions, media, and other community events that celebrate and share living cultural traditions in Appalachian communities.

Hemophilia Alliance Foundation

Our Mission

The Hemophilia Alliance Foundation is dedicated to receiving and administering funds to enable eligible organizations in the inherited bleeding and thrombotic disorders community to build capacity in order to achieve their mission and to support direct consumer financial assistance programs.

Project Grant Guidance and Application

The goal of this grant is to enable eligible organizations to build capacity in order to achieve their mission, and to support direct consumer financial assistance programs in eligible organizations. The ceiling for local patient organizations and hemophilia treatment and sickle cell centers is $8,000; the ceiling for national organizations and the eight HHS-designated federally designated and funded regional core coordinating centers is $10,000.

Examples include:

1) projects that strengthen the organization’s ability to better serve its constituents;

2) patient/consumer financial assistance grants; and

3) regional hemophilia treatment centers’ annual meetings.

About

The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) was established in 1919 for the purpose of promoting interest in the study of mammals.

ASM Mission Statement

The mission of the American Society of Mammalogists is to advance the scientific understanding of mammals globally, to diversify the profession of mammalogy, and to promote science as the basis for the conservation and management of mammals. The Society achieves these goals through publications, grants and fellowships, annual meetings, and other education and outreach activities.

Stephen Jenkins Scholarship in Mammalogy

One of Steve Jenkins’ most meaningful legacies is found in the hundreds of students he taught and mentored over his 37 years in the Biology Department at the University of Nevada, Reno. He taught a wide range of classes including introductory biology, ecology, mammalogy and research design, and served as graduate advisor to more than 30 students. His research focused on beavers, wolves, wild horses, and ground squirrels. Steve worked to pass on his own belief that critical thinking is not just a fundamental tenet of sound science, but a force for good. He wrote the book How Science Works, an effort to demystify the scientific process for nonspecialists. In his retirement he wrote a second book, Tools for Critical Thinking in Biology. Steve has been a member of American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) since 1974.

Scope and Rationale of the Award

The new Stephen Jenkins Scholarship Award would be available to a graduate student in a North American university whose research is focused on one or more mammalian species. This would include field research (and lab research that supports and augments field research) in such fields as animal behavior, ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. ASM supports research on all aspects of mammalian biology, and the award will provide support for early career mammalogists. 

Use of Funds:

The award may be used only for research expenses, in the field or in the laboratory, research related travel, laboratory supplies, equipment, and attendance at professional meetings.  The current award is for $5000.

The Learning Tree Scholarship, established by The Learning Tree, Inc. through the Central Alabama Community Foundation, supports graduating high school seniors from select counties with a minimum ACT score of 20. This renewable scholarship offers up to $2,000 annually for students pursuing degrees in education, healthcare, and related fields. The foundation, active since 1987, aims to enhance local nonprofit initiatives and educational opportunities in the River Region, serving counties including Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery.

Central Alabama Community Foundation

Established in 1987 by community leaders, the Central Alabama Community Foundation serves the River Region counties of Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery. CACF was created to provide a permanent charitable resource dedicated to strengthening nonprofits and meeting local needs in the Montgomery area.

Through a variety of funds, CACF supports projects and programs in education, health, human services, cultural arts, recreation, historic preservation, and other civic concerns.

Every year, CACF awards grants to nonprofit projects and programs providing services in Lee, Macon, and Montgomery counties.

The Hawkins Educational Foundation Scholarship

The Hawkins Educational Foundation Scholarship assists students who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs. Applicants must be a high school senior residing in Baldwin County for at least one (1) year prior to the application deadline date. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and plan to enroll in full-time study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school for the entire upcoming academic year. Awards are renewable up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, and are based on satisfactory academic performance and fulltime enrollment. Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Young Health Programme

The Young Health Programme (YHP) is a global disease prevention initiative, aiming to provide education for young people to feel empowered to make informed choices about their health and catalyse a global, youth-led advocacy movement.

The programme operates in over 40 countries and partners with more than 60 non-profit organisations, including UNICEF and Plan International. The YHP combines community programmes, research, advocacy, and the development of young leaders, with a focus on underserved communities.

Since its launch in 2010, the YHP has directly reached over 23 million young people, trained over 1 million, and engaged more than 23,000 AstraZeneca employees, who have volunteered their time with more than 140,000 hours.

The YHP aims to prevent the most common non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and respiratory disease, by addressing five main risk factors: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, and air pollution. Additionally, the programme tackles climate-health impacts to build healthier communities, recognising, as projected in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, that children born after 2010 will be the first generation to enter adulthood in a world where the average temperature will reach 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and are expected to experience a +2°C rise within their lifetime.1

AstraZeneca Young Health Programme Impact Fellowship 2026

AstraZeneca is looking for passionate, driven young leaders to join their 2026 Young Health Programme (YHP) Impact Fellowship. The Fellowship supports young advocates to create actionable change to: 

• Advance health equity – with a focus on acting early to prevent non-communicable diseases among young people, or supporting young people living with rare diseases.
• Take action on climate and nature – advocating for the mitigation of the harmful effects of climate change on the health and well-being of young people.
• Build health systems resilience – contributing to stronger health systems that prioritise earlier intervention to meet today’s needs and mitigate tomorrow’s disease burden.

Benefits

The selected Fellows will gain access to networks, funding and development opportunities, enabling them to drive a global health movement led by and for young people:

A fully-funded scholarship to attend the 2026 One Young World Summit in Cape Town, South Africa (3–6 November 2026) as well as access to the One Young World Ambassador Network and the Young Health Programme (YHP) Alumni group of other young changemakers working to improve youth health.

Structured learning and development offerings to enable them to scale their impact, including both self-directed and live learning. This includes access to the One Young World Academy, an award-winning mini-MBA programme, mentorship from AstraZeneca colleagues and professional training.

Each selected Fellow will receive a grant of either USD $10,000 or USD $50,000 (if selected as the Lead2030 winner** for Sustainable Development Goal 3, for which applicants will be automatically considered) from AstraZeneca, through their non-profit organisation. Fellows are expected to use the grant to implement a project focused on either (1) advancing health equity (2) taking action on climate and nature (3) building health systems resilience.

Beyond the Net Grant Program

The Internet Society Foundation’s Beyond the Net Grant Program offers funding to support Internet Society Chapters to implement innovative projects that make a local impact by providing meaningful access to an open, trusted, and globally-connected Internet, as well as strengthening the Chapters’ presence in the surrounding community. 

Program Objectives

• Strengthen the impact of the Internet Society and the Internet Society Foundation’s mission and global initiatives with complementary local activities. 
• Develop new and strengthen existing relationships and partnerships at the local level.

Focus Areas

The Foundation will support Internet Society Chapters to implement initiatives within one or more of the following thematic areas:

Projects that support community-centered connectivity for unconnected and under-connected populations by providing easy, sustainable solutions, and training on productive use of the Internet.

Projects that make access affordable and resilient for unconnected and under-connected populations by improving, supporting, or advocating for the development of local Internet interconnection infrastructure (e.g., IXPs).

Projects that equip recently connected people with knowledge and skills to protect themselves and their communities online.

Projects that advocate for and educate policy makers, courts, decision makers, and commercial entities about threats to the Internet as an open and accessible platform for free expression and the exchange of ideas, safeguarding fundamental rights, ensuring the well-being of users, and fostering trust in digital technologies.

 About NPCF

The Northern Piedmont Community Foundation (NPCF) began in December 2000 when nine concerned citizens from Virginia’s Piedmont region were searching for solutions to the charitable needs in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties. With modest beginnings, our funds have grown to over $39 million in support of local charities, scholarships and community need in our northern Piedmont region.

NPCF manages a wide variety of funds established by local individuals, families, businesses, or charitable institutions. Through our investment strategies, the returns from these funds are put back into the community through grant cycles, and scholarships, along with the personal causes the fund holder holds dear. 

On the nonprofit side, the staff at NPCF is committed to building deep bonds with our region’s nonprofits, educating and supporting them in their health as businesses and their resilience in their missions of supporting our most vulnerable. 

We believe that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. By working on both sides of the equation — growing our citizens’ resources while maximizing local nonprofits’ use of those resources — NPCF is ensuring that each link in the chain is healthy, strong, and contributing to the wellness of the Northern Piedmont community. 

Scholarships

Northern Piedmont Community Foundation manages the scholarship application process for dozens of scholarships for students in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties (as well as a handful serving students from surrounding counties too). 

St. Luke’s Foundation Scholarship Fund (Universal Application)

The St. Luke’s Foundation Scholarship is open to seniors who are residents of Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, or Rappahannock counties, and are alumni of any private school in Culpeper County, although priority is given to St. Luke’s alumni. The qualifying candidate should possess a minimum GPA of 3.0, demonstrate good academic standing, have community service experience and possess an academic record that displays leadership and initiative. Up to three scholarships are available for $1,000 – $2,000 depending on GPA. This award is renewable for all four years provided the student maintains a GPA of 3.0 and submits transcripts annually to NPCF

The Sallie Morgan Behavioral Health Scholarship, managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, supports students pursuing careers in behavioral health. Open to high school graduates or current students in accredited mental health programs from Fauquier and Rappahannock Counties, the scholarship awards $1,000 to candidates demonstrating academic excellence, community service, leadership, and financial need. This initiative aims to foster future professionals in the vital field of mental health.

The Rodgers Family Civil Engineering Scholarship, managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, supports graduating seniors from Fauquier County pursuing civil engineering degrees. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, initiative, motivation, and leadership qualities. With a history of over $39 million in community support since 2000, this scholarship exemplifies the Foundation's commitment to fostering educational opportunities. Award amounts may vary and are renewable, making it a valuable resource for aspiring engineers in the region.

The Martha Mae Giles Scholarship, managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, supports graduating high school students from Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, and Rappahannock counties who plan to attend college. This renewable scholarship honors Martha Mae Giles and prioritizes applicants who are members of Our Saviour Lutheran Church, although it is open to all students. The foundation has grown substantially since 2000, emphasizing community support and educational opportunities.

The Rodgers Family Agricultural Scholarship, managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, supports graduating seniors from Fauquier County pursuing degrees in agricultural fields at accredited institutions. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, initiative, motivation, and leadership. This scholarship not only offers financial assistance but also presents opportunities for renewal, fostering academic growth and community involvement among students dedicated to agriculture in the region.