Best Aging Grants in West Virginia

West Virginia 501(c)(3) charitable organizations providing senior services, health care, housing, or other community programs can apply for the Neighborhood Investment Program, which offers up to US $100,000 in tax credit vouchers to leverage donations. Administered by West Virginia Community Advancement and Development, this program helps nonprofits attract larger gifts to sustain and expand services for older adults and other residents.

Who We Are

Volunteer West Virginia, the state’s Commission for National and Community Service, challenges West Virginians to strengthen their communities through service and volunteerism. The Commission administers West Virginia’s AmeriCorps service programs. We also administer additional programming to help meet the state’s volunteer and community service needs.

Purpose of AmeriCorps Funding

AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle some of the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteering. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. AmeriCorps helps make service a cornerstone of our national culture. An organization that receives an AmeriCorps Planning Grant will work with Volunteer West Virginia to develop a viable AmeriCorps program that addresses identified community needs.

AmeriCorps grants are awarded to eligible organizations proposing to engage AmeriCorps members in evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions/practices to strengthen communities. An AmeriCorps member is an individual who engages in community service through an approved national service position. Members may receive a living allowance and other benefits while serving. Upon successful completion of their service, members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award that they can use to pay for higher education expenses or apply to qualified student loans.

AmeriCorps Focus Areas

Economic Opportunity

Grants will provide support and/or facilitate access to services and resources that contribute to the improved economic well-being and security of economically disadvantaged people; help economically disadvantaged people, to have improved access to services that enhance financial literacy; transition into or remain in safe, healthy, affordable housing; and/or have improved employability leading to increased success in becoming employed.

Education  

Grants will provide support and/or facilitate access to services and resources that contribute to improved educational outcomes for economically disadvantaged children; improved school readiness for economically disadvantaged young children; improved educational and behavioral outcomes of students in low-achieving elementary, middle, and high schools; and/or support economically disadvantaged students’ preparation for success in post-secondary educational institutions.

Healthy Futures

Grants will provide support for activities that will address the opioid crisis; increase seniors’ ability to remain in their own homes with the same or improved quality of life for as long as possible; and/or increase physical activity and improve nutrition with the purpose of reducing obesity. 

Environmental Stewardship

Grants will support responsible stewardship of the environment, while preparing communities for challenging climate and environmental circumstances and helping Americans respond to and recover from disruptive events: programs that conserve natural habitats; protect clean air and water; maintain public lands; support wildland fire mitigation and sustainable forest management; cultivate individual and community resilience; and provide reforestation services after floods or fires, such as nature based solutions.

Veterans and Military Families

Grants will improve the quality of life of veterans and improve military family well-being; increase the number of veterans, wounded warriors, military service members, and their caregivers, families, and survivors served by AmeriCorps programs; and/or increase the number of veterans and military family members engaged in service through AmeriCorps programs.

Disaster Services

Grants will support increased and improved disaster services for individuals and communities to prepare and adapt to disasters, including but not limited to climate change events. Activities will provide support to increase preparedness for disasters, improve readiness to respond to disasters, support recovery efforts from disasters, and/or assist in the implementation of pre-disaster mitigation and adaptation measures. Grants will support communities and individuals in planning for disasters, in particular engaging disadvantaged communities in the planning process.