Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation

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2024 Youth and Education Grants

A NOTE FOR APPLICANTS:

This year marks our first time utilizing our new application process! Now, applicants will visit our GoApply website and create a profile before submitting applications. That website can be found here: https://goapply2.akoyago.com/ewvcf 

If you are a a public school teacher applying, please register as an individual. All others, please register as an organization.

Once you create your profile and log in, you will see a list of our current grant opportunities. Once you hit “View” next to the application name, you will be taken to a page where you can read the grant guidelines. From there, you can click “Apply” and begin filling out your application! Your progress is saved as you fill out the application – no need for Save and Continue emails anymore!

Youth and Education grant applications are being accepted through November 8th for programs serving Jefferson, Berkeley, or Morgan Counties.

Available Grant Funding Categories & Criteria:

Youth Grants — to support 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.

Education Grants — to support educational opportunities including but not limited to: preparatory skills, tutoring programs, innovative programs that strengthen educational development, nutrition programs, small capital needs within the classroom, department, or school, after-school, and summer programs. Programs that celebrate diversity and/or promote equity and inclusion are encouraged.

Eligible Organizations: The Community Foundation administers grants to organizations providing direct benefits to Morgan, Berkeley, and/or Jefferson counties in West Virginia.

All applicants must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:

  • An already existing nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization in good standing with the IRS,
  • An existing government/quasi-governmental agency, or public school applying for a project that is not funded by tax revenue,
  • A religious organization requesting funding for non-sectarian activities, or
  • A civic group that is not a 501(c)(3) organization requesting funding for a charitable community

Application Period: October 18 – November 8. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Grant Notification: Grants will be awarded and checks will be presented in early December.

Trust-Based Philanthropy Reporting Requirements: In an effort to streamline the grants process for nonprofit organizations, the Community Foundation has adopted trust-based philanthropy and will award and pay these grants upfront. A final report, including a summary of grant expenses, must be provided to the Community Foundation by the date included on your award letter.

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2024 Mini Grants to Teachers

We are so excited to announce that our 2024 Mini Grants to Teachers are now OPEN! Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan County public school educators are invited to apply for grants of up to $500. This year, we are using our new Grant software for applications! Teachers, please visit https://goapply2.akoyago.com/ewvcf and register as an individual.

The Need

More and more, teachers are faced with the challenge of keeping children interested and engaged with few resources beyond the basics. We are proud to announce that we are hosting our Mini Grants to Teachers again this year! Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan County public school teachers are invited to apply for grants of up to $500 starting Monday, September 16th.

Our Mini Grants to Teachers have funded recorders, classroom libraries, a snack cart, headphones, robotic kits, murals, virtual field trips, and so much more. These grants are meant to encourage and support teachers who have great ideas that will enhance the learning experience for students.

Grants can be used to purchase supplies and materials for special projects, provide resources for the classroom, and support projects and programs that are not covered by school budgets or other means. Mini Grants will range from $100 – $500.

Who Can Apply?

All Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan County public school teachers are invited to apply. Public schools are defined as being supported by public funds and are part of the free public education system. Any school that charges tuition to students is NOT eligible.

If you have any questions, please call 304-264-0353, or email [email protected].

Deadlines and Instructions

Application Period: September 16 – October 7th. All grant applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on October 7th to be considered. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Grant Notification: Should your grant application be approved, you will be notified via email in late October. Soon after, you will receive your grant payable to your school.

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2024 Two Rivers Giving Circle Grants

A NOTE FOR APPLICANTS:

This year, we have also begun using a new grant application program! Now, applicants will visit our GoApply website and create a profile before submitting applications. That website can be found here: https://goapply2.akoyago.com/ewvcf

Once you create your profile and log in, you will see a list of our current grant opportunities, including the TRGC grants. Once you hit “View” next to the application name, you will be taken to a page where you can read the grant guidelines. From there, you can click “Apply” and begin filling out your application! Your progress is saved as you fill out the application – no need for Save and Continue emails anymore!

The Two Rivers Giving Circle is one of the few local sources of grants for Eastern Panhandle nonprofit groups that are engaged in historic preservation and natural resource conservation.

Our members come from Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan counties, and we confine our grantmaking to those counties. The Two Rivers Giving Circle will consider grants for:

  •  Safeguarding Habitat: Protection of habitat is critical to the preservation of biodiversity. Focus is placed on buffer zones, wildlife areas, watersheds, and functioning ecosystems.
  • Children and Nature: Education and involvement of the next generation are extremely important. Programs that address youth activism, knowledge, hands-on activity, and physical movement.
  • Saving Panhandle Treasures: We all have a deep care for our countryside and heritage. Initiatives that provide increased protection of historic, cultural, and pastoral places in the Panhandle.
  • Waste and Recycling: Efforts that catalyze underserved recycling efforts, promote effective household waste treatment, and deter non-point source pollution in the Panhandle.
  • Energy Conservation: Initiatives that promote increased energy conservation and decreased consumption behaviors in our Panhandle community.
  • Growing the Movement: Programs that engage, organize, and empower new constituencies who add to the advancement of programs through volunteerism and leadership that lead to new ways of thinking and acting.

Application Deadlines, Reviews, and Reports

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
  • An already existing nonprofit, 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(13) organization in good standing with the IRS, or
  • An existing government/quasi-governmental agency, or public school applying for a project that is not funded by tax revenue, or
  • A religious organization requesting funding for a non-sectarian charitable purpose, or
  • A civic group that is not a 501(c)(3) organization requesting funding for a charitable community cause.
Required Financial Information for 501(c)(3) Organizations
Applications must include financial information for the organization as a whole, and in addition:
  • Applicants with charitable contributions over $300,000 but less than $500,000 must provide the most recent financial review performed by an independent certified public accountant.
  • Applicants with charitable contributions over $500,000 must provide the most recent audit performed by an independent certified public accountant.

In addition, 501(c)(3) organizations must be in good standing with:

Applications will open on AUGUST 23rd, 2024 and close on SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2024. Two Rivers Giving Circle representatives may contact applicants for a phone or face-to-face interview and site visit. Grants will be announced by November.

Grant Size, Payment, and Final Reporting

Trust-Based Philanthropy Reporting Requirements: In general, grants range from $1,000 to $2,500 and are generally awarded up front. A final report, including outcomes of the funded program, and a summary of your grant expenses must be submitted by the end of August of the year following receipt of the grant. All grantees will be asked to attend a Zoom meeting to update members of the Two Rivers Giving Circle shortly after final reports are submitted. Under unusual circumstances, the Community Foundation may consider an extension.

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2024 Berkeley County Industrial Park Development Fund Grants

A NOTE FOR APPLICANTS:

This grant cycle marks our first time utilizing our new application process! Now, applicants will visit our GoApply website and create a profile before submitting applications. That website can be found here: https://goapply2.akoyago.com/ewvcf

Once you create your profile and log in, you will see a list of our current grant opportunities, including the BCIPD grants. Once you hit “View” next to the application name, you will be taken to a page where you can read the grant guidelines. From there, you can click “Apply” and begin filling out your application! Your progress is saved as you fill out the application – no need for Save and Continue emails anymore!

Grant Guidelines & Application

The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation will consider grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public schools, and government agencies serving Berkeley County. Projects and programs receiving funding should focus on, provide, or address any or all of the following:
  • Economic development
  • Business recruitment and/or creation
  • Workforce development
  • Job creation
  • Career training and job skills development
Application Deadline, Reviews, and Reports
All grant applications must be submitted no later than July 31 to be considered. Our representatives may contact applicants for phone or Zoom interviews. Grants will be announced in August.
Grant Size, Payment, and Final Reports
Grants will generally range from $2,000 to $12,000. A final report, including a summary of grant expenses, must be provided to the Community Foundation the following year. Extensions may be allowed with prior approval.
Organizations Eligible to Apply
Charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, schools, technical institutes, colleges, and universities serving Berkeley County are eligible to apply.  Also eligible are Berkeley County-based units of government and quasi-governmental agencies so long as funded programs meet the grant guidelines and benefit the public good.
Grantmaking Priorities
Grantseekers are encouraged to submit proposals for specific projects and programs rather than for general support or operations. Programs that have already been completed are unlikely to be funded. No grants to individuals will be made.
Trust-Based Philanthropy Reporting Requirements
In an effort to streamline the grants process for nonprofit organizations, the Community Foundation has adopted trust-based philanthropy and will award and pay the Berkeley County Industrial Park Development Fund grants upfront. A final report, including a summary of grant expenses, must be provided to the Community Foundation, and grantees agree to attend a Zoom meeting to discuss their grant. Extensions to complete the grant funded program may be allowed with prior approval; however, grantees receiving an extension should still file an interim report and attend the Zoom meeting.
We hope to see your applications soon!

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Eastern Panhandle Organizations Receive $150,000 During 2024 Winter/Spring Grant Cycle

This spring, Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan County nonprofits received $150,000 in grants during the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation’s (EWVCF) Winter/Spring grant cycle. Forty grants ranging from $500 to $12,000 each were awarded to Eastern Panhandle nonprofit organizations for a variety of different programs.

The Foundation’s Winter/Spring grant cycle awards funding to a myriad of projects and programs, including Animal Welfare, Healthcare, Historic Cemeteries, Housing, Human Welfare, and Senior Care. Thirty-two Eastern Panhandle organizations will be able to use their grants to continue their vital work tending to so many of our community’s needs. “The Community Foundation team is proud to be able to provide a variety of grants to nonprofit organizations doing such important work across the Eastern Panhandle.  Thanks to our generous donors who provide the funds for the grants, and our dedicated committee members who review every application, our Winter/Spring grants will support critical work throughout our region,” said incoming Executive Director of EWVCF Susan Caperton.

Of the $150,000 total, Animal Welfare groups received $4,000 in grants; Healthcare programs received $35,000; over $15,000 went to Jefferson County organizations for the maintenance of local Historic Cemeteries; charities tackling homelessness and affordable Housing received over $10,000; Human Welfare programs received nearly $25,000; Senior Care groups received over $60,000.

In Berkeley County, CCAP Loaves and Fishes received four grants for their programs serving low-income, underserved, and disadvantaged individuals. CCAP provides supplemental food items and many forms of financial assistance to our neighbors in need; the organization received Healthcare, Human Welfare, Senior Care, and Housing grants this cycle. Other organizations that received Winter/Spring grants for their programs serving Berkeley County include Faith Feeding Freedom, Berkeley County Meals on Wheels, the Martinsburg Initiative, Otterbein United Methodist Church, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Organizations serving Jefferson County received nearly $30,000 in grants. Two of those grants were for Animal Welfare programs, benefiting the Animal Welfare Society of Jefferson County and Veterinary Community Outreach. Both of those organizations will use their grants to help provide low-cost spay and neuter services to pet owners in the county. At Harpers Ferry Middle School, librarian Jill Fornadley will use her Human Welfare grant to fill the school’s clinic closet with spare clothes, shoes, toiletries, and school supplies for students who need them. Other organizations that received grants for their programs serving Jefferson County include the City of Charles Town, Community Networks, Edge Hill Cemetery, Jefferson County Community Ministries, Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission, and Meals on Wheels of Jefferson County.

Morgan County Starting Points and Senior Life Services of Morgan County received Senior Care and Healthcare grants, respectively, for their vital programs serving seniors in Morgan County. “Over twenty percent of the total population of Morgan County is elderly,” reports Senior Life Services Executive Director Tamara Kees. “Although the majority of the elderly population is totally independent, there are many who do not have that luxury,” she continued. SLSMC will use their grant to continue to provide transportation to their clients, which Kees describes as one of the major components of their operation. Morgan County Starting Points will use their grant to support the Meal Time Community Kitchen, a program that has provided hot meals to seniors and other community members for nearly twenty years now.

Grants totaling $67,000 were awarded to organizations with programs serving more than one Eastern Panhandle county. Operation Press Paws, Rescue Me WV, and To The ResQ received Animal Welfare grants to provide spay and neuter services. Good Samaritan Free Health Clinic, B&B’s Health Boutique, and Jefferson County Community Ministries received Healthcare grants to continue their work providing high quality care to patients in need. Community Networks and Faith Community Coalition for the Homeless received Housing grants. Panhandle Home Health, Community Markets, and Berkeley Senior Services received Senior Care grants. Community Combined Ministries, CASA of the Eastern Panhandle, Junior League of the Eastern Panhandle, The Blessings Closet, Martinsburg Union Rescue Mission, and Catholic Charities WV all received Human Welfare grants to fulfill a wide variety of needs in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan County.

The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation (EWVCF) was established in 1995 to help donors create permanent endowments to provide grants and scholarships throughout the region. Since its inception, EWVCF has awarded $15 million dollars, including nearly $1.5 million dollars in 2023. The Community Foundation now holds more than 290 endowed funds with assets of just over $40 million and is the leading steward of philanthropic giving in the region. EWVCF works with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, providing funding for projects from human welfare and scholarships to affordable housing and natural resources conservation, youth and education to animal welfare and historic preservation, and much more. For information visit www.EWVCF.org or call 304-264-0353.

Martinsburg Office
127 Crimson Circle
Martinsburg, WV 25403
[email protected]
304.264.0353

Romney Office
Post Office Box 40
91 South High Street
Romney, WV 26757
[email protected]
304.822.7200

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Vision

To build vibrant communities that provide opportunities for everyone living in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

Mission

To inspire philanthropy, serve donors, strengthen communities, and improve the quality of life in Eastern West Virginia now and for future generations.

Values

We honor the philanthropic vision of our donors and value their generosity. We respect the work of nonprofit organizations and the passion they bring to carrying out their missions. We earn the trust of our grantees, donors, and partners through our commitment to excellence in our stewardship and our dedication to accountability, integrity, professionalism, and transparency in all our actions. In all our work, we actively embrace accessibility, inclusion, racial and social equity, and the unity that comes from diversity.