Due to the coming snowstorm, we’ve decided to extend our March 15th Grant Deadline until this Friday, March 17th. Grant applications may be postmarked or hand delivered to our office on Wednesday, March 15th, Thursday, March 16th our Friday, March 17th between 9 AM and 5 PM.
Shepherdstown Middle School Jazz Band First in the State!
Just received this photo and note from Chad Conant the Band Director at Shepherdstown Middle School. The Jazz Band there has been voted Best in the State again. Congratulations to all the musicians, and we are happy to play a small role in their success. To learn more about the Community Foundation’s Youth and Education Grants, click here.
Hello Michael,
On Feb. 26, the SMS Jazz Band was awarded 1st place in the middle school state-wide jazz competition. This earned the band the WV Honor Jazz Band Award for Middle School in 2017. We were invited to perform at the Charleston Civic Center on March 2 for the West Virginia Music Educators’ Conference, and we did! Just returned last night from the trip.
Michael, this level of achievement is possible because of the financial support of the EWVCF youth grants that the band has received. The Honor Concert was one of many this year during which the jazz band has brought the community and school together through their excellent performances of jazz music.
More to come in the grant report–just wanted to share the news and send thanks.
Gratefully,
Chad Conant
Community Foundation Legacy Society
Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation (EWVCF) officers, (left to right) Secretary Chip Hensell, President Darlene Truman, Vice President Lisa Welch, and Treasurer Bill White recently helped celebrate the installation of seven new Legacy Society plaques at the Community Foundation office in Martinsburg. The checks they hold represent grants awarded by funds that were established through legacy gifts from Jane Snyder and Elizabeth Shade. Every year, these two funds alone provide more than $70,000 in support for youth and education programs in the Eastern Panhandle.
The Legacy Society of the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation experienced unprecedented growth in 2016, with seven local philanthropists choosing to join the group during the year. Individuals who remember the Community Foundation in an estate plan – either through a Will or Trust, or by naming EWVCF as a beneficiary of their Traditional IRA – are instrumental in the growth and well being of the organization. Some legacy gifts support the donors’ favorite charities with annual grant making in perpetuity; others add assets to existing funds, establish scholarships, or simply become a part of our unrestricted Community Impact Funds.
Donors may choose to work with Foundation staff on a Shell Agreement that provides detailed instructions for how a legacy gift will be put to use supporting education, recreation, social service programs, environmental causes, or any number of other charitable endeavors. Or, they can simply empower the board of the Foundation to use the proceeds of a Traditional IRA to support the outreach programs of the Foundation, with no restrictions.
Thanks to Legacy Society member gifts and contributions from donors who establish funds and work with the Foundation throughout their lifetime, total assets at the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation now exceed $21 million and annual grants and scholarships average well over $600,000 per year. To learn more about the Legacy Society contact Executive Director Michael Whalton at the Community Foundation offices.
Scholarship Application Deadline Nears
2016 George & Holly Wood Hancock Scholars – Ayana Feliciano, Zachary Crooms, & Raeshean Simmons were three of nearly 50 students who received a total of over $93,000 in Community Foundation scholarships last year.
2017 Scholarship Deadline is March 1st
Eastern Panhandle students have until March 1st to apply for nearly $100,000 in scholarships from the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation. More than 70 scholarships of up to $5,000 each will be awarded to students from Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan counties this spring.
The Community Foundation is accepting scholarship applications by US mail or students may deliver them in person to the Foundation office at 229 E. Martin Street (Suite 4) in Martinsburg. “Having students compile hard copies of all the necessary forms and documents gives them the opportunity to review their application thoroughly,” stated Amy Pancake, EWVCF Scholarship Coordinator. “It seems as if there are fewer incomplete applications this way and with 44 endowed funds granting more than 70 scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 each, there’s been a tremendous amount of interest in our program this year.” Each scholarship has its own individual selection criteria and eligibility requirements crafted by donors to provide area students with opportunities to pursue an advanced education. Following a competitive process, scholarship awards are announced at the Community Foundation’s annual Scholars & Donors Reception at the Purple Iris in May.
A listing of available scholarships, as well as the application instructions, can be downloaded from the Community Foundation’s website, www.EWVCF.org. Completed applications may be submitted by US mail or delivered in person to the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, 229 East Martin Street, Suite 4, Martinsburg, WV 25401. Submissions must be postmarked or delivered by the March 1 deadline.
The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established in 1995. Led by a local board of directors and a staff of three, EWVCF serves Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan, Hampshire, and Hardy counties. It provides financial stewardship for more than 210 endowment funds, holds approximately $20 million in total assets under management, and awards between $600,000 and $750,000 in grants and scholarships annually. There are more than 700 community foundations across America, with each one serving donors and nonprofit organizations in a distinct geographic region. Information about the Community Foundation can be found on their web site at www.EWVCF.org or by calling 304-264-0353.
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Teachers Receive 2016 Mini-Grants
Teachers from 41 public schools in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia were awarded a total of $30,972.51 in Mini-Grants on November 17th. We are thrilled to be able to help them fund remarkable programs and projects. Congratulations!
The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation received 231 Mini-Grant applications from public school Pre-K through Grade 12 teachers in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan counties. A wide variety of projects and programs were proposed, with grant requests ranging from just under $100 to the maximum $500. The total amount requested was $93,857.67. Of the 231 proposals, 40 grants totaling $15,169.94 were awarded to Berkeley County teachers; 24 grants totaling $10,799.29 were awarded to Jefferson County teachers; and 12 grants totaling $5,003.28 were awarded to Morgan County teachers.
The grant presentations took place at the Holiday Inn in Martinsburg on Thursday, November 17 – National Philanthropy Day – at 5:30 PM. A total of $30,972.51 in Mini-Grants were presented to Eastern Panhandle educators. Teachers, principals, and school administrators joined Community Foundation board members and fund donors for the celebration.
Some of the more popular proposals included Lego Robotics Kits, Boomwhacker musical instruments, Kindle Fire tablets, iPads, and a wide variety of art and music supplies. Teachers are encouraged to apply for grants for projects and programs that are unlikely to be funded through traditional school resources.
We want to extend our sincere thanks to the following Community Foundation Endowed Funds and individual donors who have provided the financial support to make the Mini-Grant to Teachers program possible:
Bonn Poland Family Recreation Fund
Scott & Elizabeth C. Shade Youth Fund
Endowment for Recreation
Endowment for the Arts
Frada Fine Berkeley Education Fund
Jane P. Snyder Youth Fund
Tom & Virginia Seely Children’s Fund
McMillan Family Fund
Erdem and Joan Ergin
Ruth Pritchard
Partners in Philanthropy
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