Slider Archives - Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation

October 6, 2026 By Elaine Bobo

Growing for Generations-31st Annual Report to Our Community

Thirty years ago, a group of visionary people believed that generosity could transform communities. They understood that when neighbors invest in neighbors, good things happen—not just today, but for generations to come.

Together, we can ensure that the generosity of today becomes the opportunity of tomorrow. Together, we can build stronger communities for today, tomorrow, and forever.

We are rooted in community and I invite you to join us as we reflect upon our past, and prepare for the future. This Annual Report is for our community…the community that gives, loves and cares for one another.

Thank you for believing in the power of giving and for considering how your passion can become your legacy.

With gratitude,

Chris Janelle, 2026 Board President

July 13, 2026 By Elaine Bobo

Partners in Philanthropy Make MORE Possible.

And how?

Third graders reading at or above grade level.
Sixth graders discovering a deeper appreciation for local history.
Homebound seniors receiving regular, nourishing meals.
Teachers bringing dream projects to life in their classrooms.

Partners make more possible.

As a valued Partner in Philanthropy, your generous support of the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation can make a meaningful difference in Berkeley, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson and Morgan Counties. With your support, we can invest in impactful grants that strengthen education, support vulnerable neighbors, and spark innovation in our schools and communities.

Simply put—you can make more of this work possible.

Why does it matter? Because each of these efforts helps build and sustain a strong culture of philanthropy. And when philanthropy thrives, communities become stronger, more resilient, and better equipped for long-term success.

We believe that strong communities are good for business.

With your support, we can accomplish more together. Please consider an annual tax-deductible Partners in Philanthropy gift. Your partnership can play a vital role in sustaining our work and ensuring a lasting impact for years to come.

Partners Make MORE Possible! It’s all right here.

Our sincere appreciation for this consideration.

April 1, 2026 By Elaine Bobo

Thinking of Starting a Fund?

Creating a fund in your Community Foundation is economical and easy. Let our team of professionals support your dream.

Donors receive prudent fund management, generous tax advantages, and access to a committed staff with knowledge of the community and the charities in our area. We handle administrative responsibilities, file necessary tax returns, evaluate charities, and monitor changes in the community to help you achieve your charitable vision. A wide variety of endowed funds can be created with a lump-sum gift of as little as $5,000. Here are the basic steps for creating a fund.

1. Define your charitable and financial objectives. Consider how you want your gift to be used and how much you and other family members would like to be involved in making grant recommendations. You may have a favorite charity you want to support, or be passionate about youth and education programs, or want to provide scholarships to area students.

2. Select the type of fund that matches your charitable interests.

Unrestricted Fund

Agency or Hybrid Fund

Designated Fund

Donor-Advised Fund

Field of Interest Fund

Scholarship Fund

3. Determine which asset you will use in creating your fund. Gifts of cash, securities (publicly traded or closely held), personal property, or real estate can be accepted by the Community Foundation to set up a fund. Assets with a low-cost basis are often wise choices, since they offer maximum tax advantages: You pay no capital gains tax and receive a favorable income tax deduction. You may also wish to review assets inside your retirement plan for possible charitable use. At all times, we work closely with your accountant and attorney to ensure your charitable wishes are clearly understood and applied.

4. Choose a name for your fund. Many donors choose a family name, but you can use any name that is meaningful to you.

5. Make your gift to the Community Foundation. While your gift to establish a fund will be commingled with other Community Foundation assets to maximize investment returns, income and appreciation are tracked and tied to your fund, benefitting your fund for its growth and charitable grantmaking.

6. Plan a gift through your Will. We can help provide appropriate language to make sure a contribution to the Community Foundation from your estate meets legal and tax criteria.

From here on, your charitable vision is nearly worry-free. The Community Foundation takes care of government filings, grant paperwork, auditing and accounting. Most importantly, you will have joined with hundreds of other local donors who have created a personal legacy that is true philanthropy.

To get started, contact the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation:

in Martinsburg, WV: (304) 264-0353 or via email at [email protected]

in Romney, WV: (304) 822-7200 or via email at [email protected]

November 10, 2025 By Elaine Bobo

Community Foundations Make More Possible

When you give through EWVCF, you join a powerful collective of donors who are making positive impacts right here at home. You can make more good possible, and we welcome the opportunity to work with you in meeting your philanthropic goal.

Since our founding in 1995, donors have established over 320 endowed funds at the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation (EWVCF). Created to serve Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan, Hampshire, and Hardy counties, these funds address a myriad of needs in the community. With over $60 million in total assets under management, EWVCF is one of the largest grantmakers in the Eastern Panhandle. Donors wishing to establish a fund have several options and each fund agreement is created to address the specific desires of the donor. Funds support a wide variety of nonprofit organizations and charitable causes, as well as scholarship opportunities for students.

Unrestricted Funds

When you establish an Unrestricted Fund, your gift can address a broad range of local needs — including future needs that often cannot be anticipated at the time your gift is made. We evaluate all aspects of community well-being: arts and culture, economic development, education, environment, health and human services, neighborhood revitalization, and more. The flexibility of your unrestricted gift enables your community foundation’s program experts to respond to the community’s most pressing needs, today and tomorrow. Unrestricted funds can be established with a gift of as little as $5,000 and can be named in honor or in memory of a loved one.

Agency Endowed Funds

Nonprofit organizations can establish an Agency Endowment at the community foundation. It’s a simple and efficient way to build an endowment — and help create sustainability — for your nonprofit organization. The community foundation’s experienced staff can also help your organization develop a campaign to build your endowment. The minimum to endow an agency fund is $10,000, but nonprofit organizations can seed an agency fund with a $1,000 initial gift and have five years to grow the fund to the $10,000 endowed level.

Designated Funds

Establishing a Designated Fund allows you to support the good work of a specific nonprofit organization — a senior center, museum, or virtually any nonprofit charitable organization. Because it’s given through your Community Foundation, your gift provides the organization you select with funding and investment management services through the power of endowment. Designated funds, like agency endowed funds, have a $10,000 minimum with the same seed fund option.

Field of Interest Funds

By establishing a Field of Interest Fund, you can target your gift to address needs in an important and specific area of community life: Arts. AIDS. Aging. At-risk youth. Education. Historic Preservation. Conservation. You identify your personal interest area when making your gift; our board awards grants to community organizations and programs that are making a difference in the area you select. Your gift stays flexible enough to meet community needs in your interest area — even as they change over time. A field of interest fund can be endowed with a $5,000 gift to the community foundation and like all of the funds we offer may be named to remember a loved one who has passed or to recognize someone for an outstanding accomplishment.

Donor-Advised Funds

A Donor-Advised Fund allows you to make a gift to the Community Foundation and remain actively involved in suggesting uses for your gift. You can work with the Community Foundation staff to suggest ongoing uses for the fund — targeting the issues you care about most. Grant awards are issued to charities in the name of the fund (or anonymously if you prefer). It’s a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving. The minimum endowed level for donor-advised funds is $10,000.

Scholarship Funds

In creating a scholarship, you invest in your community’s future and show students you care. Your community foundation provides the expertise to help you meet your personal goals and awards scholarships to deserving students. Your gift can help students — from preschool to postgraduate — achieve their lifetime dreams. Because of the complexity in administering a scholarship fund, the minimum for one to endow a fund of this type is $20,000.

If you would like to speak with someone about establishing a fund at the Community Foundation, please call 304.264.0353 or 304-822-7200, or email [email protected] and we will be happy to help. The process is simple, it doesn’t take very long, and there is no cost to create a fund.