The Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation (EWVCF) is excited to announce that they will again award $150,000 in grants to Eastern Panhandle schools and nonprofit organizations from the Detlev and Mary Ellen Preissler Fund for the Arts, Music, Design, and Nature in 2023. Eastern Panhandle schools and nonprofit organizations that inspire and educate children through the arts and nature seeking general operating support or funding for a specific program are invited to apply for a grant from this fund. Applications can be found on the Community Foundation’s website HERE. The deadline to apply is May 31st.
The fund was established by Mary Ellen in 2022 in honor of her late husband Detlev, a German-born architectural designer who called Harpers Ferry his home for nearly 50 years. During its inaugural award year, the fund gave just under $150,000 to 27 local schools and nonprofits, with grants ranging from $2,325 to $10,000.
One such organization, the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival, founded in 2021, used their grant to keep tickets to their chamber music performances in Harpers Ferry, Charles Town, and Shepherdstown affordable. Their grant also helped fund a commissioned piece by a new composer exploring the nature, history and culture of the region, and in August of 2022, ACMF performed a string quartet titled “Of Woods and Water” by Judith Ring for the first time.
Through this fund, the arts in Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan Counties continue to grow and thrive. Nonprofits and schools with programs that help children expand their knowledge and practice of art, music, and design, especially those that incorporate nature and the natural world into the curriculum, should click HERE to learn more and apply for a grant from the Detlev and Mary Ellen Preissler Fund for the Arts, Music, Design, and Nature today!
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, including over $1 million in 2022 alone. The Community Foundation now holds more than 280 endowed funds with assets of just over $35 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, animal welfare and historic preservation, and much more. For information call 304-264-0353.