By Kensie Hamilton Fauber
The positive impact of philanthropic and nonprofit organizations in West Virginia is undeniable. There are numerous charitable organizations to choose from, each offering unique opportunities to make a meaningful difference. In this issue of West Virginia Executive, dedicated to the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, we highlight foundations making positive impacts across the state. While this map is not exhaustive, it illustrates the impressive reach of the industry.
Each of the foundations included falls under one of two major categories: public charities and private foundations. Some specific types we will highlight are community foundations, education foundations, health care conversion foundations, hospital foundations, corporate foundations, family foundations and United Way organizations across the state.
For a better understanding of how the different foundations function, readers can find the definitions below.
Foundations: In the nonprofit sector, the term foundation has no precise meaning. It can be defined as an entity that supports charitable activities by making grants to unrelated organizations and institutions or to individuals for scientific, educational, cultural, religious or other charitable purposes. While foundations are often primarily engaged in grantmaking activities, some may engage in their own direct charitable activities or programs.
Private Foundations: Private foundations are generally financially supported by one or a small handful of sources—an individual, family or corporation. These categories are not legally defined. Rather, they are commonly used in the field of philanthropy to distinguish the different kinds of private foundations.
Public Charities: Public charities include a wide variety of charitable organizations, such as hospitals, schools, churches and organizations that make grants to others. Charities that focus on grantmaking are called public foundations. Most of these foundations are publicly supported charities, meaning they receive funds from multiple sources, which may include private foundations, individuals, government agencies and fees they charge for the charitable services they provide. A community foundation is another kind of public charity. In some cases, corporate foundations are set up as public, rather than private, foundations.
Community Foundation:
Public Charity
Barbour County Community Foundation
Belington, WVCommunity Foundation for the Ohio Valley, Inc.
Wheeling, WVCommunity Foundation of Jackson County
Ripley, WVCommunity Foundation of Mason County
Point Pleasant, WVCommunity Foundation of the Virginias, Inc.
Bluefield, WVCommunity Trust Foundation, Inc.
Cumberland, MDDoddridge County Community Foundation
Parkersburg, WVEastern West Virginia Community Foundation
Martinsburg, WVFoundation for the Tri-State Community, Inc.
Huntington, WVGreater Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation
Lewisburg, WVHampshire County Community Foundation
Martinsburg, WVHardy County Community Foundation
Martinsburg, WVHinton Area Foundation
Hinton, WVLittle Kanawha Community Foundation
Charleston, WVLogan County Charitable and Educational Foundation, Inc.
Logan, WVNicholas County Community Foundation, Inc.
Summersville, WVParkersburg Area Community Foundation
Parkersburg, WVPleasants Community Foundation, Inc.
Saint Marys, WVRitchie County Community Foundation
Parkersburg, WVSnowshoe Foundation, Inc.
Snowshoe, WVTaylor County Fund of Your Community Foundation
Morgantown, WVThe Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation
Charleston, WVTucker Community Foundation
Parsons, WVWebster County Community Fund
Webster Springs, WVWyoming County Community Fund
Pineville, WVYour Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia, Inc.
Morgantown, WV
Education Foundation: Public CharityBlue Ridge Community & Technical College Foundation, Inc.
Martinsburg, WVBluefield State University Foundation, Inc.
Bluefield, WVBridgevalley Community & Technical College Foundation, Inc.
South Charleston, WVConcord University Foundation, Inc.
Athens, WVEastern West Virginia Community & Technical College Foundation, Inc.
Moorefield, WVFairmont State Foundation, Inc.
Fairmont, WVGlenville State University Foundation
Glenville, WVMarshall University Foundation, Inc.
Huntington, WVMountwest Foundation, Inc.
Huntington, WVNew River Community and Technical College Foundation, Inc.
Beaver, WVPierpont Foundation, Inc.
Fairmont, WVShepherd University Foundation, Inc.
Shepherdstown, WVSouthern West Virginia Community College Foundation, Inc.
Logan, WVWest Liberty University Foundation, Inc.
West Liberty, WVWest Virginia Northern Community College Foundation
Wheeling, WVWest Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Foundation
Lewisburg, WVWest Virginia State University Foundation, Inc.
Institute, WVWVU at Parkersburg Foundation, Inc.
Parkersburg, WVWVU Foundation
Morgantown, WVLogan Healthcare Foundation, Inc.
Chapmanville, WV
Health Care Conversion Foundation: Private FoundationPallottine Foundation of Buckhannon
Buckhannon, WVPallottine Foundation of Huntington
Huntington, WVSisters Health Foundation
Parkersburg, WVSisters of St. Joseph Health and Wellness Foundation
Wheeling, WV
Hospital Foundation: Public CharityAppalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation
Lexington, KY
BMH Foundation for Community Health
Danville, WVCabell Huntington Hospital Foundation, Inc.
Huntington, WVCAMC Foundation
Charleston, WVCamden Clark Foundation
Parkersburg, WVDavis Health System Foundation, Inc.
Elkins, WVHighland Hospital Foundation
Charleston, WVLogan Healthcare Foundation, Inc. *Private Foundation
Logan, WVMarshall Health Network Foundations
Huntington, WVMedical Park Foundation
Wheeling, WVMon Health Medical Center Foundation
Morgantown, WVPleasant Valley Hospital Health Foundation, Inc.
Point Pleasant, WVPotomac Valley Hospital Foundation
Keyser, WVPreston Memorial Hospital Foundation
Kingwood, WVPrinceton Community Hospital Foundation Inc.
Princeton, WVRoane General Hospital Foundation, Inc.
Spencer, WVSt. Joseph’s Foundation of Buckhannon, Inc.
Buckhannon, WVSt. Mary’s Medical Center Foundation
Huntington, WVUnited Health Foundation, Inc.
Bridgeport, WVValley Health Foundations
Winchester, VAWeirton Medical Center Foundation
Weirton, WVWVU Hospitals East Foundation
Martinsburg, WVWVU Medicine Jackson General Hospital Foundation
Ripley, WVWVU Medicine Thomas Foundation
South Charleston, WV
OtherPhilanthropy West Virginia
Morgantown, WVWheeling National Heritage Area Foundation
Wheeling, WVWest Virginia Community Advancement Development
Charleston, WV
Private FoundationAmerican Water Charitable Foundation
Camden, NJBernard McDonough Foundation
Parkersburg, WVCharles & Mary Fayne Glotfelty Foundation, Inc.
Charleston, WVClaude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Pittsburgh, PADaywood Foundation
Charleston, WVDominion Energy Charitable Foundation
Richmond, VAElliot Foundation, Inc.
Charleston, WVEQT Foundation
Pittsburgh, PAEsbenshade Foundation
Parkersburg, WVEvan G. Roberts Trust
Morgantown, WVFifth Third Foundation
Cincinnati, OHFirstEnergy Foundation
Akron, OHHazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust
Morgantown, WVHerscher Foundation
Charleston, WVHess Family Foundation
Wheeling, WVHighmark Foundation
Pittsburgh, PAHugh I. Shott Jr. Foundation
Bluefield, WVJames & Alice Teubert Charitable Trust
Huntington, WVJames H. Harless Foundation, Inc.
Gilbert, WVMaier Foundation, Inc.
Charleston, WVMcGee Foundation
Charleston, WVMelvin B. Sprigg Trust
Charlotte, NCMilan Puskar Foundation
Morgantown, WVMylan Charitable Foundation
Morgantown, WVPeoples Bank Foundation
Marietta, OHRobert and Frances Chaney Family Foundation
Jacksonville, ORRoss Foundation, Inc.
Parkersburg, WVRoy and Gwen Steeley Foundation
Martinsburg, WVS. Kent Rockwell Foundation
Pittsburgh, PASchenk Charitable Trust
Wheeling, WVSpartan Foundation
Vienna, WVThe Aetna Foundation
Hartford, CTThe Dunn Foundation, Inc.
Mineral Wells, WVThe Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health
Charleston, WVThe Huntington Foundation, Inc.
Morgantown, WVTom & Virginia Seely Foundation
Berkeley Springs, WVTruist Foundation, Inc.
Orlando, FLUnited Methodist Foundation of West Virginia
Parkersburg, WVWest Virginia Bar Foundation
Charleston, WVWest Virginia Catholic Foundation
Wheeling, WVWest Virginia First Foundation
Charleston, WVWing 2 Wing Foundation
Huntington, WV
Public CharityBig Green Scholarship Foundation, Inc.
Huntington, WVBlenko Glass Foundation
Milton, WVCrittenton Foundation, Inc.
Wheeling, WVDiscover the Real West Virginia Foundation, Inc.
Charleston, WVOglebay Foundation, Inc.
Wheeling, WVPrestera Foundation for Behavioral Health Services, Inc.
Huntington, WVSerra Foundation, Inc.
Weirton, WVTamarack Foundation, Inc.
Charleston, WVVolunteer West Virginia, Inc.
Charleston, WVWalking Miracles Family Foundation
Charleston, WVWest Virginia Farm Bureau Foundation, Inc.
Buckhannon, WVWest Virginia Humanities Council
Charleston, WVWest Virginia Public Broadcasting Foundation, Inc.
Charleston, WVWV Press Association Foundation
Charleston, WVUnited Way: Public Charity
County United Way
Cumberland, MDTygart Valley United Way
Fairmont, WVUnited Way Alliance of the Mid-Ohio Valley
Parkersburg, WVUnited Way of Central West Virginia, Inc.
Charleston, WVUnited Way of Gilmer, Lewis and Upshur
Weston, WVUnited Way of Greenbrier Valley, Inc.
Lewisburg, WVUnited Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties
Clarksburg, WVUnited Way of Monongalia & Preston County
Morgantown, WVUnited Way of Southern West Virginia, Inc.
Beckley, WVUnited Way of the Eastern Panhandle, Inc.
Martinsburg, WVUnited Way of the River Cities, Inc.
Huntington, WVUnited Way of the Upper Ohio Valley
Wheeling, WV