By Paige Udermann
After Claude Worthington Benedum passed away in 1918, his surviving parents, Michael and Sarah Benedum, created a foundation in 1944 to honor their child: the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.
Known for its momentous impact throughout the Mountain State, the Benedum Foundation is celebrating 80 incredible years of change-making. Throughout this time, the foundation has made profound and lasting changes throughout West Virginia.
The organization is driven by Michael Benedum’s Fifth Codicil to his Last Will and Testament, which is both poetic and inspiring. According to Jennifer Giovannitti, foundation president, it is the living playbook for the foundation’s philanthropic efforts and the guiding star for everything it does.
With a focus on opportunity and equity, the Benedum Foundation helps people help themselves through strategically placed charitable resources across West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
“The Benedum Foundation takes to heart the idea that human potential exists everywhere but opportunity does not. Benedum has distributed over a half billion dollars to extraordinary efforts across West Virginia and beyond, supporting the amazing work of hundreds of organizations and touching thousands of lives in the region,” says Giovannitti.
“The foundation recognizes that philanthropic dollars should be flexible and attracted to visionary work. Over 80 years, we have helped support small ideas as well as big audacious initiatives because, as Michael Benedum wrote in his codicil, ‘We know not where a seed may sprout.’ We commit ourselves, our structure and our grantmaking to honor our founding charge to support the greatest good for the greatest number of people.”
Using the codicil as a framework for decision-making, the Benedum Foundation evolves with the current needs in the areas it serves. When it was founded, efforts were focused on war relief and poverty. Throughout the years, initiatives have grown to include health, education and economic and community development.
“While the foundation has always championed systemic change in key areas that support the development of strong and vibrant communities, we continue to adapt to meet the evolving and emerging needs of those we serve,” says Melanie Claxton, senior program officer of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. “For example, within our education portfolio this means tackling issues like early literacy development and increasing access to career pathways in new economy jobs.”
In education, the foundation seeks to improve the system and foster learning environments that will propel West Virginia forward. Recently, a substantial grant was awarded toward recruiting and retaining teachers in the state.
Within the sector of economic development, the foundation supports countless initiatives, such as improving outdoor recreation and advancing agriculture. These projects aim to capitalize on the strength of their target areas.
The Benedum Foundation has a wide reach within the state, and its dedication to the health and well-being of residents impacts the lives of many. For example, school-based health clinics have been created in almost every county. Healthy residents mean thriving communities, and thriving communities mean the collective well-being of West Virginia. The foundation recognizes this and works toward providing the resources necessary to make this goal a reality.
However, thriving communities are created through more than just the health of individual residents. The Benedum Foundation also works to develop leadership, programs, improvement strategies and engagement in communities statewide.
Grants aim to improve these four main areas of focus and are done with great thoughtfulness.
“Benedum focuses on maximizing its program officers who engage with people and projects in the field to advance a portfolio of grants,” says Giovannitti. “We have a history of providing among the first dollars for innovative and bold ideas but have also invested in projects that have taken years to come to fruition. Some of our funding has helped leverage millions of additional dollars from other funding sources, and some of our grants have nurtured nascent initiatives as they grew and became sustainable.”
With exceptional consideration, foundation leadership undertakes the responsibility of deciding which projects to invest in.
After the death of Michael Benedum in 1959, a board was appointed to ensure the mission and values of the organization were upheld and stayed true to the Benedum’s original intentions for the foundation.
“A highly esteemed group of trustees has guided the Benedum Foundation since the 1960s, including three West Virginia governors, five university presidents, a U.S. senator, a federal judge and many captains of industry,” says Giovannitti. “The Benedum Foundation staff and trustees take seriously the importance of meeting the moment of needs and opportunities.”
The trustees are both experienced and highly esteemed individuals who are respected for their expertise and the way they lead their lives.
“The Benedum Board of Trustees are actively engaged citizens who exemplify a life of service to others. The trustees have a pulse on the needs of their community and state so they can thoughtfully present both community needs and opportunities,” says Kim Tieman, vice president and program director of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. “The foundation uses data and current societal trends to explore the vexing issues that face our states. Benedum strives to promote locally derived solutions and supports evidenced-based or promising practices to impact policy and sustainable projects.”
The board is not only responsible for distributing the funds in the most impactful way, but it also stewards the foundation’s endowment.
“While most people focus on the grants we make, maintaining and growing the endowment is a major focus of the trustees,” says Lloyd Jackson, senior trustee. “We have retained the services of an outside investment firm, and our investment committee regularly meets with that firm to review our investment performance and suggest any changes we perceive necessary. All that information is communicated to the entire board, and their opinions and advice are considered as well. The health of our endowment is of prime importance to everyone at the foundation, and the time committed to that effort is considerable.”
The importance of the financial security of the foundation is just as important as the causes it supports. With the proper foresight and care, the impact of the organization can continue for years to come.
In addition to the qualified and passionate board of trustees, the foundation has nine employees dedicated to ensuring the organization is run efficiently.
“I always try to honor the wishes of the people who generously thought beyond themselves to care for their fellow citizens,” says Tieman. “When the Benedums created this foundation, they entrusted their values, beliefs and wishes would be upheld. We are honored to be the stewards to carry out their wishes. We have excerpts of Mr. Benedum’s will and codicil covering the main wall in our conference room so his words can literally and figuratively guide our discussions and decisions as we deliberate on what efforts they would want us to support.”
The Benedum Foundation has been instrumental in forging new roads for West Virginia and helping promote growth and development across the state. With a clear guiding star and skillful leaders, the Benedum Foundation’s 80 years have changed the lives of many and will continue to do so long into the future.
