Encova Foundation of West Virginia

Private foundation · Grantmaker Charleston, WV EIN: 80-0772825

Encova Foundation of West Virginia is based in Charleston, West Virginia, and is listed with a filing type of 990T. It supports local causes, with stated areas of emphasis including health, education, wellness, children’s success, community improvement, and industry initiatives.

Key facts about Encova Foundation of West Virginia

In short: Encova Foundation of West Virginia gave $2.3M across 89 grants in 2024 (avg $25K), mostly in West Virginia. 52% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
80-0772825
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$2,265,000
Grants made (2024)
89
Average grant
$25,449
Median grant
$5,000
New grantees (estimate)
52% first-time grantees (45 of 86, 2024)
Total assets
$51,682,893
Primary geography
West Virginia (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$51.7M

+6.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.3M

-9.3% YoY

Grant Count

89

+4.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$25K

-13.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Encova Foundation of West Virginia reported a distributable amount of $2.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Encova Foundation of West Virginia open to new grantees?

52%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 45 of 86 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $34K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 41% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 80% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s stated focus includes improving communities and families, promoting education, encouraging wellness, helping children succeed, and supporting industry initiatives. Its program description says applicants must be U.S.-based charitable organizations.

The 2024 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. Legal Aid of West Virginia says it advocates for low-income and vulnerable West Virginians seeking equal access to justice. Lily’s Place says it provides short-term medical care to infants affected by prenatal drug exposure and support and education for families and communities. Capitol Market describes itself as a retail, community, and economic hub that supports small businesses and West Virginia farmers. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation reported 89 grants totaling $2,265,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $450,000, with a median of $5,000.

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Encova Foundation of West Virginia

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in West Virginia and 2% to recipients in Ohio. The reported shares for Texas, Connecticut, and Indiana were each 0%.

Grant Distribution by State

20states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 89 itemized grants.

Cities

CharlestonHuntingtonMorgantownWheelingHurricaneBridgeportFairmontLewisburgSaint AlbansColumbusSouth CharlestonClarksburgRichmondBelleElkinsInstituteKansas CityMartinsburgScott DepotCeredo

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M96 grants2020 73 grants2021 76 grants2022 85 grants2023 89 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.5M (2020) to $2.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 89 grants totaling $2.3M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

WVU Foundation: $730K across 2 grantsWVU Foundation$730K · 2 grantsMarshall University Foundation Incorporation: $450KMarshall University FoundationIncorporation$450KUniversity of Charleston: $250KUniversity of Charleston$250KLegal Aid of West Virginia: $100KLegal Aid of West Virginia$100KWing 2 Wing Foundation: $100KWing 2 Wing Foundation$100KWest Virginia Univ Foundation Inc: $75KWest Virginia Univ FoundationInc$75KYoung Mens Christian Association of Charleston & Kan Valley: $51KYoung Mens ChristianAssociation of Charleston &…$51KKeith Albee Performing Arts Center: $50KKeith Albee Performing ArtsCenter$50KPelotonia: $50KPelotonia$50KCharleston Main Streets: $27KCharleston Main Streets$27K

The largest 2024 recipient was WVU Foundation ($730K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.9M.

Grant Size Distribution

419 grants across all recorded years

374<$50K12$50–100K19$100–250K13$250–500K1$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 374 grants of 419 (89%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Marshall University Foundation Incorporation Huntington, WVUsed by the jun harless center to pay monthly invoices for each Targeted county in West Virginia to the dollywood foundation.$450,000
WVU Foundation Morgantown, WVRockefeller Neuroscience Institute 2ND Payment - 2025$400,000
WVU Foundation Morgantown, WVEncova center for innovation and entrepreneurship 6th & final payment - 2025$330,000
University of Charleston Charleston, WVRehabilitation Science and Athletic Training Center.$250,000
Legal Aid of West Virginia Charleston, WVLegal Service and Behavorial Support Programs$100,000
Wing 2 Wing Foundation Huntington, WVSummit Sponsorship$100,000
West Virginia Univ Foundation Inc Morgantown, WVIgnitewv$75,000
Young Mens Christian Association of Charleston & Kan Valley Huntington, WVConstruction Costs for New Youth Facilities.$51,000
Keith Albee Performing Arts Center Huntington, WV3RD Payment - 2025$50,000
Pelotonia Columbus, OHPelotonia$50,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $51,682,893 $5,448,903 $2,612,174 $2,265,000
2023 $48,344,839 $4,721,228 $2,810,460 $2,497,000
2022 $48,872,761 $3,754,798 $2,703,346 $2,195,160
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M$8M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$51,682,893$48,344,839$48,872,761
Revenue$5,448,903$4,721,228$3,754,798
Expenses$2,612,174$2,810,460$2,703,346
Qualifying Distributions$2,265,000$2,497,000$2,195,160
Net Investment Income$5,101,729$1,951,166$899,113
Distributable Amount$2,823,172$2,561,837$2,453,910

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Marty Becker as executive chair; James Christopher Howat as executive vice president, CFO, and treasurer; and Thomas J Obrokta Jr as president and CEO.

Encova Foundation of West Virginia is led by Thomas J. Obrokta Jr., President & CEO on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Thomas J. Obrokta Jr.

    President & CEO

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marty Becker

    Executive Chair

    On filings since 2022

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • James Christopher Howat

    Executive Vice President, CFO & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Gregory A. Burton (2020–2021) — Executive Chair

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 400 Quarrier Street, Charleston, WV 25301
Phone: (304) 941-1000

Frequently asked questions about Encova Foundation of West Virginia

How much does Encova Foundation of West Virginia give each year?

Encova Foundation of West Virginia gave $2.3M across 89 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.5M across 85 grants.

What is Encova Foundation of West Virginia's typical grant size?

Encova Foundation of West Virginia's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $25,449, across 89 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Encova Foundation of West Virginia that year got $20K on average.

Where does Encova Foundation of West Virginia give grants?

Encova Foundation of West Virginia gives mostly in West Virginia: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charleston, WV (25 grants), Huntington, WV (14 grants), Morgantown, WV (11 grants) and Wheeling, WV (7 grants).

Does Encova Foundation of West Virginia give general operating support?

Occasionally: 2% of Encova Foundation of West Virginia's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 89) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Encova Foundation of West Virginia's largest grantees?

Encova Foundation of West Virginia's largest 2024 grantees include WVU Foundation ($730,000 across 2 grants), Marshall University Foundation Incorporation ($450,000) and University of Charleston ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Encova Foundation of West Virginia?

Encova Foundation of West Virginia reported $51.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Encova Foundation of West Virginia fund?

The foundation’s stated focus includes improving communities and families, promoting education, encouraging wellness, helping children succeed, and supporting industry initiatives. Its program description says applicants must be U.S.-based charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Encova Foundation of West Virginia?

Encova Foundation of West Virginia has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Encova Foundation of West Virginia's EIN?

Encova Foundation of West Virginia's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 80-0772825. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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