Foundations & Grantmakers in West Virginia
665 grantmakers in West Virginia reported grants on their latest 990s. The 262 that made at least 5 grants gave $160.5M. The largest by giving are The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust and Appalachian Area Agency on Aging. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse West Virginia grants
Foundation giving in West Virginia at a glance
Active grantmakers
665
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$160.5M
from the 262 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$18K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$77K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in West Virginia by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation | Charleston | $13.8M | 239 |
| 2 | Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust | Morgantown | $10.9M | 32 |
| 3 | Appalachian Area Agency on Aging | Princeton | $8.6M | 14 |
| 4 | West Virginia First Foundation Inc | Bridgeport | $8.5M | 132 |
| 5 | The Ross Foundation Inc | Parkersburg | $5.4M | 22 |
| 6 | Pallottine Foundation of Huntington West Virginia | Huntington | $3.7M | 191 |
| 7 | Preservati Family Char Tr Fdn | Princeton | $3.5M | 17 |
| 8 | West Virginia Community Action Partnersh | Charleston | $3.4M | 9 |
| 9 | Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley Inc | Wheeling | $3.2M | 119 |
| 10 | West Virginia Foundation for Rape | Fairmont | $3.1M | 12 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 11 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 46 · 30%
- Health 32 · 21%
- Human Services 14 · 9%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 7 · 5%
- Environment & Animals 6 · 4%
- Religion Related 6 · 4%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (42% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in West Virginia
- Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley Inc $3.2M · 119 grants
- Parkersburg Area Community Foundation Inc (Previously Pacf Inc) $2.5M · 107 grants
- Tucker Community Foundation $1.5M · 27 grants
- Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation $819K · 47 grants
- Your Community Foundation of North Central WV Inc $559K · 28 grants
- Community Foundation of the Virginias Inc $483K · 23 grants
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in West Virginia
Foundations based in West Virginia whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community Foundation of the Virginias Inc | 61% (14) | 23 in 2024 | $27K |
| 2 | Encova Foundation of West Virginia | 52% (45) | 86 in 2024 | $20K |
| 3 | Milan Puskar Foundation Inc | 52% (34) | 65 in 2024 | $27K |
| 4 | Bernard H and Blanche E Jacobson Foundation | 48% (11) | 23 in 2025 | $25K |
| 5 | One Foundation | 45% (15) | 33 in 2024 | $20K |
| 6 | Beckley Area Foundation Inc | 41% (33) | 81 in 2025 | $26K |
| 7 | Bowles Rice Foundation | 40% (12) | 30 in 2025 | $1K |
| 8 | Arthur and Joan Weisberg Family | 38% (27) | 71 in 2025 | $23K |
| 9 | Clark Opportunity Foundation Inc | 38% (14) | 37 in 2025 | $13K |
| 10 | The H P and Anne S Hunnicutt | 38% (15) | 40 in 2025 | $13K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 262 grantmakers in West Virginia with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation
Charleston, WV
Assets
$348.4M
Grants
239
Total Given
$13.8M
Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust
Morgantown, WV
Assets
$123.2M
Grants
32
Total Given
$10.9M
Appalachian Area Agency on Aging
Princeton, WV
Assets
$1.2M
Grants
14
Total Given
$8.6M
West Virginia First Foundation Inc
Bridgeport, WV
Assets
$304.3M
Grants
132
Total Given
$8.5M
The Ross Foundation Inc
Parkersburg, WV
Assets
$38.1M
Grants
22
Total Given
$5.4M
Pallottine Foundation of Huntington West Virginia
Huntington, WV
Assets
$77.7M
Grants
191
Total Given
$3.7M
Preservati Family Char Tr Fdn
Princeton, WV
Assets
$63.4M
Grants
17
Total Given
$3.5M
West Virginia Community Action Partnersh
Charleston, WV
Assets
$918K
Grants
9
Total Given
$3.4M
Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley Inc
Wheeling, WV
Assets
$110.7M
Grants
119
Total Given
$3.2M
West Virginia Foundation for Rape
Fairmont, WV
Assets
$1.8M
Grants
12
Total Given
$3.1M
Stamp Charitable Fund
Wheeling, WV
Assets
$664K
Grants
8
Total Given
$3.0M
West Virginia Pregnancy Center Coalition Inc
Charleston, WV
Assets
$301K
Grants
29
Total Given
$2.8M
Hugh I Shott Jr Foundation Inc
Bluefield, WV
Assets
$54.2M
Grants
22
Total Given
$2.7M
Parkersburg Area Community Foundation Inc (Previously Pacf Inc)
Parkersburg, WV
Assets
$98.3M
Grants
107
Total Given
$2.5M
Maier Foundation Inc
Charleston, WV
Assets
$31.9M
Grants
28
Total Given
$2.5M
Encova Foundation of West Virginia
Charleston, WV
Assets
$51.7M
Grants
89
Total Given
$2.3M
Milan Puskar Foundation Inc
Morgantown, WV
Assets
$47.9M
Grants
65
Total Given
$2.1M
The Elliot Foundation Inc
Charleston, WV
Assets
$32.6M
Grants
11
Total Given
$2.1M
West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness Inc
Bridgeport, WV
Assets
$2.6M
Grants
14
Total Given
$2.1M
Arthur and Joan Weisberg Family
Huntington, WV
Assets
$16.9M
Grants
71
Total Given
$2.0M
Board of Trustees of Prichard School
Huntington, WV
Assets
$19.6M
Grants
39
Total Given
$1.8M
Beckley Area Foundation Inc
Beckley, WV
Assets
$79.2M
Grants
81
Total Given
$1.8M
Ann Sonneborn Charitable Foundation
Wheeling, WV
Assets
$30.3M
Grants
31
Total Given
$1.8M
Bernard McDonough Foundation Inc
Parkerburg, WV
Assets
$34.0M
Grants
132
Total Given
$1.7M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in West Virginia
What are the largest foundations in West Virginia?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation ($13.8M across 239 grants), Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust ($10.9M) and Appalachian Area Agency on Aging ($8.6M). Together the top 10 account for 40% of the $160.5M given by the 262 grantmakers in West Virginia that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in West Virginia?
The typical grant is about $18K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $77K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in West Virginia?
Yes. We found 6 community foundations in West Virginia with grant activity. The largest by giving are Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley Inc, Parkersburg Area Community Foundation Inc (Previously Pacf Inc) and Tucker Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find West Virginia foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in West Virginia from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.