Discretionary Grantmaking Programs

The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation invites applications for its discretionary grantmaking programs, focusing on Community Economic Development, Education, Health, Arts & Culture, and Basic Needs. Eligible applicants must be 501c3 nonprofits or government entities serving specific counties in West Virginia. The application process involves submitting a Project Summary form to a Program Officer and following the pre-proposal and final proposal deadlines. This initiative aims to enhance community well-being and support diverse projects.

NOTE: We invite applicants to apply quarterly.
New projects are required to submit a Project Summary form to their assigned TGKVF Program Officer in advance of an invited DRAFT application and it generally takes several months of working with a Program Officer before a project is ready to apply.
DRAFT applications (NOT project summary forms) are due at the "pre-proposal" deadlines above. Final proposals are due at the "full proposal" deadlines above.
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation’s grantmaking priority areas include Community Economic Development (CED), Education, Health, Arts & Culture, and Basic Needs. Occasionally, the Foundation offers additional competitive grantmaking opportunities known as special initiatives.
Community Economic Development
Increase workforce development and career and technical education that result in job opportunities that pay a livable wage and benefits
Support small businesses in TGKVF’s service area and/or ensure a robust and effective small business support ecosystem, with a particular focus on entrepreneurship
Build upon the community’s social and economic condition through visible improvements, business districts, recreational and cultural enhancements, and support for gathering spaces
Health Priorities
Improve access to preventative, behavioral, and oral healthcare for marginalized communities
Increase the capacity of communities, organizations, and social enterprises to develop healthy recreational opportunities and/or expand access to locally grown, healthy foods
Expand the amount of public greenspace, access to streams and bikeable/ walkable trails
Education Priorities
Increase access to proven education programs, including out-of-school time, tutoring mentoring, and/or learning programs that emphasize STREAM (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, or math) education
Deepen the impact and scale of programs that connect and involve families in their child’s education
Expand proven post-secondary guidance, career advisory, and/or trade and vocational schools that train students for available jobs
Arts & Culture Priorities
Increase the number and reach of programs that foster creativity, self-expression and cross-cultural exchange, especially in underserved areas
Advance creative arts and cultural work that takes risks, engages audiences in new ways, and/or crosscuts with other sectors, including education, health, basic needs, and community economic development
Support arts and cultural activities that include diverse populations as both audiences and active participants, particularly those that emphasize performing arts and/or youth involvement
Basic Needs Priorities
Support and encourage collaboration among nonprofit, public, and private sector efforts to ensure equitable access to basic needs resources such as of food, shelter, and clothing for individuals and communities in crisis
Strengthen initiatives that work to reduce food insecurity by increasing access to low-cost or no-cost food for individuals and families in need in underserved, population-dense, and rural communities
Engage with programs that provide immediate, adaptive, short-term shelter options and stabilize long-term housing for individuals and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness

Eligibility

To be eligible for TGKVF’s discretionary grantmaking programs, an applicant must:Be a 501c3 nonprofit or government entityServe Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and/or Putnam counties in West Virginia