News

The Ritchie County Community Foundation, an affiliate of Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, announces the availability of grants for Ritchie County educators seeking support for professional development opportunities and for academic school improvement projects at Ritchie County schools through the O. Eugene and Mary Scott Smith Memorial Fund.

The Fund provides grants for individual teachers who are seeking to further their education, for groups of teachers pursuing professional development opportunities, and for schools for projects that improve the academic curriculum. Funds are not available for athletic projects at schools. Applications, whether for support for individual teachers, groups of teachers, or for academic improvement projects, must be submitted through a Ritchie County school. The application deadline is February 15. Schools must apply using the Foundation’s online Community Action Grant application form, which is available on the Foundation’s website.

The Fund honors Gene and Mary Smith, who were natives of Ritchie County and who were educated in Ritchie County schools. Gene and Mary instilled their love of education in their eight children who all attended Ritchie County schools. Three of them became teachers. Because of Gene and Mary’s influence, there are more than forty college degrees including two doctorates in their large, extended family.

Schools are encouraged to apply for this grant opportunity. Project requests also will be considered for support from other Foundation grantmaking funds, including funds available from the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. For questions or more information, contact Marian Clowes toll-free at 866-428-4438 or marian.clowes@pacfwv.com.

Recognizing that the impact of the COVID pandemic has been significant on our region, area residents, businesses, foundations, and organizations have responded generously by donating more than $361,000 to the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation’s (PACF) Safety Net Fund and Hunger Fund.

As a result, since March, the PACF has awarded $302,000 in grants to area nonprofit organizations to address COVID-19 related needs, including $43,990 in new grants in its sixth round of pandemic response. Several of the recent grants were awarded through partnership with the Sisters Health Foundation (noted with an *).  Agencies that received funding during the PACF’s sixth round of grants include:

• Actors Guild of Parkersburg - $5,000 in operating support to address revenue loss from canceled performances.
• Boys and Girls Club of Parkersburg - $5,000 to support programs and services for children and youth during school closures.*
• Community Resources - $1,300 for support for the Doddridge County food pantry.
• Community Resources - $10,000 for rent, mortgage, and utility assistance to individuals impacted by COVID-19.*
• Doddridge County Family Resource Network - $250 for the purchase of cleaning products to distribute to Doddridge County residents in need.
• Downtown PKB - $5,000 in operating support to address revenue loss from cancellation of events and fundraisers and to ensure continuation of programming.
• EVE, Inc. - $4,000 in operating support to address revenue loss from canceled fundraisers and ensure continuation of programming for victims of domestic violence.*
• Gilmer County Family Resource Network - $1,000 in operating support to address revenue loss from thrift store.
• Living Heritage Museum/New Era One Room School - $340 to address revenue loss and assist with facility heating costs.
• Normantown Historical Community Center - $1,100 to purchase food for the food pantry and supplies to make masks for schools and community organizations.
• Parkersburg YMCA - $2,500 for technology needs related to childcare services for school-aged children due to school closures and virtual learning.
• Roane County Committee on Aging - $2,000 for operating support for the organization’s Amma and Reedy satellite sites.*
• The Gathering Church - $1,000 for food purchases for food delivery program.
• Washington United Methodist Church - $500 to purchase a freezer for new pantry to increase food access during the pandemic.
• West Virginia Nonprofit Association - $1,000 to support memberships for nonprofit organizations from the PACF service area who are facing financial hardship due to COVID-19.
• Wood County Senior Citizens Association - $1,500 to purchase shelving and supplies for the Household Goods Pantry to meet the needs of seniors for hygiene and cleaning products.*
• Wood County Society - $2,500 in operating support to address revenue loss and ensure continuation of programming.

The PACF is committed to granting 100% of donations received for COVID-19 relief back into the region. Organizations that have needs related to COVID impact are encouraged to contact the Foundation at info@pacfwv.com or 304-428-4438 to inquire about support.

Donations to support the PACF’s Hunger Fund and Safety Net Fund are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated.  To learn more about these funds and the work that the Foundation is doing to address COVID-19 in our region, visit www.pacfwv.com/COVID19.

The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and Regional Affiliates of Doddridge County, Ritchie County, and the Little Kanawha Area (PACF) is currently accepting applications for grants for the spring cycle of its Community Action Grants Program.  The Foundation’s application process is online; the application deadline is midnight on February 15. Organizations apply to the Foundation and/or any of the affiliates on the same online application form, the Foundation’s Community Action Grants Application.  To access the online application form, visit the Foundation’s website, www.pacfwv.com/Grants.

The PACF also announces that it has launched a new platform for online applications. To learn about the new application process and to hear updates on the Foundation’s grantmaking priorities, organizations are invited to attend one of two free webinars offered by the PACF in January:

• Wednesday, January 13, 2:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 19, 10:00 a.m.

To register, send an e-mail to marian.clowes@pacfwv.com. Registrants will be provided with a Zoom link for the webinar.

To be considered for a Community Action Grant, an applicant must be a private, nonprofit organization, tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a public institution.  Either the applicant or program to be funded must be located in the Foundation’s eleven-county geographic service area (Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties in West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio). Priority counties for grant support are: Wood, Wirt, Doddridge, Ritchie, Roane, Calhoun, and Gilmer.

The Foundation provides support for capital and equipment projects, program development, technical assistance, training, capacity building projects, and, under special circumstances, operating support.  Submitted applications are considered for support from a wide variety of grant funds available to support charitable projects throughout the region.

The Foundation’s grantmaking guidelines provide additional information on eligibility and priorities for all types of grants; visit the Foundation’s website at to access the grant guidelines and application forms. For more information, contact Marian Clowes at 304-428-4438.