The PACF's grant programs serve ten West Virginia counties (Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood) and Washington County, Ohio. Community Action Grants are not made outside of the service region.

The PACF places priority for Community Action Grants to projects serving communities where the PACF is the only community foundation in operation - priority counties for the Foundation support are: Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties in West Virginia.

Some specialized grant programs, such as the Ruth Hornbrook Memorial Fund, may make grants to organizations located in other counties.

To be eligible 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, such as a public school or government agency. Requests from individuals are not accepted. The programs the PACF considers for support must be located in the Foundation’s 11-county service area or must directly benefit the residents in its service area. Priority is given to projects that serve communities where the PACF and its affiliates are the only community foundation in operation: Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood Counties in West Virginia. Grant applicants also must have filed a final report for their most recent grant-funded project in order to be eligible for another grant.

Community Action Grants are made in the fields of:

• Animal Welfare
• Arts, Culture, and History
• Community and Economic Development
• Childcare Access
• Disability Services
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Education
• Emergency Response and Public Safety
• Environment and Conservation
• Food Access
• Foster and Kinship Care
• Health and Wellness 
• Homelessness and Housing
• Mental Health
• Poverty
• Recreation
• Seniors
• Substance Use Disorders
• Survivor Support and Advocacy
• Transportation Access
• Veterans
• Youth and Family

Within these fields, the Foundation focuses on: Capital and Equipment Projects, Program Development, Capacity Building, and Operating Support. Within these focus areas, the Foundation also gives special consideration to projects that engage and support a broad cross section of residents, support the current and future thriving of our area, and build a strong, resilient, and inclusive community. 

Priority is given to projects that:

• have significant impact on the people and communities served by the applicant organization;
• reach new audiences, expand existing programs or services, or respond to emerging needs;
• strengthen the organization’s capacity to deliver its services and meet community needs;
• are well-planned and can reasonably be achieved;
• have a matching grant opportunity or seek a matching grant to leverage more funding;
• have limited access to other sources of support.

Capital and Equipment

Support the renovation or construction of facilities, purchase of major equipment, or significant repairs to facilities.

Program 

Support the development, implementation, or expansion of services or programs designed to respond to unmet community needs.

Capacity Building

Support projects that provide an organization with technical assistance or training to be able to more effectively meet their mission and provide services.

Operating Support

Support an organization to increase financial stability (Stabilization) or increase its capacity (Expansion). Additional eligibility criteria apply for Operating Support requests; see below.

Operating Support funding is provided at the organizational level, rather than for a specific project or program, and includes additional application requirements, including an initial meeting with Foundation staff before and application is submitted and an interview with grants committee members during the review process. 

For all operating support requests, the applicant must:

• Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (operating support is not available to governmental entities, schools (public or private), or entities that do not have 501(c)(3) status);
• Provide essential community services;
• Have been in continuous operation for at least five years and have a proven track record;
• Have an overall sound financial history (at least prior to the present need);
• Be able to demonstrate strong management;
• Have previously received support from the Foundation.

Applicants seeking operating support for stabilization (to increase financial stability), must:

• Document increased demand for services, unexpected reduction in sources of ongoing operating support, or a specific current financial challenge for which a plan is in place to mitigate;
• Show evidence of an internal process focused on core service preservation through seeking cost-reduction and/or realistic revenue enhancement prior to the grant request.
• Develop a realistic plan for financial stabilization.
• Show how the operating support grant will increase financial stability and/or help the organization make significant progress toward addressing its financial challenge.

Applicants seeking operating support for expansion (to increase organizational capacity), must:

• Present a realistic plan for organizational growth, outlining how operating support is critical to the growth plan (to expand services, offer new programs, reach new audiences, etc.).
• Include a plan for the organization to have adequate funding at the completion of the grant.

Organizations may request renewal of an operating support grant for up to three years (total) of support. However, grants will be considered one year at a time and renewal is not automatic. The organization must submit a renewal application annually, outlining progress made toward goals. After an organization receives operating support for a three-year period, it may not request additional operating support for at least one year. The Foundation expects to award only a limited number of operating support grants each grant cycle.

No. Complete just one application – the Community Action Grants Program Application, which is an online process. Once received, the Foundation will ensure that your request is reviewed by all appropriate entities, based on the location of your organization/project and on which entities have grant funds available.

No. To receive a grant, an applicant must be a private, non-profit organization tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a public institution, such as a public school or government agency. Requests from individuals are not accepted for Community Action Grants.

The Foundation is unlikely to make multi-year grants at the present time (the only exception is for operating support grants). If you would like to apply for multi-year support, you are strongly encouraged to contact the Foundation to discuss your proposal prior to submission.

Generally, $20,000. Requests for more than $20,000 may be considered for projects that are highly collaborative or have regional broad-scale impact; you must contact the Foundation prior to submitting a request in excess of $20,000.

Generally, Community Action Grants will not be made for:

• annual campaigns; endowments;
• sectarian religious purposes;
• political purposes or lobbying activities;
• retiring existing obligations, debts or liabilities;
• student travel or student participation in meetings, seminars or study exchange programs.

Click on the current grant opportunities listed on our Grants page to see scheduled deadlines.

Yes! The Foundation may host a grant award program to announce its grants publicly. The program provides an opportunity to thank Foundation donors for their support, which makes the grant awards possible.

Grantees must sign an online grant agreement form to accept their grant. Grants will be paid after submission of the completed grant agreement. Grantees have up to 12 months to complete their grant-funded project. Grantees may request an extension if they are unable to complete their grant project within 12 months. An online final report must be filed within 12 months of receiving the grant. As noted previously, a grantee is not eligible to apply again until their prior grant has been completed and final report submitted.

An organization may submit only one application per grant cycle for support of projects directly related to its programs or operation. An organization may submit additional applications for community-based projects for which it is serving as a fiscal or sponsoring agent provided that it contacts the Foundation first to discuss the sponsored project before submitting an application. If an organization receives a grant in one grant cycle for a project related directly to its programs or operations, it may submit a request in the subsequent cycle for a project for which it serves as fiscal or sponsoring agent (and vice versa).

Possibly. Organizations who believe they meet this criteria must contact the Foundation prior to submission to discuss their eligibility to submit more than one application.

Organizations that do not receive a grant in any grant cycle may apply one more time for the same project, but they must contact the Foundation to discuss their proposal prior to resubmission. If the Foundation declines to support a project twice, the organization may not submit another proposal for support of that particular project.

Use the link provided on the Foundation’s Grants page to access the online application. You will need to create an account, with a user name and password, in order to begin your application. Once you create your account, you can access your application at any time. Return to your application using the same link and login information. You do not need to complete your application in one sitting. You may begin your application and then return at another time to complete it. Once you are satisfied that your application is complete, hit the submit button at the end of the application.

If you no longer remember your password, click on the “Forgot My Password” link. Enter your email, click on “Send Reset Link,” and then you will receive instructions, via email, to reset your password.

You will receive an e-mail confirmation from the Foundation upon receipt of your online application you can also see application status on your dashboard in PACF's Online Grant Application Portal. If you do not receive an e-mail confirmation of receipt, contact the Foundation to confirm receipt of your application.

Applications must be submitted online. If your organization believes that it is unable to complete the application online, due to technology limitations, please call the Foundation at 304-428-4438 to discuss your situation.

No. We will not accept applications submitted after the deadline. Click on the current grant opportunities listed on our Grants page to see scheduled deadlines.

With your application, you must submit several attachments. Please upload these attachments to the online application. If you are unable to upload these attachments, you may send these via USPS or e-mail, but they must be sent by the application deadline.

• List of officers and board members

• Financial report for most recently completed fiscal year, showing income and expenses (audited if available)

   

  You may be contacted by the Foundation for additional information if needed, such as a copy of your most recent 990 or documentation of tax exempt status.

   

See all current grant opportunities here.