“We are pleased to award over $110,000 in grants to organizations invested in serving Ravenswood,” said Fred Rader, Executive Director of PACF. “Ravenswood is fortunate to benefit from the thoughtful generosity of local donors. In 2025, we observed an increase in community donors to the Fund for Ravenswood. We hope to see this trend continue to meet the growing needs of local organizations.”

In the Spring 2025 Community Action Grant cycle, twenty local nonprofits requested funding for a total of $270,688—this is 135% more than the fall cycle. This underscores the increasing demand for support and the critical role of community philanthropy in addressing local needs.

Spring 2025 Grant Award Recipients:

• City of Ravenswood - $4,900 for race timing equipment and software.
• Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Mid-Ohio Valley - $15,000 in operating support for expansion of services in Ravenswood.
• For Him LLC - $10,000 for HVAC installation so that the facility may serve as a warming station for the unhoused in the winter.
• Gabriel Project Of West Virginia - $2,500 for distribution of baby essentials to Ravenswood families.
• Jackson County Commission on Aging-Aqua Fit Program - $2,100 to purchase and install a new water pump for the pool.
• Little Sandy CEOS (Community Educational Outreach Service) - $2,700 to help needy individuals, support displaced children, and provide packages for troops.
• Ravenswood High School - $10,000 for new track equipment.
• Ravenswood High School Band - $2,400 to purchase a new filing system for the band’s expansive music library.
• Ravenswood Youth Softball and Baseball League - $10,000 to support facility upgrades.
• The Education Alliance - $25,000 for Phase 1 of Soaring Futures, an Aerospace career pathway that will provide immersive learning for students at Ravenswood Middle and High Schools. 

The Fund for Ravenswood partnered with other charitable funds within PACF to increase impact for the following Spring 2025 Grant Award Recipients:

• Operation Fancy Free Inc. - $6,750 to expand their Trap Neuter Spay Release services to include flea, tick, and deworming treatment for healthier cats and a healthier environment. $2,750 was provided by the Fund for Ravenswood and the remaining $4,000 was provided by the Ritchie Family Charitable Fund.
• Ravenswood Volunteer Fire Department - $20,500 for the purchase of new bunker gear. $20,000 was provided by the Fund for Ravenswood and the remaining $500 was provided by the Bruce and Judy Holmes Advised Fund. 

The Fund for Ravenswood is a charitable fund of the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation (PACF), a nationally certified community foundation founded in 1963. Created in 2019, The Fund for Ravenswood’s mission is “to work together to make Ravenswood better by supporting programs, projects, and initiatives that lead toward the vision of a better future for all residents.”

Since its inception 5 years ago, the Fund for Ravenswood has awarded nearly $700,000 in grants. Fund for Ravenswood grant requests are reviewed in the fall and spring through PACF’s competitive grants process, and off-cycle, if they are time-sensitive or emergency in nature. Contact Amy Nahley, Senior Program Officer, with any questions concerning PACF’s grants process at 304-428-4438 or email amy.nahley@pacfwv.com.

As a public charitable fund managed by the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, other citizens who believe in supporting this vision of a better Ravenswood are encouraged to support the Fund for Ravenswood. Gifts to the Fund are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Gifts may be made online to the Fund for Ravenswood at https://pacfwv.com/funds/fund-for-ravenswood or mailed to the PACF (PO Box 1762, Parkersburg, WV, 26102). To learn more or to discuss your gift, please call the PACF at 304-428-4438.