How the Daywood Foundation Supports Nonprofit Causes in West Virginia
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Grantmaking foundations in West Virginia are somewhat few and far between, so it’s notable when we come across an accessible one with a broad approach to grantmaking. The Daywood Foundation is a Charleston, West Virginia-based funder that keeps its giving local and accepts unsolicited applications. Although it does not have a website to guide grantseekers, it makes critical information available through its tax filings.
Here are the top things to know about the Daywood Foundation if you work in the West Virginia nonprofit sector.
Top funding areas
The Daywood Foundation is a well-rounded funder with varied interests. It gravitates toward community service organizations that work within the fields of health, human services and the arts. The founding family incorporated the foundation in 1958, so it is a well-established funder with a long history of giving. Recent support has gone to the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia, the Charleston Ballet, Davis & Elkins College, and the Family Refuge Center. Grantees are based in Charleston, Lewisburg, Philippi, Buckhannon and other West Virginia communities.
Typical grantmaking
This funder provides numerous types of support to its grantees. For example, it commonly offers program support, general operating support, emergency assistance, donations for production costs and equipment funding. Recent grants funded a youth leadership program, a dental air compressor, addiction support groups, an aquatic and wellness center, food for the needy, a new HVAC system and a scholarship program. Grantmaking tends to be just under $1 million annually, and most grants are between $5,000 and $50,000.
Applying for a grant
The Daywood Foundation is an accessible funder that accepts grant applications submitted by mail each year. Nonprofits should submit their requests in writing with a specific amount and purpose, plus verification of their tax-exempt status. The annual deadline is September 15 for grants funded before the end of the calendar year. The Daywood Foundation only makes grants to West Virginia organizations.
You can read more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Daywood Foundation, which is part of our Virginia and West Virginia grantmaking guide.