Today is admittedly very challenging for so many of our neighbors who are experiencing the flooding and recovery from yesterday’s terrible storms across the state. As Mr. Rogers said, “look for the helpers” and it isn’t hard to see how many “helpers” are already boots on the ground in those hard-hit areas.
It is clear that so many Philanthropy West Virginia members and partners are out there helping already. Since early morning, my social media feeds have been full of information on how to help, where to donate supplies and how to access resources. Thank you to all of you doing what West Virginians always do in times of crisis. Our membership is out there doing the work which sustains neighborhoods and people in difficult circumstances. At this time, Tygart Valley United Way is supporting their colleagues in the hardest hit counties, so their Facebook page is the one to watch. There is a fund set up for community support.
Our role is to amplify the work of our members and support them during times of crisis. I am grateful to have had meaningful conversations this morning and leading up to this event. Please know that we are here to help.
One of the reasons we gather at our annual conference is to continue building the community of philanthropy. Learning from each other, hearing from experts and building relationships gives everyone a chance to focus on the possibilities for a better community.
I am proud of the content we are curating for this year’s conference. The conference committee provided excellent feedback and connections so that we can provide you with relevant information at this year’s conference.
On the lineup for our 2026 Conference:
- Policy, Advocacy and Action in Philanthropy + Federal Update with Matthew Evans, VP of Advocacy & External Relations, United Philanthropy Forum
- Count Everyone, Strengthen Communities: Why the Census Matters in West Virginia, Karen Narasaki Senior Advisor Census Funder Collaborative
- Trust-Based Philanthropy Inside the Institution: Navigating Boards, Risk and Accountability with Beth Collins, Executive Director Sisters of St. Joseph Health & Wellness Foundation Dave Black, Executive Director Snowshoe Foundation and Ellen Rossi, President EQT Foundation
- Philanthropy’s Response to Disasters with Susie Nelson Executive Director Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley
- AI for Philanthropy: Expanding Capacity Without Losing Judgment with Josh Spence CTO and Co-Founder Stitch AI
- How West Virginia’s Ballooning Criminal Legal System Threatens Every Other State Priority Sara Whitaker Senior Criminal Legal Policy Analyst West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy
- Many Paths to Decisions: A Peer Exchange on How Foundations Structure their Grant Process with Marian Clowes Associate Director Sisters Health Foundation, Angi Smith President The Bernard McDonough Foundation and Claire Snyder Senior Program Officer for Learning and Impact Pallottine Foundation of Huntington
- How Philanthropy Can Help Stabilize Those Falling Through Medicaid Gaps with Kim Tieman Vice President and Program Director Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, Katie Lemmon-Lightner Medicaid Contract Director Highmark Health Options West Virginia and Sarah Young Deputy Commissioner Bureau for Medical Services West Virginia Department of Human Services
- Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less with Laura Boone Executive Director Pallottine Foundation of Huntington and Buckhannon and Kim Price Director of Communications Pallottine Foundation of Huntington
- Collective Solutions for Child Care with Kristy Ritz Executive Director West Virginia Association for Young Children and Melissa Colagrasso, CEO Rapid Developments, Inc.
- The Mission Beyond the Moment: Succession Planning for Nonprofits with Sarah Gaines BoardWalk Consulting
We are still finalizing the shared afternoon sessions with WVNPA and a few other details, so keep checking the conference page. Early Bird registration discount ends August 15! Register now!
This is a busy time administratively! We are seeking nominations for the Philanthropy West Virginia Board of Directors. If you are a member and want to share your time and talents with us, please submit a nomination. See more information below.
In addition to nominations for the Board of Directors, we are also opening the call for Spirit of Philanthropy nominations. We are celebrating the people and organizations who make our community great by honoring achievements at the conference. See more information below or go to our website for more information.
Please note that our website updates and migration are underway at this time. Thank you for your patience as we get the new site loaded. We know that once we go live, it will be easier to navigate and more updated. More news on that soon!
Until then, keep up the great work,
Jennifer
You’d like to sponsor the Conference? That would be awesome, thank you!
State of Philanthropy Tech survey
Share your thought about your use of technology investment, systems, data and AI and digital risk with our colleagues at Technology Association of Grantmakers through July 24. They ask for one submission per organization by entering information here. Data will be shared in 2027. If members are interested, we can host a conversation with Technology Association of Grantmakers to learn from the survey.
Philanthropy West Virginia Nominations for Board of Directors
Members, do you want to serve on Philanthropy West Virginia’s board of directors? We are accepting nominations here. Please submit nominations by August 12, 2026 for the Governance Committee to review.
2026 Spirit of Philanthropy Nominations now Open
Do you know someone we should celebrate at the 2026 Spirit of Philanthropy Awards in October? Nominations for Spirit of Philanthropy Awards in the categories of Critical Impact, Individual Philanthropist and Staff Leadership are now open. Learn more or nominate someone by August 31, 2026. To see a list of previous honorees, please visit our website.
The 2026 Spirit of Philanthropy Celebration will be held October 14 in Charleston at the Embassy Suites. Tickets for the Celebration will be available separate from the Conference registration.