Membership Criteria
West Virginia Grantmakers Association members must have grantmaking as their primary focus of activity.  Such grantmaking activity must be regular, systematic, accessible to the public, and open to a reasonable range of nonprofit organizations.

The following are eligible for membership in WVGA:

• Independent Foundations
• Community Foundations
• Corporate Foundations/Giving Programs
• Family Foundations
• Other:
  • Bank Trusts
  • Donor Advised Funds
  • Federated Funds
  • Government Agencies
  • Organized Giving Circles

Other organizations with the primary purpose of grantmaking, which meet the following criteria, may be eligible:

• The organization has a verifiable giving program in West Virginia.


• The grantmaking program is a significant part of the organization’s activities.  As a guideline, grants awarded should make up at least 30% of the organization’s total annual expenditures.  (For corporate giving programs, the term “organization” refers to the corporate giving unit, not the entire corporation.)


• The organization accepts applications, within its funding priorities, from the general public and does not restrict its giving solely to subsidiary chapters, member organizations or affiliates, or a single institution.  The organization carries out a broad mission of philanthropy with greater than 50% of the organization’s grant allocations awarded to unrelated organizations or greater than 50% to programs that support the greater nonprofit community.


• The organization has awarded grants for a minimum of one year immediately prior to submitting an application for membership.  (If less than one year, the organization may be granted an associate membership.)


• The organization’s primary purpose for joining the West Virginia Grantmakers Association is a desire to improve its grantmaking program.

In order for grantmakers to gain the most value from participation in WVGA, it is essential that WVGA members relate to their colleagues with both openness and confidentiality as they gather for WVGA programs, like those related to the discussion of issues impacting their work, professional development sessions, and networking.  Members should not use WVGA as a means to advance organizational fundraising or related business concerns, and WVGA staff will not advocate with members for fundraising purposes, other than those directly related to WVGA.

© 2007, all rights reserved. West Virginia Grantmakers, Inc.