Thanksgiving plans are being formed.  Black Friday sales advertisements are increasing.  #GivingTuesday pop-ups are prominently displayed.  Amidst all of these happenings Do Not Forget to submit your Beckley Area Foundation Community Grant Application before the 11:45 p.m. November 30th deadline.  
      Non-profits with a 501-c-3 designation, schools, and municipalities serving Raleigh County are eligible to apply for grant assistance in areas of arts, education, civic beautification, public recreation, health and humans services.  Projects or programs must occur between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020.  Maximum request is $7,000. 
      For additional instructions and the electronic application click here or visit our website at www.bafwv.org.  Don't Delay!  Deadline is less than two weeks away!

      A new deadline for our annual community grant application is being implemented this year.  Non-profits with a 501-c-3 designation, schools and municipalities serving Raleigh County need to mark their calendars for the 11:45 p.m. Friday, November 30th deadline. 
       If you are planning a project or program for implementation between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020, you definitely do not want to miss this opportunity! Requests for up to $7,000 are accepted for assistance in the areas of arts, education, civic beautification, public recreation, economic development, health and human services.  
         If you haven't started your application, don't delay!  Only 30 days remain to develop your plan, gather data and complete the application.  Access the digital application by clicking here or through a link on our website and Facebook page. 
          Is this your first time submitting a request?   Don't feel intimidated.  BAF staff welcomes the opportunity to discuss possible projects for funding and the 'how to' of submitting your request.   Please feel free to contact us at 304-253-3806 Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.   Continue to check out our blog for additional nuggets related to the grant process.
    
     
     

   The Beckley Area Foundation is a member of the Leave A Legacy of Central Appalachia organization. This program is a collaborative effort among local non-profit organizations, foundations and estate planning professionals to encourage people from all walks of life to make charitable gifts, large or small, through their estate plans. 
   One "Leave a Legacy" initiative is the promotion of "Wills Week" during October aimed to create awareness about the need to have a will and the importance of giving to charity. 
   You can leave money to your family and to your favorite charity through a will. Some people think they must choose between these two options; however, you can do both. 
   Make sure you have an up-to-date will or living trust that adequately reflects your charitable objectives. Without these documents, you surrender control of your property and assets to the courts. Contact a financial planner, lawyer or accountant and ask for help in establishing a charitable gift. Consider gifts of real estate, personal property or stocks as well as cash. Other options include making one or more of your favorite charities the beneficiary of your life insurance, pension plan or IRA.
   Imagine how much could be done if each one of us remembered a favorite charity in our will or estate plan. The impact would be immeasurable. 
   BAF has received 58 testamentary gifts totaling over $8 million benefiting diverse local charitable organizations including animal shelters, YMCA of Southern WV, Children's Home Society, Mac's Toy Fund, Helping Hands Resource Center, Hospice of Southern WV, Salvation Army, Women's Resource Center, Fuller Center, American Red Cross, Civil Air Patrol, Beckley Concert Association, area libraries, several churches and BAF discretionary funds used to respond to the Annual Community Grant program. 
   In each instance, these gifts will make a difference in the lives that follow.  Donations made through the Beckley Area Foundation are placed in permanent endowments that generate income year after year for the charitable purpose defined by the donor.  The permanent endowment can be named for the donor or donor family thus serving as a lasting memorial. 
   Testamentary gifts may also be directed to one or more specific charitable organizations, and the assets used for current needs. 
   Contact Beckley Area Foundation at 304-253-3806 or email dena@bafwv.org for more information about leaving your legacy.  

It was with great sadness that we learned of Dr. Daniel's passing. Dr. C. Richard Daniel was one of ten community minded citizens which came together nearly 35 years ago to initiate something new, untried, and untested for our area. It was a community foundation and was premised on the simple concept of caring people providing good things for the future of our area.  These visionaries believed that individuals, families and businesses can provide good things in perpetuity.  In other words, a tree so graciously planted by some will provide shade for future generations. One hundred years from now, year after year, BAF will continue to enhance the quality of life in our communities because 10 individuals had a vision that came to fruition and grew the support of our area citizens. 
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Daniel Family. 

Founding BAF Board of Directors
Charles K. Connor, Jr.          Dr. C. Richard Daniel, Sr.
Leslie C. Gates           Alex D. George, Sr.
    Elmo J. Hurst          Charles S. Lewis, Jr.
       Warren A. Thornhill III          Phoebe Bledsoe Tieche Herring
Leo Vecellio, Jr.         James W. Word, Jr. 

Since January 1st of this year, Beckley Area Foundation has granted $1.3 million to non-profit organizations, municipalities and educational institutions working tirelessly to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.  BAF is able to meet our communities' charitable needs because of its donors.  By supporting and partnering with these organizations, BAF is building  stronger and healthier communities.   
Below is a listing of 114 organizations BAF has supported since the beginning of 2018: 
American Red Cross - Raleigh Co. office
Beaver Lions Club
Beckley Art Center
Beckley Babe Ruth League
Beckley Concert Association
Beckley Dream Center
Beckley Elementary
Beckley Health Right
Beckley Little League
Beckley Police Department
Beckley Presbyterian Church
Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center
Beckley-Raleigh Co. Health Department
Beckley-Stratton Middle School
Beckley Veterans Administration
Beyond Wishes Therapeutic Riding Program
Big Brother Big Sisters of South Central WV
Black Diamond Girl Scouts
Bluestone Baptist Church
Bradley-Prosperity Fire Department
Bread of Life Outreach Center
Brian's Safehouse
Buckskin Council Boy Scouts of America
The Carpenter's Corner
Catholic Charities of WV
Childhood Language Center
Children's Home Society of WV
City of Beckley/Beckley Events
City of Beckley/Parks and Recreation
City of Mullens 
Coda Mountain Music Academy
Cowen Public Library
Crime Stoppers of WV
Davis-Stuart
Family Crisis Center
Fayette Co. Public Library
First Baptist Church
First Christian Church
First Tee of West Virginia
First United Methodist Church
Fishes and Loaves Food Ministry
Fuller Center for Housing of Beckley
Grandview Christian Church Backpack Program
Greenbrier Valley Theatre
Hacker Valley Elementary School
Harmony's Breath
Helping Hands Resource Center
Hinton Area Foundation
Hospice of Southern WV
Humane Society of Raleigh County
Junior Achievement
Just For Kids Child Advocacy Center
Lillian James Learning Center
Mabscott Elementary School
Marsh Fork Alumni Association Roadside Park project
Mount Hope Heritage and Hope 
Mountain Heart Community Services
Mountain State Center for Independent Living
New River Gorge Regional Development Authority
New River Gorge Trail Alliance
New River Humane Society
Ohio-WV Youth Leadership Assoc. 
One Voice
Operation Underdog
Pine Haven Homeless Shelter
Piney Creek Watershed Association
Prince Railroad Station Authority
Princeton Public Library
Quota Club of Beckley - Empty Bowls 
Raleigh County Animal Rescue
Raleigh County Board of Education
Raleigh County Commission on Aging
Raleigh County Community Action
Raleigh County Historical Society
Raleigh County Public Library
Raleigh County Special Olympics
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Royal Family Kids' Camp
St. Francis deSales Catholic School
St. Matthews AME Church
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Good Samaritan Fund 
St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School
Salvation Army
School of Harmony
Shady Spring Branch Library
Shady Spring High School
Shady Spring Middle School
Shepherd's Table
Sophia Public Library
Southern WV Fellowship Home
Southern WV Preparedness Partnership
Stepping Stones Academy 
Summers Co. 4-H Camp
Summers Co. Animal Control and Welfare Project
Tamarack Artisan Foundation
Temple Beth El
Theatre of West Virginia
Three Rivers Avian Center
Town of Sophia
Trap Hill Little League
Treehouse Arts Ensemble
United Methodist Temple F.O.L.K. (Feed Our Local Kids) Ministry
United Way of Southern West Virginia
Webster Co. Family Resource Network
Webster Co. High School
Webster Co. Memorial Hospital
WV Collective
West Virginia Dance Company
West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Woman's Club of Beckley
Women's Resource Center
Woodrow Wilson High School
YMCA of Southern WV
Youth Museum of So. WV
Additionally, BAF has provided numerous scholarships to 38 institutions of higher learning. 

​Through BAF, donors are endowing the future—helping people make an impact through lasting and meaningful contributions to meet the needs of our community today. Your gift does make a difference. 

​Wayne and Diana Bennett are retired educators from Raleigh County. Together they have spent over 70 years working with children and volunteering to support their community. Though they are retired, they have continued to give back to Raleigh County and now have established the Wayne and Diana Bennett Family Fund as an unrestricted endowment, utilizing BAF’s “Building over Time” option, to support the community grant program for Raleigh County.

To read the rest of the story click here!

BAF Susan Landis Youth Philanthropists (SLYP) presented grants to three local non-profit organizations.  Students presenting the grant awards were Ryan Vaught, David Maiolo, Dillon Ewing, and Amber Meadows.  On hand to accept the grant awards were Scott Hill from Theatre WV, Debby Berry from the Raleigh County Humane Society, and Susan Hambric from Beckley Art Center.

Students interested in joining the 2018-2019 SLYP board can get more detailed information at our SLYP page by clicking here. 
 

The Massey Foundation has provided $25,000 for a challenge grant that will match donations to existing or new unrestricted funds at the Beckley Area Foundation. This is the tenth year that BAF has received this meaningful gift that will leverage much needed discretionary funds. 

The Foundation receives multiple worthwhile grant applications each year in response to its annual Community Grant Program. The Massey gift offers donors an opportunity to help meet this need and double the impact of their donation. Building the pool of discretionary funds is important to our area non-profit charitable organizations. 

Unrestricted endowments generate income that can be used for widely diverse projects ranging from health and wellness programs and public recreation to education initiatives and support of the arts in our schools and communities. 

A new named unrestricted fund may be established with $5,000. Utilizing this matching opportunity, a donor could create a fund honoring their family or memorializing a loved one with a $2,500 donation that then would be matched.  Gifts of any amount to existing unrestricted funds will also be matched. 
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The matching funds will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Contact Dena Cushman, Executive Director or Rebecca Williams, Chief Financial Officer at BAF to reserve your match.

Since April 1, 2018 over $43,000 has been distributed from Beckley Area Foundation's Donor Advised Funds.  By creating Donor Advised Funds, donors have the satisfaction of shaping well-considered philanthropic programs that reflect their special interests and concerns. 

Donor Advised Funds give donors an unparalleled opportunity to:

• Play an active, personal role in charitable giving;
• enhance their understanding of community agencies and needs;
• benefit from the BAF's extensive experience in fund and grant management; 
• obtain immediate tax benefits; and 
• build an enduring, permanent resource that will assure perpetuation of their charitable presence in the community. 

Distributions made since 4/1/18 have benefited:
American Red Cross of Raleigh County: $1,000
BAF Community Grant Program: $327
Beckley Concert Association: $1,344
Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central WV: $914
Bread of Life Outreach Center: $1,000
Brian's Safehouse: $750
The Carpenter's Corner: $1,800
Concord University Foundation: $1,250
First Christian Church: $3,500
Fishes and Loaves: $1,000
Helping Hands Resource Center: $1,250
Hinton Area Foundation: $6,500
Hospice of Southern WV: $524
Humane Society of Raleigh County: $1,214.75
Just for Kids: $2,250
Mountain State Center for Independent Living: $250
One Voice: $500
Piney Creek Watershed Association: $250
Quota International of Beckley Empty Bowls: $250
Raleigh County Animal Rescue: $714.75
Raleigh County Board of Education: $800
Raleigh County Commission on Aging: $1,250
Raleigh County Historical Society: $1,000
Royal Family Kids Camp: $250
St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School: $2,000
South Asia Cultural Society: $2,500
Theatre of West Virginia: $2,000
Town of Sophia: $2,479.18
United Methodist Temple SAW Ministry: $500
Women's Resource Center: $1,000
YMCA of Southern WV: $2,884.50

Donor Advised grants were awarded from these endowments: 
​AEP Community Services Fund, Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Bembalkar Memorial Fund, Chase Community Service Fund, File Family Fund, Ford Family Fund, Mario C. Ramas Memorial Fund, Alex D. and Alice E. George Fund, Ralph H. Jackson Memorial Fund, Johnston-Frail Fund, Charles S. Lewis, Jr. Memorial Fund, Ben McGraw Memorial Fund, Albert King Minter, Jr. Fund, Robert and Margaret Sayre Fund, Smith Family Fund, C. Hampton Thomas, Sr. Memorial Fund, Woodcliff Garden Club Civic Beautification Fund, Woods Family Endowment, and the Word Family Fund.