The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation

06/19/2026

06/18/2026

"The stories that we tell matter, and this initiative is really focused on providing access and platforms for Greater Kanawha Valley residents to tell their own authentic stories,” Stephanie Hyre said.

The foundation has spent the last few years working to build that platform and mobilize the next generation. They've done that with several groups including Voices of West Virginia, Owning Our Future - A Documentary about the West Side of Charleston, Black by God: The West Virginian, Tell Your Story: a filmmaking workshop with Marshall University’s Dr. Tijah Bumgarner and YNST Magazine, among others.

In 2024 alone, the foundation made a series of 12 grants totaling about $100,000 to support different narrative change initiatives. Last year, the focus turned on youth storytelling.

The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation hosted a workshop to help nonprofits create narratives to celebrate West Virginia heritage.

06/17/2026

Thank you, Sarah Bolyard, President and CEO of YMCA Kanawha Valley, for being the guest columnist of TGKVF's Spring newsletter.

The YMCA of Kanawha Valley: Strengthening Community at Every Stage of Life

For more than 115 years locally, the YMCA has been part of the fabric of the Kanawha Valley. While many people know the Y as a place to exercise or swim, our mission reaches much further. We serve as a trusted partner for families, a support system for children, and a resource for individuals seeking connection and belonging...
Learn More

Sarah Bolyard President and CEO, YMCA of Kanawha Valley None of this work happens alone. It is made possible through the generosity of donors, volunteers, and community partners across the Kanawha Valley. At the Y, strengthening community is our cause. Every day, we work side by side with our neighb...

06/16/2026

🚴‍♂️💙 The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation staff enjoyed attending the USA Cycling Pro Road Sponsor Reception this evening at Capitol Market! It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with community leaders, celebrate this exciting event, and support the athletes and organizations bringing energy and economic impact to our region.

We’re proud to be part of a community that comes together to make events like this possible! 🚴‍♀️✨

06/16/2026

USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships begin today!
This event is USA Cycling’s premier annual road event and will serve as a qualifying event for the U.S. Olympic Team in 2028. TGKVF is proud to support the race, riders, and the City of Charleston.

06/15/2026

TGKVF is expanding its place-based investment to the communities of Smithers and Montgomery in the Upper Kanawha Valley!
Eligible projects must align with one of our focus areas of Community Economic Development, Education, and Health.
Visit the link below for more information.

Questions? Contact Program Officer Todd Dorcas at [email protected] or call 304.346.3620.

Upper Kanawha Valley SMITHERS AND MONTGOMERY(UPPER KANAWHA VALLEY) SMITHERS AND MONTGOMERY(UPPER KANAWHA VALLEY) SMITHERS AND MONTGOMERY(UPPER KANAWHA VALLEY) Click Here to Register Grant Guidelines Project Timeline Project Budget Start An Application (Application won’t be active until March 16th)...

06/15/2026

Join us Thursday, July 9, at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center for a day of real data, honest conversation, and shared purpose. Doors open at 8:00 am with coffee and networking, and the program ends at 3:00 pm.
You can expect:
📊 Release of the Community-Level Indicator Report
🎤 Nonprofit CEO Roundtable
🤝 Updates from statewide partners
🍽️ Networking, lunch, and a spoken word performance
Seats are filling. Secure yours today: https://tgkvf.org/state-of-our-community-forum/

06/14/2026

Thank you Rev. Heyliger. Your vision, leadership, and care shine through your financial planning for FMBC.

It takes only a short conversation with Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Emanuel A. Heyliger to understand the man behind that voice, the driving force behind the call to action that keeps the congregation growing and giving—a common theme in the church’s 108 years of operation.

“Sometimes there is some divine orchestration in your life that you don’t know,” reflects Rev. Heyliger. “I came here to study computer science, but I was a preacher by vocation. From the time I walked into the church, the pastor recognized I was a preacher and called me forth. The rest was history.”........

In 2022, the FMBC partnered with The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation to create the FMBC
Fund, an Agency Endowment Fund set to sustain the church’s financial future while managing monetary gifts and ensuring that the church is able to continue its service efforts without worry. “You must leave something, not for it to be the conclusion of your history, but rather it must be a foundation for someone to build upon and continue,” Rev. Heyliger says. “Any time you have something that is a statue, it will deteriorate over time. If you have something that is a continuous saga, it will live on.”

06/13/2026

Philanthropy & Friends - a podcast sharing conversations with local nonprofits. Listen to learn more from Kyla Nichols Executive Director of FPC Hope and the work of the Center and the mission to serve young adults 18-25 years old transitioning from foster care and kinship care in Clay and Kanawha Counties.
https://philanthropyandfriends.podbean.com/e/philanthropy-and-friends-kyla-nichols/

06/12/2026

Through the Narrative Change Collaborative, TGKVF made space for communicators across our network to learn from one another and practice the craft of narrative change together. We packed our large conference room with 50 nonprofit leaders to learn about what they’re working on and provide practical storytelling takeaways that they can use in their own communications. Our Narrative Change Collaborative Project Manager Emma Pepper also clarified the difference between telling a story and driving a narrative- and gave tips on how to do more of the latter. Learn more about the Narrative Change Collaborative here https://tgkvf.org/special-initiatives/narrative-change-collaborative/