PARKERSBURG – The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and Regional Affiliates announced grants to support nonprofit organizations and charitable projects across the region through its spring 2026 grant cycle.

According to a press release from the foundation, these competitive grants reflect the organization’s ongoing commitment to strengthening communities and improving quality of life throughout its 11-county service area.

The grants are made possible by resources available through the foundation’s field of interest endowment funds and in partnership with individuals, businesses and groups that have donor-advised funds managed by the foundation.

The foundation awarded $546,976 to support 57 community-based projects that address critical needs throughout its service area, the release said. The awards were celebrated at a Spring Awards Ceremony held at the foundation’s office on Tuesday.

“These projects reflect the dedication of those working to meet local needs across many areas, from ensuring food security and emergency preparedness, to investing in education and career development, to preserving and enriching our area through art, culture, history, and outdoor activities,” said Senior Program Officer Maribeth Saleem-Tanner. “We are excited to support these projects and organizations as part of the PACF’s ongoing commitment to investing in every aspect of community life and helping our region thrive.”

The Spring 2026 grant recipients include:

· American Red Cross of the Ohio River Valley — $15,474 to purchase three equipment bundles to make blood donation easier, faster and more comfortable.

· Blennerhassett Historical Foundation — $9,000 to replace sidewalks around restrooms and the gift shop on Blennerhassett Island with ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks to improve accessibility, safety and the visitor experience.

· Blueprints — $5,930 to support two Triple P Positive Parenting trainings so staff can provide individualized, community-level parenting-support interventions.

· Boys & Girls Clubs of Parkersburg — $20,000 to support the 2026 Blockbuster Summer Camp, providing safe, affordable and engaging summer programming for more than 200 youth daily in Wood County.

· Building Bridges to Careers — $20,000 to scale high school internship work to five PACF priority counties by establishing a boots-on-the-ground network of student ambassadors/interns and teacher liaisons.

· Calhoun County Commission — $13,000 to support the Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department in purchasing an automated external defibrillator for each truck and a heavy-duty washing machine for turnout gear.

· Calhoun County Committee on Aging, Inc. — $12,845 to provide critically needed nutrition support by preparing and delivering meals to senior citizens and veterans.

· City of Williamstown — $9,750 to add a pour-in-place rubber surface to the inclusive playground area at Tomlinson Park.

· Downtown PKB — $3,600 to place metal flowers created by local artists from Artbeat Studio at key locations to enhance downtown Parkersburg.

· Evans Elementary School — $10,540 to install a new, safe and durable swing set system that meets current playground safety standards.

· EVE Inc. (Ending Violence Effectively) — $7,570 to invest in planning, training and updated technology to strengthen organizational capacity and expand trauma-informed services.

· Friends of the Museums Inc. — $250 to support costuming for “One Vote! The Musical,” an original historical production that tells the story of Ephraim Cutler’s single vote that kept slavery out of Ohio.

· Friends of Mountwood Park — $1,500 to support Adventure Camp 2026 and introduce children to nature and conservation.

· Gilmer County Ambulance Service — $18,855 to equip the ambulance with an advanced ventilator and video laryngoscopes to help crews provide more advanced airway and breathing care.

· Gilmer County Christian Academy — $400 to close a technology gap and ensure students receive access to modern learning tools that build writing skills, digital fluency and research abilities.

· Humane Society of Parkersburg — $5,620 to install specialized K-9 grass and add play yard turf and equipment to improve animal welfare and adoptability outcomes.

· Jackson County Public Library (Ravenswood) — $500 to expand programming in Ravenswood by developing an outdoor area for community events.

· Jackson Middle School — $6,045 to transform the breezeway area into an outdoor classroom with a greenhouse and pollination garden that provides students with a safe outdoor learning and support space.

· Jimp Foundation Inc. — $10,500 to provide backpacks of nutritious, shelf-stable food to elementary students before every major school break to reduce food insecurity and help ensure students return to school ready to learn.

· Jon Six Food Ministry — $4,750 to provide healthy meals weekly to the people of Latrobe Street Mission and surrounding areas to address food insecurity and support long-term community stability and well-being.

· Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department — $2,500 to maintain and enhance the Community Park playground.

· Marietta College — $2,000 to support the relaunch of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program.

· Minnie Hamilton Health Care Center — $11,368 to purchase tables and chairs for the newly renovated cafeteria serving area.

· Mission West Virginia — $20,000 to use the evidence-based Check & Connect model to consistently mentor teens in foster and kinship care through weekly goal setting and support.

· Ohio-West Virginia Youth Leadership Association — $20,000 to provide a residential Youth Opportunity Camp at Camp Horseshoe that offers leadership development, character building and essential life skills for low-income youth.

· Oil, Gas and Industrial Historical Association Inc. — $7,500 to restore the Cook House to preserve history and beautify a busy gateway intersection.

· Old Man Rivers Mission — $20,500 to prepare and deliver weekend meals with wellness checks to seniors and disabled individuals.

· Operation Fancy Free Inc. — $2,500 to expand trap-neuter/spay-vaccinate-return services by integrating topical flea and tick preventative and deworming treatment during sterilization procedures.

· Parkersburg Fire Department — $500 to support the purchase of updated fitness equipment to improve firefighter health.

· Parkersburg High School — $20,000 to provide summer school funding and increased teacher availability so low-income students can recover credits and stay on target for graduation.

· Parkersburg High School Foundation Planetarium Project — $13,000 to add a new projector and a modern full-dome projection system to restore and modernize the Dwight O. Conner Planetarium.

· Parkersburg South High School — $18,000 to provide summer school scholarships for low-income students to complete credit recovery needed for graduation and support more direct and immersive learning experiences.

· Peace 4 Peacekeepers — $2,000 to expand access to trauma-informed mental health services for first responders, veterans and frontline professionals.

· Perfect Purpose Incorporated — $1,026 to provide essential personal hygiene items for residents in recovery homes to help ensure a clean, healthy and dignified living environment during early recovery.

· Pleasant Hill Elementary School — $1,000 to provide ready-made read-aloud kits with high-quality materials to teachers.

· Ravenswood Choral Boosters — $15,000 to support Ravenswood High School’s Rave Revue show choir competition season.

· Ravenswood High School — $7,500 to purchase updated training equipment for middle and high school students.

· Ravenswood Soccer Boosters — $3,350 to provide benches, an ice maker and gear to improve comfort, safety and success for Ravenswood soccer athletes in grades six through 12.

· Ravenswood Volunteer Fire Department — $20,000 to purchase 10 Kenwood portable radio packages and three positive pressure ventilation fans.

· River City Runners and Walkers Club — $7,000 to support a free 11-race Kids Series for children ages 1-11 that promotes healthy eating and exercise.

· Savannah’s Closet — $10,000 to provide children with free clothing and hygiene items through a boutique-style shop for foster care and emergency situations.

· SEoH Emergency Care — $1,000 to assist Wirt County residents at risk of utility shutoffs or needing minor vehicle repairs to maintain critical transportation needed for employment and medical access.

· South Parkersburg Rowing — $500 to improve facilities and ensure individuals with disabilities can fully participate in programs and activities.

· The Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley — $20,500 to upgrade to energy-efficient LED panels and install solar panels to reduce energy costs and redirect savings into programs supporting people with developmental disabilities.

· The Education Alliance — $25,000 to support Phase 2 of Soaring Futures by strengthening educator-industry collaboration and immersive aviation learning in middle and high schools.

· The Salvation Army — $17,000 to purchase and install new playground equipment.

· Voices of the Streets Inc., Essentially Yours — $4,240 to purchase essential items so individuals and families transitioning from homelessness can focus on stabilization.

· Washington County Career Center — $8,000 to add an infant patient simulator to the Practical Nursing program.

· Waverly Volunteer Fire Company — $18,548 to replace outdated, non-repairable radio headsets and purchase thermal imaging cameras.

· West Virginia Breast Health Initiative — $3,500 to provide the Mammogram Scholarships Program for uninsured and underinsured individuals in Jackson County.

· West Virginia Land Trust — $3,165 to create a Grounding Garden at the Marie Hall Jones Ancient Forest Preserve.

· West Virginia University Foundation Inc. — $5,250 to support a comprehensive low vision clinic for children with visual impairments.

· Women’s Care Center — $20,000 to provide mobile medical clinics while supporting rural communities with Grow Family Program services and support.

· Wood County Schools — $3,000 to create a student-run snack store at the Caperton Center as a hands-on learning experience for CTE students while improving access to nutritious snacks.

· West Virginia State Folk Festival — $400 to purchase and install a heating and air conditioning unit for the Country Store Museum.

· WVU Foundation (4-H) — $20,000 to replace the roof on the camp block barn to maintain a safe, weather-protected space for livestock projects and indoor practice.

· YMCA of Parkersburg — $16,000 to expand youth programming with curriculum, supplies, field trips, a gaga ball pit and monthly Family Game Nights in partnership with Westbrook Health.

Of the $546,976 awarded, $2,865 was made possible by the Doddridge County Community Foundation and $3,700 from the Little Kanawha Area Community Foundation affiliates.

To be considered for a grant through the PACF, applicants must be 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations or public institutions serving at least one county within PACF’s 11-county region: Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Mason, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties in West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio. The Fall Community Action grant process will begin accepting proposals on July 15.