The Sustainable Kanawha Valley Initiative was created in 2005 by thirteen local funders to provide support for projects that simultaneously achieve economic, environmental, and social goals. The geographic service area served by the initiative is Kanawha and Putnam Counties.

The Sustainable Kanawha Valley Initiative has established three broad issue areas that will allow the communities to manage, protect and build upon the region’s unique social, ecological and economic assets. These issues are:

1. Community Education and Participation

        Definition: Communities that value education and participation in civic institutions have an engaged public that will have the tools needed to solve problems, advance the democratic processes and adjust to changing times.

2. Human Dignity/Human Services

        Definition: All community members have access and actively participate in decisions regarding housing, health services, education, economic opportunity, cultural and recreational resources.

3. Open Space and Land Use

        Definition: Develop and maintain a sufficient open space system so that it is diverse in uses and opportunities, and includes natural function/wildlife habitat as well as passive and active recreation with an equitable distribution of waterways, parks, trees and pathways through-out the communities.

How do I participate?

Community members are invited to participate on task teams to develop projects around one or more of the three issue areas described above. The Task Groups will determine the focus of work in each issue area based on the gaps needed to improve the quality of life in the region. Each Task Group will work to develop grant proposals in their selected issue area. All projects for each issue area must use a collaborative process. All projects and proposals have to integrate economic, environmental, and social needs. The maximum grant size is $10,000.00 per project.

What is the Grant Process?

All completed grant applications with all the required material as outlined in the grant application, must be received at The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 11, 2008. Only grant applications developed by the Task Groups will be accepted.  Faxed or incomplete applications will not be considered. The applications will be reviewed for due diligence.  The Resource Group and the Funders Network will meet on Thursday, July 31, 2008. Presentations from the Task Groups will be made to the Resource Group beginning on the morning of July 31, 2008. Lunch will be provided for the group. The Funders Network will meet following the presentations and lunch to consider the Resource Group’s recommendations for funding.

Need more information?

If you need more information regarding how to join one of the Task Groups, a copy of the policies, guidelines, or grant application for the Initiative, please contact The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, which is serving as the facilitator for the Initiative.  Please direct questions to Becky Ceperley, President and CEO (bceperley@tgkvf.org), Sheri Ryder, Program Officer (sryder@tgkvf.org) or visit The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation’s web site at www.tgkvf.org for a link to Sustainable Kanawha Valley Initiative Information.

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