Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

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  1400 Benedum-Trees Building
  223 Fourth Avenue
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222

  (P) 412-288-0360
  (P) 800-223-5948 (toll-free in WV)
  (F) 412-288-0366

  info@benedum.org

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GRANTS PROGRAM
West Virginia

In keeping with the wishes of Michael and Sarah Benedum, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation is a regional philanthropy focusing on West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation generally invests two-thirds of its grant dollars in West Virginia and one-third in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Foundation makes grants in three program areas that span both states: Education, Economic Development, and Civic Engagement. In addition, the Foundation supports programs that are unique to each state; in West Virginia, they are Health & Human Services and Community Development.

Education

The Benedum Foundation seeks to promote successful learning throughout the educational system, from pre-kindergarten to post-secondary education. Academic achievement and preparation for the 21^st-century workforce are the ultimate objectives of this program.

The Foundation places a high priority on teacher quality and the most advanced instructional tools. Because schools do not function in isolation, the Foundation also looks to the resources of community organizations and higher education to reinforce the learning objectives of the classroom. In preparation for the rising demands of the workplace, the Foundation recognizes the need for all students to enter some form of post-secondary education.

Although the Foundation is interested in any significant opportunity to improve the educational system, specific areas of interest include:

Programs that improve teacher quality through professional development and innovative instructional strategies.
After-school programs that embed learning in cultural and recreational activities, and that reinforce the academic objectives of the school system.
Enhanced arts education through the professional development of arts educators, the integration of arts into other disciplines, and the inclusion of community arts organizations and higher education in school arts programming.
Career education that aligns secondary and post-secondary programs to high-demand, high-wage occupations.

Economic Development

Innovation will be the cornerstone of the future success of the economy in West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation supports economic development activities based upon the region’s strengths in research, technology, and advanced manufacturing. The Foundation’s agenda seeks to promote regional planning and cooperation, recognizing that with respect to any endeavor, “region” should mean whatever area is most appropriate to optimize the available opportunity, without reference to historic, geographic, or political boundaries. The expected outcomes of the Foundation’s Economic Development grants are the creation and growth of innovative, wealth-producing businesses and high-quality jobs.

In addition, many of the communities in the region served by the Foundation are rural, and enjoy abundant natural assets that provide economic opportunities that complement centers of technology-based growth. The Foundation supports efforts to advance agriculture, outdoor recreation, artisanship, and cultural tourism. Specific areas of Foundation interest include:

Promotion of entrepreneurship.
Projects that promot technology-based economic development.
Programs to promote the growth and accessibility of new capital for businesses in distressed communities and areas of high unemployment.

Civic Engagement

Communities function most effectively when all citizens participate in civic affairs to the greatest extent possible. The Foundation supports programs that:

Promote, plan, and implement regional cooperation.
Enhance participation in civic life by all citizens.
Engage older citizens as important assets.
Seek to transform the perspectives of leadership.

Health & Human Services

West Virginia will benefit when all families have access to high-quality health care and human services. The best possible resources are required for families to raise their children to be productive members of their communities. Emphasis in this program area is placed on disadvantaged children and on families living in rural communities. Collaborative efforts involving communities, businesses, and public agencies are encouraged through technical assistance, program development, research, and public policy. Specific areas of interest include:

State-level policy development, enhanced scope and quality of preventive and primary health care services for children and families, and improved perinatal care.
Enhanced early childhood education with a focus on children birth to three, and reduction of child abuse and neglect.
Improvement of oral health, especially for children and pregnant women.
Innovations in health care delivery systems, a larger and better-trained workforce in rural practice, and community-based health promotion, especially with regard to chronic disease prevention and management.

Community Development

The Benedum Foundation promotes the economic well-being and quality of life of West Virginia communities. Improving capabilities of leaders, organizations, and interested citizens to address challenges and opportunities will help communities be more prosperous through their own efforts. Specific areas of interest include:

Activities that engage diverse groups of citizens in the life of the community.
Efforts that help communities organize, plan, and implement ambitious but achievable improvement strategies.
Leadership development.
Programs that improve the effectiveness and accountability of nonprofit and public organizations.
Efforts to expand technology access, affordability, and utilization.
Activities that provide decent, safe, and affordable housing through home construction, repair, financing, and education programs.

Photos courtesy of Steve Shaluta and West Virginia KIDS COUNT