Narrative Power Grant
TGKVF awarded more than $90,000 in Narrative Power Grants!
Eligibility
- Applicants must:
- Be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization as designated by the IRS or use a fiscal sponsor* with 501(c)3 status or be a government entity;
- Operate within Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, or Putnam counties.
*Please note individual creatives such as (but not limited to) culture bearers, freelance journalists, documentarians as well as creative agencies are encouraged to consider this grant opportunity. TGKVF can award grants to projects that have fiscal sponsorship or that are housed at an eligible nonprofit organization. The eligible nonprofit is required to be the lead applicant listed on the application.
Background
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (TGKVF) has partnered with the Appalachia Funders Network (AFN) and is working alongside groups in KY and TN on a regional pilot project to spark narrative change. Narrative change is a strategic effort by multiple people or groups to reframe and redefine the stories we tell about residents and communities to create more accurate, inclusive, and empowering narratives. The pilot project aims to bring new stories about our region’s people and places to the forefront.
The purpose of this grant opportunity is to identify and build Narrative Power in the Greater Kanawha Valley. Narrative Power is the ability to tell stories that shift the mindsets that define our cultural norms.
Use of Funds
Grant awards will average $5,000-$10,000 with flexibility based on project need and availability of funds. Grant funds may be used for the following kinds of activities:
- Operating funding for nonprofit organizations whose primary focus in mission is to document West Virginia people and culture
- Creative, journalistic, or documentarian projects or initiatives that reflect West Virginia people and culture and that will be distributed publicly
Example Uses
The following examples are provided to offer context and inspiration for potential grant partners in forming their applications. Examples provided are not intended to exclude project ideas that meet criteria listed in the “Use of Funds” section above.
If you have questions about whether or not your project meets the criteria for this grant opportunity, please contact us. Information is in the “Contact Us” section below.
- Creative documentation, such as film, photography, audio, literary, or journalism projects, featuring stories of West Virginia people and culture today
- Social impact communication projects highlighting West Virginia-based beneficiaries of services provided by nonprofit, education, and other sectors
- Operating funds for nonprofit newsrooms or civic media
Process
- Each applicant must complete the online application at https://tgkvf.org/special-initiatives/narrative-change/. All required materials as outlined in the grant application instructions must be received electronically via the online application by the deadline of October 15, 2024.
- Please be sure to select “Special Initiatives (General)” under the “Through which grant opportunity are you applying?” question in the online application.
- Only one application per organization is allowable.
- The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation’s Special Initiatives Committee and Board of Trustees will review applications and announce grant awards.
- Grant awards will be announced in late December 2024.
- The grant period is January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. Projects must be completed and funds must be expended in this timeframe.
- All grantees will be required to submit a final report outlining their activities, outputs, outcomes, and project expenditures.
Contact
Derek Vance
Email: dvance@tgkvf.org
Contact Phone:304-346-3620
Candace Krell
Email: ckrell@tgkvf.org
Contact Phone: 304-881-2660
Grant Information Session
Frequently Asked Questions
Narrative Power Grant
Narrative Power is the ability to tell stories that shift the mindsets that define our cultural norms. Narrative power can be held by individuals or groups. It’s focused on the ability to tell impactful stories and also the understanding or intention to influence or change minds.
If your idea is covered by one of the uses of funds (stated above), you can apply. Uses of Funds are:
- Operating funding for nonprofit organizations whose primary focus in mission is to document West Virginia people and culture
Creative, journalistic, or documentarian projects or initiatives that reflect West Virginia people and culture and that will be distributed publicly
Individual creatives such as (but not limited to) culture bearers, freelance journalists, and documentarians are encouraged to apply for this grant opportunity. TGKVF can award grants to individuals who have fiscal sponsorship or who are housing a project at an eligible nonprofit company. According to use of funds guidelines, projects must reflect West Virginia people and culture and be distributed publicly.
Yes. The activities included in the grant application need to be completed by December 2025.
Grant awards will average $5,000-$10,000 with flexibility based on project need and availability of funds.
Applicant organizations cannot ask for 100% of the proposed project. Organizations must have some type of match, whether in-kind or cash, to help fund projects. There is no requirement for the amount of match that an organization is expected to offer.
Yes. Please prorate the amount you request based on the counties included in the target area (Boone, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, or Putnam counties).
Application/Technical
Please review our “Common Technical Support Issues and Troubleshooting Tips” PDF document for a list of commonly asked questions about TGKVF’s grant application portal.
The system will timeout after a few minutes of inactivity and your work will be lost if you have not saved your application. Please save your application often! We recommend that you prepare your answers in a Microsoft Word document and cut and paste your answers into the appropriate text boxes in the online application.
Items may be scanned as PDF, Word, Excel, or JPG; all other formats are not visible to staff or reviewers.