Dr. Michelle Foster
President and CEO
TGKVF grantmaking touched virtually every corner of community life in the Kanawha Valley region in 2025.
To every donor, fundholder, and community partner who invested in the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation in 2025 — thank you.
Foundation distributes nearly $17 million, launches Individually Managed Fund program.
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation closed 2025 with one of its strongest years on record,
distributing $16.6 million in grants and scholarships through 1,615 awards — the most in a
single year in the Foundation’s history — while also crossing a major milestone with the launch
of its new Individually Managed Fund program. None of it would have been possible without
the extraordinary generosity of the donors, families, and organizations who make TGKVF the
home for their philanthropy.
A Year of Record-Breaking Community Investment
From basic needs and health care to arts and culture, education, and community economic
development, TGKVF grantmaking touched virtually every corner of community life in the
Kanawha Valley region in 2025. The Foundation’s 1,615 grants and scholarships represented
a significant increase over prior years, with all four giving vehicles — Donor-Advised Funds,
Donor-Designated Funds, Discretionary Grants, and Scholarships — contributing to the
milestone total.
Health remained the Foundation’s largest funding category at 23% of all grant dollars, with
$3.4 million distributed across 168 grants. Basic Needs ($2.2 million, 214 grants) and Education
($3.95 million combined across community-based and university grants) together with Health
accounted for more than half of all dollars granted, reflecting the community’s most pressing
priorities.
Scholarships Reach New Heights
The Foundation awarded $1.75 million in scholarships to 590 students in 2025 — both
figures representing all-time records. Scholarship giving has grown dramatically in recent years,
more than doubling from $804,000 in 2021 to $1.75 million in 2025, a reflection of the deep commitment our donors have to educational opportunity in the region.
A Landmark New Chapter: The Individually Managed Fund
Perhaps no development in 2025 better illustrates the evolution of philanthropy at TGKVF than the launch of the Foundation’s Individually Managed Fund program and the establishment of its inaugural $10 million fund. IMFs offer donors a new level of personalization. and investment oversight, combining the benefits of the Foundation’s philanthropic infrastructure with a customized approach to fund management. The program represents an exciting new avenue for significant donors who wish to engage deeply and strategically in their giving.
Assets and Contributions Reflect Sustained Confidence
Total assets under management grew to $395.7 million by year’s end — up $47.3 million from 2024 and more than double the Foundation’s asset base in 2012. The Foundation also received $17.1 million in new contributions in 2025, ranking among the strongest contribution years in its recent history and surpassed only by 2012’s transformational $61 million and 2022’s $21.3 million. The Foundation now stewards 611 funds on behalf of donors, families, and organizations across the region.
Looking Ahead
As TGKVF enters 2026, the Foundation has set ambitious priorities, including the launch of Building Bridges Leadership Institute 3.0, expansion of its Foundant donor portal, and a goal of receiving $15 million or more in new contributions. Undergirding all of it is a commitment to deepening relationships with every one of the Foundation’s 611 fundholders through personalized stewardship and meaningful engagement.
To every donor, fundholder, and community partner who invested in the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation in 2025 — thank you. Your trust and generosity are what transform dollars into opportunity, and data into impact. We are honored to steward your philanthropy and look forward to the work ahead together.
To learn more about how you can establish a fund with the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation or explore the new Individually Managed Fund program, contact us at www.tgkvf.org or (304) 346-3620.
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