WV First Foundation opens second funding round for 2024 grants due to deficient applications

Despite receiving 174 applications during its 2024 grant cycle for programs to combat the ongoing drug and overdose epidemic, the West Virginia First Foundation announced at its annual meeting Thursday that only $10.4 million of the total $19.2 million made available for distribution this year will be awarded. 

The remaining $8.8 million in funds will be dispersed through a supplemental funding round, where applicants who were not awarded money in the initial distribution cycle will have the opportunity to amend their applications and be reconsidered for funding.

Leaders at Thursday’s First Foundation meeting said a large reason that the entire $19.2 million set aside for funding wasn’t approved to be distributed was due to deficiencies and missing parts of applications.

Groups who were interested in applying for the 2024 grants — mostly nonprofits, where resources to complete such applications are often limited — were given about 30 days to complete a 40-page application with several supplemental materials, including letters of recommendation from elected officials, budgets and more.

Now, with the supplemental round, those who submitted applications by the Oct. 5 deadline will have the chance to work directly with First Foundation staff to rework their applications and ensure they meet the criteria necessary to be eligible for funds.

All applicants for the initial opportunity grant cycle will be notified of their status — either if they received their award or if they will receive assistance to reapply through the supplemental round — by the end of the year.

The First Foundation board did vote Thursday to approve allocating the $10.4 million to organizations whose applications were successful, however specifics for what organizations will receive the grants were not made public. 

Leaders said that those who will receive funds will be contacted in coming weeks and given guidance on how their awards will be granted. Once they’re notified, First Foundation Executive Director Jonathan Board said the awardees and details for their funded projects will be made public.

This year’s grant cycle focused specifically on four areas of response for the opioid epidemic: diversion programs to keep people out of the criminal justice system, youth prevention and workforce development, programming supporting children (including babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome) and families affected by substance use disorder and the expansion of transitional and recovery housing. 

According to grant guidelines, up to $800,000 was to be awarded in each of the state’s six regions for every one of the specific target areas, and up to four different grants could have been given for each of the four target areas. Applicants in each region were able to submit proposals for multiple target areas. Those operating in multiple counties or regions could apply for the funds using the location of their headquarters or where the services they proposed would be offered.

The approval for the $10.4 million in grants comes days after the First Foundation made its first ever commitment to distribute funds. The board, in a special meeting Monday, approved allocating $20 million to a new regional addiction response project called the Appalachian Continuum of Care for Overdose Reduction Network, or ACCORN. West Virginia Watch confirmed Tuesday that Marshall University, through its Addiction Sciences Division, would be heading the new initiative. 

During its annual meeting Thursday, members of the First Foundation also re-elected several officers. They voted unanimously to keep Matt Harvey as chair, Dr. Matthew Christiansen as vice chair, Jeff Sandy as treasurer and Dora Stutler as secretary.