The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation has served West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania since it was established in 1944 by Michael and Sarah Benedum. Grants are made to support specific initiatives in the areas of Education, Economic Development, Health and Human Services, and Community Development. The mission of the foundation is to encourage human development in West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania through strategically placed charitable resources.
Areas of interest include:
Health and Human Services:
Supports innovations in healthcare delivery systems, a strengthening of the public health infrastructure, and community-based health promotion, especially with regard to chronic disease prevention and management. Specific areas of interest within this category include:
- Support for a healthier quality of life for West Virginians through access to affordable healthcare, preventive health services, state-level policy development, and quality care systems across the lifespan
- Ensuring a system of accessible and affordable healthcare for children, early intervention services that lead to school-success, and the promotion of child-focused public policy
- Address social drivers of health to promote health and well-being
Education: Supports any significant opportunity to improve the education system including:
- Programs that improve teacher quality through professional development and innovative instructional strategies
- Early childhood educational practices that bolster children's social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development, including early intervention services that support school-success
- Expanded and extended learning opportunities that complement and enhance the learning that occurs during the traditional school day
- Career education and future readiness skill development, aligning secondary and post-secondary programs to high-demand, high-wage occupations
Economic Development: Supports regional planning and cooperation including efforts to advance agriculture, outdoor recreation, artisanship, and cultural tourism. Specific areas of Foundation interest include:
- Promotion of entrepreneurship
- Projects that promote technology-based economic development
- Programs to promote the growth and accessibility of new capital for businesses in distressed communities and areas of high unemployment
Community Development: Supports projects that work to improve capabilities of leaders, organizations, citizens to address challenges and opportunities to community prosperity. 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