POINT PLEASANT — The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation (PACF) and the Regional Affiliate Foundations of Doddridge, Ritchie, Jackson, Mason Counties and the Little Kanawha Area (Wirt/Calhoun) is currently accepting applications for grants for the fall cycle of its Community Action Grant Program.

Applications must be postmarked by Sept. 1. Grant funds are available in the fall cycle from the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and the Mason County Community Foundation. Organizations may apply to PACF and/or to the Mason County Community Foundation on the same application form. Guidelines and application forms are available on the Foundation’s Web site at www.pacfwv.com or by contacting the Foundation at 304-428-4438 or toll free at 866-428-4438.

To learn more about the Foundation’s grant process, potential applicants are invited to participate in a free webinar slated for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5. During a webinar, participants listen to a presentation by foundation staff on the telephone, while also viewing the presentation information on their computer. Individuals can participate in the webinar from any location at which they have a computer with Internet access and a telephone.

To register for the webinar, send an e-mail to the Foundation at info@pacfwv.com; you will then be provided with instructions on how to log in for the webinar. During the webinar, the Foundation will review its grant guidelines and provide tips on preparing a grant application.

To be considered for a Community Action Grant, an applicant must be a private, non-profit organization, tax-exempt under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a public institution. To be eligible for a grant from the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, either the applicant or program to be funded must be located in the Foundation’s 11 county geographic service area — Wood, Wirt, Doddridge, Ritchie, Pleasants, Roane, Calhoun, Gilmer, Jackson and Mason counties in West Virginia and Washington County, Ohio. To be eligible for a grant from the Mason County Community Foundation, either the application or the program to be funded must be located in or serve the residents of Mason County. The Foundation’s grantmaking guidelines provide additional information on eligibility.

The Foundation considers requests in the fields of arts and culture, education, health and human services, recreation, youth and family services and community and economic development. The Foundation currently focuses its support on capital and equipment projects, special programs, technical assistance, training and capacity building.

Priority if given to the start up of new projects/programs; seed money for pilot projects or for response to unmet or emerging community needs; matching grants that leverage additional funding; projects that reach a broad segment of the community; projects not adequately served by existing community resources; expansion of existing programs; urgent needs where prior planning for such needs could not have reasonably been made; and projects serving communities where the Foundation is the only community foundation in operation.

Generally, Community Action Grants are not made towards program operating costs, annual campaigns, endowments, sectarian religious purposes or political causes. Submitting an application does not guarantee funding as the Foundation’s resources for Community Action Grants are limited and the process is competitive.

For more information on the Community Action Grant Program, contact Marian Clowes at 304-428-4438 or info@pacfwv.com.