HUNTINGTON, MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WVDN) – The West Virginia Grant Resource Centers Co-Founders, Sara Payne Scarbro and Dr. Liz Vitullo, are pleased to announce the release of their 2024 Impact Report, which illustrates in-depth the Grant Centers’ second — and most significant — year of operation yet.
Launched in January 2023 as a joint partnership between Marshall University (Marshall) and West Virginia University (WVU), the Grant Centers are a free resource that help West Virginia communities, nonprofits, and other eligible entities maximize state, federal, and private dollars and support economic development initiatives across the state.
Between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, Grant Centers’ clients secured a total of 61 funding awards, totaling $14,741,327.60, to support economic development, community development and outdoor recreation, workforce development, infrastructure and site development, and job creation and retention projects. These awards provided support to create or sustain 145 jobs in West Virginia. To date, the Grant Centers have assisted clients with securing more than $44 million in project funding and creating or sustaining 180 jobs altogether.
In addition to offering one-on-one technical assistance services, the Grant Centers host a variety of trainings to bridge existing gaps in grant writing and project development capacity across the state. In 2024, the team led 38 trainings, including: 11 comprehensive Grants 101 Workshops, 24 Live Grant Assistance Session webinars, and two microcredential courses: “Essentials of Grant Writing” and “Advanced Grant Writing.” Altogether, these events resulted in the direct upskilling of 1,476 individuals virtually or through in-person events across the state.
Co-Founders Sara Payne Scarbro, of Marshall, and Dr. Liz Vitullo, of WVU, celebrated the 2024 Impact Report’s results and the Grant Centers’ overall success to date.
“When West Virginia’s two largest universities join forces, big things happen. For the past two and a half years, Marshall and WVU have partnered to show what’s possible when collaboration replaces competition. With strong support from federal, state, and local leaders, we are building a national model for driving economic development and expanding access to funding, while also helping to create jobs and more opportunities for West Virginians,” Scarbro said.
“In partnership with the universities, we are proud to operationalize our expertise to entities throughout the state to advance economic prosperity. This funding is an amazing milestone, and we are so excited about what the dollars represent: infrastructure enhancements, workforce initiatives, entrepreneurial support, educational programs, and other inspiring developments,” Vitullo said.
Read the full 2024 Impact Report on the Grant Centers’ website: https://publish.
The Grant Centers are a joint partnership between Marshall and WVU that provide free grant writing and training support to West Virginia communities and other eligible applicants as they compete for local, state, federal, and private funding opportunities. This project is funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the State of West Virginia, and the WV Legislature. To date, the Grant Centers have assisted West Virginians with securing more than $44 million to support their economic, community, and workforce development projects.
For more information about the Grant Centers’ services, upcoming events, or resources, visit: wvgrantcenters.com
