WEST VIRGINIA (December 23, 2024) – West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) is proud to announce the recipients of its Initial Opportunity Grants (IOG), which aim to support impactful initiatives addressing the opioid crisis. The Foundation Board approved funding of nearly $10.4 million for 38 organizations across all 6 regions of the state, representing a significant investment in West Virginia’s recovery efforts.
The grants will fund a wide range of projects, including prevention programs, treatment services, and recovery supports that address the ongoing challenges posed by the opioid epidemic. Among the awardees are community organizations, healthcare providers, and grassroots initiatives committed to creating lasting change in their communities. See full list in table provided below.
Recognizing West Virginia’s value of second chances, WVFF is offering applicants who did not get funded in this first disbursement of the IOG the opportunity to address application deficiencies and reapply for the remaining $8.8 million of the initially proposed $19.2 million in a Supplemental Round. These applicants have been contacted and will receive direct guidance from WVFF staff on submitting a complete and eligible application. Those eligible for the Supplemental Round must have submitted their initial application by the October 5, 2024 deadline.
“While we committed to announcing awardees before the end of the year, we felt it was important to share this good news ahead of the holiday season,” said Matthew Harvey, WVFF Chairman of the Board. “The holidays can be a challenging time for many, and we hope this announcement reinforces a message of hope, recovery, and progress for West Virginia communities.”
“The opioid crisis continues to be a profound challenge for our state, and these funds represent a crucial step in addressing the epidemic with both urgency and care,” said Jonathan Board, WVFF Executive Director. “We’re proud to celebrate the incredible work of our awardees and to support them in creating measurable, sustainable change. At the same time, the Supplemental Round allows us to extend opportunities for even greater impact.”
While the Foundation is tasked with distributing 72.5% of the opioid settlement funds, 3% goes directly to the State of West Virginia and 24.5% goes directly to West Virginia local governments.
For more information, visit https://wvfirst.org/grants/.
About West Virginia First Foundation: The West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) is a nonprofit organization established to address the opioid crisis and its lasting impact across the state. Created under the terms of the West Virginia First Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), WVFF was designed to receive and distribute opioid settlement funds. Guided by the principles outlined in the MOU, the Foundation operates as a private 501(c)(3) entity to support prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction efforts. Through strategic funding and community collaboration, WVFF is committed to creating sustainable solutions that improve the health and well-being of all West Virginians. For more information, visit wvfirst.org.
WVFF Initial Opportunity Grantees
| REGION | GRANTEE | PROJECT | TARGET AREA | AMOUNT |
| 4 | Abundant Life Recovery Center | Sustainability and Capacity Building – Capital and Operational | Transitional/Recovery Housing Expansion | $385,656.70 |
| 2 | Berkeley County Commission | Berkeley County Diversion and Interdiction Project | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $625,644.46 |
| 5 | Cabell County Commission | Cabell County Quick Response Team | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $324,826.09 |
| 2 | Children’s Home Society of West Virginia | Victoria’s House Child Advocacy Center | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $173,358.40 |
| 6 | Fayette County Family Resource Network, Inc. | Brain, Bonds, and Beyond | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $130,000.00 |
| 2 | Hampshire County Pathways, Inc. | WVCORR Transitions Project | Transitional/Recovery Housing Expansion | $400,000.00 |
| 3 | Hope House Ministries, Inc. | Hope House Ministries | Transitional/Recovery Housing Expansion | $200,000.00 |
| 3 | Jackson County Health Department/Board of Health | Jackson County QRT | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $192,000.00 |
| 3 | Jackson County Health Department/Board of Health | Jackson County Anti-Drug Coalition | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $112,500.00 |
| 2 | Jefferson County Schools | Prevention Education Project | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $50,000.00 |
| 6 | Just for Kids, Inc. | Project GRACE | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $114,487.18 |
| 4 | Lauren’s Wish Addiction Triage Center, Inc. | Lauren’s Wish Client Services | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $168,350.71 |
| 4 | Libera, Inc. | Libera Groups, Mentoring, and Community Building to Support OUD Impacted Youth | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $153,120.06 |
| 5 | Mission West Virginia, Inc. | The Bridge (A) | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $152,402.04 |
| 5 | Mission West Virginia, Inc. | The Bridge (B) | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $213,750.00 |
| 4 | Monongalia County Board of Health | Equipping School Resource Officers to Address Substance Use and Trauma in Monongalia County Schools | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $93,528.17 |
| 4 | Morgantown Sober Living, Inc. | Meeting the Need: Expanding Recovery Housing for Individuals Experiencing SUD Including Justice-Involved Populations | Transitional/Recovery Housing Expansion | $360,000.00 |
| 4 | National Youth Advocate Program, Inc. | Strengthening Families Program | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $417,849.88 |
| 4 | New Vision Renewable Energy, Inc. | Prevention Works | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $229,030.05 |
| 6 | Nicholas County Health Department | Nicholas County Health Department ICE Collaborative | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $150,436.00 |
| 3 | North Star Child Advocacy Center | Expansion | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $720,000.00 |
| 5 | Pollen8, Inc. | Recovery Housing Expansion | Transitional/Recovery Housing Expansion | $225,000.00 |
| 5 | Prestera Center for Mental Health Services Inc. | Prestera CIT Initiative | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $475,173.91 |
| 4 | Preston County Board of Education | Preston County Schools – Expulsion Diversion and SOR | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $93,212.28 |
| 6 | Save the Children Federation, Inc. | 2Gen Family Focus – Investing in Children and Caregivers Impacted by OUD | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $143,900.40 |
| 6 | Seed Sower, Inc. | Housing and Supports for Women, Including PPW in Recovery and their Infant Children in Southern WV | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $118,890.53 |
| 6 | Seed Sower, Inc. | Expanding Access to Workforce Opportunities and Supportive Structures in Southern WV | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $442,800.00 |
| 2 | Semper Liberi Incorporated | Mountaineer Recovery Village Phase 1 Start Up Costs | Transitional/Recovery Housing Expansion | $400,000.00 |
| 6 | Southern WV Fellowship Home, Inc. | SWVFH Expansion | Transitional/Recovery Housing Expansion | $658,800.00 |
| 5 | The Foundation for the Thomas Memorial & St. Francis Hospitals | Thomas Hospitals PPW Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Program aka “Pregnancy Connection” | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $100,413.04 |
| 2 | Town of Romney, WV | Romney Pool Project | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $120,000.00 |
| 3 | United Way Alliance of the Mid Ohio Valley, Inc. | C-MOV, A Comprehensive Community Health Worker Initiative of the Mid-Ohio Valley | Youth Prevention & Workforce Development | $57,000.00 |
| 4 | Valley Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center, Inc. | Valley Comprehensive LEAD/CIT Program | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $444,908.84 |
| 5 | West Virginia Court Appointed Special Advocates Association, Inc. (CASA) | Children Caught in the Wake of the West Virginia Opioid Crisis | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $279,812.91 |
| 5 | West Virginia Health Right, Inc. | WV Health Right – HOPE Program | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $267,372.00 |
| 3 | Westbrook Health Services | Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $298,686.94 |
| 1 | Wheeling Police Department | WV CIT COLLABORATIVE | Diversion & Interdiction Programs | $463,633.60 |
| 6 | WV Perinatal Partnership, Inc. | DFMB Expansion and Pediatric Continuity Project | Child Advocacy Centers/PPW-NAS | $422,721.89 |