The George W Bowers Family Charitable Trust concentrates its giving on local parks and recreation infrastructure, demonstrated by funding a municipal pool construction project in northern West Virginia. Grants are targeted, capital-focused, and aimed at improving community recreational amenities in small towns rather than broad regional or national causes. The foundation appears to prioritize tangible, facility-based investments that directly benefit local residents.
George W Bowers Family Charitable Trust stands out for repeated support of a new pool construction project in Mannington, with $50,000 awarded in both 2023 and 2024 to the Mannington Board of Parks and Recreation Committee. That pattern points to a funder that backs capital projects with a visible community use, especially parks and recreation work in small West Virginia towns. The trust’s recent grants also show a strong preference for local, facility-based improvements rather than broad operating support. Among the larger awards are $30,000 grants in both 2023 and 2024 to Oglebay Foundation Inc for a way-finding signage project and related trail improvements, suggesting an interest in improving access to public recreational spaces. Other grants support new buildings, playgrounds, roofs, and site upgrades for schools, libraries, community centers, and public amenities. Most recipients are in West Virginia, and the grant sizes cluster around modest project-level awards, with a few larger capital commitments. The foundation also includes individual support in its giving profile, alongside its institutional grants.
Parks and recreation infrastructure is the clearest throughline in the trust’s giving. In Mannington, it awarded $50,000 to the Mannington Board of Parks and Recreation Committee for new pool construction, and it also gave $10,000 to the City of Wellsburg for new playground equipment. Accessibility and site wayfinding appear as related priorities: Oglebay Foundation Inc received $30,000 for a way-finding signage project and $20,000 for 16 miles of quality trail improvements. The trust also backs facility-level repairs in community settings, including $20,000 to Youth Services System Inc for boiler replacement and $10,000 to YWCA of Marion County for commercial HVAC replacement. Several grants support educational or public-serving spaces through equipment and building work, such as laptops, playground equipment, and roof replacement.
Typical grants are small to mid-sized project awards, with a p25 of $4,000, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $10,000. The recent record also includes larger capital grants at $20,000, $30,000, and $50,000, indicating selective support for bigger facility projects. Recipients appear across multiple years: Mannington Board of Parks and Recreation Committee and Oglebay Foundation Inc each received grants in both 2023 and 2024. The trust is a charitable trust, not a grantmaker with a public application process in the available data. It also funds individuals, though the recent grants list is dominated by organizational awards.
$368K
$6.4M
$607K
$422K
Most grants fall between $4K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$4K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Highly concentrated: very few grants, repeated support to a single local grantee for capital construction; one-time/episodic larger gifts focused on tangible facilities rather than programmatic operating support.
Notable grantees: Mannington Board of Parks and Recreation Committee
Giving is overwhelmingly concentrated in West Virginia, which accounts for 97% of grants and is also the top giving state. Recent recipients cluster in Mannington, Wheeling, Fairmont, and Morgantown, with additional grants in Glen Dale, Monongah, Idamay, Wellsburg, and Worthington. The pattern is local rather than statewide or national, and every listed recent grant went to a U.S. recipient. Grants often support nearby community facilities, public recreation, and local service organizations.
Its recent grants center on capital and facility work: new pool construction, trail and signage improvements, playground equipment, roof and HVAC replacement, boiler replacement, and other building updates for schools, community centers, and parks organizations.
The typical grant size is modest. The distribution shows a 25th percentile of $4,000, a median of $5,000, and a 75th percentile of $10,000, with some larger project grants at $20,000 to $50,000.
Yes. Mannington Board of Parks and Recreation Committee received $50,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for new pool construction, and Oglebay Foundation Inc received $30,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for signage-related recreation projects.
Its giving is local and concentrated in West Virginia. The top giving state is WV, and 97% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state.
Yes. The foundation’s profile indicates that it funds individuals, alongside its organizational grants to local public, nonprofit, and community-serving institutions.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MANNINGTON BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE | MANNINGTON, WV | $50,000 | 2026 | NEW POOL CONSTRUCTION |
| NORTH MARION HIGH SCHOOL | FARMINGTON, WV | $20,000 | 2026 | WIRELESS COMMUNICATION |
| ST JUDE PARK | GLEN DALE, WV | $15,000 | 2026 | BUILD NEW RETAINING WALL |
| CRITTENTON FOUNDATION INC | WHEELING, WV | $15,000 | 2026 | NEW EMR SYSTEM |
| MANNINGTON CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUND | MANNINGTON, WV | $13,000 | 2026 | CUT DOWN TREES, TREE |
| WHEELING SYMPHONY SOCIETY | WHEELING, WV | $12,000 | 2026 | PURCHASE TWO FILM |
| BPOE #338 MANNINGTON ELKS LODGE | MANNINGTON, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | UPDATE OLD/BROKEN EQUIPMENT |
| THE DISABILITY ACTION CENTER | FAIRMONT, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | WILFONG WELLNESS CENTER |
| YOUTH SERVICES SYSTEM INC | WHEELING, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | HELINSKI GIRLS EMERGENCY |
| MARION COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION | FAIRMONT, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | JAYENNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL |
| MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION OF GREATER PA AND WV | PITTSBURGH, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | TWO MARION COUNTY WISHMAKER |
| MARION COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS INC | FAIRMONT, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | REPAINT THE MAIN BUILDING, |
| EASTER SEALS REHABILITATION CENTER | WHEELING, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | PEDIATRIC MEDICAL CARE |
| AUGUSTA LEVY LEARNING CENTER | WHEELING, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM & |
| WEST FAIRMONT MIDDLE SCHOOL | FAIRMONT, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | PHASE 1 OF A PLAYGROUND AT |
| BLACKSHERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | MANNINGTON, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | PLAYGROUND STRUCTURE |
| BROOKE CEMETERY COMPANY | WELLSBURG, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | RESTORATION OF TOMBSTONES |
| MANNINGTON FOOD PANTRY AND CLOTHES CLOSET INC | MANNINGTON, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | NEW FURNACE & HOT WATER |
| HOMESTEAD FARM CENTER | GRAFTON, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | COMPLETION OF RURAL |
| FAIRMONT STATE FOUNDATION INC | FAIRMONT, WV | $10,000 | 2026 | WALLMAN HALL THEATRE CARPET |
| FAIRVIEW FOOD BANK | FAIRVIEW, WV | $9,000 | 2026 | BREAKFAST FOODS FOR FOOD |
| WEST AUGUSTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY | MANNINGTON, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | TWO STAIR CHAIRS AT THE |
| AMERICAN RED CROSSCENT APPALACHIA | CHARLESTON, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING |
| WHEELING HEALTH RIGHT | WHEELING, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | TWO VISION SCREENING EVENTS |
| FAIRMONT COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | FAIRMONT, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | ART GALLERY/DRUG PREVENTION |
| KINGS DAUGHTERS CHILD CARE CENTER | WHEELING, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | CLASSROOM LEARNING |
| MANNINGTON BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE | MANNINGTON, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | BEVERAGE COOLER, ADA PICNIC |
| THE WOODLAWN CEMETERY COMPANY | FAIRMONT, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | RETAINING WALL IN FRONT OF |
| WV COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM | FAIRMONT, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | NEW STAGE LIGHTING |
| ELMHURST THE HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP | WHEELING, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | PATIO/FOUNTAIN AREA BENCHES |
| WHEELING COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | WHEELING, WV | $5,000 | 2026 | ADA COMPLIANT RESTROOM |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY | MORGANTOWN, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| COSTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF STUDENT ACCOUNTS | CONWAY, SC | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP SOPHIA R DEMARY |
| FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY | FAIRMONT, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY | MORGANTOWN, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY | MORGANTOWN, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY | MORGANTOWN, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY | MORGANTOWN, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY | FAIRMONT, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY | FAIRMONT, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY | FAIRMONT, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY | FAIRMONT, WV | $4,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO |
| MANNINGTON BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE | MANNINGTON, WV | $50,000 | 2025 | NEW POOL CONSTRUCTION |
| OGLEBAY FOUNDATION INC | WHEELING, WV | $30,000 | 2025 | WAY-FINDING SIGNAGE |
| MARION COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS INC | FAIRMONT, WV | $20,000 | 2025 | NEW EXERCISE EQUIPMENT |
| MARION COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS INC | FAIRMONT, WV | $20,000 | 2025 | REDESIGN WEBSITE TO MEET |
| EASTER SEAL REHABILITATION CENTER INC | WHEELING, WV | $15,000 | 2025 | MEDICAL CARE AND THERAPY TO |
| ST JUDE PARK | GLEN DALE, WV | $15,000 | 2025 | RE-ENFORCE THE CONCRETE PAD |
| ELMHURST THE HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP | WHEELING, WV | $12,000 | 2025 | NEW CARPET |
| FAIRMONT COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | FAIRMONT, WV | $10,000 | 2025 | RESTORE 3RD FL OF THE |
MANNINGTON BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE
$50,000NEW POOL CONSTRUCTION
NORTH MARION HIGH SCHOOL
$20,000WIRELESS COMMUNICATION
ST JUDE PARK
$15,000BUILD NEW RETAINING WALL
CRITTENTON FOUNDATION INC
$15,000NEW EMR SYSTEM
MANNINGTON CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUND
$13,000CUT DOWN TREES, TREE
PURCHASE TWO FILM
BPOE #338 MANNINGTON ELKS LODGE
$10,000UPDATE OLD/BROKEN EQUIPMENT
THE DISABILITY ACTION CENTER
$10,000WILFONG WELLNESS CENTER
MARION COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
$10,000JAYENNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
MARION COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS INC
$10,000REPAINT THE MAIN BUILDING,
WEST FAIRMONT MIDDLE SCHOOL
$10,000PHASE 1 OF A PLAYGROUND AT
BLACKSHERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
$10,000PLAYGROUND STRUCTURE
BROOKE CEMETERY COMPANY
$10,000RESTORATION OF TOMBSTONES
MANNINGTON FOOD PANTRY AND CLOTHES CLOSET INC
$10,000NEW FURNACE & HOT WATER
HOMESTEAD FARM CENTER
$10,000COMPLETION OF RURAL
FAIRMONT STATE FOUNDATION INC
$10,000WALLMAN HALL THEATRE CARPET
FAIRVIEW FOOD BANK
$9,000BREAKFAST FOODS FOR FOOD
WEST AUGUSTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$5,000TWO STAIR CHAIRS AT THE
AMERICAN RED CROSSCENT APPALACHIA
$5,000ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING
FAIRMONT COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
$5,000ART GALLERY/DRUG PREVENTION
MANNINGTON BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE
$5,000BEVERAGE COOLER, ADA PICNIC
THE WOODLAWN CEMETERY COMPANY
$5,000RETAINING WALL IN FRONT OF
WV COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM
$5,000NEW STAGE LIGHTING
ELMHURST THE HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP
$5,000PATIO/FOUNTAIN AREA BENCHES
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
COSTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF STUDENT ACCOUNTS
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP SOPHIA R DEMARY
FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
FAIRMONT STATE UNIVERSITY
$4,000SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO
MANNINGTON BOARD OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE
$50,000NEW POOL CONSTRUCTION
MARION COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS INC
$20,000NEW EXERCISE EQUIPMENT
MARION COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS INC
$20,000REDESIGN WEBSITE TO MEET
ST JUDE PARK
$15,000RE-ENFORCE THE CONCRETE PAD
ELMHURST THE HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP
$12,000NEW CARPET
FAIRMONT COMMUNITY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
$10,000RESTORE 3RD FL OF THE