About Hugh I Shott Jr Foundation
The Hugh I Shott Jr Foundation is a place-based funder focused on capital investments that revitalize Bluefield and the surrounding Mercer County region. Its grants primarily support civic infrastructure, downtown and arts restoration projects, recreational facilities, and short-term foster-care housing, with an emphasis on concrete capital projects and public-private partnerships. The foundation gives large, project-driven awards to municipal entities, local nonprofits, and regional institutions to catalyze economic and cultural redevelopment.
Focus Areas
Downtown redevelopment and demolition/rehabilitation projects in Bluefield (public infrastructure and block-level revitalization)Historic theater and arts venue restoration (e.g., Granada and Renaissance theater projects)Municipal and regional recreation facilities (golf course capital pledge; indoor sports complex at Concord University)Child welfare/foster-care housing renovations and short-term foster-home purchasesEconomic development initiatives tied to local public authorities and applied research centers
Who They Fund
municipal governments / city-owned facilities
About Hugh I Shott Jr Foundation
Hugh I Shott Jr Foundation Inc has built a grantmaking profile around capital projects that change the physical landscape of Bluefield and nearby Mercer County communities. The largest recent awards point to that pattern clearly: $659,835 to Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Center for the Granada Theater Project and $651,605 to the City of Bluefield WV for the Bluefield City Park Playground and Splash Pad. Those are not stand-alone gifts; they sit within a broader mix of downtown demolition, theater restoration, parks, sports facilities, and civic improvements. The foundation also backs projects tied to regional institutions and public services. In recent years it supported the Bluefield WV Economic Development Authority for the 400 Block Federal/Bland demolition, the City of Bluefield WV for citywide security cameras and park improvements, and Concord University Foundation for an indoor sports complex. Its portfolio shows a preference for tangible, project-specific funding that supports redevelopment, public access, and local infrastructure. The grantmaking footprint is strongly place-based and centered on Bluefield-area organizations, municipal bodies, and nearby nonprofits. A smaller set of awards extends into adjacent Virginia and other Southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia communities, but the overall pattern remains tightly local.
What Hugh I Shott Jr Foundation Funds
Downtown redevelopment is a central theme. The foundation gave $471,708 to Bluefield WV Economic Development Authority for the 400 Block Federal/Bland demolition and $100,000 to City of Bluefield WV for 400 Block design services, showing support for block-level physical change rather than operating support. Arts and cultural facilities are another clear focus. It awarded $300,000 to Community Connections Inc for the Renaissance Theater Project in Princeton and $100,000 to Bluefield Arts and Revitalization Center for the Granada Theater Project in Bluefield. Parks and recreation also receive substantial attention. Examples include $290,000 to City of Bluefield WV for Mitchell Stadium improvements, $100,000 for Bluefield City Park pickleball courts, and $397,215 for Lotito Park improvements. Child welfare and foster-care housing appear as a separate strand, including $200,000 to Child Protect of Mercer County Inc for the purchase of a house for short-term foster care and $200,000 to Child Abuse Reporting & Enforcement for renovation of Harper's Home.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.1M
Total Assets
$51.2M
Total Revenue
$1.6M
Total Expenses
$2.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $100K, with a median of $65K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$65K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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