Amy Pancake, Associate Director/COO, Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation
Across our region, as we enter the winter weather and holiday seasons,many families are facing difficult circumstances. Our area nonprofit partners that serve these families are working tirelessly to meet growing demand brought forward from disrupted or missing paychecks, reduced federal services, and limited community programs. We appreciate that our area nonprofits are on the front lines of every crisis, and we want to offer a few strategies that you might choose to act upon to help them sustain and grow their efforts during this season of giving.
FAST, FLEXIBLE OPTION: If you have established a donor advised fund at EWVCF, you can use this as a quick and easy vehicle to provide support to front line nonprofits. We can facilitate the flow from the fund directly to a vetted organization doing the work on the ground in our community. If you do have a donor advised fund, contact us to learn more about this option to support organizations that align with your passions.
WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY: The urgency of community needs in late 2025 aligns with an important window for donors who itemize their deductions. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), limits on charitable deductions will tighten beginning in 2026. This means
that donors who “front-load” or “bunch” their giving this year—by contributing more before the new rules take effect—may be able to maximize both their tax benefits and their philanthropic impact.
(Please consult your tax advisor to see if this is advantageous for you.)
BUILD RESILIENCE: Crises rarely happen just once—they recur in different forms and at unexpected times. You can help us react to urgent community needs by giving regularly to the EWVCF
Emergency Response Fund to ensure that dollars are in place to
directly support our community when the next crisis hits.
WHERE IS THE NEED? At the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation (EWVCF), we have our finger on the pulse of the organizations serving our community and know where dollars are most needed and how these contributions will translate to immediate impact. Contact us to learn more.
As we approach the end of the year and embrace the season of giving, consider making a gift in honor or in memory of a loved one—a gift that will truly make an impact. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our donors, nonprofit partners, and financial advisors who stand alongside us to ensure that those wishing to leave a legacy for the future, or make a meaningful gift today, have a trusted and longstanding community foundation to carry out their philanthropic wishes.
Our best wishes to you and yours in 2026.
Amy Pancake is the Associate Director and COO of the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation and can be reached at apancake@ewvcf.org or by calling 304-822-7200. For more information on the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, visit www.ewvcf.org.
