Organization
What is The Ross Foundation?
An IRS-approved non-profit organization dedicated to providing funding to organizations that support causes in Wood, Ritchie, Doddridge, Pleasants and Jackson county within West Virginia.  The foundation provides financial assistance in the areas of education, community development, arts/cultural, disabilities and animals.

Where is The Ross Foundation located?
The Ross Foundation has office space in Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Funding
What is the maximum amount of funds The Ross Foundation will provide to an approved 501(C)(3) or 501(c)(4) organization or government entity?
The Ross Foundation has not set a maximum amount of funds per organization. However, support for any single organization will generally be limited to three years (if the organization continuously applies and is accepted). The three-year limit is in place so organizations do not become dependent on our foundation and seek out additional funding sources.

What is the minimum amount of funds The Ross Foundation will provide to an approved 501(C)(3)  or 501(c)(4) organization or government entity?
The Ross Foundation considers grants in varying amounts and is not set on a defined minimum amount for applications.

May individuals apply for funding?
No. Funding will only be provided to non-profit organizations with a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status that has been approved by the IRS or government entities.

When will the funding be provided to organizations that are approved?
Once an organization has received notification of funding approval, the foundation will usually distribute the full amount that was approved, unless otherwise determined by the board.

Application Procedures
Who may apply for grants?
Non-profit 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status organizations that are approved by the IRS or government entities that are located in or support activities in Doddridge, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie or Wood county in West Virginia may apply.  The organization must have a link with one of five key areas in their community: education, community development, arts/cultural, disabilities or animals.

Will applications from organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status be considered?
Only government entities.

Who will determine which organizations receive funds?
The Ross Foundation Board of Directors and staff members will carefully review all applications and determine which organizations receive funding.

What is the best way to assure an organization receives funds?
Go to the on-line application process at http://www.therossfoundation.org and follow the precise instructions for applying for funds. Organizations meeting the qualification stipulations and submitting fully-completed applications have the best opportunity to gain funding.

What qualifications must an organization meet to be considered for funding?
First, the non-profit group must have a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status that has been approved by the IRS or government entity. Second, the organization must be located in and support activities in Doddridge, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie or Wood county in West Virginia. Third, the organization should have a link with one of five key areas in their community: education, community development, arts/cultural, disabilities or animals. Fourth, the organization must fully complete the on-line application and submit it by the required deadline.

What are the deadlines involved?
Deadlines vary depending on the cycle an organization is requesting funds. Below are the dealines for each cycle.

Cycle		Deadline
January 1 – June 30
	Online Application	April 1
	Decisions	June 30
July 1 – December 31
	Online Application	October 1
	Decisions	December 31

When and how will organizations be notified that they did or did not receive funding?
The Ross Foundation will notify organizations via phone, mail or email about status of their request once the foundation makes their decision. The foundation has the right to set a request aside for future discussion.  The Ross Foundation website will be updated regularly with information on the recipients of grants and the activities the foundation supports.

Can an organization apply twice a year for a specific request? What restrictions are there in place?
An organization may apply as many times as necessary for grants as long as they have not been accepted as a grantee during a given cycle. At that point, a grantee that wishes to apply for additional funding must sit out for the next cycle before applying again.

Can I meet with individuals at The Ross Foundation to gain more information and direction on the grant application process?
Yes.  Contact The Ross Foundation at 304-865-7294.  A member of the staff will be able to assist you with your request.