West Virginia University Foundation

What is West Virginia University Foundation?

The West Virginia University Foundation (WVU Foundation) is an independent not-for-profit corporation focused on advancing West Virginia University through financial support. Established in 1954 and located in Morgantown, West Virginia, its primary mission is to enrich the lives of individuals influenced by the university by maximizing private charitable contributions.

The foundation serves the University and its affiliated organizations, fostering a better future for West Virginia and the world through education, healthcare, prosperity, and purpose. With a managed endowment fund valued at $1.7 billion, WVU Foundation maintains a diversified investment portfolio that includes domestic and international equity, fixed income, real estate, cash, and private equity.

They emphasize life sciences as a vital industry, investing in areas that align with their broader mission to support and enhance health sciences, academics, and different aspects of the university. WVU Foundation's operations are overseen by a 26-member board of directors who ensure that donor contributions create a significant impact across scholarships, academics, and healthcare services including WVU Medicine.

Their website provides comprehensive information about the foundation's activities, including various ways to give, educational and institutional support, donor recognition, strategic planning, and governance. Through annual giving, endowment creation, major gifts, and planned giving, the WVU Foundation emphasizes the importance of continued private support to facilitate WVU's role in partnering with communities and bringing valued solutions to address real-life problems.