BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Those who make up the state’s philanthropy community will hear from education leaders Thursday on the state of education funding.
“They are going to give us a view of where education at all levels is going in our state and also areas that philanthropy can be partners to help ensure students have great success and teachers can thrive in their classroom work,” Philanthropy West Virginia President and CEO Paul Daugherty said.
Scheduled to speak at the Wingate Hotel in Bridgeport from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday are state School Superintendent Dr. Steve Paine, interim state Higher Education Carolyn Long and West Virginia Community and Technical College Chancellor Dr. Sarah Tucker.
According to Daugherty, a number of family foundations, corporate giving programs, community foundations and individual philanthropists provide a lot of funding for education efforts. He said the want to continue to present the need to the current givers and others who may considering giving.
“This is a way to help both support local investments to go to the next level and secondly for philanthropy to be partners to look at efficiencies and also duplicating winning strategies from one part of the state and help replicate that in another part of the state,” Daugherty said.
Philanthropy WV’s Education Funders Affinity Group (EAG) was formed about three years ago.
“The Education Funders Group has collaborated with many statewide and local groups for student achievement, STEM/STEAM, degree completion, foster education, and much more. The EAG provides us with a non-solicitation space to learn about the needs of students, teachers, school as, and programs as well as best practices,” EAG Co-Chair and The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation’s Program Officer Stephanie Hyre said in a news release.
The goal of Thursday’s meeting in fact-finding and goal setting, Daugherty said.
“We want to provide an update as to where education is going, getting philanthropy more connected with challenges and also the opportunities and most importantly supporting the long-term success of our students for lifelong excellence,” he said.
The program is free for Philanthropy WV members and $30 for non-members.