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Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$8.3M
Grant Range
$100K - $50.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $8,279,828 (2023)
  • Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Trustee discretion
  • Grant Range: $100,000s - $50 million
  • Geographic Focus: Morgantown/Monongalia County, West Virginia

Contact Details

  • Website: Not available
  • Phone: Not publicly available
  • Email: Not publicly available
  • Address: Morgantown, WV

Overview

The Hazel Ruby McQuain Charitable Trust is a major private independent foundation established in February 1989 in West Virginia. With total assets of $103,950,342 (2024), the trust made $8,279,828 in grants across 37 awards in 2023. Named after businesswoman and philanthropist Hazel Ruby McQuain (1909-2002), the foundation has contributed nearly $200 million to West Virginia University and WVU Medicine alone, making it the second-largest benefactor to the institution. The trust operates through trustee discretion without accepting unsolicited applications, focusing on transformational infrastructure projects and endowed programs that create lasting impact in West Virginia communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The trust makes trustee-directed grants through invitation only:

  • Capital Projects: $1 million - $50 million (healthcare facilities, educational buildings, community infrastructure)
  • Endowed Programs: $5 million - $10 million (scholarships, research programs)
  • Community Development: $1 million - $5 million (recreational facilities, social services)
  • Youth Development: Variable amounts (scouting programs, youth facilities)

Priority Areas

  • Healthcare infrastructure and cancer research
  • Higher education, particularly West Virginia University
  • Graduate education in energy, environmental sciences, biomedical sciences, and nanotechnology
  • Community recreation and quality of life improvements
  • Youth development through scouting programs
  • Social services addressing addiction and poverty

What They Don't Fund

  • General operating support
  • Individual requests
  • Organizations outside West Virginia (rare exceptions)
  • Unsolicited proposals

Governance and Leadership

The trust is governed by four trustees who receive no compensation:

  • Charles D. Dunbar - Trustee
  • Stephen B. Farmer - Trustee (primary spokesperson)
  • Chase L. Farmer - Trustee
  • Brooks H. Farmer - Trustee

Stephen Farmer has articulated the trust's philosophy: "We West Virginians are sort of stoic, and we think we only get what we can get. This is going to be first-class cancer health care in West Virginia, and we won't have to go anywhere else."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion based on strategic alignment with the foundation's priorities and existing relationships.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on documented patterns, the trust identifies beneficiaries through:

  • Existing relationships with major West Virginia institutions (particularly WVU and WVU Medicine)
  • Local government partnerships in Morgantown and Monongalia County
  • Board connections to community organizations
  • Strategic initiatives that align with founder Hazel Ruby McQuain's legacy in healthcare, education, and youth development

Decision Timeline

Decisions are made at trustee discretion throughout the year, with no fixed timeline or review schedule.

Success Rates

Not applicable - invitation-only funding model

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - trustee-directed giving

Application Success Factors

Organizations that have successfully received funding from the trust demonstrate:

  • Transformational Impact: Projects like the $50 million Cancer Hospital that fundamentally change healthcare access in West Virginia
  • Infrastructure Focus: Capital projects that create lasting physical assets serving the community
  • Educational Excellence: Programs supporting graduate education in strategic fields (energy, environmental sciences, biomedical sciences)
  • Community Partnership: Collaborative projects with local government and established institutions
  • Legacy Alignment: Initiatives honoring Hazel Ruby McQuain's dedication to "health and wellness programs, education and recreation"
  • Scale and Sustainability: Major gifts that create endowed programs or facilities with long-term impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • The trust operates exclusively through invitation-only funding with no public application process
  • Focus areas strongly favor West Virginia University, healthcare infrastructure, and Morgantown-area community development
  • Grants range from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions, with preference for transformational capital projects
  • Building relationships with trustees and demonstrating alignment with founder's legacy is essential
  • The trust makes relatively few but very large grants (37 grants totaling $8.3 million in 2023)
  • Multi-generational Farmer family involvement suggests long-term stability and consistency in funding priorities
  • No officer compensation indicates all funds go directly to charitable purposes

References

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