Host Highlights: Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce

The WV Grant Centers’ Host Highlights series aims to illustrate the impacts of the Grant Centers’ training efforts through the perspectives of our event co-hosts. As of December 2025, the Grant Centers have led 105 original training events, resulting in the direct upskilling of more than 3,440 individuals. 

As 2025 comes to a close, the West Virginia Grant Resource Centers team is reflecting on another year of impactful efforts, specifically our training and outreach events. This month, as we release the first installment in our Host Highlight series, we’re extending a special thank you to all of the co-hosts who have helped us make grant training accessible to more West Virginians.

In November, the Grant Centers team completed our inaugural Grant Training Tour, in which we led five free grant writing workshops over the course of five days in five communities, including Pleasant Valley, West Liberty, Parkersburg, Charles Town, and Huntington. Altogether, more than 228 individuals attended these events. Each comprehensive Grants 101 Workshop explored a range of foundational grant writing topics, such as: identifying funding opportunities, crafting strong proposals, building community partnerships, developing budgets and budget narratives, finding matching funds, thinking like a reviewer, and becoming grant ready.

One such partner who helped bring the Training Tour to fruition was the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce, led by President and CEO, Megan Archer. As the fifth and final stop on the tour, the Cabell County-based event took place on November 12, 2025, on Marshall University’s campus. The training was led by Grant Centers’ Co-Director Emily Brammer and Grant Writers Katie Chaffins and Laura Tolley. 

Though Archer had not previously worked with the Grant Centers, she said she and her team considered the Grants 101 Workshop event a worthwhile opportunity for local nonprofit leaders. 

“We knew grant writing is always of interest to our nonprofit community, and we felt like the work the WV Grant Resource Centers was doing across the state was such a nice fit for our Nonprofit Roundtable,” Archer said. 

Archer hoped the workshop would help attendees overcome common challenges they encounter in their grant writing endeavors, which often involve identifying appropriate funding opportunities that match their project’s scope and finding matching funds. 

“I think in general the process of grant finding and grant writing can seem intimidating initially, so any programming we can facilitate for our business community that helps educate them on the process is going to be very valuable and well-received,” Archer said.

These barriers, Archer added, underline the importance of making grant writing resources more available — and approachable. 

“As a regional chamber, we know that thriving nonprofits strengthen our entire business community,” Archer said. “Many organizations in our area rely on grants to sustain programs, expand services, and meet growing needs — but navigating the grant writing process can be overwhelming without the right guidance. By making these resources more accessible, we aimed to remove barriers, empower local leaders, and help nonprofits secure the funding that fuels community impact. Hosting [our] Grants 101 was one more way we could support capacity building and create opportunities for long-term success.”

After the workshop’s conclusion, Archer said she noticed — and received feedback describing — its lasting impacts. 

“One of the most meaningful outcomes was the level of connection forged among nonprofit leaders,” Archer said. “Many attendees shared that it was the first time they had been in a room with so many peers facing similar challenges, and several new collaborations and follow-up conversations began right on-site.” 

The training, she added, was a beneficial resource for both new and seasoned grant writers. 

“We also heard repeatedly that the practical, step-by-step guidance provided clarity — even for individuals who had been writing grants for years,” Archer said. “I also heard one nonprofit marketing professional say she felt like this process was similar to writing a marketing plan (in regard to the research involved), which I think made her feel [less] intimidated by the process, because it was something she was familiar with. Overall, the energy in the room reflected both excitement and relief at having access to this kind of hands-on support.”

So far, Archer said the workshop’s feedback has been “resoundingly positive.” 

“Participants shared that the session helped demystify the grant process and gave them tools they could immediately apply,” she added. “Many expressed gratitude for the approachable way the information was presented and said they left feeling more confident, better prepared, and eager for future workshops.” 

Archer also spoke to her positive experience co-coordinating the Grants 101 Workshop with the Grant Centers team.

“Working with the West Virginia Grant Resource Centers was exceptional from start to finish,” she said. “Their team made coordination seamless. They provided high-quality training materials and delivered content that was both informative and actionable. They were responsive, professional, and fully aligned with our goal of supporting the nonprofit community.” 

The WV Grant Resource Centers are a joint partnership between Marshall and WVU that provide free grant writing and training support to West Virginia communities and other eligible applicants as they compete for local, state, federal, and private funding opportunities. Through technical assistance and training events, we strive to grow project development skills throughout the Mountain State. Learn more about the Grant Centers by visiting our website: wvgrantcenters.com.

Interested in co-hosting a Grant Centers training in your community? Request to host training here.