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The organization responsible for managing most of the state’s opioid settlement funds has a new chairman.
Matt Harvey resigned as chairman of the West Virginia First Foundation at the organization’s meeting Thursday.
Greg Duckworth, president of the Raleigh County Commission and a former state trooper, was elected unanimously to be the foundation’s chairman effective immediately.
Duckworth and Harvey were both appointed to the foundation by then-Gov. Jim Justice in August 2023.
Harvey called serving on the foundation “one of the greatest honors of my life.”
“Together, we’ve made a real difference, built programs, touching lives and opening doors of healing, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as a team,” he said. “Though it’s bittersweet the step away, I do so with confidence that this foundation’s best work is still ahead. The dedication and vision in this room give me no doubt about that.”
Harvey currently serves as the elected prosecuting attorney for Jefferson County, and is a former assistant prosecutor in Berkeley and Kanawha Counties. President Trump nominated him to be the United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia in June. The U.S. Senate placed the nomination on the Senate Executive Calendar last week. Harvey’s confirmation is expected soon.
Duckworth thanked Harvey for his leadership and credited him with building the foundation from the ground up.
“You champion the transparency, the collaboration, that’s core pillars of our work,” Duckworth said. “That commitment has set strong examples for the board’s engagements and build trust with public we serve. It’s been an honor serving alongside you. I look forward to carrying forward the moment that you created for the people of West Virginia.”
Finances
The board also received a financial report from treasurer Jeffy Sandy. He told the board that the foundation’s cash-on-hand and investments totaled $324,277,784 for this fiscal year to date.
He also reported that $8,636,374 of the initial Opportunity Grants have already been dispersed, with an additional $3,318,871 currently being dispersed for the third tranche of the initial round of funding and the second tranche of the supplemental round. That brings the foundation’s total disbursements to date to almost $12 million.
“For the board’s information, the foundation has received an additional $36,250,000 with the most recent release from the qualified settlement fund,” Sandy said.
Next Round of Funding
The next grant cycle for the foundation begins Monday, when applications for the Momentum Initiative Grants open.
Grants Committee Chairman Jon Dower highlighted the resources available on its website.
“As part of this effort, we’ve established a new grant portal to make the process more straightforward for applicants,” Dower said. “We pulled together a comprehensive set of resources, FAQs, to a video tutorial, which is live now, to provide better guidance and support throughout the application period.”