Virginia Humanities Announces grant from the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation
Charlottesville Va. — Virginia Humanities, the state humanities council, announced today that the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation has made a three-year, $300,000 commitment to invest in storytelling, scholarship, and culture for audiences throughout Central Virginia.
The region covered by this grant includes the City of Charlottesville and surrounding counties: Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Nelson, Louisa, and Orange. Funds will be used beginning in the next fiscal year to support two Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship teams; expand grantmaking in the region for locally-grounded projects, collaborations, and public humanities initiatives; and to support regional literary events including the Virginia Festival of the Book.
The gift builds on the Worrell family’s deep roots in Virginia. Anne and Gene Worrell met as camp counselors in Southwest Virginia and bonded over a shared love of the outdoors. They built their company, Worrell Newspapers, starting in Bristol and eventually expanded it to include more than 30 papers across the country. Anne and Gene created the Genan Foundation—now known as the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation—in 1986 to support their commitment to philanthropy. Today, the board and staff of the Foundation uphold their legacy by cultivating resilient communities and ecosystems in the places the Worrells called home.
"This investment by the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation will support our work in Central Virginia to help inspire human connection and preserve the cultural richness that defines the region," says Virginia Humanities' executive director Matthew Gibson. "The Foundation has been an incredibly generous partner in our efforts to expand and deepen cultural programs across Virginia. We are immensely grateful for this support."
In 2024, Virginia Humanities expanded their regional work by opening two regional humanities centers: Virginia Humanities at WHRO (Hampton Roads) and Virginia Humanities at UVA Wise (Southwest Virginia). A grant from the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation was announced in December 2024 for the southwest center. In the coming years, Virginia Humanities seeks to establish more regionally focused cultural funds and centers to further their mission of connecting Virginians with their history and culture.
Cultural nonprofit organizations can apply for grant opportunities through Virginia Humanities and its regional centers by visiting VirginiaHumanities.org.
About Virginia Humanities
Virginia Humanities is the state humanities council. We’re headquartered in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia, but we serve the entire state. We aim to share the stories of all Virginians—or, better yet, find ways for people to share their own stories. We want Virginians to connect with their history and culture and, in doing that, we hope we’ll all better understand each other. Founded in 1974, we are one of fifty-six humanities councils created by Congress with money and support from the National Endowment for the Humanities to make the humanities available to all Americans. To learn more, visit VirginiaHumanities.org.
About the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation
The Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation is committed to supporting initiatives and organizations that align with its mission to cultivate resilient communities and ecosystems in the places the Worrells called home. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking in specific Virginia counties in Greater Charlottesville, Far Southwest Virginia, and Surry County. Grantmaking focus areas include increasing economic mobility and well-being, preserving natural assets, and family legacy initiatives. To learn more, visit AGWorrellFoundation.org.
Virginia Humanities is the state humanities council. We’re headquartered in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia, but we serve the entire state. We aim to share the stories of all Virginians—or, better yet, find ways for people to share their own stories. We want Virginians to connect with their history and culture and, in doing that, we hope we’ll all better understand each other. Founded in 1974, we are one of fifty-six humanities councils created by Congress with money and support from the National Endowment for the Humanities to make the humanities available to all Americans. To learn more, visit VirginiaHumanities.org.
About the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation
The Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation is committed to supporting initiatives and organizations that align with its mission to cultivate resilient communities and ecosystems in the places the Worrells called home. The Foundation focuses its grantmaking in specific Virginia counties in Greater Charlottesville, Far Southwest Virginia, and Surry County. Grantmaking focus areas include increasing economic mobility and well-being, preserving natural assets, and family legacy initiatives. To learn more, visit AGWorrellFoundation.org.
