The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky

We Do Things Differently

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We are more than a traditional community foundation.

We do things differently

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Learn about our

APPROACH

The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky brings together people, ideas and resources to build communities and encourage philanthropy.

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How We Work

We believe in consistently and intentionally shifting control back into the hands of local leaders.

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We Support Communities

We combine the stability of a traditional community foundation with the innovation of impact investing and supporting social enterprises.

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We Develop Leadership

We motivate and develop community leaders and eliminate barriers to growth.

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We Grow Assets

We connect resources to local people and programs creating equitable, lasting, and positive change.

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What Makes Us

DIFFERENT?

The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky meets communities where they are instead of telling them where they should be. Because, at the end of the day, we believe that investing in the people rooted in communities is the way to make them better.

Explore our community affiliates
Feature Fund
Invest your values with the Appalachian Impact Fund.

The Appalachian Impact Fund pursues relationships with startups, initiatives, and organizations that celebrate Appalachian culture and grow local economies. This fund provides both capital and connections to social entrepreneurs and projects in Appalachian Kentucky.

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Rising Where WE’re Rooted

Discover how we are helping to reclaim the power of community for Eastern Kentucky.

Rising Where We are Rooted

May 14, 2021

Rising Where We’re Rooted

“The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is a community foundation. But we’re more than that.” A year ago, we partnered with P&P Creative to create an authentic brand for the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky. The phrase “but we’re more than that” continued to come up with each discovery and strategy session. We realized that where we… KEEP READING

December 20, 2021

A Reflection on AIF’s First Five Years

Five years ago, the Appalachian Impact Fund (AIF) started with the passion of one family and a dream jotted down on a piece of paper that said we’d achieve a set of goals to redevelop downtowns, make impact investments into promising sectors, make grants to nonprofits creating economic opportunity, encourage new businesses, create new jobs,… KEEP READING

December 20, 2021

AIF’s Co-Founder Reflects on Impact

Impact. Often an ill used word, sometimes obvious, sometimes not so much.  The work- “impact”- of AIF over the past five years has been obvious in helping business, their employees and families within the region survive pandemics, floods, and the collapse of a mono-economy. Perhaps not so obvious is how AIF  touches so many individually… KEEP READING

December 20, 2021

A Message from Our CEO

It’s hard to know how to talk about what we have collectively been through as a country and a region over the last two years. It’s been a period of collective ambiguity, challenges, and a seemingly never-ending series of surprises. Many of us are ending this year wondering, “What could possibly come next?”  The Southern… KEEP READING