This year Eastern Kentucky was hit with a historic and devastating flood. The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, along with our partners, spent a large portion of this year focused on rebuilding communities and moving money and resources into the hands of those that needed it most.
“There are two things we know get things done. Money and power. If you can’t give the money to the community, then they don’t have the power.”
Gerry Roll,
CEO
Issues We tackled
Our year at a glance gives you the Foundation’s cumulative total impact by the numbers from January 1, 2022 to December 15, 2022.
The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky welcomed three new affiliate foundations from Knott, Johnson and Letcher counties.
This past fall, the Foundation hosted a three-day experience of community building in Hazard, Kentucky. Artists, writers, community leaders, business owners and change makers joined together to explore the future of the region.
In 2022, AIF and Invest 606 joined together to create a more integrated partnership to better support local businesses in the region through strategic grantmaking.
From July 25-30, devastating storms tore through Breathitt, Perry, Knott, and Letcher. Destructive flash flooding killed 39 people and destroyed thousands of homes and hundreds of businesses.
This year, we piloted the Nonprofit Support Services program, designed to provide short-term capacity support to nonprofits in the Foundation’s service area.
Donors with a passion for education achieve their vision of helping Appalachian
youth through the Foundation’s scholarship program.
In 2022, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky was able to meet community needs and philanthropic goals through the charitable giving of our donors. Read how you helped us Rise Where We’re Rooted.
2022 CUMULATIVE Impact
from January 1, 2022 through December 15, 2022
$10,636,706
in grants made
108
total affiliate grants awarded
$586,899
in grants provided by our community affiliates
$950,156
given in scholarships
180
total scholarships awarded
FLOOD Relief
From July 25-30, devastating storms tore through Breathitt, Perry, Knott, and Letcher. Destructive flash flooding killed 39 people and destroyed thousands of homes and hundreds of businesses. The Foundation immediately joined together in action.
$7,459,659
total in grants
21,367
children and adults supported with direct cash aid
7,650
individual grants awarded to individuals and families
Thank you to our donors
The Foundation wants to thank every single donor that gave this year to support the Foundation, our flood relief efforts, our many programs and areas of interest, our affiliate community foundations, and our fiscally sponsored funds and organizations.
This year was unprecedented in so many ways and that includes the generosity we saw flow to Eastern Kentucky in the wave of a horrible disaster. We had over 5,000 individual donors step up to give to our flood relief efforts!
APPALACHIAN BIG IDEAS FESTIVAL
This year the Foundation hosted the first annual Appalachian Big Ideas Festival in downtown Hazard. It attracted visitors from inside the region and nationally. The Festival was designed as an opportunity to provide a fun and engaging networking space for regional leaders, showcase the innovative work happening in Eastern Kentucky, and highlight the many investable opportunities available to local, regional, and national donors and foundations.
In light of the July flood, it also became an opportunity for community leaders to reflect and connect. The Festival hosted ten community conversations and workshops and three keynotes in addition to a funders site visit and tour, music, dance, live art making, receptions, and incredible food!
Festival Outcomes
$100,000
raised to support the event
30
funders hosted to explore flood relief work
$10,000+
placed into the local economy through vendor contacts with local restaurants and small businesses
$50,000+
in grants and honorariums distributed to local nonprofits, community leaders, and regional artists
And the big idea? Housing can’t wait
The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky announced alongside Fahe, the Housing Development Alliance and HOMES, Inc. that we would be partnering to build 16 new homes for flood survivors. The housing plan is supported by a $50,000 investment from Fahe and $1.23 million from the Foundation.
Throughout the year, as homes are built, we will be updating our supporters on progress.
Invest 606 and the Appalachian Impact Fund
The Appalachian Impact Fund and Invest 606 joined together this year, creating a more integrated partnership, to better support local businesses in the region through strategic grantmaking and low-interest loans.
“We have turned the corner on immediate emergency flood relief and are now looking towards long-term recovery that envisions a vibrant and diversified economy with safe, quality, and affordable housing.”
Geoff Marietta
Founder, Invest 606
Executive Director, Appalachian Impact Fund
AIF Outcomes
In 2022, AIF provided immediate flood relief to small businesses and nonprofits. Within a week of the flooding, we set up a process and team to review requests to the already established Appalachian Crisis Aid Fund for Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Social Enterprises. Here are the results.
$860,050
In flood relief grants to
119
small business and nonprofits
$76,138
in AIF grants to
8
nonprofits
$90,965
in technical assistance grants to small business for marketing and accounting support
28
small businesses
$188,000
in AIF Capital Investments to
2
small businesses/nonprofits
Hazard Coffee Company, located in downtown Hazard, Kentucky, is a premier coffee shop in the Queen City of the Mountains.
The shop requested funds to expand to a bigger storefront on Main Street. The funds were used to purchase coffee equipment, refrigerators, countertops, renovation labor, signage, and tables/chairs.
Housing Development Alliance (HDA), headquartered in Perry County, Kentucky, uses the power of housing to transform lives and build a brighter future for communities in Eastern Kentucky. AIF’s investment in HDA enabled 9 low to moderate income families to access home ownership and build generational wealth. The project also created an estimated 27 new jobs.
Legacy Society
Deeply Rooted
In 2022, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky launched its legacy society: Deeply Rooted. This society brings together people investing in the future of the Foundation, working together to navigate charitable giving challenges, meet community needs and philanthropic goals.
Supporting our nonprofits
In 2022, the Foundation piloted the Nonprofit Support Services program. This program was designed to provide short-term capacity support to nonprofits in the Foundation’s service area in the form of grant writing, strategic planning, project management, meeting facilitation, and more.
Nonprofit Support Outcomes
18
nonprofits in the Appalachian Kentucky region served
3
queer-led nonprofits
8
women-led nonprofits
1,200
hours of grant writing, strategic planning, succession planning, and/or project management services provided
$1.3 Million
of local, state, and federal grants successfully pursued
14
headquartered in ARC-designated “Distressed” counties
2
BIPOC-led nonprofits
7
nonprofits with annual budgets under $100,000
$50,000
in revenue generated for the Foundation
L.I.F.T. Fund
In order to capture public funding, our communities must be ready to submit competitive applications. A major barrier many communities face is a lack of access to required matching funds for their projects.
In 2022, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky created the L.I.F.T. (Leveraged Investment for Federal Traction) Fund for Appalachian Kentucky to help remove that barrier. This year, the L.I.F.T. Fund provided responsive and timely match funding in support of Eastern Kentucky organizations and municipalities applying for state and federal funding that supports economic opportunity in our region.
L.I.F.T Fund outcomes
$240,000
LIFT Funds granted
1:10
Ratio of LIFT leverage
$34,000
average grant size
$2,004,337
in funds leveraged
$6,000- $50,000
range of grant size
ScholarshipS
The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is proud to invest in education for the region. Below are the scholarships awarded in 2022.
Scholarships Hosted by the Foundation
Dr. Bertee & Retta Faye Adkins Scholarship
The Dr. Bertee and Retta Faye Adkins Scholarship grants scholarships to graduating seniors at both Betsy Layne High School in Floyd County, Kentucky, and Oliver Springs High School in Oliver Springs, Tennessee. In 2022, this fund provided $1,000 scholarships to 3 deserving students at Betsy Layne High School and one scholarship for $1,000 to Oliver Springs High School.
Cartis & Merkie Carpenter Scholarship
The Cartis & Merkie Carpenter Scholarship was created to assist students in Laurel and Clay counties in achieving their educational goals. In 2022, this fund awareded 11 scholarships for $585 each.
Edith Campbell Education Endowment
The Edith Campbell Educational Endowment was created in honor of Edith Campbell, a life-long resident of Eastern Kentucky with a resilient heart and a passion for education. She spent he life exemplifying the value of education. The scholarship is meant to support young Perry Countians who share her same passion for education. In 2022, a $1,000 scholarship was awarded.
Woodrow & Evelyn Johnson Scholarship
The Woodrow & Evelyn Johnson Scholarship was created in honor of the funder’s parents to assist graduates of Shelby Valley High School in achieving their educational goals. In 2022, this fund awarded seven scholarships for between $1,000-$5,000, totaling $15,000.
Craft Scholarship
The Craft Scholarship was established by Joe and Kelly Craft to recognize students graduating from the Craft Academy at Morehead State University. It is a unique opportunity to assist students in attending the school of their dreams, by reducing debt that may allow them to attend a college they never thought possible. In 2022, this fund awarded 157 scholarships between $500-$15,000, averaging $8,000 per award, for a total of $923,722.65.
Scholarship Outcomes
180
students awarded scholarships
$950,156
total scholarships awarded for 2022
Growing Local Affiliates
The Foundation welcomed three new community affiliate foundations this year: Johnson, Knott and letcher
Affiliate community foundations combine the passion of local people living within that community with the support and expertise of a nationally accredited foundation. The result? Real impact directed where a community needs it most. Affiliate Foundations formed under the umbrella of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky benefit from the administrative support, guidance and philanthropic expertise provided by its experienced staff.
Celebrating Our Affiliates
Breathitt County Community Health Foundation
The Breathitt County Community Health Foundation continues their work to educate and provide information to help the children and families improve their health, nutrition, and fitness in Breathitt County. The BCCHF supports charitable and educational purposes designed to promote the general health of the Breathitt County residents.
Clinton County Community Foundation
The Clinton County Community Foundation envisions a vibrant community where all can thrive. CCCF strives to be a trusted partner and local resource to improve Clinton County. CCCF was fortunate to receive a donor match pledge and before 2022 ended, the board secured that match and received a $50,000 donation. That donation will be used for charitable causes benefiting Clinton County.
Floyd County Community Foundation
This year the Floyd County community faced two devastating crises – a mass shooting and then less than 30 days later, catastrophic flooding. These events prompted the Floyd County Community Foundation board to open a Crisis and Recovery Fund to be better prepared when the next crisis happens. To date, they have raised over $225,000 to support victims, their families, and their communities.
Jackson County Community Foundation
The Jackson County Community Foundation was established in 2013 as a permanent and growing philanthropic resource for charitable-minded people and corporations to contribute financial resources that enrich the community’s quality of life. The JCCF board utilizes those funds to make community grants. The JCCF grant making objectives include Arts, Culture & Recreation; Health & Wellness; Economic Development; Education; Housing; and Transportation.
Johnson County Community Foundation
“We are excited to join together to ensure Johnson County continues to be a place we love to work and live. Our goal and hope is to continue to strengthen our communities for generations to come.“
Daffiny Trimble
Board Chair of the Johnson County Community Foundation
The Johnson County Community Foundation was established to provide leadership for the formation of a permanent community endowment fund that will support local philanthropic goals now and years into the future. The board set an inaugural fundraising goal of $50,000 for 2022 and surpassed that goal in less than 30 days.
Knott County Community Foundation
“Knott County is our home. We are excited to bring our neighbors together to inspire, empower and support our people.“
Dustin Combs
Board Chair of the Knott County Community Foundation
With $45,000 raised so far, they have made their first grant totaling $1,266.70 to help an elderly couple purchase a washer and dryer, the final things they needed to get back to normal after being flooded in July. They have also begun a project to build a senior housing community in Knott County and are working to secure the land for this project.
Leslie County Community Foundation
The Leslie County Community Foundation was started by local citizens to increase local giving to meet immediate needs and plan for the future. LCCF’s main focus in 2022 was to increase participation in their 404 Club Endowment fund. Since forming in 2015, LCCF has granted over $350,000 for charitable causes.
Letcher County Community Foundation
As a newly formed community foundation, the Letcher County Community Foundation will act as a connector, partner, and collaborator to community-minded nonprofits and the resources they need. The foundation will inspire ideas and ignite action to help Letcher County become more responsive to needs and opportunities. The Letcher County Community Foundation board is currently focusing on flood recovery efforts and building back their communities – better!
Perry County Community Foundation
The Perry County Community Foundation has been hard at work despite the community being impacted by flooding. PCCF donated over $100,000 to the Housing Development Alliance for housing needs in Perry County, sponsored Christmas for Charity, and elected a new board for 2023.
Pikeville Community Foundation
The Pikeville Community Foundation board members are committed to addressing the evolving community needs and together, through thoughtful and effective philanthropy, work to create a brighter future for Pikeville and Pike County. In 2022, Pikeville Community Foundation granted over $50,000 to local nonprofits to address food insecurity issues.
Upper Cumberland Community Foundation
The Upper Cumberland Community Foundation continues work in Bell, Clay, Knox, Laurel, and Whitley counties. They distributed $67,500 to small businesses that have been impacted by COVID, renewed their commitment with Save The Children’s Rural Accelerated Initiative, and donated the funds that were raised for their Poker Run to Flood Relief.
Affiliate outcomes
108
total affiliate grants awarded
$586,899
in grants provided by our community affiliates
Explore Our Community Affiliates
Breathitt • Clinton • Floyd • Jackson • Johnson • KNOTT • Leslie • Letcher • Perry • Pikeville • Upper Cumberland
