Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Among 36 Community Foundations and Their Affiliates From Across Five Southern States That Will Participate in Three-Year Capacity Building Program.
Hazard, KY — The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky has been selected to participate in GivingTuesday’s inaugural Community Campaign Accelerator cohort. The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is among 36 community foundations and their affiliates across Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee chosen for the three-year capacity building program designed to strengthen civic engagement and collective giving across the South.
The selection of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky comes at a time when the Foundation is actively working to strengthen and expand their affiliate model, which allows them to better focus on ground-level work in the region. The Foundation’s affiliates are local branches of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, serving a specific geographic area within the Appalachian region. Each affiliate is advised by local board members who work tirelessly to support local causes and better their community. Through participation in GivingTuesday’s Community Campaign Accelerator program, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky and its affiliates will be better equipped to address local needs through additional community engagement efforts and collective giving initiatives. Foundation staff members participating in the cohort include Brenna Wallhausser, Jenna Rose, Lacie DeGough, Kathy King Allen, Zack Hall, and Tammy Hignite. The full list of cohort members is available on GivingTuesday’s website.
Against a backdrop of declining civic engagement and record levels of isolation and loneliness nationwide, the Community Campaign Accelerator intends to address the critical needs of communities. Despite these trends, research from GivingTuesday Data Commons GivingPulse survey, a weekly survey of Americans that tracks generous actions and beliefs, reveals that a majority of Americans across political divides and backgrounds share a strong and persistent desire to help one another and strengthen their communities through generosity and collaboration.
“We are honored to be selected for the first-ever Community Campaign Accelerator cohort,” says Brenna Wallhausser, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky. “We look forward to learning with our cohort and to using what we learn to benefit our communities, our affiliates, and all of Appalachian Kentucky. All of us at the Foundation want to share how grateful we are to Giving Tuesday and the Fidelity Charitable Catalyst Fund for this opportunity.”
GivingTuesday’s Community Campaign Accelerator builds on GivingTuesday’s proven success over the past 13 years. GivingTuesday Community Campaigns currently cover roughly ⅓ of US, and communities with these campaigns see:
- a 90% increase in local giving compared to communities without campaigns
- 85% growth in donor engagement
- donors who give 20% more and stay engaged longer.
“We’re excited to work alongside the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky and the other exceptional community foundations in this cohort,” says Asha Curran, Chief Executive Officer of GivingTuesday. “When we harness collective generosity, we inspire civic engagement and welcome everyone into community building. That increases trust and connection and ultimately builds civic space.”
The three-year program, made possible through funding from the Fidelity Charitable® Catalyst Fund, will equip 36 community foundations and their affiliates—including the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky—with tools, training, and support needed to run effective and impactful GivingTuesday Community Campaigns and other year round collective giving efforts.
About the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky:
The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is a tax-exempt, nationally-accredited community foundation serving Appalachian Kentucky, pooling donations to address local needs and support local nonprofits. The Foundation empowers local communities through their affiliate network, fostering collaboration for a stronger region. They believe that investing in the people rooted in communities is the way to make them better. To learn more, visit https://www.appalachianky.org/.
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