Regional Impact

rising where we’re rooted

Local people, local decisions, local impact. The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is an organization serving Southeastern Kentucky with 8 affiliates in 12 counties. We help Kentuckians across the state give to the causes they care about, and we make grants to make life better for all people.

Donate to the Rise With Us Fund

impact by the Numbers

since inception in 2006 through November 30, 2021

$52,657,148

in donations received

8,472

total grants awarded

$1,007,463

in grants provided by our community affiliates

11,476

individual donors

$11,112,543.21

given in grants, scholarships & investments

516

total scholarships awarded

covid-19 relief

over $1 million

in urgent COVID relief funding for Appalachian people, small businesses and nonprofit organizations

345

small businesses and farms supported

$180,000

supporting six eastern Kentucky counties

The Southeast Kentucky Healthy Downtowns Initiative provided $180,000 in funding to 6 Eastern Kentucky towns, supporting new ways for people to interact safely with public spaces and commerce.

153

businesses grants awarded

The Southeast Kentucky Downtown Business Stimulus Fund provided urgently needed grants to 153 business owners in 23 counties. The Fund also released 0% emergency interest loans to small businesses.

over 910

jobs saved

$114,718

in response and relief grants given by our affiliates to their communities

54

Black-owned family farms supported

The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky also helped pool funds for the Kentucky Black Farmers Fund to support 54 Black-owned farm families statewide during COVID.

138

grants awarded to small family farms

The Central Appalachian Family Farm Fund provided urgently needed grants to 138 local farms in 20 counties.

2021 Flood relief

$1,312,987

awarded for flood relief

$250,000

in family farm grants

104

business grants awarded

$650,000

awarded in individual grants

202

family farms supported

$412,987

awarded in business grants

1,300

individual grants awarded

Stories of Impact

The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky invests in people rooted in communities working toward lasting, positive change.

June 1, 2022

Celebrating Kentuckian and LGBTQ+ Activist, Lige Clarke

Elijah “Lige” Clarke (1942-1975) was a native of Hindman, Kentucky and a formative figure of the Queer Liberation Movement in the mid-20th Century. In the mid-1960’s, while he was in the US Army (with top security clearances, assigned to the Army’s Chief-of-Staff at the Pentagon), Lige would pass out gay rights pamphlets in the evenings…. KEEP READING

February 16, 2023

Letcher County Community Foundation Presents the Mountain Strong Award

To honor the tireless ongoing work happening in Letcher County, the Letcher County Community Foundation created the Mountain Strong Award. This award recognizes an individual or organization whose involvement in the community has made a significant impact to the Letcher County community. On February 9th, the Letcher County Community Foundation board members presented the inaugural… KEEP READING

February 5, 2023

Foundation Awards Pike County Long-Term Recovery Group $50,000 Grant

Recently, the Pikeville Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, partnered with LKLP Community Action Council to support the Pike County Long-Term Recovery Group effort. SBP, a national disaster recovery and resilience non-profit organization working to shrink the time between disaster and recovery, provided group training and certification for over 60 people… KEEP READING