Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Awards $250,000 to Support Nonprofit Organizations in Bell, Clay, Laurel, and Leslie Counties

HAZARD, KY — The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky awarded 30 grants totaling $250,000 through the Thompson Charitable Regranting Program, a regional grant initiative created in partnership with the Thompson Charitable Foundation. Of the $250,000 grants, 24% went to Leslie County nonprofits, 16% to Clay County nonprofits, 20% to Bell County nonprofits, 18% to Laurel County nonprofits, and 22% to nonprofits that serve several or all of these counties.

Designed to strengthen local capacity and respond to urgent community needs, the Thompson Charitable Regranting Program invests in nonprofits working across key focus areas including health and human services, education and workforce development, community and economic development, and quality of life. Priority is given to organizations addressing food security, youth and education programs, emergency services, domestic violence prevention and response, and services for children and families.

The selected 2026 grant recipients include:

$20,000 – Leslie County Betterment (Leslie County Sports Field Restroom Project)
$18,000 – Volunteers of America Mid-States (Freedom House Clay County Expansion Infrastructure Project)
$15,000 – Thompson Scholars Foundation Inc. (Thompson Scholars A-Frame for Success)
$15,000 – London-Laurel County Economic Development Authority (London-Laurel Co. EDA Disaster Rebuild Assistance)
$12,500 – Laurel County Literacy Council, Inc. (Barrier Reduction Collaborative)
$12,500 – Community Farm Alliance (Farmers Market Health Bucks Expansion)
$11,000 – Big Creek Missions (Food Pantry Forklift)
$11,000 – Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (Bell County Small Business Catalyst Project)
$11,000 – Boys and Girls Clubs of Appalachia (Building the Foundation: Bringing Boys & Girls Club Services to Bell County)
$10,000 – Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. (Christian Appalachian Project / Operation Sharing®)
$10,000 – Mountain Association (Building Entrepreneurial Support with Red Bird Mission)
$10,000 – The Salvation Army Middlesboro, KY (Feeding Hope—The Choice Food Pantry Project)
$10,000 – Laurel County African American Heritage Center Inc. (Laurel County African American Heritage Center/Disaster Relief)
$8,000 – Isaiah 58:10 Ministries and Outreach (Emergency Food Distribution)
$7,000 – Clay County Fiscal Court (Downtown Revitalization — Sandstone Building)
$6,600 – God’s Pantry Food Bank (Pallet Jack for Southeast Regional Distribution Center)
$6,200 – Kentucky Natural Lands Trust (Connecting to Nature “Naturalist Backpacks”)
$6,000 – Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Lexington (Catholic Charities Mountain West Outreach Center at St. William Catholic Church, London)
$5,000 – Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road (Girl Scout Mental Wellness Initiative)
$5,000 – Teach For America Appalachia (Expanding Opportunity in Bell County)
$5,000 – CASA of the Appalachian Mountains, Inc. (CASA of the Appalachian Mountains)
$5,000 – Hospice of the Bluegrass, Inc. dba Bluegrass Care Navigators (Care for All Fund)
$5,000 – Cumberland Valley Domestic Violence Services, Inc. (Cumberland Valley Domestic Violence Services, Inc.)
$4,500 – Leslie Betterment DBA Mary Breckinridge’s Wendover (Wendover Community Grounds Enhancement Project)
$4,500 – Leslie County High School (Leslie County High School Football Helmet Project)
$4,500 – Panco Youth Center (John Deere Tractor Mower)
$4,000 – Leslie County Saddle Club (Leslie County Saddle Club)
$3,000 – Kentucky Highlands Community Development Corporation (The B. Ray Thompson, Sr. Podcast Studio)
$2,500 – American Red Cross Eastern Kentucky Chapter (The American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign: Saving Lives, Offering Hope)
$2,200 – Friends of the Bell County Animal Shelter (Flea and Tick Control Project)

Grant funds were distributed through the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky’s community-based grantmaking model, which utilizes board members from their affiliate community foundations in the four counties: the Upper Cumberland Community Foundation (serving Bell, Clay, Knox, Laurel, and Whitley counties) and the Leslie County Community Foundation. In addition to grant funding, nonprofits in the four-county region have access to technical assistance and nonprofit support services, including strategic planning, board development, and grant readiness support.

The Thompson Charitable Regranting Program is part of a multi-year investment by the Thompson Charitable Foundation to deepen its impact in Appalachian Kentucky.

About the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky

The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is a nationally accredited, community-led foundation serving Appalachian Kentucky. Through regional initiatives and 13 local affiliate foundations serving 21 counties, the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky invests in people, places, and ideas that strengthen Appalachian communities.

About the Thompson Charitable Foundation

The Thompson Charitable Foundation supports organizations that improve quality of life and meet essential needs in communities across its service regions.

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