Gifts to the African American Community Fund’s main endowment fund are invested, with earnings from those dollars returned to our communities through grants to Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits and public organizations across Appalachian Ohio’s 32 counties.
With the support of our donors and in partnership with FAO, our grants fund projects and programs that advance opportunities across five areas, known as our Pillars of Prosperity: arts and culture, community and economic development, education, environmental stewardship, and health and human services. Emphasis is on supporting individuals of all ages who are spearheading projects and programs that create opportunities, meet pressing needs and unleash the potential within our communities.
Our 2026 grant application closed on March 24. Read about our 2026 grant recipients.
A growing impact, year after year
$65,000 awarded in 2026!
In 2026, the African American Community Fund, with support from our donors and in partnership with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, awarded 30 grants, totaling $65,000, to support projects and programs spearheaded by Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit and public organizations serving Appalachian Ohio’s 32 counties.
Grant recipients
- African American Male Wellness Agency to support the 2026 Black Men’s Wellness Day in the Mahoning Valley
- The Birth Circle to expand the services it provides to underserved families in Athens County and surrounding areas to include a blessing pantry, offering essential items like diapers, wipes and infant formula
- Black Appalachian Coalition to support the Living Memory Circles Project, a community-based initiative that integrates arts, culture, storytelling and trauma-informed healing practices within Black communities in Trumbull County
- Black By God – The West Virginian, whose programs and activities extend into Appalachian Ohio, to support its Folk Reporters Program, which equips community members with the tools and training to be citizen journalists and produce community-centered news stories
- Blues For A Cure to support a Black artist for the 2026 Sean Carney’s Blues For A Cure concert, benefiting WVU Medicine Harrison Community Hospital, Harrison County Cancer Crusaders and the cancer patients they serve
- Braceville Community Foundation to help the Braceville African American Heritage Museum in Trumbull County implement “Journeys to Freedom,” a four-day immersive summer youth camp
- Coshocton Community Table to support Food for Recovery, a peer-led, trauma-informed program that helps Coshocton County individuals in substance use recovery through simple, accessible nutrition
- Cutler History and Legacy Society of Washington County to help purchase historical markers for Cutler’s Underground Railroad stations, conductors and agents
- Dress to Succeed Ohio to support and expand its Clothing, Confidence and Career Readiness Initiative that equips underserved individuals with clothing and personal hygiene kits needed to pursue employment, education and successful reintegration into society
- Free Indeed Prison Ministries Inc. to support its Urban Agriculture Youth Program, which employs Trumbull County youth ages 12-17 to operate a greenhouse, providing them with hands-on instruction in sustainable agriculture practices while increasing access to fresh, locally grown food
- Game Changers Leadership and Peer Mentoring Initiative to support its Leadership Tour Summit, a program designed to prepare high school students in the Mahoning Valley for success beyond graduation
- Briggs Lawrence County Public Library to support a project that will install a commemorative bench at a historically significant Underground Railroad site in Ironton as part of a year-long celebration of Nobel Prize-winning Ohio author Toni Morrison and Lawrence County’s Underground Railroad history
- Hyer Merit Association to support its Life Hack Experience, which prepares 16- to 18-year-olds in Mahoning and Trumbull counties for life beyond the classroom through simulations, mentorship and real decision-making
- Inspiring Minds to support the entrepreneurship component of the Summer Enrichment Program for youth in Warren
- Kool Boiz Foundation to support the Young Men’s Empowerment Series Mentoring Program, serving boys and young men of color in grades 6-12 in Youngstown
- Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past to support its programs and events educating the public on the Civil Rights Movement and racial justice
- Mahoning Youngstown Community Action Partnership to support the MYCAP Mobile Pantry, which serves economically disadvantaged seniors in the rural community of Sebring
- Mount Zion Black Cultural Center to support the opening exhibit of its newly renovated and historic space in Athens
- Muskingum County NAACP Branch 3209 to support its Feed the Streets initiative, which provides food and personal hygiene items to underprivileged families
- Nkyinkyim Educational Preparedness to support the Enrollment Arc and the assistance it provides to Black families in Hocking County who are navigating the college transition process
- Ohio District Council to support its two camps that engage youth in personal development, creative expression and community building
- Ohio Valley Youth Network to support the Sycamore Youth Fishing and Mentoring Initiative, a hands-on outdoor education and character development program serving underserved youth in Jefferson County
- Pump House Center for the Arts in Ross County to support its 2026 Juneteenth celebration
- Rendville Historic Preservation Society to help replace the siding on the Little White House, the only remaining miner’s house on Rendville’s Main Street and future home of the Jerry Jackson History Center
- Second Baptist Church of Steubenville to support its 2026 Juneteenth celebration
- Tablertown People of Color Museum in Athens County to help develop marketing materials and provide administrative and grant management services
- Tuscarawas Society for Children and Adults Inc. (also known as Rainbow Connection) to provide assistance to Tuscarawas County residents who are disabled and disadvantaged as well as to the schools and nonprofit organizations that support them
- Warriors 2 Wilderness in Muskingum County to support Pathways to Resilience, a nature-based wellness program that supports veterans as they navigate stress, isolation, trauma and the challenges of reintegration into civilian life
- YWCA Greater Cincinnati to support its Housing and Supportive Services program for domestic violence survivors and their families in Adams, Brown and Clermont counties
- Zanesville Civic League Community Center LLC to support The Village Within, a community-center initiative designed to strengthen individuals and families by fostering connection, personal growth and mutual support
- Bess Purpose Inc. to implement a comprehensive support initiative designed to empower displaced families and veterans in Mahoning County and provide them the resources and tools needed to achieve stability and self-sufficiency
- The Birth Circle to support the International Families Connection Circle, a new monthly program aimed at supporting international students and families living in Athens County and surrounding areas
- Dress To Succeed Ohio to supply children in underserved communities in the Mahoning Valley with appropriate clothing for school, including uniforms and professional attire for job fairs and interviews
- Enterprise Muskingum to help cover operational expenses and to support the Beautiful Mom Cohort, empowering Muskingum County mothers
- Hyer Merit Association to support The Bridge Project for 16- to 18-year-olds in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, providing them mentorship, skill development, certification access and workshops in financial literacy, independent living and career readiness
- John Gee Black Historical Center to purchase audio and visual equipment to expand the Gallia County center’s programming, educational services and community events
- Kool Boiz Foundation to support the Young Men’s Empowerment Series Mentoring Program, serving boys and young men of color in Youngstown
- Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church to support operations of the newly restored Lawrence County church – Ohio’s first Black church and its only surviving antebellum Black church – as it prepares to reopen as an educational and community center
- Nelson T. Gant Foundation in Muskingum County to support the creation of a bronze statue of Gant, the centerpiece of the new Nelson T. Gant Freedom Walkway
- Ohio Valley Youth Network to support the Sycamore Volunteer Service Corps Mentoring Program, empowering Jefferson County African American youth in grades 5-12 through community service and hands-on job readiness training
- Plant Thee Seed Ministries to support a new summer youth development and character-building program in Trumbull County that includes creative expression, academic enrichment, mentorship, and community and family engagement
- Second Baptist Church of Steubenville to support its Juneteenth event
- Sistah’s Acts of Kindness to support programming for Clermont County children in grades K-5 with special needs and their families, including its Back-to-School Stop the Violence Event and year-round after-school program
- Thrive Mahoning Valley to support Thrive Thru, a free drive-through community meal initiative
- Underground Railroad Museum to support its first Flight to Freedom Adventure Race, a triathlon that will recreate the historic trek freedom seekers made, raise awareness of the historical significance of the Underground Railroad in Belmont County and the Ohio Valley, and raise funds for the museum
- Warriors 2 Wilderness in Muskingum County to support therapeutic veteran retreats and programming
- Youniquely Gifted to implement the ROX (Ruling Our eXperiences) Program, a co-curricular experience to enhance self-discipline, physical fitness and social skills for girls at Youngstown’s Woodrow Wilson Alternative School
- ACTION to fund food vouchers for the Mahoning Valley mobile market
- Buckeye Review Journalism Institute to help develop a curriculum and training materials for high school and college students
- Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum to help create two exhibits focused on the cultural history of Africa and the lives and contributions of African Americans in the 1800s
- Inspiring Minds to support its Summer Enrichment Program for students in grades 3-12 in the city of Warren
- John Gee Black Historical Center to fund equipment for the Digitizing Gee project, capturing and sharing voices and oral histories to supplement exhibits at the center in Gallia County
- Kool Boiz Foundation to support the Young Men’s Empowerment Series Mentoring Program for boys and young men of color in Youngstown
- Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past to support its Racial Justice Education for Mahoning Valley program
- Muskingum County Social Justice Coalition to support its fourth annual Career Connections Camp for middle school-age youth from Muskingum County who identify as African American
- Nelson T. Gant Foundation to support the development of the Nelson T. Gant “Freedom Walkway,” which will include a bronze statue of Gant
- Signal Ohio to assess news and information needs in Adams, Lawrence, Pike and Scioto counties
- Ohio Valley Youth Network to support the Sycamore Volunteer Service Corps Mentoring Program, primarily serving African American children in grades 5-12
- Tablertown People of Color Museum to secure a cost estimate for establishing an African American Heritage Trail from southern to southeastern Ohio
- Ugata to support an African drum teacher training class and team-building retreat in collaboration with Rising Appalachia and Solid Ground Farm
- Warriors 2 Wilderness to support therapeutic retreats for African American veterans with PTSD
- WovenCare Advocacy Services to support the Community Health and Empowerment Initiative designed to address the health, social and economic disparities faced by African American residents in Athens County
- African American Awareness Research Council to help fund a panel discussion and screening of the film “The Lincoln School Marchers” in Highland County as part of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown vs. Board of Education decision
- Dress To Succeed to provide professional attire for men and women in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, including those returning from incarceration, to enter the job market, college, vocational training and other needs
- Enterprise Muskingum to help fund the development of its website
- GO Community Development Corporation to purchase boots, hats and gloves for those in need in Ashtabula County
- Groundwork Ohio to recruit, train and provide stipends to African American families from Appalachia participating in the Family Action Network and engaging in state policy development
- Kool Boiz Foundation to support the Young Men’s Empowerment Series for boys and young men of color in Youngstown
- Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church to provide the lead match for a Jeffris Family Foundation Capital Campaign Challenge Grant, which will provide the funding needed to complete the restoration of the historic Black church in Lawrence County
- Mahoning Youngstown Community Action Partnership to provide food vouchers for the Tri-County Senior Food/Program Mobile Services, which serves Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties
- Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society to assist with basement removal and repairs
- Muskingum County Social Justice Coalition to support the 2024 Career Connections Camp, which provides an opportunity for junior high students to explore career pathways in their communities
- Nelson T. Gant Foundation to help fund a parking lot pavement and sidewalk installation project
- OH WOW! Center for Science & Technology to purchase supplies and equipment for programming that provides STEM learning interventions to K-12 students in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties and professional development to educators in those counties
- Pump House Center for the Arts in Ross County to support its 2024 Juneteenth Celebration
- Second Baptist Church of Warren to help repair the stained-glass windows, frames and ceiling of the historic Second Baptist Church Chapel
- Trillium Project to help fund crosswalk murals and sidewalk painting in the historically Black North End neighborhood of Portsmouth in Scioto County
- Women Helping Women to support services provided to survivors of gender-based violence and their children in Adams, Brown and Clermont counties
- Youngstown Lifeguard Academy to purchase scuba equipment for and the training of at-risk and underserved youth and young adults who successfully complete the lifeguard and/or swim instructor certification
- YMCA of Youngstown to support the RESPECT League, a mentoring program for at-risk youth ages 11-17
- YWCA of Greater Cincinnati to support its House of Peace Domestic Violence Shelter, which serves Adams, Brown and Clermont counties
- Black By God to expand the community-led news organization focused on the Black experience in the central Appalachian region
- Calvary Missionary Baptist Church to train teachers, support staff and volunteers for a career and educational development initiative serving Black and minority individuals in Zanesville’s Putnam Historical District
- Enterprise Muskingum to train a staff member in data use, sources and visualization
- Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church to fund interim insurance payments while the church’s preservation society is being organized, which will allow for the release of state-appropriated funding
- Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society to support restoration of the historic church
- OH Wow! Center for Science & Technology to fund staff training, team development and professional development
- Simon Kenton Council Boy Scouts to help train adult leadership volunteers, youth leaders and a diversity, equity and inclusion trainer
- Women Helping Women to support the influx of crisis hotline calls, to improve system response and to provide direct assistance to survivors of gender-based violence in Adams, Brown and Clermont counties
- YMCA of Youngstown for professional development and training opportunities for staff and mentors and technology and equipment upgrades to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the RESPECT League program
- YWCA of Greater Cincinnati to increase awareness of programs available in Adams, Brown and Clermont counties and to integrate back into those communities post pandemic
- Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum to support a program that will train Ashtabula youth ages 11-18 to become docents and to teach other youth
- Simon Kenton Council Boy Scouts for supplies, outreach activities and training for the ScoutReach program, serving Adams, Athens, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton counties
- Black in Appalachia: Research, Education and Support for “A Liberated Landscape: Photographs of Black Appalachian Ohio,” a photo exhibition highlighting the stories and experiences of the Black community in Gallia and Lawrence counties
- Books with Badges for start-up funding to create a leadership academy and afterschool mentoring program, serving young people in Belmont, Guernsey, Jefferson, Monroe and Muskingum counties
- Carver Community Center for its Incubator for Success Leadership Program, a personal finance education program serving youth in Ross County
- Dress To Succeed to provide monthly clothing and hygiene items to individuals in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties transitioning to life after incarceration
- GO Community Development Corporation for its Warm Feet program, which provides boots, socks and coats to those in need in Ashtabula County
- John Gee Black Historical Center for its Digitizing Gee project, which is capturing voices and oral histories, creating supplemental learning materials for the center’s visitors and assisting in the expansion and reach of its programming in Gallia County
- Kool Boiz Foundation for its Young Men’s Empowerment Series Mentoring Program, serving boys and young men of color in Youngstown
- Lawrence Funderburke Youth Organization for its Closing the Opportunity Divide Initiative that is engaging, equipping and empowering youth and their caregivers with life skills to increase resiliency and financial literacy in Athens, Hocking and Ross counties
- Minority Business Resource Network for the third volume of its “Archives of the People” collection, which is raising awareness and preserving the historic contributions of African Americans to the Zanesville community and Muskingum County
- Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society to assist in preserving and telling the story of this historically Black church and other moments in Black history in Athens through the installation of art murals on the church’s windows while they are being preserved
- Muskingum County Social Justice Coalition to support two summer 2023 Career Connections Camps for 50 junior high school students, exposing African American male and female students to career pathways
- Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council to support the development and maintenance of its corporate supplier diversity programs, serving as a bridge between its corporate members and minority-owned businesses across the region
- Promised Land Project’s “Lancer Pride: Honoring Local History,” which is capturing the oral histories of people of color through an alumni website, hosting a local history day and sharing curriculum lessons for students in Pre-K through 12th grade that will promote local history, provide tools to discuss race and advance anti-bias education in Athens County’s Federal Hocking Local Schools
- RISE Community Youth Group for its Each One Teach One Mentoring and Community Development Outreach, which will provide one-on-one mentoring and other academic, behavioral and life goals support to young people in Belmont and Jefferson counties
- Tablertown People of Color Museum to support the rebuilding of the Tablertown community by developing programs that celebrate and share its culture and history in Athens County
- Youngstown Lifeguard Academy Planning and Advisory Board to support the training of lifeguards as scuba divers and members of the County Search, Rescue and Recovery Team, serving residents of Mahoning and neighboring counties in emergency situations
- Zanesville Civic League to help implement its World of Art Expression, offering art sessions in diverse forms as a means of expressing thoughts and feelings while building confidence and resilience
- Alliance for Congregational Transformation In Our Neighborhoods (ACTION) received funding to combat food insecurity in Mahoning County by providing fresh and organic food from local farmers through a pop-up market model
- Black in Appalachia in partnership with Rendville Historical Preservation Society of Perry County received funding to support a local archival project
- GO Community Development Corporation received funding to stock a shoe and coat closet, providing Ashtabula County children with needed clothing for the winter season
- Mount Zion Baptist Church Preservation Society received funding to produce Episode II of a three-part documentary film, “Black Wall Street Athens County”
- Muskingum County Social Justice Coalition received funding to provide implicit bias training designed to promote awareness among those who work and live in Muskingum County
- Tablertown: People of Color Museum in partnership with the Multicultural Genealogical Center received funding to preserve 19th-century artifacts currently housed in a non-climate-controlled pole barn
- The Underground Railroad Museum in Belmont County received funding to create a “Traveling Trunk” to bring artifacts from the museum to school-aged children in the classroom, who have been unable to attend due to COVID-19 precautions
- Zanesville Civic League received funding to provide support, training and resources for women to become leaders through a program called Empowering a Community of Women
- Alliance for Congregational Transformation In Our Neighborhoods (ACTION) to combat food insecurity in Mahoning County by providing fresh and organic food from local farmers in the Youngstown area through a pop-up market model
- Carver Community Center to assist Ross County students and families as they face the challenges of remote learning
- GO Community Development Corporation to stock a shoe and coat closet, providing Ashtabula County children with needed clothing for the winter season
- John Gee Black Historical Center in Gallia County to provide virtual programming while increasing the reach of the organization beyond Gallia County
- Underground Railroad Museum to conduct extensive research and create a virtual map of the Underground Railroad stations in Belmont County, allowing the museum to reach patrons who cannot attend in-person tours
- United Returning Citizens create baskets of essential items such as facemasks, gloves and hand sanitizers to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 among those released from prison, those working or incarcerated in prisons, and other vulnerable communities in Mahoning County
Explore other grant opportunities available through the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio.
