Funding to support an emerging museum, local entrepreneurs and student internships
NELSONVILLE, Ohio – The Dale Hileman Legacy Fund at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) has awarded three grants, totaling more than $2,500, to support projects advancing economic development and growth in eastern Ohio.
“With this funding, we are supporting opportunities today that will benefit our neighbors and communities for years to come,” said Jim Schoch, executive director of the Eastern Ohio Development Alliance (EODA). “We do this while also honoring and continuing the numerous acts of community service Dale was known for.”
The 2025 Dale Hileman Legacy Fund grant recipients are:
- The Adena Historical Society to fund the completion of a Mining and Railroad Room at the Adena Museum, a new attraction in Harrison and Jefferson counties that is being renovated room by room
- The Lightship Foundation to support Columbiana County entrepreneurs participating in the 2025 Black Tech Week Meetup, which provides Black entrepreneurs and innovators opportunities to network, exchange ideas and receive funding through a pitch competition
- Nelsonville-York School District in Athens County to support its summer internship program, providing high school students hands-on, paid internships while connecting local businesses and organizations with potential future employees
The Dale Hileman Legacy Fund, created with support from EODA, supports a cause that was close to Hileman’s heart – economic development and growth – and organizations within EODA’s service area. The service area covers Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Tuscarawas and Washington counties.
A native of Columbiana County, Hileman’s legacy includes a lifetime of service to eastern Ohio. He worked for Columbia Gas of Ohio for 40 years, serving Carrollton, Jackson and Cambridge in Appalachian Ohio, and helped establish EODA to promote economic development and growth in eastern Ohio. In retirement, he remained committed to improving quality of life in the region and to promoting his community of Cambridge in Guernsey County, where he shared his final years with his wife, Evelyn.