$65,000 awarded to support 30 projects and programs

NELSONVILLE, Ohio – The African American Community Fund (AACF), with support from its donors and in partnership with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO), has awarded $65,000 during its 2026 grant round to advance 30 projects and programs in communities across Appalachian Ohio.

“From preserving history and celebrating culture to expanding access to healthcare, education, mentorship and basic needs, these projects reflect the creativity, resilience and commitment of people working to build stronger communities across our region,” said Ernie Bynum, AACF committee member. “We are deeply grateful to the donors whose generosity makes this funding possible.”

Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit and public organizations serving Appalachian Ohio’s 32 counties were invited to apply for grants – made possible by gifts to AACF’s endowment fund – to advance opportunities across five funding areas: 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 the region’s African American communities.

The 2026 grant recipients are:

  • 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

AACF, one of FAO’s 15 affiliate foundation partners, was established in 2020 to develop and grow permanent resources that provide continuous investment in Appalachian Ohio’s Black communities. Each year, earnings from charitable giving to AACF’s endowment fund are reinvested in the region’s Black communities through grants that meet the greatest needs and most promising opportunities.

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