Donor Spotlight

Donor Spotlight

Jo Ellen Diehl Yeary | Generosity rooted in pride, remembrance, dedication to home

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Morgan Community Fund

Matching funds available! The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio is providing a 50-cent match for every $1 given to any endowment within the Morgan Community Fund’s family of funds. Matching funds can also be used to help start a new endowed fund and for new documented planned gifts. A total of $300,000 in match funding is available on a first-come, first served basis through Nov. 8, with up to $100,000 in match available per household.

For more information on the 2024 match opportunity, click here.
For information on ways to give to Morgan County, click here.


The Morgan Community Fund is a not-for-profit community fund that is managed and operated by a board of directors made up of local volunteers who believe in the future of Morgan County children.

The Fund was established in 2008 with contributions from people in Morgan County who left part of their estates or made cash contributions to the Morgan Community Fund. All the money we receive stays in Morgan County and supports extra-curricular programs. The programs you read about earlier are just a few of the in-depth support and enrichment programs our contributors provide to help young people grow, thrive, and hopefully stay in Morgan County. Many of our programs are recommendations from our donors, and we are happy to accommodate your dreams and wishes by helping you with planned giving.


2022 Annual Report

To view the Morgan Community Fund’s 2022 annual report, click here.


Grant Opportunities

The Morgan Community Fund is partnering with FAO’s I’m A Child of Appalachia® Fund to provide a grant opportunity to nonprofits, schools, and public organizations working to benefit Morgan County residents.

2023 grant applications closed on September 12, 2023.

Helpful Links and Documents:

Emerging Needs Funding

The Morgan Community Fund is focused on responding quickly and flexibly to critical needs across the county and is actively working to grow available funding. The Fund’s annual grant round opens in August and funding decisions are made by December. 

If you have an emerging need, you may apply for funding outside of the annual grant round. Awards typically range between $500-$2,500, and requests above $7,500 will not be considered.

An “emerging need” is defined as: a need that emerged due to unexpected circumstances. This could include, but is not limited to:

• an emergency or natural disaster
• loss of a planned venue (location)
• unexpected repairs
• other circumstances that could not be planned for or foreseen
• an immediate or time-sensitive need for funds

If your project is a recurring event, an ongoing need, an expense for which funds are not needed before December, please apply during the annual grant round. Funds received through the annual grant round can be used throughout the following year. We encourage organizations to apply through the annual grant round for planned programs and activities.

If you are not sure if your project qualifies, please contact the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio at 740.753.1111.

Interested applicants should submit the following information to info@ffao.org:

• Organization name

• Organization tax status: Nonprofit 501(c)3 or Public Entity (such as government or school). For-profit businesses are not eligible.

• Describe your emerging need and the amount of requested funding

• Contact information, including:

o Organization name

o Contact name, phone, physical address and mailing address if different than physical address

o Name and email of person who is authorized to sign a grant agreement if it is someone other than you

• Nonprofit documentation:

o For 501(c)3 or churches, please email a copy of your IRS decision letter

o For schools or other public entities, please email a copy of your most recent financial audit

o If you are unsure what to send, please call FAO at 740.753.1111


2023 Grant Recipients

  • Girls Scouts of Black Diamond Council to help fund the Healthy Living Champion program, educating girls and families on healthy habits for self, home and community, for a new Girl Scout troop in Morgan County
  • MoCo Kitty Control to help support spay/neuter clinics
  • Morgan Local Schools to purchase materials for students to design, build and launch model rockets and compete in the American Rocketry Challenge
  • Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area to help fund Ohio’s Winding Road Seed Grant Program and provide mini grants that support the development, expansion and marketing of authentic experiences in Morgan County
  • Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio to help cover overnight stays for Morgan County families
  • Shrivers Hospice Foundation to support its Someday is Today Program and fund bucket list wishes for terminally ill patients in Morgan County and their families
  • Morgan Junior High School to support Thrive Drive ’24, a service-learning project through which students collect essential, non-food items for the Morgan County United Ministries Manna Harvest Food Pantry.

Recent Projects

The Morgan Community Fund is pleased to announce its 2019 Fortuna Grant recipients!

• Carol Hammond Children’s Theater, awarded $1,400
• Community Action program Corporation of Washington-Morgan Counties, awarded $1,200
MoCo Kitty Kontrol, awarded $1,000
• Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau, awarded $500
• Morgan County Hooked on Fish – Not on Drugs, awarded $2,000
• Morgan East Elementary School, awarded $1,000
• Morgan Local Schools, awarded $500
• Morgan South Elementary School, awarded $1,000
• Morgan Special Olympics, awarded $500
• Rural Action, awarded $900

For more information about 2019 grantees, click here.


Morgan Family of Funds

The Growing Family of Funds includes:

• Morgan Community Fund Endowment
• Citizens National Bank Fund for Morgan County
• Morgan County – Christmas in the Village Fund
• Morgan County Companion Animal Care Endowment Fund
• Morgan Community Fund Auxiliary Program
Morgan Community Fund

• Morgan Emergency Grant Program
• Morgan County Youth Development Fund
• Morgan Foundation Christmas Wish for Kids
• Morgan County Historical Society Fund
• S.P.O.T. & MoCo Kitty Endowment


Morgan Committee Members

Cinda Erickson
• Sarah Griesmyer
• Tyler Hickerson
• Quincy Robe

Adam Shriver
Kelsey Wells
• Richard Wetzel, Emeritus
• Mike Workman, Emeritus

The Morgan Community Fund Auxiliary is a volunteer community service organization that was established in 2019 by the board of directors of the Morgan Community Fund for the purpose of engaging younger people to use their talents and energy to make our county a better place to live, work, and raise our families. The Morgan Community Fund Auxilary committee members include:

Whitney Blackburn
Luke Bragg
• Misty Bragg
• Kenna Hambel
• Melissa Hivnor
• Matt Hupp

Klarissa James
Amy Kirkbride
• Ashley Lauer
• Cas Maxwell
• Shayna Roberts
• Frannie Smedley


Support the Morgan Community

The Morgan Community Fund is affiliated with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides administrative and investment services to local community funds in all 32 counties in Appalachian Ohio. FAO is professionally managed by a staff of experienced and dedicated leaders who give their hearts to improving the quality of life for all people in Appalachian Ohio. If you would like to know more about FAO, you can visit them at www.appalachianohio.org

Click here to donate now — just make sure to designate the Morgan Community Auxiliary Program Fund when donating.

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If you would like to learn more about the Morgan Community Fund, contact us directly at:

The Morgan Community Fund
67 E. Main St.
P.O. Box 577
McConnelsville, OH 43756

740-962-6772