A field of wildflowers with hills in the background. This photo was taken at the Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System by Terry Seidel/The Nature Conservancy.
Pictured is The Nature Conservancy's logo.

The Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund is a continuation of The Nature Conservancy’s longtime commitment to Adams County, reflected most notably in the Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System.

One of the most biologically diverse natural systems in the Midwest, this collection of preserves sits in Adams County and is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Cincinnati Museum Center. At more than 20,000 acres, it is Ohio’s largest privately owned nature preserve.

2025 grant and scholarship applications

The Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund is accepting 2025 grant and scholarship applications Tuesday, Oct. 28, through Friday, Jan. 9.

Grant funding

Public and nonprofit organizations located in or serving Adams County, as well as groups working in fiscal sponsorships with a nonprofit or public organization, are eligible to apply for grants. Eligible projects should focus on one or more of the following:

  • People and nature, supporting programs primarily focused on protecting the environment, generating renewable energy and providing educational programs that emphasize hands-on learning and reflection
  • Reducing disparities, supporting programs that improve food security, educational achievement or medical care for groups disproportionately impacted because of their race, income level, gender, religion, sexual orientation, mental health, veteran status or physical and developmental disability

A total of $100,000 is available in funding for the 2025 grant cycle. Grant awards will be made up to $25,000.

Scholarship funding

Adams County residents are eligible to apply for the Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund Scholarship. Scholarship funding is available for graduating high school seniors and students already enrolled in accredited undergraduate, trade, vocational or technical training programs; residents enrolled in graduate programs are not eligible to apply.

Eligible scholarship applicants must be pursuing degrees in one of the following:

  • Ecology, forestry, wildlife ecology or related natural resource fields
  • Trade, vocational or technical training programs in fields that contribute to energy efficiency, agriculture, land stewardship, rural and public health, or environmental studies
  • Programs that foster cultural understanding and community engagement, including, but not limited to, Appalachian studies or women’s studies

Up to $25,000 may be awarded in scholarships.

How to apply

FAO has transitioned to a new online system for funding applications. Before applying for funding, all applicants must register and create an account in the new system. (Note: If you have previously registered with the system/applied for funding since fall 2024, you can use the account you previously created.) Once registered, click on either the “Grant Application” or “Scholarship Application” tab and then select “Available Grants” or “Available Scholarships,” where you can access the specific application form.

For questions, please contact FAO at info@ffao.org or 740.753.1111 or view the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Create an account and apply here

An update on 2025 grant and scholarship applications

The Nature Conservancy is proud to be a part of the unique character of Adams County and voluntarily invests in the priorities defined by members of the Adams County community. In light of recent legislation that would significantly impact the funding source [provided by The Nature Conservancy], the award cycle of the Adams County Fund may be affected. These circumstances have created uncertainty that requires further evaluation of all current and proposed expenses. At this time, the application process is under review and may require a temporary pause until further clarity is provided on future financial obligations. Updates on the status of the fund will be provided as they become available. The Nature Conservancy continues striving to serve the Adams County community and desires to work in unison with leaders in Adams County to ensure a variety of community investment strategies are sustained for years to come.

The Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund invests in projects serving Adams County, Ohio, that address one or more of these three focus areas:

  • People and Nature – The fund supports projects primarily focused on protecting the environment, generating renewable energy and providing educational programs that emphasize hands-on learning and reflection.
  • Education – The fund supports scholarships for students seeking degrees in ecology, forestry, wildlife ecology or related natural resource fields; trade, vocational or technical training in fields that contribute to energy efficiency, agriculture, land stewardship, rural and public health, or environmental studies; and programs that foster cultural understanding and community engagement (for example, Appalachian studies or women’s studies).
  • Reducing Disparities – The fund supports programs that improve food security, educational achievement or medical care for groups disproportionately disadvantaged because of their race, income level, gender, religion, sexual orientation, mental health, veteran status, or physical and developmental disability.

Previous grant and scholarship recipients

A total of $100,000 in grants and scholarships were awarded from the Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund in 2025.

Grant recipients:

  • Adams County Agricultural Society to create a natural resources trail – a concrete walkway enhanced with stamped animal and plant prints and educational displays highlighting animals and plants native to the area – in Shade Tree Park at the Adams County Fairgrounds, making the space more accessible for individuals with disabilities
  • Adams County Commissioners to support the preservation and restoration of the historic Kirker Covered Bridge, which sustained major damage from an April 2024 tornado
  • Adams County Public Library to add more Wi-Fi hotspots, which will be loaned to Adams County residents who lack adequate home internet access
  • Adams County Travel & Visitors Bureau to improve a public canoe/kayak access site on Ohio Brush Creek near Serpent Mound, including constructing a driveway, parking area and steps to the waterway
  • Adams County Shelter for the Homeless to support a renovation of its kitchen, which serves clients three meals a day year-round
  • Buckeye Trail Association, Appalachia Foothills Chapter, to enhance the hiking experience in Adams County by upgrading trail structures to improve accessibility and ensure safety and installing informational signs and kiosks that highlight geological landmarks and elevations as well as historical and boundary markers
  • Leadership Adams Inc. to support the enrollment of Adams County children in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, which mails children one free book each month through their fifth birthday
  • Manchester High School to support educational trips to the Edge of Appalachia Nature Preserve and the Cincinnati Museum Center, classroom workshops with educators from the Cincinnati Museum Center and other elements of the Adams County Rockstars program, providing students with an immersive, hands-on educational experience that spans local geology, biodiversity and conservation
  • Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy to help expand access to free prescription medications, clinical pharmacy care and insurance navigation services to Adams County
  • West Union Elementary School to implement a hydroponic gardening system through which students in the greenhouse and gardening elective classes will learn about innovative, space-efficient and sustainable gardening methods while cultivating vegetables and herbs to be used within the school

Scholarship recipients:

Three Adams County residents were awarded a combined $10,000 in scholarships from the Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund Scholarship. They are:

  • Hunter Grooms of Seaman, a 2024 graduate of North Adams High School who is pursuing a degree in exercise science at Northern Kentucky University
  • Kash Hayslip of Peebles, a senior at Peebles High School who plans to study natural resources law enforcement
  • MaRhea Unger of Peebles, a senior at Peebles High School who plans to study agricultural business

The first grants and scholarships from the Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund, totaling $92,865, were awarded in February 2024.

Grant recipients:

  • Adams County 4-H Advisory Committee to support experiential learning through a field trip to the Cincinnati Natural History Museum and a field day at an Adams County nature preserve, connecting local youth and their families to nature and to one another
  • Adams County Public Library to add 60 Wi-Fi hotspots, which will be loaned to Adams County residents who lack adequate home internet access
  • Adams County Travel & Visitors Bureau to fund interior design, displays and educational materials for the new Adams County Welcome Center at Adams Lake State Park
  • Green Township to support the restoration and relocation of historical graves at Foster Cemetery that are at risk due to the erosion of the banks of Ohio Brush Creek
  • West Union Elementary School to support the school’s Family STEM Nights for three years and experiential learning opportunities for students and their families

Scholarship recipients:

Three Adams County residents were each awarded $5,000 scholarships from the Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund Scholarship.

Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund review committee

The fund is advised by Adams Countians to address the issues that matter most to the community, including how these funds can drive economic growth and improve quality of life locally. We invite those who hold Adams County closest to their hearts to join their friends, neighbors and fellow community members as we work together to make Adams County an even better place to call home.

If you are an Adams Countian passionate about advancing quality of life in Adams County, we invite you to submit a nomination on behalf of yourself or others to sit on the Edge of Appalachia-Adams County Fund review committee. The nomination form is available here.

For more information and updates, please follow this webpage, FAO and TNC’s social media, or email info@ffao.org.