Over the past 25 years, we’ve Fostered Access to Opportunity by building a philanthropic infrastructure in Appalachian Ohio. And thanks to donor generosity, we have awarded $43 million in grants while growing assets to $133 million.

We’ve built a strong foundation. But to achieve our region’s full potential, we must overcome systemic challenges, including the philanthropy gap and youth outmigration.

Over the next 25 years, we seek to honor our past with a future vision as transformative as our founding vision, with a goal of ensuring that everyone in Appalachian Ohio can flourish. How do we do that? By investing in community builders, facilitating transformative partnerships, supporting collective giving and leveraging the “science of hope.” We invite you to continue the journey with us.

Our Strategic Priorities

Faithfully steward the 700+ charitable funds entrusted to FAO, maintaining low administrative costs through regional economies of scale and maximizing outcomes through expertise and partnerships.

Partner with you in supporting the causes, communities and organizations most important to you. FAO’s work with donors starts by asking, “What’s closest to your heart?” Informed by your charitable dreams and priorities, we help you envision and create your legacy through funds and planned gifts.

Inspire collective giving to strategic areas of opportunity to advance flourishing in Appalachian Ohio:

  • Invest in emerging and next-generation community builders through additional Growing Home Fellowships and increased grant support for community service projects led by children and teens.
  • Increase philanthropic capacity in communities with significant disparities by growing our affiliate foundation partners’ annual grantmaking, capturing a set percentage of the intergenerational wealth transfer for our region’s communities and nonprofits, and establishing a regional endowment to support collective impact among affiliates.
  • Grow FAO’s five Pillars of Prosperity funds to levels that support annual grant and fellowship opportunities for individuals, institutions and ideas that are having transformative impact throughout Appalachian Ohio.
  • Inspire current and lasting support to advance innovative ideas and bright spots regionally through our Friends of FAO Fund, an annual giving campaign to support immediate opportunities and needs, and through our I’m a Child of Appalachia® endowment, helping to close the philanthropy gap by growing the permanent unrestricted resources for FAO’s work long term.