Monroe County Community Foundation
For information on ways to give to Monroe County, click here.
In 2014 four community members came together to establish the Monroe County Community Foundation in partnership with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO). Nikki Baker-Lude, Ryan Moyer, Karena Reusser, and Gwynn Stewart created the permanent endowment fund at FAO to help Monroe residents give locally, ensuring Monroe County resources benefit its citizens and communities forever.
2022 Annual Report
To view the Monroe County Community Foundation’s 2022 annual report, click here.
Grant Opportunities
The Monroe County Community Foundation 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 Monroe County residents.
2023 grant applications closed on September 12, 2023.
Helpful Links and Documents:
2022 Grant Recipients
- Broken Timber Outdoor Education Center to complete construction on a pavilion that will be used for classes that encourage youth and their families to engage in more outdoor activity.
- Hilltop Swiss Lads and Lassies 4-H Club to purchase sports balls and a storage bin for the Sardis Community Center.
- Kiwanis Club of Woodsfield to support its Coats for Kids program, which provides gift cards for students in the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District to purchase coats, boots, hats and gloves.
- Lewisville Community Center to purchase a stage curtain that will absorb sound while beautifying the gymnasium.
- Lewisville Community Volunteer Fire Department to purchase storage racks.
- Midway Community and Senior Citizens Center to purchase a sound system and tablecloths for its dinner theater and other events and activities.
- Monroe County Arts Council received two grants to construct an ADA-accessible entryway for the Monroe Arts Center, Tourism and Visitors Center office and Creative Expressions Gift Shop and to purchase new windows for the Monroe Theatre’s remodeled concession area.
Recent Projects
In 2020, six projects serving Monroe County received funding through the recent grant awards of the MCCF and the Appalachian Ohio Emergency Response Fund.
- The Kiwanis Club of Woodsfield received funding from the MCCF to support the Kiwanis Coats for Kids program, which provides coats, boots, gloves, and hats to K-8th grade students in the Monroe County Switzerland of Ohio School District. The grant award will help offset revenue lost as a result of event cancellations associated with COVID-19.
- The Monroe Arts Council received funding from the MCCF to support two Monroe County projects. One grant award will support the Monroe Arts Council in installing audio-visual equipment to enhance arts and community programming. A second grant award will support the Art in the Country project, which provides arts opportunities for various Monroe County groups, including seniors.
- The Tri-County Help Center, Inc. received funding from the MCCF to support their Monroe County clients in purchasing food and gas for transportation to access shopping and medical appointments.
- National Church Residencies, LLC received funding from the Appalachian Ohio Emergency Response Fund to purchase face masks for children in Monroe County. The project will support families in accessing face masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- The Switzerland of Ohio Ministerial Association received funding from the Appalachian Ohio Emergency Response Fund to support cleaning supplies and other materials needed to safely reopen its thrift store. The store provides a valuable service for the Monroe County community and earned revenue to support the ministerial association.
Monroe Family of Funds
The Growing Family of Funds includes:
• Baker Education and Economic Development Fund
• Friendship Cemetery Endowment
• Gregory S. Baker Legacy Scholarship
• Gulfport Energy Fund
• Hoops for Heart VFD Fund
• Hoops for Heart VFD Scholarship
• Jeff Cox & Jane Shumacher Cox Fund
• Jeff Cox & Jane Schumacher Cox Scholarship Fund
• Jennifer Garrison Public Service Scholarship
• John G. and Suzanne Scott Weber Scholarship
• Kevin F. Arnold Memorial Fund
• Kiwanis Coats for Kids Fund
• Lewisville and Community Volunteer Fire Department Fund
• Low Gap Cemetery Endowment
• Monroe Arts Council Endowment Fund
• Monroe County Community Foundation Fund
• Oaklawn Cemetery Endowment
• Pleasant Ridge Cemetery Endowment
• River High School Alumni & Friends Fund
• River High School Alumni & Friends Endowment Fund
• Stafford Cemetery Endowment Fund
• St. Paul’s United Church of Christ Hunne
• St. Paul’s United Church of Christ Mick
• St. Paul’s United Church of Christ Whitt
• Supporting Student Success Fund
• The Davey L. and Sandra Jackson Turner Scholarship Fund
• The Greenbrier Cemetery Endowment Fund
• The Statoil Monroe County Energy Fund
• Tim Ross Legacy Fund
• United Way of Guernsey, Monroe, and Noble Endowment Fund
• United Way of Guernsey, Monroe, and Noble Dolly Parton Imagination Library Fund
• Woodsfield Kiwanis Club Pioneer Cemetery Fund
• Monroe County 4-H Endowment
Monroe Committee Members
• Nikki Baker-Lude*
• Tracy Blackstone
• Mick Schumacher
• Alyssa Stephens
• Gwynn Stewart*
• Suzanne Weber
• Mary Jo Westfall
*Denotes founding members still serving in 2022.
Support the Monroe Community
Gifts to the Community Foundation are not spent, but invested with the interest and earnings used to support community efforts through grants. For this reason, local community foundation funds are powerful vehicles for communities looking to grow resources to address their current and future needs, as well as support developing opportunities. Starting a community foundation fund, where many come together to contribute and grow resources over time, creates a great asset for a county and its residents.
“While the initial gift came from the four of us, this is intended to be something we build, grow, and guide together,” said Monroe County Community Foundation Committee Member Karena Reusser. “The Community Foundation is something we have dreamed about for Monroe County, and we are thrilled to have this new avenue of support for our community to make a difference here locally.”
Donations for the Monroe County Community Foundation Fund can be sent to PO Box 494, Woodsfield, OH 43793 or to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, 35 Public Square – PO Box 456, Nelsonville, Ohio 45764. Credit card donations can also be made by clicking here and designating the Monroe County Community Foundation Fund. For additional information, please call FAO at 740.753.1111.
