For information on ways to give to Nelsonville and the surrounding communities of Buchtel, Carbon Hill and Murray City, click here.

---

When the former Nelsonville Junior High and High School buildings were replaced by a new campus, a group of Nelsonville residents didn’t want to see the history of those buildings erased like past community school buildings. So, they took action.

This group of citizens worked over 16 years to maintain and save those buildings to preserve a piece of Nelsonville history while also adding value to the community. And they succeeded.

The group knew that they wanted to keep the dollars from their investment in the community, so they used the dollars to create the Nelsonville Community Foundation at FAO to ensure that those dollars would continue to serve Nelsonville citizens and the surrounding areas forever through a permanent endowment.

---

2023 Annual Report

To view the Nelsonville Community Foundation’s 2023 annual report, click here.

---

Grant Opportunities

The Nelsonville Community Foundation, in partnership with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, accepts grant applications annually from nonprofits, schools and public organizations for projects and programs benefiting Nelsonville and the surrounding communities of Buchtel, Carbon Hill and Murray City. 2024 grant applications closed on Sept. 10.

During each year’s funding cycle, grants are awarded to projects and programs advancing opportunities across five areas, known as our Pillars of Prosperity: 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 efforts that create opportunities, meet pressing needs and unleash the potential within the Nelsonville area.

2024 marks the beginning of a new partnership between the Nelsonville Community Foundation and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation. With a mission to improve the health and quality of life in the community through education, research and service consistent with its osteopathic heritage, the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation has a long history of serving Nelsonville and southeastern Ohio.

“The Foundation is proud to partner with the Nelsonville Community Foundation and its dedicated committee of volunteers,” said Osteopathic Heritage Foundation President/CEO Terri Donlin Huesman. “The Foundation is committed to the City of Nelsonville and surrounding communities, and we look forward to our funding partnership to address health and social issues in the community.”

Youth-led grant opportunity

The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and its 15 foundation affiliate partners are accepting grant applications Aug. 20 through Oct. 1 for projects developed and implemented by youth under age 18. Additional information and the grant application are available here.

FAO has transitioned to a new online system, Spectrum Portal, for grant applications. Before applying for grants, all applicants must register and create an account in the new system. Once registered, click on the “Grant Application” tab and then select “Available Grants,” where you can access the specific grant application form.

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

---

2023 Grant Recipients

• Athens County Public Libraries to purchase electric-assisted bicycles for Nelsonville Public Library’s Book-a-Bike program
  
• City of Nelsonville to help fund fencing and labor costs for a new Nelsonville Dog Park
  
• Community Food Initiatives to offer workshops at community partner sites and support community members with container gardening
  
• Nelsonville Area Chamber of Commerce to support the Follow the Star Brick Road: Nelsonville Brick Park Revitalization Project
  
• Nelsonville-York Elementary School received three grants: (1) to purchase sensory tools for social-emotional learning, (2) to purchase iPads for second-grade classrooms and (3) to purchase iPads for the multiple disabilities classrooms
  
• Nelsonville-York Middle and High School to support the set-up of a new restaurant at the school, operated by special education students
  
• Nelsonville-York School District received three grants: (1) to purchase a desktop computer for K-12 classroom use and afterschool programming, (2) to purchase rock band instruments for use by the middle and high school choirs and by the community, and (3) to fund local dining out experiences for students in the high school business class
  
• Stuart’s Opera House to help fund artist fees and production costs of the Summer Arts Camp for children ages 10-18
  
• The iBELIEVE Foundation to fund the participation of Nelsonville-area youth in the 2024 iBELIEVE Youth Leadership Workshops
  
• Circle Round the Square to fund three student interns who are stepping into leadership roles at the summer program and workshops
  
• Nelsonville-York School District’s National Honor Society to purchase feminine hygiene products and support the needs of fellow students

---

Nelsonville Family of Funds

9 funds partnering with the Nelsonville Community Foundation in service to our community:

• Nelsonville Community Foundation Fund
• The Baird Brothers Company Foundation Fund
• The Katie McCoy and Mary Jane McKinley Music Scholars Fund of First United Methodist Church of Nelsonville
• Lee Beckett Legacy Scholarship Fund
• Max Conner Memorial Fund to Support the Nelsonville-York School District
• Moon Family Legacy Fund for Nelsonville
• Nelsonville Area Chamber of Commerce Fund
• Nelsonville High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund
• Stuart’s Opera House Endowment Fund

---

Nelsonville Committee Members

---

Support the Nelsonville Community

The Nelsonville Community Foundation invites gifts from people who hold Nelsonville and the surrounding areas close to their hearts. As the Fund grows, it will invest in the community through grants that support projects and organizations improving quality of life for citizens in this area.