Photo Credit: Terry Seidel/TNC

Thanks to a partnership with The Nature Conservancy, the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio awarded the first grants and scholarships from Edge of Appalachia – Adams County Fund in February 2024. Read about the inaugural grant and scholarship recipients.

The Fund provides a new annual funding stream that will support Adams County residents and organizations to ensure that Adams County is a place where our children can thrive, businesses can flourish, and visitors have a memorable experience.

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 focused on protecting the environment, renewable energy generation, and 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, and technical training in fields that contribute to energy efficiency, agriculture, and land stewardship, in addition to programs that foster diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion (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 impacted because of their race, income level, gender, religion, sexual orientation, mental health, veteran status, or physical and developmental disability.
  

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.

Photo Credit: David Ike