Grant announcements are now pending through the first grant round of the Environmental Stewardship Pillar of Prosperity at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO). Grants will help public, nonprofit, and fiscally sponsored organizations facilitate connections to nature among those who live throughout the 32 Appalachian Ohio counties. Up to $60,000 in funding is available.

Example Projects

FAO welcomes proposals for projects that create or enhance trails, bike paths, parks, and greenspaces, and that otherwise connect more people in Appalachian Ohio with the benefits of time spent in nature.

Examples of potential projects include: making outdoor spaces more accessible to citizens of varied physical abilities; reclaiming blighted spaces in communities to increase public access to the outdoors; and creative endeavors that encourage time outdoors and stewardship of natural resources, for example funding infrastructure to enable Arts in the Park.

Eligibility

Public and nonprofit organizations serving any of the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio, as well as groups operating in fiscal sponsorship relationships, are eligible to apply. Projects will be evaluated on the basis of need, impact, accessibility, sustainability, community support, and matching resources.

Grant Timeline

Funding decisions will be announced in the month of December.

Funding Partners

This inaugural grant round of FAO’s Environmental Stewardship Pillar of Prosperity was made possible through the support of many partners, including American Electric Power, the AEP Foundation, the AEP Ohio Foundation, Ohio CAT, and Nicolozakes Trucking and Construction.

Pillars of Prosperity

This is the inaugural grant round of the Environmental Stewardship Pillar, one of five Pillars of Prosperity launched by FAO to create deep, lasting, and transformational change across all areas critical to quality of life: Arts & Culture, Community & Economic Development, Education, Environmental Stewardship, and Health & Human Services. These five Pillars are all supported by FAO’s I’m a Child of Appalachia Fund.