More than $48,000 awarded to support projects, programs benefiting the Nelsonville area
NELSONVILLE, Ohio – The Nelsonville Community Foundation, in partnership with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) and the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, has awarded 18 grants, totaling $48,390, to support projects and programs benefiting Nelsonville and the surrounding communities of Buchtel, Carbon Hill and Murray City.
“Announcing our grant recipients is always the highlight of our year, but this year is even more special and impactful,” said Steve Cox, Nelsonville Community Foundation committee member. “Thanks to a historic gift from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation announced earlier this year, we are awarding our largest amount of funding to date – investments that will benefit our neighbors and communities both now and for years to come.”
Nonprofits, schools and public organizations serving the Nelsonville area were invited to apply for grants to advance opportunities across five areas essential to flourishing communities: 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 projects and programs that create opportunities, meet pressing needs and unleash the collective potential within Nelsonville and the surrounding communities.
Grants were awarded to:
- Appalachian Literary Arts & Storytelling Festival to support the 2025 event, a two-day celebration of Appalachian storytelling culture hosted on Nelsonville’s Public Square
- Circle Round the Square to help fund the 2025 arts and wellness summer program for youth in grades 5-12
- Athens County Department of Job and Family Services to fund a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) processor, vouchers and marketing materials for a Nelsonville Evening Farmers Market launching in summer 2025
- Chris Roell TBI Foundation Fund LLC to fund heath care speakers to talk about mental health, suicide prevention and traumatic brain injury
- City of Nelsonville to help fund a new fence at Nelson Commons
- Helping Hands of Southeast Ohio to support the Home Beautification and Safe at Home programs for seniors and individuals with disabilities in Nelsonville and the surrounding communities of Buchtel, Carbon Hill and Murray City
- Nelsonville-York City Schools received six grants: (1) to fund personal health supplies for impacted students; (2) to fund students’ participation in the Ohio Association of Student Leaders programming; (3) to provide stipends for high school students to dine at an Ohio University dining hall as part of an immersive learning experience; (4) to help fund an immersive field trip to Passion Works Studio for middle school art students; (5) to purchase supplies for cooking labs in food and fitness and food science classes; and (6) to purchase iPads for the middle and high school choir
- Nelsonville-York Youth League to enclose an unused shelter house at Polley Field and transform it into an all-season hitting/pitching facility for local youth
- Southeast Ohio History Center to support Invisible Ground in its work to produce two immersive historic markers for Nelsonville landmarks and a podcast episode
- Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring to provide materials for the program that pairs college students with at-risk elementary students for one-on-one mentoring
- Stuart’s Opera House to support the Nelsonville-York Drama Club’s two performances
In addition, the Nelsonville Community Foundation, with funding from FAO, awarded two grants to support projects developed and implemented by local youth under age 18. The goal of this funding is to inspire young people to embrace roles as changemakers committed to creating strong, vibrant communities. Youth-led grants were awarded to:
- Appalachian Life Fellowship to support Trevor Boggs’ Eagle Scout project focused on improvements to Nelsonville’s Polley Field
- Nelsonville-York City Schools to support student-led planning for the 2025 prom
The Nelsonville Community Foundation, one of FAO’s 15 affiliate foundation partners, was established in 2016 to develop and grow permanent charitable resources that provide continuous investment in the Nelsonville area and its nonprofits, schools and communities.
To learn more about the Nelsonville Community Foundation and how to support its work, email Nelsonville@ffao.org or call 740.753.1111.