A non-profit consortium of private four-year liberal arts institutions in the Appalachian region that promotes collaboration among member colleges and universities to enhance student educational experiences, support faculty scholarship and professional development, and ensure effective use of institutional resources.
Appalachian College Association Inc. gives through a consortium model that links private four-year liberal arts colleges across Appalachia. Its grantmaking is built around shared projects among member institutions, faculty development, undergraduate research, and student financial wellbeing, with one of the clearest recent patterns being repeated support for financial education for students. In 2025, the association’s largest listed award was $71,363 to Berea College for Financial Education for Students, followed by $64,619 to Emory & Henry University for the same purpose. That pattern shows a coordinated effort rather than isolated awards: multiple campuses receive comparable support for similar student-facing programming. The association also funds faculty scholarship and professional development through competitive fellowship programs, as well as collaborative planning grants that help campuses develop multicampus initiatives. Another strand of its work supports student entrepreneurship and library professional development, reinforcing the consortium’s emphasis on academic resources and applied learning. The organization’s structure centers member institutions rather than individuals, and its grantmaking operates at the institutional level across the Appalachian region.
Financial education is a visible part of Appalachian College Association Inc.’s portfolio. In 2025, it awarded $58,095 to Maryville College for Financial Education for Students and $57,000 to Union Commonwealth University for the same purpose, indicating campus-based programming for student financial capability. The association also supports undergraduate research. Its Ledford Scholars Program provides hourly stipends plus reimbursement for project-related equipment and travel, and it is open to ACA-member-institution students in Appalachian or contiguous counties. Faculty development is another core area. Through its Faculty Fellowship Program, the association supports post-doctoral research, pre-doctoral degree completion, semester professional leave, summer research, and in-year research release across disciplines. It also makes planning grants for collaborative projects, helping member campuses build multicampus initiatives and shared capacity.
$456K
$43.5M
$6.4M
$5.7M
Most grants fall between $57K and $61K, with a median of $57K.
25th Percentile
$57K
Median
$57K
75th Percentile
$61K
Nancy E Rushing
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Typical grant size is tightly clustered around the mid-$50,000 range, with a p25 of $56,947, a median of $57,000, and a p75 of $61,357. The recent grants listed are all from 2025, suggesting a current cycle of institutional awards rather than scattered one-off payments across multiple years in the provided data. The association is a consortium serving member institutions, so its giving is programmatic and institution-centered rather than individual. Some programs accept unsolicited applications, including faculty fellowships and Ledford Scholars awards, while others are competitive or not open to unsolicited requests.
Grantmaking is regional and concentrated in Appalachia. Virginia is the top state by grant count, while 43% of grants go to recipients in Kentucky, the foundation’s HQ state. Recent awards land at campuses in Berea and Barbourville, Kentucky; Emory and Ferrum, Virginia; Maryville, Tennessee; and Mars Hill, North Carolina. The recipient-country distribution in the provided data is entirely U.S.-based.
Its recurring areas include higher education, faculty research and fellowships, undergraduate research, student financial education and wellbeing, library professional development, entrepreneurship education, and rural higher education leadership. Recent awards also show a strong emphasis on financial education for students across member campuses.
The listed grant-size distribution is centered in the mid-$50,000s: p25 is $56,947, the median is $57,000, and p75 is $61,357. Recent awards in the data fall close to that range.
They fund institutions and campus-based programs rather than individuals. The profile indicates funds individuals is false, and the recent grants are all to colleges and universities for student financial education programs.
Yes, some programs accept unsolicited applications. The Faculty Fellowship Program and the Ledford Scholars Program are both marked as accepting unsolicited applications, while other programs such as planning grants and student entrepreneurship awards are not.
The giving is regional across Appalachia. Kentucky receives 43% of grants, Virginia is the top state by grant count, and recent recipients also include institutions in Tennessee and North Carolina.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Appalachian College Association that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicants must be individuals or teams pursuing eligible short-term online professional development connected to the BCLA or an ACA member library. Each library may receive up to two grants per fiscal year.
Deadline: Open year-round; reviewed within two weeks of receipt.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrum College | Ferrum, VA | $95,000 | 2026 | Financial Education for Students |
| Berea College | Berea, KY | $70,800 | 2026 | Financial Education for Students |
| Emory & Henry University | Emory, VA | $60,825 | 2026 | Financial Education for Students |
| Mars Hill University | Mars Hill, NC | $57,749 | 2026 | Financial Education for Students |
| Union Commonwealth University | Barbourville, KY | $57,600 | 2026 | Financial Education for Students |
| University of Pikeville | Pikeville, KY | $57,600 | 2026 | Financial Education for Students |
| Maryville College | Maryville, TN | $56,842 | 2026 | Financial Education for Students |
| Berea College | Berea, KY | $71,363 | 2025 | Financial Education for Students |
| Emory & Henry University | Emory, VA | $64,619 | 2025 | Financial Education for Students |
| Maryville College | Maryville, TN | $58,095 | 2025 | Financial Education for Students |
| Union Commonwealth University | Barbourville, KY | $57,000 | 2025 | Financial Education for Students |
| University of Pikeville | Pikeville, KY | $57,000 | 2025 | Financial Education for Students |
| Mars Hill University | Mars Hill, NC | $56,894 | 2025 | Financial Education for Students |
| Ferrum College | Ferrum, VA | $32,000 | 2025 | Financial Education for Students |
Mars Hill University
$57,749Financial Education for Students
Union Commonwealth University
$57,600Financial Education for Students
Financial Education for Students
Union Commonwealth University
$57,000Financial Education for Students
Mars Hill University
$56,894Financial Education for Students
