The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area conserves and shares the rich forest heritage of West Virginia and Maryland by preserving cultural and natural resources, supporting sustainable tourism and rural communities, and connecting partners through education, interpretation, and collaboration.
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc backs projects that interpret forest heritage through preservation, tourism, education, and community development across an 18-county region in western Maryland and the highlands of West Virginia. Its recent grants show a consistent preference for place-based work: a $13,500 award to Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation Inc supported displays and interpretive signage for an exhibit memorializing the Forest Gatehouse, and a $12,500 grant to Woodlands Development Group supported original art for the rehabilitated Tygart Hotel tied to local ghost-town histories. The foundation also funds preservation planning and visitor-facing interpretation, including a $10,000 grant to Hardy County Convention and Visitors Bureau for museum content and travel information materials. Other awards point to the same pattern of funding cultural history, rural identity, and public interpretation of historic sites. The organization operates as a public charity and gives entirely within the United States, with most grants landing in West Virginia and the remainder concentrated in nearby Maryland communities. Its stated themes include Forest Abundance, Crucible of Isolation, the Logging Boom Builds the Nation, and the Resilient Forest, which frame the kinds of projects it supports.
Historic preservation is a major thread in the foundation’s giving. It awarded $10,000 to High Rocks Educational Corporation to restore and repair two historic Main Street buildings threatened by water damage, and $9,494 to Arthurdale Heritage Inc. for bathroom, HVAC, and structural restoration work at the historic Esso Station and Museum. Interpretation and public storytelling appear just as often. The City of Frostburg received $8,125 for wayfinding and interpretive signage at Glendening Park, while Allegany Museum Inc. received $7,925 to preserve and create educational programs and exhibits on Mountain Maryland Traditional Arts. The foundation also supports archaeology-led interpretation and heritage tourism: Greenbrier Valley Archaeology received $10,000 for the Fort Warwick project, which combines archaeology, preservation, and tourism to build new understanding of the site’s history. Arts-based interpretation shows up too, including a grant to Greenbrier Valley Theater for a new play that tours to schools and nearby counties.
$101K
$577K
$1.4M
$1.4M
Most grants fall between $8K and $10K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Typical awards cluster in the low five figures: the first quartile is $7,500, the median is $8,125, and the third quartile is $10,000. The recent record includes both smaller operating-style awards and larger project grants, with most gifts staying near that middle band. The foundation functions as a public charity and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Woodlands Development Group, Arthurdale Heritage Inc., Future Generations University, Greenbrier Valley Archaeology, and Randolph County Parks and Rec, which points to repeat support for some partners rather than one-off awards only. One program, the WV Association of Museums Scholarship, is listed as accepting unsolicited requests; another active program explicitly does not.
Giving is strongly centered in West Virginia: 78% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and West Virginia is also the top state by grant count. The rest of the recent awards reach nearby Maryland communities in the broader Appalachian Forest region. Named recipient cities include Elkins, Mathias, Arthurdale, Franklin, Thomas, Circleville, Beverly, Hillsboro, Lewisburg, and Weston?
Its grants favor forest heritage, cultural interpretation, historic preservation, tourism, and rural community development. Recent awards supported interpretive signage, museum exhibits, historic building stabilization, preservation planning, archaeology-led interpretation, and school touring performances.
No. Most grants go to West Virginia recipients, but the foundation also funds nearby Maryland communities within its 18-county Appalachian Forest region. The recent grant list is 100% U.S.-based, with awards appearing in both West Virginia and Maryland.
The distribution is centered around $8,000 to $10,000. The first quartile is $7,500, the median is $8,125, and the third quartile is $10,000. Recent awards also include larger project grants such as $13,500.
At least one active program does: the AFNHA Major Grants program is listed as accepting unsolicited applications, and the WV Association of Museums Scholarship also accepts unsolicited requests. Another listed major-grants program is marked as not accepting unsolicited applications.
Yes. Several organizations appear more than once in the recent grant list, including Woodlands Development Group, Arthurdale Heritage Inc., Future Generations University, Greenbrier Valley Archaeology, and Randolph County Parks and Rec. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships with some partners.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation Inc | Frostburg, MD | $13,500 | 2025 | The purpose of this project is to develop displays and interpretive signage for an exhibit memorializing the Evergreen Heritage Center's (EHC) Forest Gatehouse, originally built circa 1822. |
| Woodlands Development Group | Elkins, WV | $10,000 | 2025 | The rehabilitated Tygart Hotel will have it's walls covered with original art created by local and regional artists to explore the history and stories of five Ghost Towns in the Monongahela National Forest. The works will be paired with topo maps, historic photographs, and interpretation as well as a guide book/brochure to help visitors and residents locate and further explore the sites of the towns and delve deeper into the history of our region and communities. |
| Passages of the W Potomac Heritage Area | Cumberland, MD | $10,000 | 2025 | The PWPHA would like to add augmented reality sites to the app. These sites would all be historical sites throughout the county. The augmented reality would turn those sites into real-time history sites through the visitors phone and app. |
| Hardy County Convention and Visitors Bureau | Mathia, WV | $10,000 | 2025 | Working with designers, installers, a writer, and continuing our work with consultants finalizing the museum content with the Visit Hardy Executive Director. It will also produce a travel information center and home for Visit Hardy. |
| High Rocks Educational Corporation | Hillsboro, WV | $10,000 | 2025 | We need to restore and repair two buildings on Historic Main Street. We are seeking funding to stabilize both buildings from water damage, which could include replacing and repairing roofing, and other structural repairs to ensure that the building is safe for community use. |
| Arthurdale Heritage Inc | Arthurdale, WV | $9,494 | 2025 | This project will entail upgrading four bathrooms and the HVAC system in our historic Esso Station and Museum building as well as restoring original stone pillars in our furniture factory ruins and restoring the brick chimney at our historic E-2 Homestead house. |
| Future Generations Univ Corp | Franklin, WV | $8,388 | 2025 | Develop a comprehensive preservation plan for the historic Anderson House in Franklin, West Virginia. |
| Friends of Blackwater | Thomas, WV | $6,788 | 2025 | This Project will plan and carry out a two-year series of free, guided outdoor field trips in the Tucker-County-and-neighboring area, led by experienced guides with strong expertise in birdwatching, butterflying, herping, botanizing, and local history. |
| Randolph Co Park and Rec dba Camp Pioneer | beverly, WV | $6,000 | 2025 | To renovate the historic one room schoolhouse that is located on the 4-H Camp Pioneer property and develop the building as a museum featuring the history of 4-H in Randolph County. |
| Greenbrier Valley Archaeology Inc | Lewsiburg, WV | $6,000 | 2025 | The Fort Warwick project combines archaeology and heritage tourism to assist preservation and interpretation. Through tourism and experiential learning, it will create a new understanding of the role of forest resources in frontier settlement and history. |
| Woodlands Community Lenders | Elkins, WV | $5,875 | 2025 | The Lost Towns Network is a regional initiative to help Mon Forest artists develop their business skills and increase their chances of developing a successful career as an artist. |
| Experience Learning Inc | Circleville, WV | $5,421 | 2025 | Edicate youth on the power of place, forest heritage and mountain stewardship |
| Woodlands Development Group | Elkins, WV | $12,500 | 2024 | The rehabilitated Tygart Hotel will have it's walls covered with original art created by local and regional artists to explore the history and stories of five Ghost Towns in the Monongahela National Forest. The works will be paired with topo maps, historic photographs, and interpretation as well as a guide book/brochure to help visitors and residents locate and further explore the sites of the towns and delve deeper into the history of our region and communities. |
| Mountain Heritage Trails Inc | Mathias, WV | $10,000 | 2024 | Identification, research, mapping, and documentation of the process that reveals and redresses overlooked and obscured private and public burial sites of enslaved and free African Americans in Hardy County. |
| Greenbrier Valley Archaeology | Lewisburg, WV | $10,000 | 2024 | The Fort Warwick project combines archaeology and heritage tourism to assist preservation and interpretation. Through tourism and experiential learning, it will create a new understanding of the role of forest resources in frontier settlement and history. |
| Randolph County Parks and Rec | Beverly, WV | $10,000 | 2024 | To renovate the historic one room schoolhouse that is located on the 4-H Camp Pioneer property and develop the building as a museum featuring the history of 4-H in Randolph County. |
| City of Frostburg | Frostburg, MD | $8,125 | 2024 | Installation of new wayfinding and interpretive signage at Glendening Park, a 27 acre municipal recreation facility with walking and cross country trails, fishing ponds, a wetland area, and an Edible Arboretum |
| Allegany Museum Inc | Cumberland, MD | $7,925 | 2024 | Preserve and create educational programs, and exhibits on Mountain Maryland Traditional Arts. |
| Greenbrier Valley Theater | Lewsiburg, WV | $7,500 | 2024 | Development and production of a new play celebrating the rich culture, history and identity of West Virginia. This iteration of the show will tour to schools, both in local and surrounding counties, serving as a pilot program to the larger Educational Touring Initiative (ETI) of Greenbrier Valley Theatre. |
| Arthurdale heritage Inc | Arthurdale, WV | $6,844 | 2024 | Rehabilitation of the historic Esso Station and Museum building as well as restoring original stone pillars in our furniture factory ruins and restoring the brick chimney at our historic E-2 Homestead house. |
| Future Generations University | Franklin, WV | $6,800 | 2024 | This project aims to develop a comprehensive preservation plan for the historic Anderson House in Franklin, West Virginia. It will engage local partnerships to create strategies for restoration, green energy efficiency, and long-term stewardship of a cultural and architectural landmark of Pendleton County. |
Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation Inc
$13,500The purpose of this project is to develop displays and interpretive signage for an exhibit memorializing the Evergreen Heritage Center's (EHC) Forest Gatehouse, originally built circa 1822.
Woodlands Development Group
$10,000The rehabilitated Tygart Hotel will have it's walls covered with original art created by local and regional artists to explore the history and stories of five Ghost Towns in the Monongahela National Forest. The works will be paired with topo maps, historic photographs, and interpretation as well as a guide book/brochure to help visitors and residents locate and further explore the sites of the towns and delve deeper into the history of our region and communities.
Passages of the W Potomac Heritage Area
$10,000The PWPHA would like to add augmented reality sites to the app. These sites would all be historical sites throughout the county. The augmented reality would turn those sites into real-time history sites through the visitors phone and app.
Hardy County Convention and Visitors Bureau
$10,000Working with designers, installers, a writer, and continuing our work with consultants finalizing the museum content with the Visit Hardy Executive Director. It will also produce a travel information center and home for Visit Hardy.
High Rocks Educational Corporation
$10,000We need to restore and repair two buildings on Historic Main Street. We are seeking funding to stabilize both buildings from water damage, which could include replacing and repairing roofing, and other structural repairs to ensure that the building is safe for community use.
Arthurdale Heritage Inc
$9,494This project will entail upgrading four bathrooms and the HVAC system in our historic Esso Station and Museum building as well as restoring original stone pillars in our furniture factory ruins and restoring the brick chimney at our historic E-2 Homestead house.
Future Generations Univ Corp
$8,388Develop a comprehensive preservation plan for the historic Anderson House in Franklin, West Virginia.
Friends of Blackwater
$6,788This Project will plan and carry out a two-year series of free, guided outdoor field trips in the Tucker-County-and-neighboring area, led by experienced guides with strong expertise in birdwatching, butterflying, herping, botanizing, and local history.
Randolph Co Park and Rec dba Camp Pioneer
$6,000To renovate the historic one room schoolhouse that is located on the 4-H Camp Pioneer property and develop the building as a museum featuring the history of 4-H in Randolph County.
Greenbrier Valley Archaeology Inc
$6,000The Fort Warwick project combines archaeology and heritage tourism to assist preservation and interpretation. Through tourism and experiential learning, it will create a new understanding of the role of forest resources in frontier settlement and history.
Woodlands Community Lenders
$5,875The Lost Towns Network is a regional initiative to help Mon Forest artists develop their business skills and increase their chances of developing a successful career as an artist.
Experience Learning Inc
$5,421Edicate youth on the power of place, forest heritage and mountain stewardship
Woodlands Development Group
$12,500The rehabilitated Tygart Hotel will have it's walls covered with original art created by local and regional artists to explore the history and stories of five Ghost Towns in the Monongahela National Forest. The works will be paired with topo maps, historic photographs, and interpretation as well as a guide book/brochure to help visitors and residents locate and further explore the sites of the towns and delve deeper into the history of our region and communities.
Mountain Heritage Trails Inc
$10,000Identification, research, mapping, and documentation of the process that reveals and redresses overlooked and obscured private and public burial sites of enslaved and free African Americans in Hardy County.
Greenbrier Valley Archaeology
$10,000The Fort Warwick project combines archaeology and heritage tourism to assist preservation and interpretation. Through tourism and experiential learning, it will create a new understanding of the role of forest resources in frontier settlement and history.
Randolph County Parks and Rec
$10,000To renovate the historic one room schoolhouse that is located on the 4-H Camp Pioneer property and develop the building as a museum featuring the history of 4-H in Randolph County.
City of Frostburg
$8,125Installation of new wayfinding and interpretive signage at Glendening Park, a 27 acre municipal recreation facility with walking and cross country trails, fishing ponds, a wetland area, and an Edible Arboretum
Allegany Museum Inc
$7,925Preserve and create educational programs, and exhibits on Mountain Maryland Traditional Arts.
Greenbrier Valley Theater
$7,500Development and production of a new play celebrating the rich culture, history and identity of West Virginia. This iteration of the show will tour to schools, both in local and surrounding counties, serving as a pilot program to the larger Educational Touring Initiative (ETI) of Greenbrier Valley Theatre.
Arthurdale heritage Inc
$6,844Rehabilitation of the historic Esso Station and Museum building as well as restoring original stone pillars in our furniture factory ruins and restoring the brick chimney at our historic E-2 Homestead house.
Future Generations University
$6,800This project aims to develop a comprehensive preservation plan for the historic Anderson House in Franklin, West Virginia. It will engage local partnerships to create strategies for restoration, green energy efficiency, and long-term stewardship of a cultural and architectural landmark of Pendleton County.
Current and upcoming funding from Appalachian Forest Heritage Area that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: For AFNHA Partners. Projects must support AFNHA goals within the 18 AFNHA counties and typically relate to AFNHA themes and core values.
Deadline: 2025 cycle closed; 2026 cycle expected in Fall 2026.
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