The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky concentrates philanthropy in eastern Kentucky with an emphasis on community rebuilding, affordable housing, and long-term disaster recovery in Appalachia. It funds local community development corporations, regional housing developers, faith-based education and training schools, and place-based arts and cultural groups — often providing general operating or program support to organizations that deliver on-the-ground services. The foundation shows a clear preference for repeat investments in trusted regional partners and pragmatic relief and rebuilding efforts that strengthen rural community infrastructure.
Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc gave one of its largest recent grants to Appalachian Community Development Core Inc in Hazard, a $1,544,071 award in 2025. That scale is consistent with a funder that supports institutions doing structural work in eastern Kentucky rather than one-off charitable gifts. Across the recent grants list, the foundation backs housing developers, long-term recovery groups, community development organizations, schools, and regional service providers. Several awards are recurring, including multi-year support for Housing Development Alliance Inc, Appalachia Service Project, Frontier Housing Inc, and Partnership Housing Inc. The pattern points to practical investment in the systems that hold Appalachian communities together: affordable housing, disaster recovery, local education, and community infrastructure. Grants often carry general-purpose language, with awards made “to further the exempt purpose of the organization,” which suggests a flexible approach to operating support or mission support. In addition to the biggest regional housing and development actors, the foundation also funds smaller place-based organizations serving specific Kentucky counties and towns, from recovery teams to faith-based schools and family-resource centers. Its giving shows sustained relationships with organizations already embedded in Appalachian Kentucky.
Housing development is a central theme. In 2023, the foundation gave $1,121,043 to Housing Development Alliance Inc in Hazard, and it later added $207,585 in 2024 and $158,000 in 2025 to the same organization. It also supported Frontier Housing Inc in Morehead with $287,949 in 2024 and $158,000 in 2025, plus $130,000 to Partnership Housing Inc in Booneville in 2023 and $105,000 in 2024. Disaster recovery is another clear lane. The foundation awarded $105,650 to Knott County Long Term Disaster Recovery Group Inc in Pinetop and $104,650 to Breathitt County Long Term Recovery Team in Jackson, both in 2024. For education and youth-serving work, it gave $500,000 to Teach For America - Appalachia in Hazard and $333,000 to Riverside Christian Training School in Lost Creek. Community-based service organizations also appear, including $85,000 to Hindman FRYSC in 2023.
$3.5M
$33.1M
$8.4M
$9.1M
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Concentrated regional giving with several large multi-year or repeat grants to a small set of core grantees; grants skew toward program/general support rather than narrow project funding and combine sizeable awards to established nonprofits with smaller awards to local relief and recovery groups.
Notable grantees: Appalachian Community Development Core Inc, Housing Development Alliance Inc, Appalachia Service Project, SBP (disaster recovery), Appalachian Research & Defense Fund of Kentucky (AppalReD)
Typical awards are modest relative to the largest gifts: the p25, median, and p75 grant sizes are $10,000, $10,000, and $25,000. That distribution sits alongside several very large awards, which suggests a mix of routine operating support and larger strategic commitments. The grant list also shows repeat recipients across years, including Housing Development Alliance Inc, Appalachia Service Project, Frontier Housing Inc, and Partnership Housing Inc. Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc is a public charity, not a private family foundation, and it does not make grants to individuals or program-related investments.
Giving is overwhelmingly concentrated in Kentucky: 94% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top state by grant count is also KY. Hazard appears repeatedly, including awards to Appalachian Community Development Core Inc, Housing Development Alliance Inc, and Teach For America - Appalachia. Other Kentucky places that show up include Morehead, Booneville, Pikeville, Whitesburg, Jackson, and Lost Creek. Outside Kentucky, the foundation made grants to organizations in Johnson City, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana.
Its recent grants go to housing developers, long-term recovery groups, community development organizations, schools, family-resource centers, and arts and culture groups. Examples in the data include Housing Development Alliance Inc, Knott County Long Term Disaster Recovery Group Inc, Teach For America - Appalachia, and Riverside Christian Training School.
Yes. The grant list shows repeat support for several recipients across multiple years, including Housing Development Alliance Inc, Appalachia Service Project, Frontier Housing Inc, and Partnership Housing Inc. That indicates ongoing relationships rather than only one-time awards.
The typical award is $10,000 at both the 25th percentile and the median, with the 75th percentile at $25,000. The distribution is paired with some much larger grants, including seven-figure awards to regional housing and development organizations.
Kentucky is the main geography of giving: 94% of grants go to recipients in KY, and KY is also the top state by grant count. Recipient cities and towns in the data include Hazard, Morehead, Booneville, Pikeville, Whitesburg, Jackson, Lost Creek, and Pinetop.
The recent grants point to affordable housing, long-term disaster recovery, community development, education, and local service infrastructure. Named examples include Housing Development Alliance Inc for housing development, Breathitt County Long Term Recovery Team for recovery work, and Teach For America - Appalachia for education-related support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Community Development Core Inc | Hazard, KY | $1,544,071 | 2025 | To further the exempt purpose of the organization |
| Appalachia Service Project | Johnson City, TN | $201,600 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Frontier Housing Inc | Morehead, KY | $158,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Oakdale Christian Academy | Jackson, KY | $60,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Teach For America Appalachia | Chicago, IL | $51,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Appalachian Research & Defense Fund of Kentucky (AppalReD) | Prestonsburg, KY | $50,536 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| The Marshall University Foundation | Huntington, WV | $50,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Lowe's Home Improvement Store #1819 | Hazard, KY | $46,711 | 2025 | disaster relief |
| City of Albany | Albany, KY | $40,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Concerned Letcher Countians LLC | Whitesburg, KY | $40,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Martha Mary and Me Foundation | Cold Springs, KY | $38,103 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| FaithLife Ministries Inc | Pikeville, KY | $37,500 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Wounded Warrior Project | Topeka, KS | $36,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Buckhorn School | Combs, KY | $36,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Pikeville Area Family YMCA | Pikeville, KY | $32,500 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Southeast Heating & Cooling | Lynch, KY | $31,550 | 2025 | disaster relief |
| New Beginnings Center for Children and Families | Hazard, KY | $31,388 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina | Ashville, NC | $31,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Mountain BizWorks | Ashville, NC | $31,000 | 2025 | disaster relief |
| East Tennessee Foundation | Knoxville, TN | $31,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| United Way of Southwest Virginia | Abingdon, VA | $31,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Frostburg State University | Frostburg, MD | $30,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Mountain Arts Center | Prestonsburg, KY | $29,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Grace Covenant Ministries | Annville, KY | $26,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Pike County Relief Services | Pikeville, KY | $25,171 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Goodwill Pikeville Opportunity Center | Pikeville, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Knott County Long Term Disaster Recovery Group Inc | Pinetop, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Appalachian Community Fund | Knoxville, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Mountain Association | Berea, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation | Charleston, WV | $25,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Discount Auto Brokers Inc | Prestonsburg, KY | $24,500 | 2025 | disaster relief |
| Sandy Valley Habitat for Humanity Inc | Pikeville, KY | $21,782 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Riverside Christian Academy | Lost Creek, KY | $21,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Josh Roberts Heating & Cooling | Whitesburg, KY | $20,200 | 2025 | disaster relief |
| Cowan Community Action Group Inc | Whitesburg, KY | $20,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Lost Creek Vol Fire Dept | HAZARD, KY | $20,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| 1 East Kentucky Corporation | Paintsville, KY | $20,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Leatherwood Re enactment Corporation | Cornettsville, KY | $15,600 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| City of Hindman | Hindman, KY | $15,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Troublesome Creek Stringed Instrument Company | Hindman, KY | $15,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| The Pikeville Community Kitchen | Pikeville, KY | $14,500 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Hindman Settlement School | Hindman, KY | $14,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Clinton County High School | Albany, KY | $13,400 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| A 1 HVAC | Jeremiah, KY | $13,400 | 2025 | disaster relief |
| Taylor Metal Roofing & Siding Co | Prestonsburg, KY | $12,671 | 2025 | disaster relief |
| Redbud Financial Alternatives Inc | Hazard, KY | $12,500 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Journey Christian Church | Hazard, KY | $12,500 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| USO | Washington, DC | $12,000 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| CASA Of The Appalachian Mountains Inc | Hazard, KY | $11,565 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
| Housing Development Alliance Inc | Hazard, KY | $11,555 | 2025 | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization |
Appalachian Community Development Core Inc
$1,544,071To further the exempt purpose of the organization
to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Frontier Housing Inc
$158,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Oakdale Christian Academy
$60,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Teach For America Appalachia
$51,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
The Marshall University Foundation
$50,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Lowe's Home Improvement Store #1819
$46,711disaster relief
City of Albany
$40,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Concerned Letcher Countians LLC
$40,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Martha Mary and Me Foundation
$38,103to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
FaithLife Ministries Inc
$37,500to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Buckhorn School
$36,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Pikeville Area Family YMCA
$32,500to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Southeast Heating & Cooling
$31,550disaster relief
New Beginnings Center for Children and Families
$31,388to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina
$31,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Mountain BizWorks
$31,000disaster relief
East Tennessee Foundation
$31,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
United Way of Southwest Virginia
$31,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Frostburg State University
$30,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Mountain Arts Center
$29,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Grace Covenant Ministries
$26,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Pike County Relief Services
$25,171to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Knott County Long Term Disaster Recovery Group Inc
$25,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Appalachian Community Fund
$25,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation
$25,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Discount Auto Brokers Inc
$24,500disaster relief
Sandy Valley Habitat for Humanity Inc
$21,782to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Riverside Christian Academy
$21,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Josh Roberts Heating & Cooling
$20,200disaster relief
to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Lost Creek Vol Fire Dept
$20,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
1 East Kentucky Corporation
$20,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Leatherwood Re enactment Corporation
$15,600to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
City of Hindman
$15,000to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
The Pikeville Community Kitchen
$14,500to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Clinton County High School
$13,400to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
A 1 HVAC
$13,400disaster relief
Taylor Metal Roofing & Siding Co
$12,671disaster relief
Redbud Financial Alternatives Inc
$12,500to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
Journey Christian Church
$12,500to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
CASA Of The Appalachian Mountains Inc
$11,565to further the exempt of purpose of the organization
to further the exempt of purpose of the organization