Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc is a public charity based in Elkins, West Virginia. It coordinates the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area, working with willing partners across 16 West Virginia counties and two western Maryland counties to conserve, interpret, and promote forest heritage and support rural communities.
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc at a glance
In short: Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc gave $101K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $8K), mostly in West Virginia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $101,466
- +27.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- +33.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,456
- -4.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $8,941
- Total assets
- $577,478
- -7.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- West Virginia (77% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc
- Review Cycle
- November 30, 2026 is listed for the Appalachian Forest Grants Program.
- Deadline
- November 30, 2026 is listed for the Appalachian Forest Grants Program.
- Next open deadline
- November 30, 2026 (Appalachian Forest Grants Program (Major Grants))
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1206, Elkins, WV 26241
Phone: (304) 636-6182
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc
Appalachian Forest Grants Program (Major Grants)
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc
Amount
$3K – $20K
Deadline
Deadline not published
Appalachian Forest Grants Program (Major Grants)
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc
Amount
$3,000 - $20,000
Deadline
Expected ~November
Based on past cycles
Highlands Creative Economy Initiative
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc
Amount
$197,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation Inc ($14K). Together the top 10 received $90K.
Grant Size Distribution
21 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 21 grants of 21 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The grants program covers 18 counties: Allegany and Garrett counties in Maryland, and Barbour, Braxton, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Morgan, Nicholas, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Tucker, Upshur, and Webster counties in West Virginia. In the 2024 filing, 77% of grant dollars went to West Virginia recipients and 23% to Maryland recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc gives
- 42% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $32K (2020) to $101K (2024). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $101K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation Inc Frostburg, MD | 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. | $13,500 |
| Hardy County Convention and Visitors Bureau Mathia, WV | 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. | $10,000 |
| High Rocks Educational Corporation Hillsboro, WV | 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. | $10,000 |
| Passages of the W Potomac Heritage Area Cumberland, MD | 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. | $10,000 |
| Woodlands Development Group Elkins, WV | 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. | $10,000 |
| Arthurdale Heritage Inc Arthurdale, WV | 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. | $9,494 |
| Future Generations Univ Corp Franklin, WV | Develop a comprehensive preservation plan for the historic Anderson House in Franklin, West Virginia. | $8,388 |
| Friends of Blackwater Thomas, WV | 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. | $6,788 |
| Greenbrier Valley Archaeology Inc Lewsiburg, WV | 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. | $6,000 |
| Randolph Co Park and Rec dba Camp Pioneer Beverly, WV | 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. | $6,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $577,478 | $1,396,416 | $1,402,224 | $101,466 | 12 | — |
| 2023 | $622,732 | $1,085,929 | $1,127,540 | $79,694 | 9 | — |
| 2022 | $567,059 | $1,192,951 | $1,129,251 | $42,320 | Total only | — |
| 2021 | $480,722 | $829,310 | $642,442 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | $193,671 | $785,482 | $745,664 | $31,838 | Total only | $150 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to integrate central Appalachian forest history, culture, natural history, products, and forestry management into a heritage tourism initiative to promote rural community development. Its management plan identifies goals of preserving forest heritage assets; sharing heritage through education, interpretation, and experiences; supporting sustainable tourism and rural economic development; connecting partners; and sustaining the coordinating entity.
The Appalachian Forest Grants Program supports preservation, heritage interpretation and education, tourism development, collections management, America250 stories, Indigenous Appalachia projects, and projects related to the themes Forest Abundance, Crucible of Isolation, the Logging Boom Builds the Nation, and the Resilient Forest. The organization’s 2024 filing also describes AmeriCorps service in conservation, heritage, and community development, as well as programs related to creative economy, pollinators, and Indigenous Appalachia.
Supported organizations include groups focused on historic preservation, education, environmental work, and community development. For example, Arthurdale Heritage describes its purpose as restoring and maintaining community buildings to preserve Arthurdale’s heritage, while Friends of Blackwater says its mission is to educate the public about the environment. Woodlands Development Group says it supports sustainable, affordable housing and regional economic initiatives; Woodlands Community Lenders says it fosters entrepreneurship and community revitalization through capital and technical assistance; and Experience Learning says it develops community members through outdoor learning opportunities.
Grantmaking
The 2024 filing reports 12 grants totaling $101,466, with a median grant of $8,941 and awards ranging from $5,421 to $13,500. The organization’s website separately reports that its 2024 Appalachian Forest Grants program awarded $201,972 to 15 organizations for preservation, interpretation, and tourism development. The filing and the website describe different totals and grant counts.
Notable grants reported in the 2024 filing included $13,500 to Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation for interpretive displays and signage; $10,000 to Hardy County Convention and Visitors Bureau for a museum and travel information center; $10,000 to High Rocks Educational Corporation for historic building repairs; $10,000 to Passages of the Western Potomac Heritage Area for augmented-reality history sites; and $10,000 to Woodlands Development Group for art and interpretation about forest ghost towns. Other awards included $9,494 to Arthurdale Heritage, $8,388 to Future Generations University, and $6,788 to Friends of Blackwater.
The Major Grants Program is for government and nonprofit organizations that are AFNHA partners. Projects are expected to support AFNHA goals and themes and take place within its 18-county area. Awards are listed at $3,000–$20,000 per project. The 2025 application cycle is closed; the next cycle is scheduled to open in Fall 2026, with application materials listed as available beginning October 5, 2026. No application materials or submission process are specified in the available program information.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Logan Smith as Executive Director and David McGill as Vice President. Directors listed are Kent Walker, Deidre Richie, Susan Williams, Jolynn Powers, Michael Dreisbach, Robert Burns, Martha Macgill, and Rexana McCourt.
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc is led by Logan Smith, Executive Director on the 2024 filing; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Logan Smith
Executive Director
New on the 2024 filing
50 hrs/week
$65K (2024)
Robert Johnson
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deidre Richie
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jolynn Powers
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kent Walker
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Williams
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Burns
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martha Macgill
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Dreisbach
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rexana McCourt
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne Beardslee
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David McGill
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Travis Miller
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Jackie Burns (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Phyllis Baxter (2020–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Josh Spiker (2023) — Director
- Former: Erika Marks (2020) — Director
- Former: Terry Hackney (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $65K, to Logan Smith (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc
How much does Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc give each year?
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc gave $101K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $80K across 9 grants.
What is Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc's typical grant size?
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc's median grant in 2024 was $8,941, and its average grant was $8,456, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc give grants?
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc gives mostly in West Virginia: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Maryland (23%). The most frequent recipient cities were Elkins, WV (2 grants).
Does Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc's largest grantees?
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Evergreen Heritage Center Foundation Inc ($13,500), Hardy County Convention and Visitors Bureau ($10,000) and High Rocks Educational Corporation ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc?
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc reported $577K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.4M.
What does Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to integrate central Appalachian forest history, culture, natural history, products, and forestry management into a heritage tourism initiative to promote rural community development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc?
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc's EIN?
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0815517. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/appalachian-forest-heritage-area-inc-morg_82cd16d1a9c54867af374dbfc33d7c50
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200815517_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/appalachian-forest-heritage-area-inc-morg_82cd16d1a9c54867af374dbfc33d7c50},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Appalachian Forest Heritage Area Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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