Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc
The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is a 501(c)(3) community foundation headquartered in Hazard, Kentucky. Established in 2002, the organization operates as a philanthropic institution dedicated to improving quality of life in Eastern Kentucky through community collaboration and asset building. The foundation maintains 12 affiliate community foundations serving 20 counties across the region.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$33.1M
+4.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.5M
-25.5% YoY
Grant Count
90
+28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$39K
-42.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Empowering Appalachian Kentucky communities to thrive through collaboration, asset building, and leadership development.
The foundation's approach centers on three core strategies:
Supporting Communities: Bringing together people, ideas, and resources to build communities and encourage philanthropy by meeting communities where they are rather than prescribing solutions.
Growing Assets: Connecting investors with local people and programs working toward lasting, positive change. The foundation reshapes grantmaking strategy by creating conditions for businesses and programs to succeed, with particular focus on startups and organizations that celebrate Appalachian culture and grow local economies.
Strengthening Leadership: Motivating and developing community leaders while eliminating barriers to growth through sharing experience and expertise.
The foundation has demonstrated particular commitment to economic transition initiatives as the coal industry continues to decline, providing leadership and support to the Appalachia Funders Network—a collaborative of public and private funders working together to build community capacity and promote equitable economic transition into new and emerging sectors.
Grantmaking
The foundation provides fiscal and administrative sponsorships for numerous organizations. Recent grant activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky serves 20 counties across Eastern Kentucky through its network of affiliate community foundations:
Bell, Clay, Laurel, Whitley, Knox, Clinton, Jackson, Leslie, Perry, Letcher, Knott, Breathitt, Floyd, Pike, Johnson, Estill, Lee, Menifee, Powell, and Wolfe Counties.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $33,062,397
- Total Revenues: $8,397,592
- Total Expenses: $9,139,705
- Number of Employees: 35
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $31,500,000
- Total Revenues: $11,800,000
- Total Expenses: $10,600,000
- Total Liabilities: $1,190,000
The foundation has distributed over $30 million directly back into Eastern Kentucky over its 15-year history and has received more than 12,000 grants and donations.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $33,062,397 | $31,549,275 | $29,222,874 |
| Revenue | $8,397,592 | $11,777,632 | $20,144,039 |
| Expenses | $9,139,705 | $10,585,653 | $13,843,338 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $805,827 | $598,044 | $287,460 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
242 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
7 open opportunities from Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc
Appalachian Kentucky Civic Experiment Grant
FOUNDATION FOR APPALACHIAN KENTUCKY INC
Amount
US $5,000 - US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Bonita Compton Scholarship
FOUNDATION FOR APPALACHIAN KENTUCKY INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Civic Experiment Grant Program
FOUNDATION FOR APPALACHIAN KENTUCKY INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Appalachia Service Project ($201,600), Frontier Housing Inc ($158,000), Appalachian Research & Defense Fund of Kentucky (AppalReD) ($50,536).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 East Kentucky Corporation Paintsville, KY | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization | $20,000 |
| A 1 HVAC Jeremiah, KY | disaster relief | $13,400 |
| Adams Plumbing & Heating Whitesburg, KY | disaster relief | $8,500 |
| American Red Cross Eastern Kentucky Chapter Hazard, KY | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization | $7,500 |
| Appalachian Community Fund Knoxville, TN | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization | $25,000 |
| Appalachian Research & Defense Fund of Kentucky (AppalReD) Prestonsburg, KY | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization | $50,536 |
| Appalachia Service Project Johnson City, TN | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization | $201,600 |
| Bobby Howard and Sons Heating and Cooling Whitesburg, KY | disaster relief | $9,300 |
| Breathitt County Community Health Foundation Jackson, KY | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization | $8,300 |
| Buckhorn School Combs, KY | to further the exempt of purpose of the organization | $36,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Kristin Walker Collins – Chief Executive Officer
- Erica Knight – Chief Operating Officer
- Gerry Roll – CEO (referenced in 2022 Annual Report)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kristin Collins | Executive Director | 40 | $87,350 |
| Kathy Atkins | Chair | 7 | — |
| Cory Chesnut | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Keith Gabbard | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Janet Smith | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Danny Maggard | Director | 1 | — |
| Randy Craft | Director | 1 | — |
| Simon Christon | Director | 1 | — |
| Ketaki Bhattacharyya | Director | 1 | — |
| Melissa | Bond | 1 | — |
| Danielle Bocook | Director | 1 | — |
| Casey Michalovic | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2022 Flood Response:** The foundation played a significant role in disaster relief following devastating floods in July 2022 that impacted Breathitt, Perry, Knott, and Letcher counties, killing 39 people and destroying thousands of homes and businesses. The foundation focused on moving money and resources into the hands of affected communities.
Pikeville Community Foundation Awards More Than $70,000 in Funding - The**Community Affiliates Growth:** The foundation welcomed three new affiliate foundations from Knott, Johnson, and Letcher counties in 2022.
**Appalachian Big Ideas Festival:** The foundation hosted a three-day community building experience in fall 2022 in Hazard, Kentucky, bringing together artists, writers, community leaders, business owners, and change makers to explore the region's future.
Pikeville Community Foundation Awards More Than $70,000 in Funding - The**Invest 606 and AIF Partnership:** In 2022, the Appalachian Big Ideas Festival (AIF) and Invest 606 joined together to create a more integrated partnership supporting local businesses through strategic grantmaking.
**GivingTuesday Recognition:** The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky was selected for GivingTuesday's inaugural Community Campaign Accelerator Cohort.
Appalachian Kentucky Civic Experiment Grant Program Awards $90,000 - TheContact Information
Address: 420 Main Street, Hazard, KY 41701
Phone: 606-439-1357
Email: info@appalachianky.org
Website: www.appalachianky.org
Tax-Exempt Status: April 2000 (EIN: 61-1329396)
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc fund?
**Mission:** Empowering Appalachian Kentucky communities to thrive through collaboration, asset building, and leadership development. The foundation's approach centers on three core strategies: • **Supporting Communities:** Bringing together people, ideas, and resources to build communities and encourage philanthropy by meeting communities where they are rather than prescribing solutions. • **Growing Assets:** Connecting investors with local people and programs working toward lasting, positive …
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc?
The foundation provides fiscal and administrative sponsorships for numerous organizations. Recent grant activity includes: • Civic Experiment Grant Program awarding $90,000 • Pikeville Community Foundation awards exceeding $70,000 in funding • Pikeville Community Foundation awards of $60,000 for food security programs The foundation meets national standards for U.S. community foundations as set forth by the Community Foundations National Standards Board at the National Council on Foundations. I…
Where does Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc make grants?
The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky serves 20 counties across Eastern Kentucky through its network of affiliate community foundations: Bell, Clay, Laurel, Whitley, Knox, Clinton, Jackson, Leslie, Perry, Letcher, Knott, Breathitt, Floyd, Pike, Johnson, Estill, Lee, Menifee, Powell, and Wolfe Counties.
What size grants does Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc award?
In 2024, Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc awarded 90 grants totaling $3.5M — an average of about $39K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc's EIN?
Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1329396. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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