Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc logo

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Berea, KY EIN: 31-0900246 Website

Mountain Association for Community is a public charity based in Berea, Kentucky, established in 1976. It works with people and communities in Eastern Kentucky to build a new economy through flexible financing, business and nonprofit support, energy services, and community-focused research, communications, and advocacy.

Key facts about Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc

In short: Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc gave $973K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $97K), mostly in Kentucky. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
31-0900246
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$973,146
Grants made (2025)
10
Average grant
$97,315
Median grant
$50,000
New grantees (estimate)
50% first-time grantees (5 of 10, 2025)
Total assets
$35,347,429
Primary geography
Kentucky (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$35.3M

-7.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$973K

+27.2% YoY

Grant Count

10

+42.9% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$97K

-11.0% YoY

Is Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc open to new grantees?

50%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 5 of 10 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $69K; repeat grants $126K. How we count

Medians: $50K first-time, $55K repeat.

  • 30% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−9%). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The organization’s stated mission is to build a new economy by offering flexible loans and technical support to existing and startup businesses and organizations; helping businesses, nonprofits, public agencies, and homeowners find energy savings; and engaging in research, communications, and policy and narrative advocacy. It also works with partners on projects intended to demonstrate what is possible in Eastern Kentucky.

Its programs include lending and business support, energy services such as utility-bill analysis and solar and energy-efficiency assessments, and community initiatives. Business support can connect businesses and nonprofit leaders with consultants, training, and resources. The organization also serves as a fiscal sponsor for networks and nonprofit projects aligned with its mission.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, Mountain Association reported 10 grants totaling **$973,146**. Grants ranged from **$5,050 to $400,000**, with a median of **$50,000**. The largest awards included:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The organization says it serves communities in the 54 Appalachian counties of Kentucky. Its loan inquiry information also says it can serve other states in the Central Appalachian region. For 2025 grants, the reported recipient-state shares were Kentucky 92%, North Carolina 6%, Ohio 2%, and Oregon 1%.

Grant Distribution by State

9states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.

Cities

LondonBereaBooneThe PlainsAthensCharlestonInezWayneBristolElizabethtownHazardKnoxvilleShepherdstownWhitesburgAbingdonBuckhornFlorenceFrankfortHydenLexington

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M16 grants2020 13 grants2021 11 grants2022 5 grants2023 7 grants2024 10 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $637K (2020) to $2.2M (2021). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $973K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Kentucky Coalition: $400KKentucky Coalition$400KAppalacian Investment Corp: $220KAppalacian Investment Corp$220KHousing Oriented Ministries Inc: $134KHousing Oriented MinistriesInc$134KAppalachian Voices: $55KAppalachian Voices$55KLaurel County African American Heritage Center: $50KLaurel County African AmericanHeritage Center$50KMartin County Health Department: $50KMartin County HealthDepartment$50KMartin County School District: $20KMartin County School District$20KPresbyterian Child Welfare Agency: $20KPresbyterian Child WelfareAgency$20KRural Action: $19KRural Action$19KLearning Landscapes: $5KLearning Landscapes$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Kentucky Coalition ($400K). Together the top 10 received $973K.

Grant Size Distribution

46 grants across all recorded years

29<$50K8$50–100K2$100–250K4$250–500K2$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 29 grants of 46 (63%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Kentucky Coalition London, KYSupport Public Ed$400,000
Appalacian Investment Corp Berea, KYUsda Irp Match$220,000
Housing Oriented Ministries Inc Whitesburg, KYSolar Project$134,096
Appalachian Voices Boone, NCAppalachia Coalition$55,000
Laurel County African American Heritage Center London, KYSolar Project$50,000
Martin County Health Department Inez, KYSolar Project$50,000
Martin County School District Inez, KYSolar Project$20,000
Presbyterian Child Welfare Agency Buckhorn, KYSolar Project$20,000
Rural Action The Plains, OHSolar Project$19,000
Learning Landscapes Portland, ORCommunity Project$5,050

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants reported
2025 $35,347,429 $6,960,560 $6,933,941 $973,146 (10 grants)
2024 $38,008,155 $8,094,633 $5,452,825 $765,191 (7 grants)
2023 $35,661,726 $6,043,653 $4,549,571 $721,752 (5 grants)
Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$2.5M$5M$7.5M$10M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$35,347,429$38,008,155$35,661,726
Revenue$6,960,560$8,094,633$6,043,653
Expenses$6,933,941$5,452,825$4,549,571
Net Investment Income$45,726$67,497$63,292

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 8, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 12, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 4, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 25, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 9, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 25, 2025)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Peter Hille (president), William Coomes (corporate vice president), Kacie Zechman (corporate treasurer), Robin Gabbard (president), Toni Wells (corporate secretary), Rhonda Stapleton (corporate secretary), Hasan Davis (chair), Wayne Riley (member), Mandi Sheffel (vice chair), and Ada Smith (treasurer).

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc is led by Peter Hille, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 6 of 10 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Peter Hille

    President

    Board Member & Corporate → Board Member & Corporate President, 2023

    Board Member & Corporate President → President, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $132K (2020) → $167K (2025)

  • Robin Gabbard

    President

    Board Member & Chair → Board Chair, 2023

    Board Chair → President, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $93K (2025)

  • Hasan Davis

    Chair

    Board Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kacie Zechman

    Corporate Tr

    Corporate Treasurer → Corporate Tr, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $42K (2020) → $94K (2025)

  • William Coomes

    Corporate Vice President

    Corporate Secretary → Corporate Vice President, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $78K (2021) → $93K (2025)

  • Toni Wells

    Corporate Se

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $74K (2024) → $80K (2025)

  • Rhonda Stapleton

    Corporate Se

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $74K (2025)

  • Ada Smith

    Treasurer

    Board Member → Board Treasurer, 2021

    Board Treasurer → Treasurer, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Wayne Riley

    Member

    Board Member → Member, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mandi Fugate Sheffel

    Vice Chair

    Member → Vice Chair, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (9)
  • Former: Martina Leforce (2023–2024) — Secretary
  • Former: Corey Craig (2020–2023) — Board Vice Chair
  • Former: Mary Whaley (2020–2023) — Corporate Vice President
  • Former: Jason Coomes (2022–2023) — Corporate Secretary
  • Former: Jodi Stacy (2020–2022) — Board Secretary
  • Former: David Wilkerson (2021–2022) — Corporate Treasurer
  • Former: Holli Powell (2020) — Former Treasurer
  • Former: Megan Naseman (2020) — Corporate Secretary
  • Former: Vonda Poynter (2020) — Board Member & Board Treasurer

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Peter Hille — President: $167KPeter HillePresident$167KKacie Zechman — Corporate Tr: $94KKacie ZechmanCorporate Tr$94KRobin Gabbard — President: $93KRobin GabbardPresident$93KWilliam Coomes — Corporate VP: $93KWilliam CoomesCorporate VP$93KToni Wells — Corporate Se: $80KToni WellsCorporate Se$80KRhonda Stapleton — Corporate Se: $74KRhonda StapletonCorporate Se$74K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $167K, to Peter Hille (President). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: 433 Chestnut St, Berea, KY 40403
Phone: (859) 986-2373
Website: https://mtassociation.org

Frequently asked questions about Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc

How much does Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc give each year?

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc gave $973K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $765K across 7 grants.

What is Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc's typical grant size?

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $97,315, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc that year got $69K on average.

Where does Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc give grants?

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc gives mostly in Kentucky: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was North Carolina (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were London, KY (2 grants) and Inez, KY (2 grants).

Does Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Solar Project" (6 grants).

Who are Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc's largest grantees?

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Kentucky Coalition ($400,000), Appalacian Investment Corp ($220,000) and Housing Oriented Ministries Inc ($134,096), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc?

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc reported $35.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.0M.

What does Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc fund?

The organization’s stated mission is to build a new economy by offering flexible loans and technical support to existing and startup businesses and organizations; helping businesses, nonprofits, public agencies, and homeowners find energy savings; and engaging in research, communications, and policy and narrative advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc?

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check mtassociation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc's EIN?

Mountain Association for Community Economic Development Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-0900246. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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