Edge of Appalachia Fund Opens $100,000 for Local Grants and Scholarships

The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and The Nature Conservancy announced that the Edge of Appalachia Adams County Fund is now accepting applications for 2025 grants and scholarships, a local funding opportunity aimed at strengthening conservation and community services in Adams County. Applicants may submit proposals online and the deadline for all submissions is Tuesday, December 9, 2025. The fund made $100,000 available for grant awards this year, with individual grants capped at $25,000. Scholarship support is also available for Adams County students pursuing eligible fields such as ecology, forestry, land stewardship, trades and vocational programs related to rural infrastructure and health, and community and cultural studies.

The fund’s stated priorities include projects that build connections between people and nature, protect natural resources, and reduce disparities by improving food security, education, or local health services. Over the past two years the Edge of Appalachia Adams County Fund has awarded nearly $193,000, and the program is advised by Adams County residents. The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio hosts the application portal and a frequently asked questions page to guide applicants, and detailed program information has been published in the People’s Defender and is available through FAO.

For local organizations and residents the fund presents both immediate and longer term economic effects. Grant awards of up to $25,000 can finance community gardens, conservation access programs, workforce training, or upgrades to local health and educational services, projects that often act as catalysts for additional funding and volunteer engagement. Scholarship support targets the county’s human capital needs by helping students enter fields that sustain rural infrastructure and natural resource stewardship. In economic terms these investments support local labor markets, strengthen service capacity, and preserve natural assets that undergird tourism and outdoor recreation.

Eligibility is open to public and nonprofit organizations serving Adams County and to groups applying with a fiscal sponsor. The application process is designed to be accessible through the FAO online portal where applicants can also find contact information for questions. With a clear submission deadline and a focused set of funding priorities, the Edge of Appalachia Adams County Fund aims to channel modest but strategic capital into projects that address both environmental conservation and community equity.

Local leaders and nonprofit managers should assess proposals now, given the limited timeline and the competitive nature of awards. Investments through this fund could yield measurable improvements in food access, education outcomes, and health service reach, while building local capacity for conservation and sustainable economic activity in Adams County.