investing in Athens County
Grantmaking Program
Athens County's greatest asset is its people. Every day, neighbors, organizations, and local leaders bring skill, creativity, and deep knowledge of this place to the work of building a stronger community. Our grantmaking invests in those strengths, because the best solutions are already growing here, led by the people who call Athens County home.
The Athens County Foundation offers competitive grant cycles throughout the year for eligible organizations serving Athens County and beyond.*
*Some of our Donor Advised Funds, like the Rocky Community Improvement Fund, also make grants in counties contiguous to Athens County.
What We Fund
Our grantmaking builds on the strengths already here by investing in the initiatives, people and organizations, relationships, skills, and ideas working to address longstanding challenges and pursue extraordinary opportunities.
Our grants fall into five categories of investment:
| Investment Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Strengthen Organizations | Day-to-day operations, capacity-building, technical assistance, professional development |
| Strengthen Communities | Projects/programs, community events |
| Respond to Community Needs | Basic needs, time-sensitive needs/opportunities |
| Catalyze Change | Seed funding, innovation, collaboration, systems-level approaches |
| Build Community Assets | Capital needs |
Not sure where your idea fits? Contact us! We're glad to talk it through with you before you apply.
Grant Opportunities
ACF Fall Cycle
Our Fall Cycle is an open cycle: all types of requests are welcome.
The Fall Cycle is ALSO the home for our field of interest funds, which are funds created by donors to support specific areas of community life. Field of Interest funds' focus areas include:
- Seniors
- Women and girls
- Racial equity
- Pride
- Outdoor recreation
- Arts
- K–12 education
2026 Timeline
Application deadline: Oct. 2, 2026
Review period: October to November
Announcements: Dec. 2026/Jan. 2027
Rocky Community Improvement Fund (RCIF)
The Rocky Community Improvement Fund (RCIF) supports communities where Rocky Brands employees live and work, directing funding to projects in Nelsonville, Buchtel, Haydenville, Trimble, Murray City, Glouster, Carbon Hill, and surrounding areas. Since 2013, RCIF has partnered with the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation to match charitable contributions from Rocky Brands employees.
Open to eligible organizations in Nelsonville, nearby villages, and the broader counties of Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, and Washington, RCIF supports direct project/program expenses that aligns with Rocky Brands employees’ priority impact areas in this order: children’s welfare and education, hunger, school programs, senior citizens, developmental disabilities, community development and infrastructure, housing initiatives, animal welfare, community beautification, and environmental programs.
2026 Timeline
Application deadline: Oct. 2, 2026
Review period: October to November
Announcements: Dec. 2026/Jan. 2027
ACF Flexible Microgrants
Sometimes a need or opportunity can’t wait for a traditional grant cycle. Flexible Microgrants use remaining grantmaking dollars to provide small, responsive grants for emerging community needs and opportunities.
Flexible Microgrants offer:
- Up to $3,000 to support emergency needs and time-sensitive opportunities
- Up to $2,500 for small community events
Applications are reviewed every two months, beginning in January 2027. Funding is limited and may vary throughout the year.
Before applying, please contact us to confirm funding availability. Once confirmed, our staff will provide access to the application form.
2027 Timeline
Application Deadline: 3rd Friday of every odd month starting January 2027
Announcements: 4th week of the following month
Resources for Applicants
Connect
Shayne Lopez
Program Director,
Grantmaking and Community Impact
