Gratitude Grants Awarded to ACF Grantees and Local Schools

Shayne Lopez • September 2, 2022
A couple of months ago, Gratitude Grants were sent to over 60 Athens County-serving organizations and agencies (including Athens County Schools) who have received competitive grants from the Athens County Foundation from March 2020 to the end of 2021. The Gratitude Grant, which amounts to $400 per recipient, was an unrestricted gift to all our partner organizations in recognition of their hard work in serving the community during the last couple of years. The ACF recommended that the funding be used for staff, client, or volunteer appreciation efforts, or be placed in the organization’s budget.

 

The Gratitude Grant was inspired by the 2021 Cornwell Award recognizing the Athens County community. The award recognized the collective and individual efforts of the community members to support one another over the last two years. Even though the pandemic is not officially over, the ACF and funding partners (Rocky Community Improvement Fund, Sisters Health Foundation, and Osteopathic Heritage Foundation) believe it is necessary to pause and express appreciation to the many people who continue to serve and care for our community.

 

The Athens County Foundation’s Cornwell Award is named in honor of local Attorney Foster B. Cornwell, a 4th generation Athenian, and his wife, Helen W. Cornwell. The Cornwells were instrumental in the growth of the Foundation and philanthropy in Athens County. Each year, the Foundation recognizes individuals with the same vision and dedication to the Athens County Community. Historically, annual Cornwell awardees recommend a grant in their honor to an Athens County nonprofit. Instead of making a grant to one organization, we expressed our thanks by awarding Gratitude Grants to everyone who met the criteria.

 

Please join us in showing gratitude by reaching out to the people and/or organizations who have impacted your life since the pandemic began.

 

Allow us to start by telling you, our dear reader, Thank You — for always standing with the Athens County Foundation. Your support means the world to us!

Stacy Strauss is ACF's new Director of Finance and Administration

By Emily Prince • September 1, 2026
Please join us in welcoming our new Director of Finance and Administration, Stacy Strauss. Stacy looks forward to using her skills to strengthen our community! She brings energy, creativity, and a thoughtful approach to her work, along with a genuine ability to bring people together around shared goals. Her experience spans financial management, fundraising and grant writing, program development, business strategy, and developing materials that tell a clear, compelling story.  Just as importantly, she enjoys helping others grow. She has experience leading and training teams, building collaborative cultures, developing recruitment strategies, and finding practical, creative solutions to complicated challenges. Whether working with colleagues, community partners, or other stakeholders, she builds relationships rooted in trust, communication, and a shared commitment to advancing good ideas.

Fall Grant Applications Open

By Shayne Lopez • August 28, 2026
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. 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. 

Pull up a Chair: August Newsletter

By Emily Prince • August 12, 2026
Collaboration and Partnership