Appalachian Kentucky Civic Experiment Grant Program

The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky has introduced the Appalachian Kentucky Civic Experiment Grant Program, a funding initiative designed to support civic engagement and problem-solving efforts within the Appalachian Kentucky region. This program is underwritten by the Trust for Civic Life, a project sponsored by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, with the aim of empowering local individuals, groups, and organizations to pilot innovative and community-rooted initiatives. The foundation’s mission is grounded in the values of equity, resilience, community, and hope, which are embedded throughout the program’s structure and evaluation criteria. This grant program is intended to support civic entrepreneurs and changemakers who are directly engaged with the challenges facing their communities. Projects should be achievable within a twelve-month timeframe and focus on fostering civic participation, enhancing the common good, and strengthening community ties. The program encourages applicants to test new or creative solutions that address real, localized needs, with an emphasis on sustainable impact and community involvement. Proposals will be evaluated on several criteria, including the novelty and creativity of the idea, the potential for positive community impact, and alignment with the foundational values promoted by the funder. Applicants are expected to clearly describe who they are, what they propose to do, where the project will take place, why the initiative matters, and how success will be measured. Submissions should outline a realistic implementation plan and describe how the work could inspire continued engagement or future initiatives beyond the grant period. The grant offers funding awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, with the total program funding capped at $90,000. The funders anticipate making between five and twenty awards. Funds are to be used exclusively for the proposed project, and recipients will be responsible for providing updates and a final report detailing their outcomes and lessons learned. The application portal for the current cycle opened on Wednesday, January 7, and closed on Tuesday, February 17 at 11:59 p.m. Awards were to be reviewed on a rolling basis as applications were received, incentivizing early submissions. While this specific cycle has concluded, the structure of the program suggests the potential for future rounds, particularly given the involvement of sustained philanthropic partners and the emphasis on long-term civic empowerment. At this time, there is no explicit information regarding pre-application requirements such as a letter of intent or concept paper. Applicants could apply directly via the foundation’s grant portal. The funder also provides online guidance for account setup to ease the application process for first-time users.