Appalachian Impact Fund
Social Impact Investing
We are reshaping investment strategy in the region by creating conditions for social enterprises, nonprofits, and community projects to succeed.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Our Mission
AIF’s mission is to advance opportunities in the region that support economic opportunity and build community capacity.
Our Vision
We envision a day when Eastern Kentucky is a place of unique thriving local economies that enhance the existing natural and cultural assets of the region and offer economic opportunity for all people while keeping ownership, assets and wealth rooted in local communities.
Our Approach
How We Make Investments
Applications for impact investments are on an invite-only basis. Our investments support accelerating promising sectors and economic opportunity in the region including funding for: affordable and energy efficient housing, entrepreneurship, rural childcare, arts and culture, local food and sustainable agriculture, and downtown revitalization.
How We Work
The Appalachian Impact Fund blends catalytic grantmaking with creative investment capital to advance opportunity in Eastern Kentucky. We offer general operating support grants, creative capital solutions and technical assistance to community-led organizations, social enterprises, and projects that accelerate economic opportunity and support building community capacity.
Our Objectives
Through real estate development, entrepreneurial ecosystem support, and philanthropic grantmaking, we seek to support economic development that provides good jobs, new economic and entrepreneurship opportunities, increased cultural and eco-tourism opportunities, and helps create vibrant, livable communities that benefit mountain people.
Our Big Picture Goals
Increased investment in new economic development models and expansion of effective strategies
Increase the number of new and retained jobs and businesses in the region
Growth in key sectors in Appalachian Kentucky like local food and agriculture, arts, culture and tourism
Focus
We advance opportunity in Eastern Kentucky through an approach that blends capacity building grantmaking with creative investment capital.
Partners
We collaborate with a network of dynamic grantee partners who help inform our work and we serve as a valuable funding platform for state, regional and national partners invested in our portfolio.
Impact
We measure a series of outcomes to understand the impact and progress being made by our grantee and investment.
National Funding Partners
Our Commitment to Equity
The staff and board of the Appalachian Impact Fund believe in a future for Eastern Kentucky that offers opportunity for all people.
From its inception, AIF has invested in leaders, organizations and initiatives that have historically suffered from a lack of resources due to racial, gender, class and geographic inequities. Some of our earliest investments were in Black, youth, LGBTQ+, and women-led organizations, leaders, businesses and initiatives.
We know that when we center leaders and communities who have traditionally been left out of decision-making power and underfunded by philanthropy, we produce better results for every Eastern Kentuckian. As a result, we will continue to prioritize BIPOC, youth, LGBTQ+, and women- led initiatives within our work and seek out opportunities for how we can best support new leadership in the region.
We believe Central Appalachia has an important role to play in national conversations around equity. The Appalachian Impact Fund seeks to broaden those conversations with a truer understanding of who lives in our region and the many diverse and intersecting lived experiences, solutions, and lessons that Appalachian people have to offer the world.
Regional Impact
since inception in 2017
$1,800,000 in impact investments
through our impact investment portfolio that is supporting energy efficient and affordable housing, commercial real estate development for downtown revitalization, low-interest consumer lending, and lending for small business and entrepreneurship.
$4,660,000 in grantmaking
to regional organizations in support of economic development and opportunity.
Over 1,500 jobs supported
to support entrepreneurship in the Appalachian Kentucky region.
Over $7,500,000 in additional funding
for Appalachian Kentucky leveraged through our grantmaking and investments.
Over 660 total businesses supported
to encourage small business development in the Appalachian Kentucky region.
2021 AIF Impact Investments
HOMES, Inc.
$100,000
homesincorporated.org
Leslie County Betterment, Inc.
$65,000
lcbetterment.org
2021 AIF Grantees
Appalachian Arts Alliance:
$ 3,000
HOMES, Inc.:
$ 5,000
EKY Mutual Aid
$500
Levitt Amp-Whitesburg:
$ 5,000
Cowan Creek Community Center:
$ 30,000
In addition, AIF helped fundraise and distribute over $1,500,000 in flood relief grants to individuals, small businesses, and family farmers in 2021 after historic floods devastated many Eastern Kentucky communities.
Ready to invest?
If you are interested in investing in AIF or if you are a potential grantee looking for investment, please contact Jessica Bledsoe at jessica@appalachianky.org