BEcome a member

member BENEFITS

Members of the Appalachia Funders Network see their relationships grow and strategies mature, helping them further their missions and deepen their impacts.

View our Member Directory to see the many organizations you’ll be able to connect with and learn alongside.

We believe more informed & strategic grantmakers + additional resources in the region = greater community impact.

Intangible benefits

  • Stronger connections to other grantmakers, investors, and government agencies

  • Thorough analysis of opportunities to advance the region’s economy

  • Expanded access to new resources and initiatives

Tangible benefits

  • Priority registration for any Network Gathering

  • Opportunity to be considered to join the Steering Committee and further guide the Network towards its bold vision

  • Participate in issue-focused Groups, shared learning, and collaborative projects

  • Members-only webinars and discussions

  • "There is a wealth of knowledge among the philanthropy community on projects that directly increase equity, health, and prosperity. The Appalachia Funders Network provides an invaluable platform specific to our region for this community to share and amplify these projects, as well as plan for future collaborations."

    Sara Coplai, Special Initiatives Officer, WNC Bridge Foundation

  • "Blending bigger ideas and information with local action is part of what makes being a member of AFN so valuable to me as a practitioner. I am grateful for a better understanding of regional data, promising opportunities I've gained, and shared strategies that strengthen local work and impact across the broader central Appalachian region."

    Mary Fant Donnan, Executive Director, The Alleghany Foundation

  • "AFN provides immeasurable value by enabling funders and other regional change makers to learn from and with each other. In a rapidly evolving philanthropic sector, AFN membership allows me to build my network, understand emerging trends, and employ best practices shared among peers working in Appalachia."

    Hannah Conover, Executive Director, Grant Ready Kentucky

  • “For more than ten years AFN has provided a forum for both funders and practitioners to come together, share ideas, and build integrated strategies that advance a just transition to a new economy for Appalachia. AFN has been enormously valuable in aligning work both among organizations and across sectors.”

    Peter Hille, President, Mountain Association

MEMBERSHIP LEVELS

Recommended levels of support are based on your organization's total funding in Central Appalachia during the last full fiscal year.

You may pay in a variety of ways: annual dues, an annual grant, and/or targeted support for particular projects, activities, or events, as long as the giving total falls in the ranges below.

Your membership includes participation in one or more Groups.

Many of our members are community foundations, which have limited ability to pay, but a high level of commitment to the region. To help offset the costs for smaller foundations, we ask that foundations with the ability to do so consider contributing above the suggested amount below or consider investor-level or higher contributions.

Beginning in 2024, to promote equity in philanthropy in Appalachia, we invite organizations to sponsor smaller funders (or fiscally sponsored affiliates) for membership. If you are interested in supporting a fellow funder in this way, please Contact Us.

ELIGIBILITY

Membership is open to organizations that provide or are considering funding in Central Appalachia — all of West Virginia and the Appalachian Counties of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. Our members include private foundations, community foundations, family foundations, Federal agencies, financial institutions, CDFIs, and community investors. All members are committed to accelerating an equitable transition in the region. If you’re interested in joining, please complete the AFN Membership Interest Form.

HOW TO JOIN AND PAY

If you are interested in joining AFN, please complete this Membership Interest Form.

Once completed, our staff will contact you with next steps about how to pay and provide a personalized invoice for member dues. Please contact us with any questions about how to join.

HOW TO RENEW AND PAY

AFN staff will send out personalized invoices for all existing members as part of the annual renewal process.

That invoice contains instructions on options to pay.

Please note that we are a learning Network of funders and not a grantmaking organization. However, there may be times when we invite proposals or are able to share funding calls on behalf of other grantmakers. These opportunities will be posted on our careers and news pages.