Meigs County Foundation
Matching funds available! The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio is providing a 50-cent match for every $1 given to any endowment within the Meigs County Foundation’s family of funds. Matching funds can also be used to help start a new endowed fund and for new documented planned gifts. A total of $300,000 in match funding is available on a first-come, first served basis through Nov. 8, with up to $100,000 in match available per household.
For more information on the 2024 match opportunity, click here.
For information on ways to give to Meigs County, click here.
The Meigs County Foundation was created in 2011 to increase and advance philanthropic activities in Meigs County. The Meigs County Foundation works to attract philanthropic resources in the form of gifts, grants, or bequests to benefit the broader community. It helps everyone give back to Meigs County so the community can invest grants to benefit Meigs County residents.
2022 Annual Report
To view the Meigs County Foundation’s 2022 annual report, click here.
Grant Opportunities
The Meigs County Foundation is partnering with FAO’s I’m A Child of Appalachia® Fund to provide a grant opportunity to nonprofits, schools, and public organizations working to benefit Meigs County residents.
2023 grant applications closed on September 12, 2023.
Helpful Links and Documents:
2023 Grant Recipients
- Bethel Worship Center to support the “It’s Our Time: Meigs Mobile Food and Supplies Outreach”
- Chester Youth Baseball and Softball to improve batting cages for community use
- Columbia Township Trustees to purchase storage cabinets and food for the Blessing Box
- Eastern Local School District received two grants through support from the Buckley Family: (1) to purchase tools, materials and plants the Eastern FFA needs to create a greenhouse and community garden and (2) to purchase tools and supplies needed for the Science Olympiad team to advance in competition
- God’s Hands At Work to purchase food for the Meigs County mobile food pantry
- Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio to support a home build for a Meigs County family in need
- Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio to purchase food for food pantry distributions in Meigs County
- Meigs County Council on Aging to fund upgrades and additions to the Blakeslee Center’s conference/training equipment
- Meigs County Farmers’ Market to support food vouchers for veterans and food-related classes
- Meigs County Schools Food Pantry to purchase food
- Mid-Valley Christian School to purchase instruments for the online music program
- River of Life Food Pantry to purchase food
- Southern Local School District to purchase materials and equipment for the Introduction to Art Program
- Tuppers Plains Youth Baseball to improve batting cages for community use
- Village of Rutland to replace the doors of the Rutland Civic Center’s gymnasium
- The iBELIEVE Foundation to fund the participation of Meigs County youth in the 2024 iBELIEVE Youth Leadership Workshops.
Recent Projects
Before the Meigs County Foundation, many charitable gifts were leaving the community. When residents wanted to make a gift that would benefit the whole community for the long-term, they were looking for partners outside of the county who might have been able to help them. Now, with a fund focused on benefiting Meigs County by investing in its nonprofits, schools, and students, they can give back to Meigs County.
And they in the midst of a bold campaign that will not only make history, but celebrate it too. Endow 200 celebrates Meigs County’s 200th birthday by bringing together 200 gifts of $3,000 each. With gifts stretching over five years that means anyone can be a part of the effort for just $50 a month. These dollars will go into a permanent endowment that will allow the Meigs County Foundation to make grants each year while also growing the dollars available for the community.
“Throughout Meigs County, novel ideas and elbow grease are working to expand opportunities for our neighbors,” said Jennifer Sheets, a committee member of the Meigs County Foundation. “By launching Endow 200, the Meigs County Foundation will be able to invest homegrown dollars into ideas that will have an impact on our local communities.”
Whether you call Meigs County home today or are looking to give back to a place where you grew up, everyone now has the chance to make a difference in Meigs for generations.
Meigs Family of Funds
The Growing Family of Funds includes:
• Meigs County Foundation
• Meigs County Schools Food Pantry Fund
• BraylynStrong Childhood Cancer Awareness Scholarship Fund
• Camp Kiashuta Endowment
• Charles A. and Joan Corder Memorial Scholarship
• Chester-Shade Historical Association Fund
• Eastern Local Alumni & Friends Endowment Fund
• Forrest Bachtel Scholarship Fund
• Karr-Aanestad K9 Foundation Fund
• Meigs Performing Arts Center Fund
• New Haven School Fund
• William M. and Janet P. Betcher Memorial Endowment for Library Services
Meigs Committee Members
The Meigs County Foundation is led by a volunteer committee with strong ties to the Meigs County community. Meigs County Foundation committee members include:
• Bradon Bartee
• Ryan Buckley
• Susan Clark
• John Hoback
• Barb Musser
• Paul Reed
• Charlene Rutherford
• Jennifer Sheets
• Laura Sheets
• Linda Warner
• Frank Blake
• Candice Hess
• Perry Varnadoe (Affiliated Member)
Support the Meigs Community
Gifts to the Meigs County Foundation are tax deductible and can be made in many ways, including cash, bequests, and life insurance. Donations can be made online by designating the Meigs County Foundation when donating. To mail your donation, please designate the Meigs County Foundation and mail to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, PO Box 456, Nelsonville, OH 45764.
