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Joining AFN

Be a part of our collaborative network strengthening communities for a just future across Central Appalachia.

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Membership Benefits

Why Join AFN

Members of the Appalachia Funders Network see their relationships grow and strategies mature, helping them further their missions and deepen their impacts. We believe that when more informed and strategic grantmakers are investing increased resources into the region, communities experience greater impact.

Membership Benefits infographic showing key benefits of joining AFN
Intangible Benefits

Relationships, Vision, and Voice

  • Peer Connections

    Stronger connections to other grantmakers, investors, and government agencies

  • Incubations

    Collaborate with other funders in the Network to incubate new initiatives in service of our mission (e.g., the Just Transition Fund, Invest Appalachia, ARC's POWER grant, the Rural News Fund)

  • Cross-Sector Networking

    Work and learn alongside multifaceted funders working toward the common goal of a Just Transition in Appalachia

Tangible Benefits

Programs, Resources, and Access

  • Events

    Member discounts at the Annual Gathering

  • Leadership

    Join one of AFN's Standing Committees or lead in the development or facilitation of AFN's programming.

  • Programs

    Join Communities of Practice, Learning Journeys, and Action Teams to shape the culture of giving in Appalachia.

  • Data & Resources

    Access to members-only webinars, new and timely research on Appalachia's funding landscape, and curated strategic resources for funders

  • AFN Member Portal

    A dedicated online hub where members can access shared documents, track network initiatives, connect with fellow funders, and stay up to date on opportunities across the region

OUR MEMBERS

AFN welcomes organizations that actively fund or are considering funding into Central Appalachia — including all of West Virginia and the Appalachian Counties of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Our members include foundations, federal agencies, financial institutions, community development financial institutions (CDFIs), and other community grantmaking and investing organizations who are committed to accelerating a just transition in the region.

Explore our current members list here →

Common Questions

Membership FAQs

How Can I Join?
  1. Complete our Membership Interest Form. We'll reach out with additional instructions.
  2. We'll schedule a Due Diligence meeting.
  3. If eligible, your application will be considered by AFN's Membership and Steering Committees.
  4. If and once approved, AFN staff will welcome and onboard your organization into the Network.
Who Is Eligible to Join?

Eligible organizations include foundations, government agencies, financial institutions, community development financial institutions (CDFIs), and other community grantmaking and investing organizations who actively fund in the Central Appalachian counties of Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Members must also be non-operating funders.

What Are AFN's Membership Contributions?

AFN bases its recommended contributions on your organization's total self-reported funding in the region during the last full fiscal year.

To promote further equity in Appalachian philanthropy, we invite organizations to sponsor smaller funders (or fiscally sponsored affiliates) for membership. Please reach out to our staff if you have interest in helping sponsor another member organization.

AFN Membership Dues table by funding category and year
How is Membership Renewed?

Every year in the fall, we'll send out personalized invoices as part of our renewal process. These invoices come with instructions on how to renew your membership and payment options. Please reach out if you have any questions regarding renewal or services available to current members.

Ready to work together for a Just future for Central Appalachian communities? Join AFN!

Membership Interest Form →

Member Voices

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 Initiative 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
The Appalachia Funders Network plays an important role in organizing the community investment ecosystem across Central Appalachia. AFN brings capital providers of all types together with community practitioners to build a shared analysis of the region's opportunities and challenges. As regional philanthropy considers new roles in that ecosystem, including providing catalytic capital to move worthy projects forward, AFN will remain a cross-regional venue for organizations to share lessons learned, identify opportunities for collaborative action, and support an even stronger investment ecosystem for the decades ahead.
Deb Markley, Senior Vice President, LOCUS Impact Investing And VCC Social Enterprises