Our Commitment to Athens County

Shayne Lopez • April 26, 2024

At Athens County Foundation, we are committed to seeing the strengths of Athens County become even stronger. We are dedicating our programming, investments, and resources to fueling change. We recently launched Project Co-Create , a strategic effort to scale participatory change making throughout the county. We believe that everyone has something to contribute, so our goal is to open the pathways to greater collaboration and spark engagement within the county. We’re committed. We’ll give it everything we have. But we cannot do this work alone. 

We know that people and organizations are also deeply committed to Athens County. To helps us all continue to act on our commitment, we are sharpening the focus what the Commitment to Athens County can look like. Doing one of these things or all of these things will make a difference.

Let us know how you will continue your Commitment to Athens County. We want to hear from you! Please sign up to stay connected and follow us on social media . Together, and with shared commitment, we can Advance Athens County.

project co-create logo

Join us in committing to Athens County:

Be a builder Actively Engage in community conversations and projects
Be an ambassador Represent the spirit of collaboration and inclusion everywhere you go
Be a champion Give the work a greater chance for success by securing and investing resources
Be an innovator Think big and be part of the solution
Be a connector Identify and invite in the strengths and perspectives that surround you
By Emily Prince March 26, 2026
Celebrating Civic Trust and Community Leadership in Athens County
By Shayne Lopez March 19, 2026
We are pleased to announce that the Rocky Community Improvement Fund (RCIF) Spring 2026 grant cycle is now open. Applications will be accepted until April 19, 2026. RCIF supports communities where Rocky Brands employees live and work, directing funding to projects in Nelsonville, Buchtel, Haydenville, Trimble, Murray City, Glouster, Carbon Hill, and surrounding areas. Since 2013, the fund has partnered with the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation to match charitable contributions from Rocky Brands employees.  Eligible applicants include organizations serving Nelsonville, nearby villages, and the broader counties of Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, and Washington. Funding priorities are as follows: Children’s welfare and education Hunger School programs Senior citizens Developmental disabilities Community development and infrastructure Housing initiatives Animal welfare Community beautification Environmental programs Please note that funding is limited, with a total of $50,000 available. We encourage interested organizations to apply early and reach out with any questions.
By Emily Prince March 11, 2026
Advancing Participation in Athens County