Opportunity Overview
The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) Investing in Libraries as Community Builders grants support public libraries in 32 Appalachian Ohio counties with civic-health and community-building projects. FAO is offering this opportunity in partnership with the Trust for Civic Life, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
Funding and Deadline
A total of $250,000 is available. Eligible public libraries may request up to $20,000. Applications are accepted through October 22, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. FAO materials reviewed by Atlas do not state a deadline time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Funded project activities must be completed by July 31, 2027.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are public libraries based in the following 32 Appalachian Ohio counties: Adams, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton and Washington. Dr. Miltie/QC Healthcare is not a direct eligible applicant.
Allowable Project Scope and Cost Share
Funding supports library-led civic experiments that remove barriers to participation, repeatedly bring together residents who have not previously been engaged with one another or the library around a shared interest or unmet need, or integrate volunteers and community members as program leaders. Examples include outreach beyond library walls, bookmobile-linked programming, assisted-living and retirement-home services, healthy-eating cooking classes and demonstrations, community conversations and new lending or skills-sharing programs. No mandatory match or cost-share requirement is stated in the current controlling opportunity materials. Detailed portal budget categories should be followed for the applicant’s proposed project.
Application and Required Materials
Applications must be submitted electronically through FAO’s Foundation Cloud Community Portal. First-time applicants must register for an account; returning applicants use their existing account. Late or incomplete proposals will not be considered. The proposal must include a project description and budget, commitment to report required participation and civic-health metrics, and agreement to participate in a virtual Fall 2027 convening with other funded libraries. FAO requires funded libraries to track the number of people served, including current, new and repeat patrons, and participant responses to the three required civic-health questions stated in the opportunity. Applicant-controlled statements, budgets and commitments must be completed by the applying library and must not be fabricated.
Evaluation Criteria
FAO will evaluate whether the project increases community involvement and gathering, creates new or deeper inclusive civic opportunities, clearly identifies the populations to be reached, and explains how required civic-health and belonging questions will be integrated into evaluation.
Contact and Amendments
The published grant contact is Kelly Morman at kmorman@ffao.org. FAO also lists 740-753-1111 and info@ffao.org. An applicant webinar is scheduled for September 30, 2026 at noon; the opportunity page does not state a webinar time zone. No amendment or addendum notice was identified on the current controlling opportunity page as of September 12, 2026.
Atlas Fit Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 61/100. This is a well-defined Ohio public-library grant with meaningful education, community-health and access possibilities, but it is limited to civic-health programming and awards are capped at $20,000.
N9+ Fit Score: 8/100. N9+ should not be forced into this opportunity. The solicitation is for library-led civic engagement and community-building work, not connected clinical examination technology. A vendor role would only be defensible if an eligible library independently designs an allowable project and selects a service or item that directly supports that project.
Realistic Applicant Profile
Athens County Public Libraries is a realistic eligible organization because Athens County is expressly eligible and the system operates seven library buildings, locker libraries and bookmobile outreach. Its current outreach model includes service to senior centers, community resource locations and public events, which aligns naturally with FAO’s examples of reaching residents beyond library walls. No application intent, project commitment or partnership is assumed.
Verification basis: Foundation for Appalachian Ohio current Investing in Libraries as Community Builders grant page and current FAO affiliate deadline listings; Athens County Public Libraries official materials; reverified September 12, 2026.