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Appalachian Stewardship Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Appalachian Stewardship Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$262k
Granted FY2024still arriving
9
Grants FY2024still arriving
4
States reached
$50k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0199% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Environment$2.0MEducation$18kArts & Culture$5kOther$0
02FY2024 · 9 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • $10k–50k7 grants · $162k
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $100k
$25,000
Median grant
4
States reached
$2.3M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Canaan Valley Institute$50,000
Individual grant recipient$50,000
Friends of the Cheat$40,000
Solar United Neighbors$25,000
WV Rivers Coalition$25,000
Three Rivers Waterkeeper$25,000
Allegheny Blue Ridge Alliance$20,000
WV Highlands Conservancy$15,000
Radford University$12,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–24) land where the poverty rate runs at 15%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 87% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%Three Rivers Waterkeeper: $35k → 11%Potomac Valley Audubon Society: $25k → 9%Friends of Cheat: $50k → 14%Fairmont State University: $27k → 15%Friends of Blackwater Canyon: $20k → 16%The Nature Conservancy: $50k → 17%West Virginia Land Trust: $35k → 18%Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition: $20k → 18%Appalachian Mountain Activists: $50k → 18%Eberly College WVU: $30k → 19%Marshall University: $30k → 19%The Nature Conservancy: $50k → 7%Wild Virginia: $40k → 8%Protect Our Water Heritage Rights: $30k → 12%Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance: $35k → 13%Three Rivers Waterkeeper: $25k → 11%Solar United Neighbors: $25k → 14%Friends of the Cheat: $40k → 14%Canaan Valley Institute: $50k → 16%The Nature Conservancy: $50k → 17%Appalachian Mountain Advocates: $50k → 18%Peoples Climate Solutions: $29k → 19%Wild Virginia: $30k → 8%Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance: $35k → 13%Solar United Neighbors: $25k → 14%Friend of Cheat: $30k → 14%Canaan Valley Institute: $38k → 16%Appalachian Mountain Voices: $50k → 18%Allegheny Blue Ridge Alliance: $25k → 13%Canaan Valley Institute: $35k → 16%WV Rivers Coalition: $35k → 18%Appalachian Mountain Advocates: $40k → 18%West Virginia University: $41k → 19%Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance: $25k → 13%Canaan Valley Institute: $25k → 16%WV Rivers Coalition: $28k → 18%Appalachian Mountain Advocates: $35k → 18%WV Water Research Institute: $34k → 19%Allegheny Blue-Ridge Alliance: $25k → 13%WV Rivers Coalition: $25k → 18%Appalachian Mountain Advocates: $25k → 18%WV Water Research Institute: $33k → 19%West Virginia Rivers Trout Unlimi: $25k → 18%Appalachian Headwaters: $25k → 18%West Virginia University: $25k → 19%WV Rivers Coalition: $25k → 18%Downstream Strategies: $50k → 19%WV Rivers Coalition: $25k → 18%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

67%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.3M · 13 repeat orgs$675k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +109% since the first grant, against +2% for those funded once.

13 repeat relationships: 5 still active in FY2024, 8 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

13
22

Total granted

$1.3M
$558k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+109%
+2%

Still filing today

77%
27%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 55% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $117k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EnvironmentArts & CultureOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • AM
    APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN ADVOCATES INC
    5× · 2017–2021 · $170k · revenue +69%
  • WV
    WEST VIRGINIA RIVERS COALITION INC
    6× · 2017–2024 · $158k · revenue +311%
  • WV
    WILD VIRGINIA INCORPORATED
    6× · 2018–2023 · $140k · revenue +109%

Funded once

  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2020 · $50k
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2023 · $50k
  • DS
    Downstream Strategies
    one grant, 2023 · $50k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
West Virginia Land Stewardship Corporation

To promote sustainable economic development by facilitating reuse of commercial, industrial, and mining sites and providing long-term management of key risks from legacy environmental concerns.

Community Improvement
2
The Vermont River Conservancy Inc

Protect land along rivers, lakes and wetlands of vt; protect public access, wildlife habitat, scenic natural beauty, and ecological integrity.

Human Services
3
New River Conservancy

To protect the water woodlands and wildlife of the New River Watershed.

Environment
4
Appalachian Voices

Appalachian voices brings people together to protect the land, air, and water of central and southern appalachia and advance a just transition to a generative and equitable clean energy economy.

Environment
5
Historic Virginia Land Conservancy

Promoting for the benefit of the general public, the preservation, protection and enjoyment of our natural resources, principally in the lower james, york, rappahannock and chowan rivers and surrounding watersheds.

Environment
6
West Virginia Association of Conservation Districts Inc

Promotes the conservation of natural resources

Environment
7
Penns Valley Conservation Association

To serve as a steward for the natural and cultural communities in the upper Penns Creek Watershed. We seek to preserve and Honor the agricultural roots of Penns Valley by protecting and conserving its waters, farmland, forests and rural…

Environment
8
James River Association

The mission of the james river association is to be guardian of the james river. we provide a voice for the river and take action to promote conservation and responsible stewardship of its natural resources.

Environment
9
Virginias United Land Trusts

Virginias United Land Trusts was founded to promote conservation statewide and to coordinate conservation planning and green infrastructure. The Organization offers training and educational programs, like our annual Virginia Land…

Environment
10
Mountain Valleys Resource Conservation & Development Council

To initiate actions that will improve economic conditions, enhance and/or preserve natural resources and balance land and water management activities in a widely divergent geographic area of North Carolina.

Environment
11
Virginia Environmental Endowment

The endowment's mission is to improve the quality of the environment by using its capital, expertise, and resources to fund projects and programs that encourage all sectors to work together to prevent pollution, improve water quality,…

Environment
12
The James River Basin Partnership

To improve and protect the water quality in the james river watershed and table rock lake.

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is West Virginia Rivers Coalition Inc; the most unlike its peers is Solar United Neighbors Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

19 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 19 of the 40 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
7
Early backer (in before they grew)
19/19
Grantees still filing
10/19
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

ALLEGHENY-BLUE RIDGE ALLIANCE: $185,000 · EnvironmentALLEGHENY-BLUE RIDGE ALLIANCEAPPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN ADVOCATES INC: $170,000 · EnvironmentAPPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN ADVOCATES INCWEST VIRGINIA RIVERS COALITION INC: $157,500 · EnvironmentWEST VIRGINIA RIVERS COALITION INCCANAAN VALLEY INSTITUTE: $148,391 · EnvironmentCANAAN VALLEY INSTITUTEWILD VIRGINIA INCORPORATED: $139,500 · EnvironmentWILD VIRGINIA INCORPORATEDGREEN FORESTS WORK INC: $110,000 · EnvironmentGREEN FORESTS WORK INCTHREE RIVERS WATERKEEPER: $60,000 · EnvironmentSolar United Neighbors Inc: $50,000 · EnvironmentFRIENDS OF THE CHEAT INC: $40,000 · Environment+6 more: $119,700 · Environment+6 moreThe Nature Conservancy: $100,000 · OtherThe Nature ConservancyWest Virginia University: $84,320 · OtherWest Virginia UniversityWV Water Research Institute: $66,937 · OtherWV Water Research InstituteIndividual grant recipient: $50,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientIndividual grant recipient: $50,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientIndividual grant recipient: $50,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipientTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $50,000 · OtherTHE NATURE CONSERVANCYDownstream Strategies: $50,000 · OtherDownstream StrategiesOHIO RIVER VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION: $40,000 · OtherEberly College WVU: $36,064 · OtherWV Water Research Insitute: $35,000 · OtherProtect Our Water Heritage Rights: $30,000 · OtherMarshall University: $30,000 · OtherIndividual grant recipient: $30,000 · Other+10 more: $178,620 · Other+10 moreSCIENCE MUSEUM OF WESTERN VIRGINIA: $5,000 · Arts & Culture
Environment$1,180,091Other$880,941Arts & Culture$5,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetALLEGHENY-BLUE RIDGE ALLIANCE: $185,000 over 7y, 23% of budgetAPPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN ADVOCATES INC: $170,000 over 5y, 5.3% of budgetWEST VIRGINIA RIVERS COALITION INC: $157,500 over 6y, 5.8% of budgetCANAAN VALLEY INSTITUTE: $148,391 over 4y, 2.5% of budgetWILD VIRGINIA INCORPORATED: $139,500 over 6y, 11% of budgetGREEN FORESTS WORK INC: $110,000 over 2y, 6.3% of budgetTHREE RIVERS WATERKEEPER: $60,000 over 2y, 7.5% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $50,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetSolar United Neighbors Inc: $50,000 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetFRIENDS OF THE CHEAT INC: $40,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetOHIO RIVER VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION: $40,000 over 3y, 3.6% of budgetTHE WEST VIRGINIA LAND TRUST INC: $35,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetPOTOMAC VALLEY AUDUBON SOCIETY INC: $29,700 over 2y, 4.0% of budgetAPPALACHIAN HEADWATERS INC: $25,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetWest Virginia Highlands Conservancy Inc: $15,000 over 1y, 5.4% of budgetFRIENDS OF DECKERS CREEK INC: $10,000 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetSCIENCE MUSEUM OF WESTERN VIRGINIA: $5,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds ALLEGHENY-BLUE RIDGE ALLIANCE ↗
  • Who funds APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN ADVOCATES INC ↗
  • Who funds WEST VIRGINIA RIVERS COALITION INC ↗
  • Who funds CANAAN VALLEY INSTITUTE ↗
  • Who funds WILD VIRGINIA INCORPORATED ↗
  • Who funds GREEN FORESTS WORK INC ↗
  • Who funds THREE RIVERS WATERKEEPER ↗
  • Who funds THE NATURE CONSERVANCY ↗
  • Who funds Solar United Neighbors Inc ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF THE CHEAT INC ↗
  • Who funds OHIO RIVER VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION ↗
  • Who funds THE WEST VIRGINIA LAND TRUST INC ↗
  • Who funds POTOMAC VALLEY AUDUBON SOCIETY INC ↗
  • Who funds APPALACHIAN HEADWATERS INC ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF BLACKWATER INC ↗
  • Who funds West Virginia Highlands Conservancy Inc ↗
  • Who funds FRIENDS OF DECKERS CREEK INC ↗
  • Who funds SCIENCE MUSEUM OF WESTERN VIRGINIA ↗
  • Who funds ENERGY EFFICIENT WEST VIRGINIA ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

PatagoniaorgThe Dunn Foundation I…Rockefeller Family Fu…Rockefeller Philanthr…Nonprofit Partners IncTortuga Charitable Fo…National Fish and Wil…Common Stream Inc #07…The New World Foundat…Richard King Mellon F…The Heinz EndowmentsCharlottesville Area …
PatagoniaorgCA22.8× affinity9 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Patagoniaorg · The Dunn Foundation Inc · Rockefeller Family Fund Inc · Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc · Nonprofit Partners Inc · Tortuga Charitable Foundation · National Fish and Wildlife Foundation · Common Stream Inc #0745935 · The New World Foundation · Richard King Mellon Foundation · The Heinz Endowments · Charlottesville Area Community Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Appalachian Stewardship Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Appalachian Stewardship Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2023
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%2%6%14%25%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    5report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
    05Through Plinth

    Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

    How do I get to Appalachian Stewardship Foundation?

    Find your warmest path to Appalachian Stewardship Foundation through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

    Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 40 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Appalachian Stewardship’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home