‘Improving the quality of life for all of Adams County.’

By Sherry Larson

People’s Defender

The Adams County, Ohio Community Foundation (ACCFO) is celebrating its fifth anniversary of striving to “Improve the quality of life for all of Adams County.” For many years, an Adams County Foundation was considered. Paul Worley, Adams County Economic Director and Foundation President, said, “The closure of the power plants accelerated the need to create a foundation to support many social needs in the county.”

Board members Linda Stepp and Worley sat with the People’s Defender to elaborate on the foundation’s mission and its focus on people, partnership, and growth. They further explained that Adams was one of the few counties without a foundation where people could be philanthropic. “We have many local organizations and nonprofits, but we didn’t have an endowment fund to maintain that wealth for generations to come.”

In 2019, a group of concerned Adams Countians decided to form the foundation. They filed their Articles of Incorporation and searched for partners to help navigate the process. The Scioto Foundation in Portsmouth was an impressive choice, as they started 50 years ago with a $200,000 donation and have grown that to over $50 million today.

“In our five-year span, we’ve taken a few thousand dollars and grown it to a little over a million dollars,” said Worley. He expressed gratitude to the donors who have supported the foundation and continued, “In those years, we’ve given out 91 scholarships. We’ve also given out 25 community grants ranging from $500 to $1,500.”

The five original volunteer board members of the Adams County Community Foundation are Paul Worley, John Condon and Kent Gulley, local business owners; John Lawler, a local attorney and Mike Pell, President of First State Bank. Linda Stepp, retired teacher and principal for thr Adams County Ohio Valley School District, joined the board two years ago.

Stepp believes that the 91 student scholarships awarded over the last five years are a testament to the foundation’s dedication to community growth. Another positive aspect of partnering with the Scioto Foundation is its involvement in choosing awardees from the applications that Adams County receives. She credited the school districts and guidance counselors for their cooperation in getting the word out about the scholarship program.

“I can’t emphasize enough how valuable the partnership with Scioto County has been. We don’t have the time and manpower to manage and invest the funds conservatively,” said Stepp. Worley explained that the Adams County Community Foundation would need around $10 million to hire staff. Scioto County Foundation had the lowest fees available as a partner and agreed that Adams County would spin off into its own foundation when it was ready. “We want to grow our endowment to the point where we are completely on our own,” said Worley.

Worley highlighted that Adams County prioritizes vocational education and trade training as part of its scholarship program, giving students seeking a certificate rather than a degree an opportunity for financial assistance.

Grant funding is available for nonprofit organizations. Past benefactors include the Adams County Medical Foundation, Adams County Fair, The Wilson’s Children’s Home, Night to Shine and others. Applicants complete a simple grant - one-page application. “It doesn’t fund their effort entirely,” said Stepp, “It’s a partnership.”

Stepp noted one of the foundation’s disadvantages, it needs a visible office and Director. “Do people know we exist?” she asked. She said, “We have many donors, small-dollar donors, and larger-dollar donors—many are county residents, and many are not.” Stepp questioned how to reach folks who grew up in Adams County and want to give back but aren’t familiar with the vehicle the foundation provides.

How can you give back to your community through the Adams County Community Foundation? Worley explained, “Everyone should consult their legal aid or financial advisor, but we can provide options for folks.” He elaborated that when someone passes away, the foundation can be a vehicle for leaving a legacy for a family member or loved one. He said, “These funds are all local and spent and given locally.”

Stepp piggybacked on ways to give, such as cash, assets, stocks, bonds, IRA transfers and other transfers. She also mentioned that individuals can donate online.

The Adams County Community Foundation is growing, and it is an avenue for people to contribute to a cause that is important to them, such as scholarships, grants or an organization with an existing endowment fund with the foundation. Organizations with endowments through the foundation utilize it as a fund manager and can use their funds as they see fit.

“We live in a very giving county,” said Worley, who realizes that some people may require more information about the foundation before making a gift.

For more information, call (937) 544-8659, email infoaccfo.org, or visit www.accfo.org.