Synopsis: Effective philanthropy in Appalachia requires more than familiarity with regional data. It requires understanding how place, history, culture, power, identity, institutions, economies, and relationships shape what is possible in a community.
Appalachia 101 is designed to build the contextual intelligence funders need to make more informed, equitable, and place-responsive decisions. Across seven sessions, participants encounter regional scholarship, storytelling, lived experience, and practitioner expertise while continually applying what they learn to their own philanthropic practice.
The goal is not to make participants experts on Appalachia. It is to help them become more thoughtful practitioners within it.
Dates/Times: All sessions will be virtual, and will take place monthly on Thursdays at 1 PM on the following dates:
October 22
November 19
January 21
February 25
March 18
April 22
May 20
By the end of this Learning Journey, participants will be able to:
- Apply greater historical, cultural, and regional context to philanthropic decision-making in Appalachia.
- Recognize how dominant narratives influence perceptions of need, opportunity, leadership, and capacity.
- Understand the geographic, racial, cultural, economic, and political diversity of Appalachian communities.
- Examine how history, class, power, extraction, migration, spirituality, and institutional development shape contemporary conditions.
- Identify community assets, relationships, knowledge, and infrastructure that traditional philanthropy may overlook.
- Apply a place-responsive lens to funding strategies, partnerships, and individual investment opportunities.
Identify concrete changes they can make in how they fund, partner, listen, and show up in Appalachian communities.
Audience: Program officers, foundation staff, philanthropic leaders, donor advisors, impact investors, and intermediaries funding or interested in funding in Appalachia.
To view the full program outline, please visit this link.