The Upper Cumberland Community Foundation aims to enhance the quality of life for residents of Bell, Clay, Knox, Laurel, and Whitley Counties as Eastern Kentucky’s only regional affiliate. Their focus encompasses supporting vulnerable populations through investments in senior services, early child development, homelessness, addiction recovery, mental health, and education. They strive to incubate charitable ideas, create a regional disaster relief fund and promote local philanthropy to address regional needs.
The grant program from the Upper Cumberland Community Foundation is designed with the following broad goals: to support organizations that assist vulnerable populations addressing issues such as senior services, early child development, homelessness, addiction recovery, mental health, and education; to encourage the growth of charitable initiatives by increasing the number of named funds and fiscal sponsorships, as well as fostering new local nonprofits; to establish a regional disaster relief fund to complement existing aid sources like FEMA, SBA, and the Red Cross; and to promote local philanthropy to meet the unaddressed needs within the region.