Sugar Bush Foundation

10/09/2026

The Sugar Bush Foundation, Athens County Foundation, and Nonprofits LEAD are partnering to explore a monthly learning cohort for leaders of rural nonprofits who want to strengthen and diversify their fundraising beyond foundation and government grants. Led by a fundraising and communications expert, the cohort would help organizations build sustainability and raise more unrestricted revenue. This short survey will help us understand what organizations are doing now, where they could use support, and which topics would be most valuable. You can take the short survey here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/ybeLF9AhMi

10/05/2026

What if a solar panel was too damaged to sell but still useful enough to generate power?

Through the Maximize Solar, Minimize Waste project, students in OHIO Mechanical Engineering are working with the Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development to explore how lightly damaged solar panels can be safely reused rather than discarded.

The goal is twofold: reduce waste and expand access to solar energy for nonprofits and low-income housing providers across the region. Innovation is not always creating something new or novel, it can start by asking a simple question: what still has value before we call it waste? What community resources are overlooked but have immense value?

09/28/2026

Do you have a project idea that could improve the quality of life and environment in Appalachian Ohio?

Letters of Inquiry are now open for projects that bring together an Ohio University partner and a community-based nonprofit or government partner, that make a lasting impact on lives, local food systems, socio-economic development, and/or the environment of Appalachian Ohio. Sugar Bush projects are jointly designed, meaning both partners help shape the work, share ownership, and bring their own expertise to the table. Every project provides meaningful engagement opportunities for OHIO students.

📅 Letters of Inquiry are due November 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Find the LOI template, submission details, and project requirements at:
give.ohio.edu/advancement/sugar-bush/funding.

09/22/2026

This summer, the Sugar Bush Foundation deployed a one-time Project Stabilization Fund to support our partners facing operational funding shortfalls. These funds are meant to stabilize work already underway, helping project teams through short-term funding challenges so the people behind that work can keep it moving forward.

We are grateful to every team that submitted a request. Hearing about the challenges each team is navigating was important.

Here's where the funds are going:

$11,500 to Community Food Initiatives to support the Farm Operations Manager, a position shared with the OHIO Student Farm and central to the Foodways Innovation project, following loss of a federal grant.

$3,500 to the Athens County Independent to support its Graduate Assistant covering the Environmental Beat during Ohio University breaks, keeping important environmental reporting going year round.

09/15/2026

In Southeastern Ohio, the Athens Conservancy, in collaboration with OHIO’s Honors Tutorial College and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, is working to expand local capacity for land conservation.

With $49,000 in Sugar Bush Foundation support awarded to the Building Workforce Capacity for Land Protection in Southeastern Ohio project team, funding will be split among partners to create student internships and coursework opportunities that bring conservation practice out of the classroom and into the region.

By connecting conservation work with hands-on student learning, the collaborative partnership is helping strengthen both the region’s protected lands and the next generation of conservation professionals.

09/10/2026

What if single use sterilization wrap could become something useful? ♻️

With $50,000 in Sugar Bush Foundation support, Rural Action and Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service are partnering to give used OhioHealth sterilization wrap a second life, turning the material into tote bags, clothing, and other products.

The project also creates hands-on opportunities for OHIO and Hocking College students while engaging individuals facing employment barriers. It’s a practical example of the circular economy in action: reducing waste, creating opportunity, and keeping resources in use longer.

09/08/2026

Sometimes the impact of a program is where someone decides to go next.

Through her experience as a student intern with the Sometimes the impact of a program is where someone decides to go next.

Through her experience as a student intern with the OHIO Rural Teacher Partnership, Jae Chance shared how the program influenced the way she sees her own future, including her desire to become an educator here in Appalachia and give back to the communities that helped shape her. For Jae, that means paying it forward.

The Rural Teacher Partnership is not only creating learning opportunities for rural students and educators; it is also helping future educators see a place for themselves in Appalachian communities.

, OhioUniversity

09/04/2026

The Sugar Bush Foundation has awarded $386,266 to seven Ohio University–community partnerships for the 2026–27 fiscal year, supporting work in local food systems, environmental sustainability, education, conservation, journalism, and regional economic development.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be highlighting each funded project and the partners working together to strengthen communities across Appalachian Ohio.

Since its founding, the Sugar Bush Foundation has awarded more than $5.1 million to projects connecting Ohio University with nonprofit partners throughout the region. Follow along as we introduce the FY 2026–27 funded projects!

09/03/2026

We are pleased to welcome Mary Nally, Southeast Ohio Regional Liaison for the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council, to the Sugar Bush Foundation Board as a member. A lifelong resident of Southeast Ohio, Mary is deeply committed to strengthening the long-term resilience and sustainability of Appalachian communities.

Trained in asset-based community development, Mary brings extensive experience in civic participation, regional sustainability, and social justice. She holds an MS in Environmental Studies and a BA in Social Work from Ohio University.

Mary spent over a decade supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, chemical dependency, and brain disorders before focusing on community health policy and food justice. From 2018 to 2025, she served as Director of OU’s Center for Campus and Community Engagement, leading collaborative initiatives and facilitating the university’s Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.

Please join us in welcoming Mary!

06/30/2026

We love seeing the success of individuals whose journeys have intersected with the Sugar Bush Foundation!

Congratulations to Renee Steffen on joining the George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service Advisory Board. Renee's graduate assistantship with the Nonprofit Alliance during her MPA program was made possible through Sugar Bush Foundation support, helping launch a career dedicated to strengthening communities across our region.

Congratulations, Renee! We're proud to have been a small part of your journey and look forward to all you'll continue to accomplish.

Renee Steffen, '11, brings years of nonprofit experience to the table as the newest member of the Voinovich School Advisory Board.

While working on her Master of Public Administration, Renee had a graduate assistantship that focused on getting to know the nonprofit community in Athens County and the surrounding region. After graduation, she has remained in the nonprofit space ever since.

“I've always appreciated that positive relationship with faculty and staff and feel blessed to be able to give that back by serving on the advisory board to show my support of them and the region.”

📰 ohio.edu/news/2026/06/steffen-adds-nonprofit-perspective-voinovich-school-advisory-board