A new effort is underway here with the combined goals of providing a vehicle that would allow those who call Clinton County “home” to be able to give back to the community, and at the same time to provide grant funding for projects that would improve life for those living here now, and in the future.

The Clinton County Community Foundation has formed as a non-profit group and will be working locally through an advisory board made up of community leaders.

The inaugural group of CCCF Advisory Board members formed include Steve Morgan (chairman), Keith McWhorter (Vice-Chairman), Alan Gibson (Secretary/Treasurer), Dr. Kathleen Booher, David Cross, Larry Conner and Glenn Ray Smith.

The local Foundation will function as an affiliate of the Foundation of Appalachian Kentucky (FAKY), a regional foundation confirmed in compliance with the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.

The basis of the Clinton County Community Foundation is to offer a means for individuals who want to “give back” to their home community in any number of ways.

Operating under the vision statement recently adopted by the local foundation, “Enhancing the quality of life in Clinton County . . . now and in the future,” the newly founded organization will work toward the goal of utilizing funds to award grants to other non-profit organizations in the county for various projects.

The CCCF also hopes to be able to use funds collected for it’s efforts, to perhaps leverage other grants that would be available for local projects on matching monies basis.

Donations to the CCCF can be made in a wide range of ways, including small individual donations as well as larger more significant donations.

The Foundation is also designed as a way to provide Clinton Countians with a means to utilize estate planning as a method of giving back to the community.

Initially, the Foundation is seeking donations, gifts and endowments of any size

With the initial organization efforts now in the finalization stages, contact efforts concerning methods of donating have already begun, both to former Clinton County residents who currently live in other regions of the country, as well as to those who still call Clinton County home.

Locally, additional details will be made available in coming weeks as programs and plans become more finalized.

While the concept of a Community Foundation is new to Albany and Clinton County, the program has been functioning in other areas of the state and nation on a highly successful basis for many years.

Steve Morgan, who will serve as the Chairman of the Foundation for the first year, noted that after learning about the concept behind a Community Foundation, and especially after learning more about the FAKY program, he decided it would be a very worthwhile venture for Albany and Clinton County.

“I feel the Clinton County Community Foundation can be very beneficial to the people of Clinton County given time, effort and support,” Morgan said recently. “It’s a way to give back to a community that has given my family and I so much.”

A means of serving as a ground level way of getting involved with the Clinton County Community Foundation, the organization has announced that it is initially offering membership in what will be known as the “205 Club”

Originating from the idea that Clinton County is made up of 205 square land miles, the group is looking to gain commitments from 205 individuals to commit to donate $205 a year for at least five years.

Additional information about the Community Foundation concept can be learned by accessing the FAKY website: appalachianky.org.

Materials with details about the local CCCF effort, as well as a dedicated website with locally produced information, is currently being designed and constructed.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the CCCF, can do so by mailing a check or money order to:
Clinton County Community Foundation, P.O. Box 635, Albany, KY 42602.

Any of the seven local Advisory Board members can also provide additional information or answer questions about the program.