James Graham Brown Foundation Provides Grant to Fahe to Support Work in Eastern KY
Funds will boost disaster recovery and resilience in region as well as help build modular homes for low-income families and workforce housing
LOUISVILLE, KY – The James Graham Brown Foundation has committed to delivering a $1,850,000 grant to Fahe, a purpose-driven network serving Appalachian states, including Kentucky, and providing boots-on-the-ground leadership throughout its target region. The grant will be applied over a three-year period, supporting Fahe’s capacity to leverage federal and state funding for housing for long-term flood recovery. Additionally, grant funds will be used to support Fahe’s member Frontier Housing in their work to build modular housing for low-income families in the same Eastern Kentucky region.
Fahe’s efforts align with the James Graham Brown Foundation’s existing Community and Economic Development Strategy for Eastern Kentucky. The grant will enable Fahe to hire staff to support local municipalities and execute projects with federal funding. Another portion of the grant will be committed to Frontier Housing, a Fahe partner, who will implement DreamBuild Kentucky – focusing on the efficient and affordable construction of code-compliant modular housing for low-income families. Fahe’s work has the potential to significantly improve the well-being of people living in the 13 flood-impacted counties.
“Fahe is focused on high-impact, high-leverage initiatives to improve lives in Appalachia and in Eastern Kentucky through investment and localized activation,” said Mason Rummell, president and CEO of The James Graham Brown Foundation. “Fahe’s work very clearly provides opportunities to improve Kentucky communities and the quality of life of our children and families, creating the kind of impact the James Graham Brown Foundation seeks in enhancing the image and national perception of our state.”
Fahe is comprised of 50+ diverse community-based nonprofits that serve the Appalachian states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Alabama. Fahe connects investment to local leadership in one of the more challenging regions in the nation. Members of Fahe are staffed by local leaders who are connected to their communities and understand their needs.
“When our communities in Eastern Kentucky were hit by historic flooding two years ago it became starkly clear that a home is at the center of everything. Families need a home to emerge from hard times. I’m so proud of the work we are doing to help with disaster relief and to help more families in hard-to-serve places build a better future. This three-year grant will help us make great strides, and we commend the James Graham Brown Foundation for their partnership with us and our communities in Kentucky,” said Jim King, CEO of Fahe.
Fahe focuses on increasing access to and the availability of quality, affordable housing. Fahe also pursues community development initiatives, including projects that impact education, health and social services, and economic opportunity. Fahe was established in 1980 by its members to advocate for resources for housing and the training of skilled labor and to help bring more resources into the region. Since its creation, the Fahe Network has helped finance over $1.7 billion for projects across Appalachia, primarily through community loan fund capital and mortgages. In addition to supporting its Members, Fahe has been committed to helping local municipalities access financing and providing capacity to execute local projects.
Frontier Housing will use James Graham Brown Foundation grant funds for start-up costs including equipment, materials, facilities and staff to develop and scale the DreamBuild model in Eastern Kentucky. Frontier will develop initial prototypes and begin to deliver 20-30 homes per year by the end of the grant period in 2026. This operation is expected to be fully self-sustaining within 2-3 years. This is projected to create approximately 50 permanent manufacturing jobs in the heart of the coalfields.
President & CEO of Frontier Kentucky Tom Manning-Beavin said, “This award from the James Graham Brown Foundation is essential to making the DreamBuild initiative possible. DreamBuild, at its heart, is an entrepreneurial concept aiming to change how quality stick-built homes are delivered to homebuyers. Unfortunately for Frontier, there isn’t a mechanism for nonprofits to use venture capital to support entrepreneurial concepts like this. Instead, nonprofits need visionary foundations like JGBF to support innovation. JGBF’s investment will enable DreamBuild to go from an idea with great potential to an initiative with the capacity have lasting impact in Eastern Kentucky and beyond.”
About the James Graham Brown Foundation
The James Graham Brown Foundation was established in 1954 by the noted lumberman, horseman and entrepreneur. Since its founding, the organization has awarded nearly 4,000 grants totaling over $685 million. The foundation funds a variety of causes and local charities working in the areas of education, human services, economic development, cultural and civic projects. https://jgbf.org/
About Fahe
Fahe brings people, organizations, and resources together to build homes, communities, and a thriving Appalachia through expanding economic opportunity and security for all. Fahe Members work together to influence policy, philanthropy, and systems change in the region. www.fahe.org