Mountain Association Publishes 50th Anniversary Impact Report, Highlighting Five Decades of Investment in Eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia
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BEREA, Kentucky (Sep. 14, 2026)— Mountain Association recently announced the release of its 50th Anniversary Impact Report, a comprehensive look at five decades of work alongside communities, businesses, and local leaders to build a stronger, more resilient economy across Eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia.
Founded in 1976 by eight community development organizations, Mountain Association has spent the past 50 years investing in people and places to expand economic opportunity, strengthen communities, and support a future shaped by local leadership and local ownership.
The report chronicles the organization’s evolution from a pioneering community development organization to one of Appalachia’s leading Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs).
“Over the last 50 years, we’ve learned that lasting economic change happens when communities have access to capital, trusted partnerships, and the resources to turn local ideas into action,” said Robin Gabbard, President of Mountain Association. “This report is ultimately a story about the people of Appalachia. It reflects the creativity, determination, and resilience of communities that continue to build opportunity for future generations.”
Since 2000, Mountain Association has deployed $94.9 million throughout Eastern Kentucky, including $70.7 million in persistent-poverty counties, helping small businesses, nonprofits, and communities access financing often unavailable through traditional sources. They’ve provided 66,190 hours of business expertise provided to 4,628 entrepreneurs since 2013.
The report highlights Mountain Association’s role in helping diversify Eastern Kentucky’s economy as coal employment declined, supporting sectors ranging from manufacturing and forestry to agriculture, healthcare, arts and culture, childcare, food access, and social services.
“Mountain Association has been about figuring out how to keep more wealth and opportunity in the region where it belongs,” said Jason Bailey, Executive Director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, an affiliate organization that grew from Mountain Association’s work.
Over the years, the organization has invested more than $16 million in nearly 150 grocery, supermarket, and food-service projects, recognizing local food access as both an economic and community development priority. The report also details investments of more than $8.2 million in wood and forestry businesses, $7.2 million in social service organizations, and $6.5 million in healthcare-related enterprises.
A major focus of the report is the growing importance of resilience in Appalachia. Since launching its energy savings initiative in 2008, Mountain Association has helped facilitate 329 energy-efficiency upgrades and 133 solar projects, supported by more than $10.3 million in financing. These efforts have saved 17.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, the equivalent environmental impact of planting nearly 258,000 trees and allowing them to grow for ten years.
The report also highlights Mountain Association’s response to recent challenges, including support for flood recovery efforts following the devastating 2022 Eastern Kentucky floods and more than 13 subsequent natural disasters. The organization invested $1.84 million in rebuilding efforts and provided 1,623 hours of intensive support to developing community resilience hubs that serve as critical resources during emergencies.
Reflecting on the organization’s broader impact, Hasan Davis, Chair of the Mountain Association Board of Directors, noted that collaboration has been central to its success.
“Mountain Association has helped build trust and turn it into a shared sense of ‘us’ to solve problems together. That’s what has allowed communities across the region to create lasting change.”
Beyond direct investments, the report documents Mountain Association’s role in launching and supporting organizations that continue to shape Appalachia’s future. These include the Kentucky Natural Lands Trust, which has helped protect more than 64,000 acres of wildlands, and the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, which has produced more than 800 research publications informing public policy discussions across Kentucky.
As the organization looks to the future, Mountain Association’s strategic priorities include expanding access to affordable housing, quality childcare, healthy food, disaster recovery resources, and community resilience investments.
“Across Appalachia, communities are building, adapting, and investing in themselves,” Gabbard said. “With the right resources and partnerships, we know what’s possible. The next 50 years will be about deepening that work and ensuring prosperity, opportunity, and resilience reach every corner of the region.”
The full Mountain Association 50th Anniversary Impact Report is available at mtassociation.org/fifty.
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About the Mountain Association:
The Mountain Association is a 50-year-old nonprofit that invests in people and places in Eastern Kentucky to build a new economy and a brighter future. At the Mountain Association, small business owners and community leaders can access flexible financing to start or grow their enterprises, even if traditional lending options aren’t a fit. Beyond loans, business and nonprofit leaders can also receive personalized guidance, training, and resources designed to help them succeed and grow sustainably. To help businesses and nonprofits reduce costs and plan for longterm savings, their energy experts provide bill analysis, energy efficiency and solar assessments, grant application assistance, and financing options. The Mountain Association also collaborates with partners to research challenges, share local stories, and advocate for policies that support communityled growth. For more information, visit www.mtassociation.org.
