News & Impact

News, coverage, and stories about Grant Ready Kentucky in the wild.

Who's Talking About Us

Gov. Beshear: Team Kentucky Partners With Nonprofit Grant Ready Kentucky To Help Communities Access Federal Grant Funding

GRANT Program provides support to enhance economic development and tourism opportunities.

March 3, 2025

News Release

Policy innovations that strengthen rural capacity to access investment

Reimagine Rural podcast's Tony Pipa sits down with state and federal leaders to learn how they are developing new ways to support rural America and the impact it’s having.

October 15, 2024

Podcast

Empowering Kentucky’s Rural Future

How Hannah Conover is revolutionizing grant access for underserved communities.

March 25, 2025

Interview

The Difference We're Making

June 24, 2025

How a Community Centered around Food, Music, and Connection is Building for the Future

In Whitesburg, Kentucky, the Cowan Community Center has long been a gathering place rooted in grit, grace, and community spirit. When a dream for a permanent farmers market pavilion seemed just out of reach, the GRANT Program helped change the math—turning a modest local investment into hundreds of thousands in federal support. Now, thanks to Cowan’s vision and the backing of partners like KRADD, a new stage and 30-bay market pavilion are rising on the banks of the Kentucky River. It’s more than a structure—it’s a promise that rural places can build big dreams, and see them through.

Executive Director of Cowan Community Action Group, Valerie Horn, in Whitesburg, Kentucky, at their headquarters, the town’s original post office turned office building.

June 24, 2025

From Small Staff to Big Vision: How Grant Ready Kentucky Helped New Pioneers Build Capacity

In the heart of central Kentucky, New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future is showing what sustainability can look like in small, rural places—one relationship at a time. With just a few staff and a whole lot of heart, they’re making big strides through education, advocacy, and hands-on programs. Thanks to support from Grant Ready Kentucky, Executive Director Julia Gerwe found not just a roadmap for grants—but the confidence to own her organization's voice. With newfound clarity and tools in hand, New Pioneers is ready to grow its impact across Washington, Marion, and Nelson counties.

Julia Gerwe, Executive Director of New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future, participates in a two-day, Grant Ready Kentucky workshop focused on nonprofit grant readiness.

April 10, 2025

How a rural Kentucky community turned a $15,000 match into $10 million in change

For years, the City of Campton, Kentucky—a small town serving all of Wolfe County—faced mounting infrastructure challenges with few financial options. But under Mayor Kathi May’s leadership and with support from the state’s new GRANT Program, the city has secured over $10 million in federal funding for critical projects, including a new walking bridge, water treatment upgrades, and long-awaited water access for 80 households.

Mayor Kathi May and local resident Donna Brewer posing on the Campton, Kentucky bridge that will soon be renovated with the help of GRANT Program matching funds.

April 8, 2025

How One Regional Planner is Helping Eastern Kentucky Communities Dream Bigger

The Kentucky River Area Development District (KRADD) has helped small, often-overlooked communities across Eastern Kentucky unlock over $10 million in federal funding—thanks to the state’s new GRANT Program. By helping local governments and nonprofits navigate complex applications and secure matching funds, KRADD has turned “impossible” projects into reality.