Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange awards microgrants to 28 Kentuckians statewide
2025 Intercultural Micrograntees Stacy Edds-Ellis (Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute) & Maria Clark Photography launch the Owensboro Portrait Project.
The Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX) is excited to announce 28 recipients in our 2026 Intercultural Microgrant Program.
This fourth-annual cycle of RUX microgrants issued fourteen seed grants supporting projects that celebrate and connect Kentucky's people and places. These intercultural teams hail from Paducah to Pine Mountain, and each represents a collaboration across distance, difference, or sector.
Since 2023, RUX has awarded over $104,750 to 81 Kentuckians whose projects make our forests and waterways healthier, our main streets more vibrant, and our communities more connected. This year’s recipients and their funds include:
Josh May Memorial Fund
In memory of RUX Co-Founder Josh May, this grant fund supports diverse Kentuckians to collaborate on a musical project.
Crystal Akers (SOKY Alliance) & Jennifer Adam received support to form an LGBTQIA+ and allies community choir in Bowling Green. With additional support from the Kentucky Foundation for Women Fund
Terran Young (M.A.R.S. Collective) & Dee Parker (Letcher and Perry Co.) received support for Black on MARS– an effort to bring Black Kentuckians (from rural and urban areas) to Pine Mountain for music, food, and nature.
Kentucky Waterways Alliance
In partnership with the Kentucky Waterways Alliance (KWA), this fund seeks to support projects that clean up, improve access to, offer education about, or celebration of Kentucky’s waterways.
Melissa Benson & Erin Petrey (Demanding Data Center Accountability) (Jessamine Co. and Fayette Co.) received support to create a toolkit for rural communities to assess proposed data center projects and weigh their impacts.
Annette Hines (What’s Next EKY), Betsy Whaley (Mountain Association), & Ali Blair (Rowan and Floyd Co.) received support to organize regional networks through community conversations about climate, recovery, and resilience.
Kentucky Foundation for Women
In partnership with the Kentucky Foundation for Women (KFW), this fund supports women or non-binary-led projects that use arts, culture, or creativity to bridge geographic, racial, and economic divides, or reduce political polarization.
Angel Ballew (Ballew Farms LLC) & Latoya Drake (Madison and Barren Co.) received support for “Food, Folks, & Stories:” a gathering for fresh local food, story sharing, skill building that connects neighbors to local resources. With additional support from Civic Health Fund
Kristina Brouwer (Red Oaks Forest School) & Amy Le Ann Richardson (Powell and Rowan Co.) received support for students aged 5-15 to work with Appalachian poets on an art & poetry project.
Stacy Edds-Ellis (Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute) & Maria Clark Photography (Daviess Co.) received support for the “Owensboro Portrait Project: Community Movers,” which creates a series of portraits that celebrate Owensboro community servants.
Lauren Kallmeyer (Stidham Old Time Music Association) & Carla Gover (Madison, Fayette, and Martin Co.) received support for young musicians and families to attend a 3-day traditional musical gathering.
Emily Kicklighter (The Whole Elephant Consulting) & Sarah Teeple (Teeple Holistic) (Jefferson and Oldham) received support for “Healing through Song & Story,” a gathering of music, nature, meditation, and food designed to enhance participant health. With additional support from Josh May Memorial Fund & KFW Fund
Civic Health Microgrants
With support from the Kentucky Civic Trust, this fund supports projects that bring individuals and community partners together to engage their neighbors in contributing to solutions on an issue facing the community.
Liz Hammonds & Lacy Boling (Paducah Cooperative Ministry) (McCracken Co.) received support to collaborate with area chefs and local artists to design recipe cards for local food pantries.
Bethany Pelle (Kyndred Arts & Culture) & Stephanie Phillips (Campbell Co.) received support for “Kyndred Clay: Common Ground,” a hands-on ceramics initiative designed to foster dialogue among adult Medicaid recipients, Northern Kentucky civic leaders, and community supporters.
Abeer Sikder & Leah Van Winkle (Fayette and Madison Co.) received support to host a “Kentucky Civic Solutions Supper” that brings together residents, community leaders, partners, and electeds from rural and urban KY.
Devou Good Creative Transportation Fund
With support from the Devou Good Foundation, this fund supports the development of innovative and practical solutions to community transportation challenges; projects that improve connectivity, accessibility, safety, reduce emissions, and transit options (walking, cycling, public transit) for underserved, rural, and equity-deserving communities.
Annette Hines, Edna Schack, & Leticia Morales (Whitaker Bank) (Rowan Co.) received support to pilot an adult tricycle program for seniors and low-income residents to assist in daily mobility.
Valerie Horn (Cowan Community Action Group & Michelle Lewis (Drum Smart LLC) (Letcher Co. ) received support to improve the North Fork of the Kentucky River Tanglewood Trail for an intercultural event series.
This year’s Intercultural Microgrant Program was launched with support from the Devou Good Foundation, Kentucky Civic Trust, Kentucky Foundation for Women, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, Snowy Owl Foundation, and additional donors.
An initiative of Art of the Rural, the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX) is a statewide network that unites Kentuckians in common purpose through programs that strengthen intercultural leadership, narrative change, and civic health. Since 2014, RUX has grown into a network of over 400 cross-sector members from 80 Kentucky counties.
The Intercultural Microgrant Program funding provides RUX’s experienced, capable alumni and member network with the support they need to try new ideas and solve old problems through short-term projects that foster dialogue, connection, or collaboration among Kentuckians from disparate backgrounds, identities, or experiences.