The essence of the Knox County Foundation is embodied in this aspirational statement, published nearly 75 years ago in the organization’s first annual report:

“Each donor by his act has forever made himself an integral part of the civic welfare of the community. Each has created a living memorial whose purpose can never fail. Each will have a deferred participation in a new world he may never know, but which will nevertheless benefit from his foresight and generosity.”

Though the Foundation in its inaugural year reported just five charitable funds totaling $131,000, and had made a single charitable grant in the amount of $500, industrialist Beatty B. Williams envisioned a grander future for the “Mount Vernon Community Trust,” established in 1944, 30 years after the Cleveland Foundation pioneered the concept of a community endowment.

Williams and his five collaborators would have been gratified to learn the Knox County Foundation, successor to their “Community Trust,” would one day host nearly 450 component funds exceeding $75 million in asset value, and annually award more than $3 million in charitable grants and scholarships! Indeed the Knox County community has benefitted from the “foresight and generosity” of thousands of donors over the past 75 years!

While the Foundation’s scope of activity has indeed broadened over the decades, its fundamental mission remains unchanged:

• To improve the quality of life in Mount Vernon and Knox County through charitable giving.

• To provide a vehicle for donors of varied interests to support charitable and community activities.

• To assess and respond to emerging and changing community needs in the fields of education, youth services, recreation, arts and culture, social services, and civic and community development.

• To develop a permanent endowment for the community, and to serve as a catalyst for the initiation of vital projects.

Today’s Knox County Foundation provides expanded opportunities for Knox County citizens to make a lasting impact on the community, including an array of options to accommodate any charitable interest, and exciting matching gift programs that will accelerate the growth and impact of individual named funds.

As you browse this website, we hope you will come to appreciate both the longevity and the magnitude of the Foundation’s presence in the cities, villages, and green spaces of Knox County, and will consider inviting us to be you “Partner in Philanthropy.”

Contact Executive Director Jeffrey Scott at 740-392-3270 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn more about establishing your charitable legacy at the Knox County Foundation.