Honoring Donna Gambrell’s Legacy — and Investing in What Comes Next
February 2026
At the end of 2025, Donna Gambrell concluded a remarkable career dedicated to expanding access to capital and opportunity. Through her leadership at the FDIC, the CDFI Fund, and Appalachian Community Capital (ACC) — and her service across the field — Donna helped shape a more inclusive, collaborative, and resilient community development finance ecosystem.
To honor her legacy, ACC established the Gambrell Fund for Strategic Initiatives, a fund designed to carry forward the values and vision that defined Donna’s work.
The fund supports leadership development and mentoring, inclusive ecosystem building, technology and data capacity, and storytelling — investments that strengthen community lenders and magnify impact across Appalachia and rural communities nationwide. These are long-term capabilities that help institutions navigate change, deepen impact, and remain grounded in mission.
This spring, we look forward to publicly recognizing our Gambrell Fund donors, who are committed to advancing Donna’s legacy by investing in the people, systems, and ideas shaping our future.
You are invited to contribute! Gifts can be made:
- through ACC’s secure online donation page (credit card),
- via donor-advised funds, or
- by check, as outlined in the Donate section of ACC’s website.
