Falls of the Ohio Foundation, Inc.

Explore the extraordinary! 

There are few places in the world quite like the Falls of the Ohio! It is extraordinary how many different aspects of history, nature, and science come together at this one site.

Here, 390-million year old fossil beds tell the story of an ancient sea. Here, generations of people have gathered along the Ohio River. Here, John James Audubon spent significant time exploring and sketching various bird species. And here, Lewis and Clark began their westward expansion - making the Falls a place where stories of science, nature, history, and adventure all come together. 

The Falls of the Ohio Foundation exists to make sure those stories and many others continue to be discovered, experienced, shared, and added to. 

Your gift to the Foundation helps make the Falls a place of wonder for everyone. 

Your support puts students on the rocks.

Every year, the Foundation gives grants to thousands of students so they can experience the Falls firsthand. Through our field trip grants, we help remove financial barriers for schools, including providing funding for transportation. Up to 3,000 students each year (and growing!) can have the opportunity to connect their classroom to hands on learning. They explore our exhibits and step onto the fossil beds, explore the river, ask questions,and experience science and history beyond the classroom. The Foundation also provides teacher professional workshops that allows them to gain the knowledge and tools needed to produce high quality labs and learning modules in their classrooms, all free of charge to the educator. We do all of this with the support of our generous donors like you! 

Your support builds the future.

The Falls Foundation works to enhance the property for public enjoyment, including building out the original Interpretive Center, doing the exhibit renovations in 2016, and adding features like the outdoor classroom to the property. Next year, we will begin construction on a new Educational Pavilion, creating a much-needed covered space for students, families, and visitors to gather, learn, and experience the Falls. 

And we're continuing to build towards a bigger vision: additional infrastructure, amenities, and experiences that make the State Park more accessible and engaging to the public. Your gift helps turn that vision into reality. 

Your support helps tell the stories that shape us. 

The Falls is more than a place to see fossils. 

It is a place where rich history happened and the Foundation plays a role in keeping those stories alive. Our exhibits are filled with the stories of the Indigenous people who once called the Falls home, the animals and wildlife that have been here before us and currently share the land, and for the explorers and historical figure who shaped United State history from right here in Clarksville, IN. 

We believe the Falls should be a place where people can discover not only the extraordinary natural history beneath their feet but also the extraordinary human stories that shaped our region.  We support special projects with partner agencies on both sides of the river to tell some of the remarkable stories of this place. This includes a public art project in the works to tell the story of the Kentuckiana Underground Railroad and the passage of brave individuals escaping slavery in this area. 

Your support brings people to the Falls. 

We want people to experience the Falls in all kinds of ways. Through lectures and family programs. Through guided tours and hands-on exploration. Through community events, recreation, stewardship projects, and opportunities to simply spend time in this remarkable landscape. 

Every program creates an opportunity for folks to connect with the Falls and perhaps "fall" in love with it.  Your gift helps preserve and protect this space for all to enjoy. 

Professor Shaley Pebbles, our Chief Curiosity Officer, will be around all day to tell you more about the Falls.

Professor Pebbles has a pretty ambitious checklist:

☐ Educate
☐ Preserve
☐ Connect
☐ Inspire
☐ Invest

Your gift helps us check every box.

When you give to the Falls of the Ohio Foundation, you're helping students discover ancient fossils, helping preserve and share the stories of this place, helping build new spaces for people to gather, and helping create experiences that connect our community to the extraordinary landscape in our own backyard.

The Falls belongs to all of us.

Help us make sure its stories, its science, and its sense of wonder are here for generations to come. Thank you for your support of our mission!