Best Asheville Grants for Nonprofits in North Carolina

Friends of NRA

Friends of NRA is the National Rifle Association’s premier fundraising program, supporting the future of shooting sports. Since day one, Friends of NRA has been a 100% grassroots effort fueled by a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports.

Committee volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees to make recommendations for local grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. Recognizing the impact American youth has on the future of the shooting sports, State Fund Committees frequently recommend grants for youth programs, allocating the most significant portion of monies to this vital area.

Grant awards fund activities and support programs in the United States to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context.

Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program - North Carolina

The Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program provides supplies, equipment, and financial support to a variety of qualified groups and programs at the local level; geared towards youth, women, law enforcement, veterans, the disabled, and the general public, including:

• General shooting programs
• Competitive shooting
• Education, training and safety
• Hunting and conservation
• Community outreach
• Historical education

Grant funding must be used to further a charitable purpose as defined by the Internal Revenue Code under section 501(c)(3) and accompanying rules, regulations, and other IRS law and materials.

Asheville Merchants Fund

The Asheville Merchants Fund (AMF) seeks to improve the quality of life in Buncombe County by supporting innovative projects that strengthen the community through economic efforts in one or more of its Funding Priorities.

The Fund provides grants of up to $50,000 over two years. Approximately five to eight grants are awarded during each two-year funding cycle. Grants are paid in two installments, with the second year of funding contingent upon reasonable progress toward expected results.  

Projects must target economic benefit for Buncombe County residents. Priority will be given to projects comprehensively addressing one or more of the following Funding Priorities: 

Innovative Economic Approaches 

• Community asset development: investing in emerging local economies, especially those related to home-grown businesses 
• Entrepreneurship: resources for entrepreneurs, including access to training, service providers and capital to accelerate business success 

Quality Jobs & Workforce

• Living wage work: recruitment, retention and expansion of businesses providing high-quality, well-paying jobs 
• Appropriate skills: training for jobs that are in demand and critical to community viability 
• Non-traditional training and employment services: flexible schedules, short-term certificate programs and community-based (versus academic institutional) settings 

Social Infrastructure 

• Programs contributing to family economic success, including financial education and asset development
• Affordable housing: developing effective strategies and supporting implementation
• Services that increase employees’ ability to participate fully in the workforce, including health and wellness or dependent care 

Youth Success in School 

• Middle and high school students: targeted academic (particularly in math, science and technology) and non-academic activities related to job skill development 
• Family support: improving the home environment for learning

AMF supports organizations that have the capacity and vision to develop multi-faceted programs to help Buncombe County and its citizens thrive in the emerging economic environment. Factors considered in evaluating applications include: 

• Focus on a critical need
• Defined, measurable results that can be achieved within the grant period and make a long-term difference in the beneficiaries' lives
• Skilled leadership with the potential to carry out innovative, integrated efforts effectively in one or more of the focus areas

Toby L. Mapes: Fire Protection Technology Scholarship

Funding Amount:

• $1500
• Active

This scholarship is to provide financial assistance for a student pursuing a higher education in a Fire Protection Technology degree at an accredited institution, with preference given to students attending Blue Ridge Community College or AB Technical College in a fire protection technology field. A second preference is given to students pursuing nursing. 

Creating a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all – no exceptions.

The best ideas for dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of the region come from the people who live and work in our local communities. 

Dogwood invests in aligned organizations that advance efforts in our four strategic priorities of housing, education, economic opportunity, and health & wellness. 

From 2025-2030, Dogwood’s grantmaking will focus on: 

• Capacity
• Collaboration
• Connections
• Capital Attraction

Stronger Organizations Grants

Supporting Organizational Operations, Infrastructure and Stability.

This grant opportunity offers flexible support for strategically aligned organizations that play a meaningful role in the region’s ecosystem through work in housing, education, economic opportunity, and health & wellness; and that are positioned to sustain and grow their impact over time. Organizations determine how best to use the funds and grant reporting is simplified. Most often, these grants are in the form of general operating support.

Grants typically range from $50,000 to $350,000 per year for up to two years. For two-year grants, the total award may range up to a maximum of $700,000.