Search Through Capacity Building Grants for Nonprofits in North Carolina in the U.S.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region stretching along the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi, including western North Carolina.

Established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 26 million people into America's economic mainstream.

Area Development Program

ARC’s Area Development program relies on a flexible “bottom up” approach to economic development, empowering Appalachian communities to work with their state governments to design impactful investment opportunities supporting our mission and investment priorities.

Within the scope of our Strategic Plan, ARC’s Area Development program makes investments in two general areas: critical infrastructure and business and workforce development. Critical infrastructure investments mainly include water and wastewater systems, transportation networks, broadband, and other projects anchoring regional economic development. Business and workforce investments primarily focus on entrepreneurship, worker training and education, food systems, leadership, and other human capital development.

ARC Strategic Plan

A comprehensive strategic planning process involving federal, state, and local officials and citizens resulted in, Appalachia Envisioned: A New Era of Opportunity – ARC Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which focuses investments under these five general goals:

• Building Appalachian Businesses:
  • Strengthen and diversify the region’s economy through inclusive economic development strategies and investments in entrepreneurship and business development
• Building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem
  • Expand and strengthen community systems (education, healthcare, housing, childcare, and others) that help Appalachians obtain a job, stay on the job, and advance along a financially sustaining career pathway.
• Building Appalachia’s Infrastructure
  • Ensure that the residents and businesses of Appalachia have access to reliable, affordable, resilient, and energy efficient utilities and infrastructure in order to successfully live and work in the region.
• Building Regional Culture and Tourism:
  • Strengthen Appalachia’s community and economic development potential by preserving and investing in the region’s local, cultural heritage, and natural assets.
• Building Community Leaders and Capacity:
  • Invest in the capacity of local leaders, organizations, and communities to address local challenges by providing technical assistance and support to access resources, engage partners, identify strategies and tactics, and conduct effective planning and project execution.

Our MissionAdvancing Southern vitality through the arts.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, South Arts is a nonprofit regional arts organization empowering artists, organizations, and communities, and increasing access to arts and culture.

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the State Arts Agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — with additional funding from other public and private donors such as the Doris Duke Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and Mellon Foundation — South Arts supports artists and organizations through a rich and responsive portfolio of grants, fellowships, and programs.

Why? Because South Arts believes that the arts elevate the region, increasing connectedness and inspiring meaningful change in the process. 

Professional Development Grants for Arts Organizations

Program Description

South Arts strongly believes that skill and knowledge building for arts organizations are integral to success and sustainability. These grants are designed to support the professional development needs of Southern arts organizations for increasing organizational capacity to achieve long-term sustainability, growth, and/or operational stability. This grant program is open to film, visual arts, performing arts, traditional arts, literary arts, and multidisciplinary arts organizations.

Funding can support staff or board participation at conferences, workshops, and other professional development opportunities and events. In addition, these grants can support expenses for in-person and virtual professional development for organization-wide staff learning and training. Funds support travel expenses (for example, lodging and air/ground transportation), admission/registration fees, or other related expenses (for example, consultant/service fees for staff learning/training sessions). 

SECU Foundation Grant

Thank you for your interest in the SECU Foundation Grant Program. Grants are directed toward non-profits and governmental organizations that demonstrate the Credit Union philosophy of people helping people.

The SECU Foundation will promote local and community development by primarily funding high impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services. The State Employees’ Credit Union Board of Directors chartered the SECU Foundation to help identify and address community issues that are beyond the normal scope of State Employees’ Credit Union. While individual members may not have a large impact, collectively and cooperatively the Foundation can go a long way toward helping solve problems in our neighborhoods, schools and our community at large.

Mission

Driven by a philanthropic calling to support marginalized communities throughout the world, the Semnani Family Foundation partners with on-the-ground organizations and leverages its resources in a cost-effective and efficient manner that delivers the maximum benefit.

History

Guided by his grandmother Maliheh’s example and teachings, Khosrow Semnani and his wife Ghazaleh established the Semnani Family Foundation in 1993. The foundation’s first grant was issued through CARE International to an orphanage in Romania that cared for newborns affected by HIV. Over the last few decades, the foundation has continued to build upon its mission to empower the disaffected, partnering with a variety of organizations in different countries who can make the greatest impact.

In addition to its global influence, the Semnani Family Foundation established roots within the state of Utah with the founding of Maliheh Free Clinic in 2005 to provide free healthcare to thousands of uninsured people in the Salt Lake City area.

Where We Work

The Semnani Family Foundation focuses primarily on promoting health, education, and disaster relief for marginalized communities all around the world. Driven by a clear mission to adapt and serve at the global level, we have leveraged our resources to make a meaningful impact in the following countries so far:

• Afghanistan
• Bosnia
• Colombia
• England
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• India
• Iran
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Mali
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Romania
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Uganda
• United States
• Yemen

At the heart of the Foundation lies a fervent commitment to human welfare, always prioritizing health and the needs of society’s most vulnerable.

Melvin R. Lane Fund

The mission of the Melvin R. Lane Fund is to increase the capacity of organizations that provide supportive services for people in need, youth, the elderly and mentally and/or physically disabled people. Capacity building addresses a nonprofit’s ability to achieve its mission effectively now and in the future through projects designed to improve communications, volunteer recruitment, development, outcomes, collaborations, and technology.

This program may award five to seven Capacity Building grants of $90,000 to $180,000 over three years ($30,000 to $60,000 per year) to help human service organizations improve their operations, become more collaborative and secure their future for the betterment of Western North Carolina's disadvantaged citizens. Organizations should request an amount that is relative to and appropriate for their operating budget.

Grantees may be required to attend one or two convening sessions each year of their grant and participate in evaluation that may extend beyond their three-year grant.

About Third Wave Fund

​​Third Wave Fund is the only national fund that supports youth-led Gender Justice activism to advance the political power, well-being, and self determination of communities of color and low-income communities in the United States.

We hold the following beliefs:

• People directly impacted by an issue are best positioned to design and lead solutions.
• The leadership of young women of color, trans, intersex, queer and gender non-conforming youth brings critical analysis and power to all social justice movements.
• We will only achieve deep and lasting change if we address the root cause of an issue.

Mobilize Power Fund

The Mobilize Power Fund is a rapid response fund that resources gender justice organizations to adapt or pivot their work when met with unanticipated, time-sensitive opportunities or threats to their movement building work and organizing conditions.

Through the Mobilize Power Fund, we resource time-sensitive projects including community organizing and mobilization, healing justice work, conflict resolution/conflict transformation, community accountability, transformative and restorative justice work, direct action, and more. This fund does not resource general operating support, budget shortfalls, ongoing or regularly planned programming, or recurring events. That being said, Third Wave Fund has other grantmaking programs that provide long-term general operating and capacity building support.

History

We launched the Mobilize Power Fund because powerful movements need the ability to respond to and heal from immediate threats and opportunities with flexible and responsive funding. Mobilize Power Fund’s first iteration was to support organizers against HB2, the transphobic “Bathroom Bill” proposed in North Carolina in 2016.

Who is the fund for?

The Mobilize Power Fund prioritizes organizations that are led by young women of color (transgender and cisgender), and trans, queer, gender non conforming and intersex young people of color under 35, led by and for communities directly impacted by the issues they focus on, have an intersectional gender justice lens, and have a total organizational budget under $500k​. Groups do not need 501c3 of fiscal sponsor status to apply.

What kind of work do the funds support?

The fund covers unanticipated and time-sensitive community organizing or direct action, Participatory Action Research, healing justice work, conflict mediation/resolution, legal or bail fees, marches or rallies, leadership training & skills building, mutual aid, unanticipated legislative or ballot initiative campaigns.

How much are the grants for?

Grants can be made for up to $10,000 USD. Larger grants may be made on a case-by-case basis. Partnership or coalitions of two or more groups can request up to $20,000 USD.

About Us

For nearly 70 years, we have remained committed to a tradition of carrying out Mary Duke Biddle’s goal of sharing resources in a way that improves people’s lives and responds to evolving community needs.

The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation supports arts nonprofits and PreK-12 education organizations in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Additionally, we support Duke University and other institutions of great importance to Mary Duke Biddle's family.

PreK-12 Education

We provide resources that empower nonprofit organizations to build momentum, stay curious and creative, and shape Triangle communities into being the best places to live, work, learn, and play.

Through our PreK-12 grantmaking, we seek to address and challenge inequities that limit student success, learning, and access to arts experiences. In particular, we are focused on supporting organizations that:

• Work to close the academic opportunity gap, prepare students for careers and college, and/or foster social and emotional learning for students’ growth and success.
• Provide opportunities for students to engage directly in high-quality arts instruction, particularly in which students actively participate in making art.

We only make grants to organizations located in and serving students in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties in North Carolina.

Our Grantmaking Goals

• Support PreK-12 organizations that work to close the academic opportunity gap, prepare students for careers and college, and/or foster social and emotional learning for students’ growth and success.
• Support arts education organizations that provide opportunities for under-resourced students to engage directly in high-quality arts instruction, particularly in which students actively participate in making art.

Across both PreK-12 education interest areas, MDBF seeks to address and challenge inequities that limit student success, learning, and arts experiences.

Multi-year Grants

Each year, we will award 5-7 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grant amounts range from $15,000-$50,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know that there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

Multi-year grants are only available to organizations that MDBF has funded in the previous five years (2019-2023). All organizations must have a primary focus on the arts or PreK-12 education and main programming must take place in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and/or Wake Counties, NC.

We focus our multi-year grants on two types of organizations:

Developing organizations

These organizations have identified a clear need or opportunity, have strategic goals, and have already begun offering programming. Our goal in supporting developing organizations is to help them solidify their programs and operations as they build a strong and sustainable foundation for long-term success.

Organizations at this stage may have limited or no board of directors with staff who are primarily volunteers. Or, their boards may have expanded beyond “friends and family” to focus more on governance and less on day-to-day operations, with staffing in place beyond an Executive Director and volunteers.

Funding sources are likely not diversified at this stage of development, but the organization may be starting to formalize financial management, volunteer management, program evaluation, fundraising, board development, marketing, and strategic planning as they grow.

Established organizations experiencing pivotal moments

These organizations have more maturity and stability; programs/services are solid and well-recognized with strong and effective leadership. Paid program and administrative staff are in place and the board’s focus is primarily policy and oversight. These organizations may have a well-demonstrated model and data that shows outcomes or is currently executing a plan for evaluation, continuous learning, and improvement.

Through the years, MDBF’s experience has illuminated the importance of strategic alignment. We have learned that certain types of organizations tend to thrive more within our grant support framework. The reality of our resource constraints necessitates a thoughtful and selective approach. Thus, we concentrate our efforts on established organizations that are experiencing inflection points in their lifecycle, when leaders face big decisions about how to ensure progress towards the organization’s vision.

These organizations are in moments of transition, challenge, and opportunity and are seeking additional help, resources, and expertise to ensure they’re positioned for success and heading in the right direction to achieve their goals and mission. This could include organizations that have an opportunity to expand programming, capacity, and/or locations.

One-Year Grants

One-year grants are available to organizations that have not received an MDBF grant in the past five years (2019-2023) or have never received a grant from us. Both emerging nonprofits and more established organizations are eligible for these grants.

By providing operating support grants, we show our commitment to providing resources that empower nonprofit organizations to proactively build momentum, stay curious and creative, and shape Triangle communities into being the best places to live, work, learn, and play.

Each year, we will typically award 5 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grant amounts range from $5,000-$10,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know that there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

About Us

For nearly 70 years, we have remained committed to a tradition of carrying out Mary Duke Biddle’s goal of sharing resources in a way that improves people’s lives and responds to evolving community needs.

The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation supports arts nonprofits and PreK-12 education organizations in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Additionally, we support Duke University and other institutions of great importance to Mary Duke Biddle's family.

The Arts

The arts are essential to strong, vibrant communities. A dynamic cultural sector is a catalyst for growth, attracting and retaining businesses and visitors. They strengthen neighborhoods and communities by preserving the culture and memories of specific places and have a positive impact on health and well-being. The arts provide spaces to allow people from different backgrounds to engage with one another and opportunities to build community. Perhaps most importantly, they offer personal enjoyment to individuals, groups, and families, and give voice to the human condition.

We provide grants to:

• Support and strengthen cultural organizations that demonstrate artistic excellence and elevate the profile of the Triangle’s art scenes, both locally and nationally.
• Support new, emerging, or grassroots cultural organizations.
• Support arts-focused organizations that work directly with artists to deepen and expand talent, develop professional and business skills, and/or create new works.

Multi-year Grants

Each year, we will award 5-7 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grant amounts range from $15,000-$50,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know that there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

Multi-year grants are only available to organizations that MDBF has funded in the previous five years (2019-2023). All organizations must have a primary focus on the arts or PreK-12 education and main programming must take place in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and/or Wake Counties, NC.

We focus our multi-year grants on two types of organizations:

Developing organizations

These organizations have identified a clear need or opportunity, have strategic goals, and have already begun offering programming. Our goal in supporting developing organizations is to help them solidify their programs and operations as they build a strong and sustainable foundation for long-term success.

Organizations at this stage may have limited or no board of directors with staff who are primarily volunteers. Or, their boards may have expanded beyond “friends and family” to focus more on governance and less on day-to-day operations, with staffing in place beyond an Executive Director and volunteers.

Funding sources are likely not diversified at this stage of development, but the organization may be starting to formalize financial management, volunteer management, program evaluation, fundraising, board development, marketing, and strategic planning as they grow.

Established organizations experiencing pivotal moments

These organizations have more maturity and stability; programs/services are solid and well-recognized with strong and effective leadership. Paid program and administrative staff are in place and the board’s focus is primarily policy and oversight. These organizations may have a well-demonstrated model and data that shows outcomes or is currently executing a plan for evaluation, continuous learning, and improvement.

Through the years, MDBF’s experience has illuminated the importance of strategic alignment. We have learned that certain types of organizations tend to thrive more within our grant support framework. The reality of our resource constraints necessitates a thoughtful and selective approach. Thus, we concentrate our efforts on established organizations that are experiencing inflection points in their lifecycle, when leaders face big decisions about how to ensure progress towards the organization’s vision.

These organizations are in moments of transition, challenge, and opportunity and are seeking additional help, resources, and expertise to ensure they’re positioned for success and heading in the right direction to achieve their goals and mission. This could include organizations that have an opportunity to expand programming, capacity, and/or locations.

One-Year Grants

One-year grants are available to organizations that have not received an MDBF grant in the past five years (2019-2023) or have never received a grant from us. Both emerging nonprofits and more established organizations are eligible for these grants.

By providing operating support grants, we show our commitment to providing resources that empower nonprofit organizations to proactively build momentum, stay curious and creative, and shape Triangle communities into being the best places to live, work, learn, and play.

Each year, we will typically award 5 general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations that further our grantmaking goals. Grant amounts range from $5,000-$10,000 a year for each organization. MDBF has a finite budget and may not be able to fund the full amount requested. If your application moves forward, MDBF staff will work with your organization to determine the actual requested amount. Please know that there is no penalty for requesting the maximum amount at the LOI stage.

Winston-Salem Foundation - What We Do

• Community Investment: We offer proactive and responsive grantmaking and we build deep community partnerships to strengthen Forsyth County.
• Philanthropic Services: We partner with generous community members to make impactful and lasting gifts, both locally and beyond.
• Student Aid: We provide scholarships to local students in their quest for higher education.
• Strategic Initiatives: We amplify the voices and collective impact of local youth, women and girls, and Black communities.

Capital Improvement Grants

Capital Improvement Grants support time-limited projects for nonprofits in Forsyth County, North Carolina to acquire, upgrade, and maintain physical assets (such as property, buildings, technology, or equipment). This program provides grants of up to $25,000.

Organizations may have only one funded Capital Improvement Grant open at a time. (However, they may have concurrent funding open for Capacity-Building Grants, Small Grants, Focus Area Investments, and/or Strategic Initiative Grants.)

Organizations that have received Capital funding are asked to wait three years before submitting an additional request.

What We Fund

• New and existing facilities (renovations, upgrades, repairs, and ADA accessibility)
• Major material goods (equipment, vehicles, and furniture)
• Technology and software
• Beautification (green spaces, landscaping, gardens, lighting, fencing, etc.)
• Equipment, furniture, and supplies (lower priority)

A strong application will demonstrate:

• Two years of organizational operation
• Proven track record of service in Forsyth County
• Diverse leadership representative of the community it serves
• How the organization gains insights from people with lived experience in the area(s) of service(s) provided
• Financial statements demonstrating revenue and expenses over two years (current year and previous year) – an audit is helpful, but not required
• Clear project plans
• Description of project need
• Organizational capacity to manage the scale of the project
• Ability to sustain any ongoing maintenance costs

Background

Food security, or more specifically consistent access to affordable and nutritious food, has significant bearing on physical, mental, and cognitive health outcomes. Despite North Carolina being a leading agricultural state with a robust farm and food community, more than 1.2 million people (1 in 8) who live in our state are food insecure. And many populations and communities are disproportionately impacted.

Increasing access to healthy food requires addressing the systemic issues that allow food insecurity to persist. Therefore, the purpose of this funding opportunity is to support community-based organizations with deep connections and accountability to the communities they serve in expanding their ability to advocate for systems and policy change, resulting in increased access to healthy food for those most food insecure.

Description of Funded Work

This opportunity is specifically designed to support nonprofit organizations with deep connections and accountability to the communities they serve in order to increase their ability to advocate for changes and solutions that address the root causes of food insecurity. Grant funds can be used to support staff time, materials, and expenses for a mix of advocacy-related activities.

For example, these could include – but are not limited to – the following:

• Community listening sessions or other community data collection activities to identify priority issues and solutions.
• Strengthening communications and outreach efforts, including storytelling, to increase awareness and visibility and to build reputation.
• Relationship building work and collaboration with other organizations, advocates, and decision makers at the institutional, municipal, county, state, or federal levels.
• Engaging the community around priority issues, e.g., community forums, neighborhood canvassing.
• Concentrated efforts or “campaigns” to educate the public and decision makers about the organization’s top issues and/or solutions.
• Providing institutional and/or government decision-makers with information about systems and conditions that perpetuate barriers to healthy food, along with potential solutions.
• Training and supporting new leaders from the community to advocate for change.
• Training for new or existing staff to strengthen skills and competencies needed to be an effective advocate (e.g., communication, collaboration, leadership). Travel and meeting expenses to visit other organizations for learning, relationship building, and/or collaboration.
• Other activities that will contribute to the expansion of the organization’s capacity to advocate for change.

Available Funding

As part of our overall commitment to increase access to healthy food for those most food insecure, and to grow the network of community organizations working to achieve this, we are issuing a three-year, up to $300,000 ($100,000 per year, per organization) grant opportunity. This opportunity will support up to 14 locally focused, community-based organizations to enhance their ability to affect the policy and systemic changes needed to address the root causes of food insecurity for those most impacted.

In addition to funding, the Foundation will provide grantees additional opportunities based on grantee needs and interests for the purposes of learning and relationship building including:

• Related technical assistance, training, or other learning experiences to enhance grantee effectiveness and impact.
• Attendance support for related conferences.
• Meetings and other connection-building activities with other grantees and organizations working to advance policy and systems change to improve access to healthy food.

Golden LEAF Grant Programs

The Golden LEAF Foundation, a North Carolina grant-making organization, helps eligible state, regional and local economic development entities with job creation projects in tobacco-dependent or economically distressed areas of the state.

Golden LEAF offers three grant programs that can address infrastructure needs:

• Site Program
• Economic Catalyst Program
• Open Grants Program

Open Grants Program

Used for public infrastructure; clearing and rough grading (publicly owned sites only)

The Open Grants Program allows applicants to apply for Golden LEAF funding throughout the year. Eligible applicants are governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

Priority Funding Areas

This program is for economic development projects aligned with the Golden LEAF priority areas. More details regarding Golden LEAF’s priority areas and priority outcomes are available at the links below:

• Job Creation and Economic Investment
• Workforce Preparedness
• Agriculture
• Community Competitiveness, Capacity, and Vitality

The Golden LEAF Foundation is committed to using the funds entrusted to it for projects that show the most potential for strengthening North Carolina’s economy, especially in tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and/or rural communities.

Funding

Most awards in the Open Grants Program will be for $200,000 or less. For projects that possess some of the additional characteristics described below, Golden LEAF may make awards of up to $500,000 from this program. Most awards from this program will be $200,000 or less.

To determine which projects will be eligible for consideration for an award of more than $200,000, Golden LEAF requires that the project include one or more of these characteristics:

• Higher level of funding will lead to significant outcomes
• Result of a planning process involving multiple organizations and members of the community
• Building on a history of success that allows a project to scale and significantly increase outcomes
• Funding will enable or encourage compelling collaboration including: uncommon or innovative approaches or organizations in more than one county
• Funding will leverage significant funding from other organizations
• Applicant has limited resources
• The project cannot be implemented in phases without compromising its outcomes

Applicants who wish to apply for more than $200,000 in funding from the Open Grants Program must complete a required consultation with Golden LEAF staff.

Overview

Golden LEAF’s mission is to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.

Open Grants Program

The Open Grants Program allows applicants to apply for Golden LEAF funding throughout the year. The Golden LEAF Foundation is committed to using the funds entrusted to it for projects that show the most potential for strengthening North Carolina’s economy, especially in tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and/or rural communities.

Priorities

This program is for economic development projects aligned with the Golden LEAF priority areas. More details regarding Golden LEAF’s priority areas and priority outcomes are available at the links below.

Job Creation & Economic Investment

Projects in this priority area gather data to support outcomes including: 

• Investment in publicly owned infrastructure
• Investment in privately owned property, plant, and equipment
• New full-time jobs created
• Average annual wage of new full-time jobs
• Business start-ups

Agriculture

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

• Number of participants at agricultural trainings
• New publications directed towards farmers
• Monthly use of agricultural facilities that benefit farmers
• As well as narrative outcomes including: jobs, revenue growth, new agricultural business formations, economic output, changes in agricultural practices; acres in production; new crops/products grown or produced; and other measures of agriculture projects.cts awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outco

Workforce Preparedness

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

• Increase in students earning at least one academic credential (curriculum diploma, certificate, or associate degree/con ed certificate) in the area funded.
• Increase in students earning at least one industry/third party certification, license, or other credential (nonacademic) in the area funded.
• Increase in high school students completing CTE pathways in the area funded.
• Increase in secondary or post-secondary students participating in work-based learning.
• Increase in secondary students receiving meaningful exposure and opportunities to explore local career opportunities.

Community Competitiveness and Capacity

At Golden LEAF, our grantmaking responds to the challenges and opportunities that are presented day-to-day and year-to-year. That is why we’re always looking for new ways to leverage our funding, to accomplish more and to build new relationships. Since inception, the initiatives that we have launched are a testament to what can be achieved when many players from every sector come together to form partnerships for change.

Competitive applications for projects include requests for funds to:

Most awards in the Open Grants Program will be for $200,000 or less. Golden LEAF may make awards of up to $500,000 from this program for projects that possess some of the additional characteristics described on this page.

Competitive applications for projects include requests for funds to:

• Develop and implement a new workforce training program to meet demand from local employers
• Implement a career pathway at a high school for a high demand field
• Extend water, sewer, or road infrastructure to a site to enable industrial development that will create full-time jobs
• Support the development of new crops, expand markets for agriculture products, or provide training for farmers.

For more information on how Golden LEAF evaluates Open Grants proposals, including detailed characteristics of competitive projects, please download the program guidelines, review the frequently asked questions, or contact Golden LEAF staff for assistance.

Sabbatical Program

Nonprofit leaders in North Carolina work tirelessly to improve their communities and often face burnout. To continue their critical work, leaders need a chance to rest, restore their energy and find renewed inspiration. Our Sabbatical Program offers experienced nonprofit leaders paid time away from work for the purpose of personal rejuvenation.

Since 1990, ZSR has awarded sabbaticals to honor North Carolina’s nonprofit leaders for their dedicated service and commitment.

Our Sabbatical Program offers leaders up to six months away from work to re-energize, allowing them to return to their organizations with fresh ideas and momentum.

Awardees not only gain time for personal rejuvenation but also are encouraged to share leadership across their organizations during their absence, which can enhance organizations’ capacity in the long term.

Criteria

Sabbatical recipients are selected based on criteria including:

• The applicant’s professional accomplishments
• The applicant’s years of service in the same position and organization
• The difficulty of the applicant’s profession and work environment
• The applicant’s need for a sabbatical and description of their sabbatical as it relates to their personal renewal
• Feasibility of the applicant accomplishing their sabbatical plans within the proposed budget
• Strong plan of action for staff and board of the applicant’s organization
• Potential for the applicant to return to work and make future contributions in their chosen field

Funding

A total of $40,000 is awarded for each sabbatical: $30,000 goes to the awardee so they can reflect or renew in whatever manner they propose, and $10,000 goes to their organization to help prepare for the awardee to take time away. Of the $10,000, at least $5,000 must go toward activities that will enhance the recipient’s entire organization, e.g., staff retreats, team building exercises, mentoring opportunities, and/or other activities to support the staff. 

About

The Davie Community Foundation, Inc. (DCF) is a nonprofit corporation established in 1988 to improve the lives of residents in Davie County, North Carolina.

The Davie Community Foundation inspires philanthropy to strengthen Davie County for present and future generations by “Investing in our Future NOW!”

We envision Davie County as a Vibrant community where everyone can Thrive!

Davie County Community Grant

 In an effort to strengthen community leadership, requests for Capacity Building and strengthening of non-profit organizations will be considered. Grant-making decisions are left to the Foundation Grants Committee, who looks at the community’s current needs and directs money where it will have the greatest impact.

Community Grants are made twice a year through a competitive application process. 

Background

Many rural regions in our state have plentiful land but inadequate access to healthy food and recreation opportunities. Loss of land in communities of color, lack of food processing capacity, insufficient protections for farmworkers, and cuts to nutrition assistance programs leave communities little control over food systems in their region. These dynamics are shifting as organizations and residents push for local ownership of the food systems and advocate for meaningful investments in parks, recreation departments, and safe places to play.

Opportunity Details

The Trust is interested in building the capacity of organizations and networks that are working toward local ownership of the food system. Organizations should be deeply rooted in financially vulnerable communities and communities of color and aim to change the way local decisions about the food system are made. Proposals should include plans for deeply engaging residents and shifting policies or systems. Applicants should be working with, or show a willingness to work with, broader food system collaboratives.

Goal

Leverage local organizations and networks, especially those based in financially vulnerable regions and communities of color, to promote equity in food and recreation systems, substance misuse, and adverse childhood experiences.

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.

Our Mission

To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund

To make the highest possible impact on the climate and biodiversity crises, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is committed to advancing solutions and supporting partners throughout the Appalachians to connect and conserve vital wildlife habitat, build resilience to the impacts of climate change, and generate new job and recreation opportunities for communities.

Approximately one-third of the U.S. population lives in or within 100 miles of the Appalachians, including an estimated 36 million people that rely on the region for sources of drinking water. The landscape contains the world's largest remaining expanses of temperate broadleaf mixed forest and provides habitat to a wide diversity of plants of animals, many of which are listed as rare, threatened, or endangered. Conserving this landscape is critical for nature and for the people that live and work there.

However as climate change drives ecosystem instability, plants and animals are shifting their ranges northward, and people are having to find ways to adapt to complex and intertwined challenges. TNC and many others have been working to conserve vital Appalachian habitats for decades. Now we must ramp up our efforts and coordinate with partners across the Appalachians for maximum impact.

To succeed in these efforts, TNC’s Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund offers two grant programs for conservation and community organizations, municipalities, Federally Recognized Tribal Nations, and local and state agencies in the Appalachians who are working to protect and conserve this region:

• The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program
• The New York Climate Resilience Grant Program

Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program

The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program provides grants of up to $100,000 for fee and easement acquisition projects throughout the Appalachians.

Equitable Conservation and Community Benefits

Conservation organizations are increasingly acknowledging the importance of incorporating social equity in their missions, partnerships, and projects and evolving how they work to have better outcomes for people and nature.

TNC defines community benefits as the positive outcomes that directly result from or are included within conservation projects as experienced by local communities and people. This is particularly important for historically marginalized communities, communities with limited access to nature, communities experiencing heightened impacts of climate change due to systemic underinvestment and poor infrastructure, and Indigenous communities. 

RCA program funding will support projects that demonstrate meaningful community engagement, work with those historically excluded from conservation, and lead to a fairer distribution of benefits for people and communities.

Some examples of community benefits include improved and greater access to nature, protection of drinking water sources, recreational and resource-based economic opportunities, flood mitigation, engagement in cross-cultural initiatives, or protection of lands that will meet community-defined conservation needs. We encourage projects with meaningful community benefits that are integrated with the land protection goals.

Project Evaluation

Projects will be evaluated  according to their capacity to deliver land protection outcomes aligned with the program goals, including:

• Location:
  • the project is located within TNC’s Appalachians Program boundary and is in or near a mapped focal area.  Projects outside of focal areas will also be considered.
• Resilience:
  • the percentage of the total project area that is part of the Resilient and Connected Network.
• Connectivity:
  • adjacency to protected lands or other attributes that will lead to landscape connectivity over time (e.g., the project is a necessary acquisition for advancing a local or regional plan that aims to protect a critical conservation corridor).
• Collaboration:
  • evidence of engagement with other organizations, community groups, or local governments (including, but not limited to, shared funding).
• Community:
  • project elements that directly engage and or benefit people, especially vulnerable or marginalized communities.
• Timeline:
  • the project will close within 12 months from the start of the grant agreement term.
• Feasibility:
  • likelihood that the project will close and the costs seem reasonable.

About Us

At Camber Foundation, we know that solutions come from within community. Where we can contribute to those solutions by sharing the load, we will.

That’s what “camber” means to us – “a positive, upward curve built into the beam of a bridge, intended to distribute the load”. That’s why we chose it for our name, and we will work every day to live up to this meaning.

Bridge-builders across Eastern North Carolina are leading their communities towards a future where all can flourish. Every day, they are generating ideas, making connections, and gathering resources to bring their visions to life, and we believe they should not have to do it alone.

With philanthropic roots in the region, we stand ready as a willing and committed partner – to enhance, to strengthen, to uplift by adding “camber” to community-driven solutions.

The Camber Foundation team is united by a motivation to uplift communities in Eastern North Carolina.

Our Focus Areas

Camber Foundation funding will focus on three areas.

Health & Wellness

Improving access to the broad spectrum of resources that promote optimal health and well-being for communities, individuals, and families so that all can thrive.

Education

Advancing educational opportunities so that all students have what they need to learn and develop the knowledge and skills that drive them toward achieving their full potential and excelling in their future endeavors.

Economic Development

Strengthening elements of the economic fiber of communities in order to boost the quality of life and prosperity of the individuals and families within them.

Within these areas, we have identified funding priorities that we have heightened interest in learning more about and supporting through grantmaking.

• Access to healthcare
• Mental health services and programs
• Postsecondary education attainment
• Workforce development
• Entrepreneurship
• Youth development programming
• Digital inclusion
• Capacity building for nonprofits and nonprofit leaders

Dogwood Health Trust

Dogwood Health Trust was created in 2018, but our ethos was inspired by a tradition of caring for a community that is more than a century old and rooted in our Appalachian culture. Our founding board established our purpose to dramatically improve health and wellness, grounded in a deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Since our inception, the Dogwood board and staff have called on these traditions to shape how we work, across our Western North Carolina region, so that every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive – no exceptions.

Our Purpose

To dramatically improve the health and wellbeing of all people and communities of Western North Carolina.

Strategic Priorities

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
• health & wellness

As we look ahead and respond to the opportunities and challenges from Hurricane Helene, Dogwood’s grantmaking will focus on: 

• Capacity
  • We’ll strengthen strategically aligned organizations and the people that lead them day-to-day through multi-year, unrestricted general operating support and capacity-building grants.
• Collaboration
  • We’ll invest in innovative ideas and collaborative efforts led by organizations and communities responding to the challenges and opportunities in our post-Hurricane Helene environment.
• Connections
  • We’ll convene and connect the leaders and organizations doing work across our four strategic priorities and across our region so that dynamic networks of new relationships and ways of working together emerge.
• Capital Attraction
  • We’ll help our partners attract more financial resources from public and other philanthropic sources.

General Operating Support for Strategically Aligned Organizations

General operating support is funding for advancing an organization’s core mission, including building or growing programs, advocacy or policy efforts, or other uses. Organizations decide how to use funds and grant reporting is simplified. 

Grant sizes will range from $50,000-$350,000/year for two years

Appalachian Regional Commission Funds

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region stretching along the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi.

Established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 22 million people into America's economic mainstream.

In North Carolina, ARC supports economic development activities in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey counties.

ARC Strategic Plan

A comprehensive strategic planning process involving federal, state, and local officials and citizens resulted in, Appalachia Envisioned: A New Era of Opportunity – ARC Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which focuses investments under these five general goals:

• Building Appalachian Businesses:
  • Strengthen the economy through entrepreneurship and business development.
• Building Workforce Ecosystems:
  • Expand systems to help people secure and advance in stable careers.
• Building Infrastructure:
  • Ensure access to reliable, affordable, and resilient utilities and infrastructure.
• Building Regional Culture and Tourism:
  • Preserve and invest in cultural and natural assets to drive community and economic development.
• Building Community Leaders and Capacity:
  • Support local leaders with technical assistance and resources for effective planning and project execution.

Pre-applications must meet one of the ARC Goals.

North Carolina Targeted Investment Priorities

Governor Stein will utilize resources provided by the ARC to advance North Carolina’s economic development goals in Western North Carolina. Aligned with Governor Stein's priorities, ARC resources will be used to: strengthen the workforce, support businesses, and empower communities while supporting the region to become more resilient as a result of Hurricane Helene.

NC ARC Investment Priorities:

• Projects that enhance long-term infrastructure commitments that allow for commerce and creation and retention of jobs,
• Projects that support local government infrastructure resiliency, with an emphasis on enhancing economic development opportunities,
• Projects that enrich partnerships between local industries, k-12 schools, and community colleges to expand and enhance workforce development opportunities to ensure a pipeline of skilled workers in the region, and
• Projects that spur economic activity in the health care sector and improve the quality of health care services in rural communities throughout the region; while supporting local efforts to tackle health care challenges, specifically substance use disorder.

Funding

The state has set a general guideline that ARC assistance will not exceed $700,000 for construction projects and $300,000 for non-construction projects.

However, special consideration will be given to construction projects in distressed and at-risk counties resulting in job creation, as well as projects that make necessary improvements that build resiliency as direct result of Hurricane Helene. Selected projects that address these priorities may request up to $1,000,000 in ARC funding.

Special consideration may also be given to non-construction projects with an emphasis on workforce development, that is providing job training opportunities for individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene, with an allowable funding amount up to $500,000.

The NC ARC Program has the discretion to reduce the requested funding amount for projects when necessary to meet all investment needs.

To comply with Congressional instructions, the matching requirements in multicounty projects will vary, depending on the designated economic status of the counties involved. Multicounty projects serving fewer than the 31 counties will be computed based on the average of the eligible financing level for the counties involved.

About New Hanover County Community Foundation

The New Hanover County Community Foundation is a growing family of philanthropic funds, source of grants for local causes and partner for donors. The NHCCF has deep roots in southeastern North Carolina. A descendant of the former Community Foundation of Southeastern North Carolina, it has been serving the community since 1987 and is led by a local volunteer advisory board that helps build community assets through the creation of permanent endowments, makes grants and leverages leadership – all for the benefit of New Hanover County.

The NHCCF, through the NC Community Foundation, makes it easy to become a philanthropist, whatever your means or charitable goals. You can open an endowment for your favorite cause at any time – or contribute to an existing fund in any amount.

The NHCCF board advises the New Hanover County Community Fund, the unrestricted community grantmaking fund, to support local needs. This competitive grants program is held annually. Because advisory board members live and work in New Hanover County, they can leverage resources to help meet local needs and access opportunities.

New Hanover County Community Foundation

The Foundation is seeking proposals from New Hanover County nonprofit organizations in support of the following purposes:

• Suzanne and George Taylor Endowment – Focus on improving the welfare of children from birth to 18 years of age in New Hanover County.
• New Hanover County Unrestricted Endowment – Supports broad charitable purposes including capacity building. Grant awards typically range from $500 to $2500. Larger amounts will be considered for projects or initiatives with the potential to achieve a significant positive impact on New Hanover County.
• Food Bank of Coastal Carolina Fund – Focus on food or food-related services to those who are in need in the NC Counties of New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick, and Columbus.
• 1898 Memorial Fund – Grants are awarded for projects that support race relations in Wilmington.
• Lucille Murchison Marvin Fund - General charitable purposes.

North Carolina Community Foundation’s Community Grantmaking Program funds the work of charitable organizations that serve 67 counties within our statewide affiliate network.

NCCF affiliates are organized by regions, each with an assigned NCCF regional director who facilitates and supports the board’s grantmaking process. 

Onslow Caring Communities Foundation

The Foundation is seeking proposals from Onslow County nonprofit organizations in support of the following purposes:

Onslow County Unrestricted Endowment

Up to $16,000 will be distributed towards organizations in support of broad charitable purposes. Grant awards typically range from $750 to $3,000. Larger amounts will be considered for projects or initiatives with the potential to achieve significant positive impact for Onslow County. 

Dallas Fred Allen Endowment

Dallas Fred Allen Endowment which supports organizations with services and programs benefitting animalanimals humane treatment and animal welfare solely within Onslow County.

Nantahala Health Foundation

Nantahala Health Foundation is committed to collaborating with organizations to build capacity and address areas that significantly affect the health and well-being of all people in the community we serve.

Nantahala Health Foundation, a public 501(c)3 nonprofit, is charged with improving the health, wellness and overall quality of life for those living in the westernmost region of North Carolina, including Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties, as well as the Qualla Boundary.  

Our Priority: Youth and Young Adult Well-being

We are committed to partnering with local organizations best aligned with our mission to support youth and young adults struggling to thrive in far Western North Carolina.

Through our grant cycle, we plan to invest in projects designed to significantly move the needle on issues that impact health and well-being for children from age 5 to young adults age 24.

NHF seeks to partner with organizations that embrace this vision for our region. Together we will work to catalyze and accelerate change to improve the lives, health, and futures of adolescents and young adults of Western North Carolina through:

• Projects that emphasize integrating mental health and substance use prevention into services for families and education systems
• Projects that address dire family and community conditions
• Social supports extending from schools to communities and families
• Proven and/or innovative out-of-school time models
• Adult and peer-to-peer mentoring
• Parent engagement
• Innovative job training and career pathway development, including intern and apprenticeships
• Communities in Schools or similar models
• Addressing transportation issues that prevent students and young adults from participating in activities and programs designed to support their success
• Programs that foster social-emotional development and equip students and young adults with resiliency skill

NHF also seeks to build capacity and support professionals working with adolescents and young adults in our community. We will seek to achieve these results through innovative projects to increase recruitment and retention among our teachers, mental health practitioners, and other social services providers. We seek to increase the cultural competency of these professionals by helping them to better understand health disparities among vulnerable populations.

YYA grant recipients will demonstrate how their problem-solving projects improve health outcomes for underserved youth and young adults (school-age through age 24) living in the Nantahala Health Foundation region. They will work inclusively with their communities, make the most of existing resources, and consider collaborating with at least one organization as part of their problem-solving and/or response process.

Funding

Grant awards will be capped at $100,000.

Grantmaking

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
• Health & wellness

Capacity Building support is funding for activities that help strengthen strategically aligned partners’ internal operations to achieve long-term performance and sustainability.

Grant sizes will range from $15,000 to $50,000 and can be used over a two-year period.

Wild East Action Fund

The Wild East Action Fund supports projects that accelerate the pace of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape.

Since 2018, the Wild East Action Fund has supported a variety of land protection and conservation capacity-building projects that have accelerated the pace and scale of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape. This funding opportunity is available to conservation organizations, including nonprofit partners and public agencies, that support the mission of the Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership (ATLP).

In celebration of ATC’s 100th anniversary and the ATLP’s 10th anniversary, ATC is excited to host a Wild East Action Fund cycle!

The Wild East Action Fund is a private, competitive grant opportunity, administered by ATC, supporting the ATLP mission to connect the wild, scenic, and cultural wonders of the A.T. landscape. The Wild East Action Fund seeks applications that aim to accelerate the pace and scale of A.T. landscape’s conservation and resiliency.

ATC has identified needs and strategies, at multiple scales, to effectively support the acceleration of conservation and resiliency within the A.T. landscape. The program’s three grant categories are designed to catalyze new and existing conservation partners’ knowledge, abilities, and expertise to address many of these dynamic needs:

• Land Protection
• Conservation Planning
• Community Resilience

The Wild East Action Fund supports projects that contribute to the protection of lands and waters within the A.T. landscape, enhance capacity for strategic conservation activities, build community support for a conserved and resilient A.T. landscape; and champion an A.T. landscape that encourages all people to feel welcome, respected, supported and valued.

Community Resilience

Purpose - Recover from and build community capacity to address/mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Community Resilience grants are available for projects that support community resiliency in the face of weather-related impacts and a changing climate. We anticipate three types of resilient community projects to be competitive in this cycle; the most competitive applications will address more than one of the following themes:

• Recovery, rebuilding, development of outdoor recreation, cultural, or historic assets.
• Restoration, stabilization, recovery of natural resources, ecological systems, or open space.
• Community building, place-making, or preparedness.

Eligible projects can include, but are not limited to, volunteer workdays/clean-ups/events, youth leadership and workforce training related to conservation or natural resource stewardship, public education or outreach campaigns or events, downtown recovery, beautification, revitalization, and resiliency planning or pre-planning activities, and recreational/cultural/historic asset improvements. Competitive projects will advance climate resiliency, be collaborative and/or community-driven, support public access to open space and recreation opportunities, and/or address Hurricane Helene recovery. It is important that applications clearly demonstrate how the project will help the community recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene and/or strengthen a community’s capacity to respond, mitigate, or adapt to future risk and uncertainty associated with the increasing severity of weather events and a changing climate. As much as possible, project outcomes should include, or strive to strengthen community support for, conservation actions and nature-based solutions to climate change. 

Funding

Up to $400,000 will be granted through the Wild East Action Fund to qualified land protection, conservation planning, and community resiliency projects. Conservation Planning and Community Resiliency grant requests between $5,000 and $20,000 will be considered.

All funding opportunities require a cash or in-kind match. Match ratio will be considered on a case-by-case basis, evaluated on the circumstances of the organization and project context. The match should be secured or demonstrate with confidence that it will be secured during the grant period.

Funding for the Conservation Planning and Community Resilience grant categories are made possible through the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s A.T. Resiliency Fund. 

Wild East Action Fund

The Wild East Action Fund supports projects that accelerate the pace of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape.

Since 2018, the Wild East Action Fund has supported a variety of land protection and conservation capacity-building projects that have accelerated the pace and scale of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape. This funding opportunity is available to conservation organizations, including nonprofit partners and public agencies, that support the mission of the Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership (ATLP).

In celebration of ATC’s 100th anniversary and the ATLP’s 10th anniversary, ATC is excited to host a Wild East Action Fund cycle!

The Wild East Action Fund is a private, competitive grant opportunity, administered by ATC, supporting the ATLP mission to connect the wild, scenic, and cultural wonders of the A.T. landscape. The Wild East Action Fund seeks applications that aim to accelerate the pace and scale of A.T. landscape’s conservation and resiliency.

ATC has identified needs and strategies, at multiple scales, to effectively support the acceleration of conservation and resiliency within the A.T. landscape. The program’s three grant categories are designed to catalyze new and existing conservation partners’ knowledge, abilities, and expertise to address many of these dynamic needs:

• Land Protection
• Conservation Planning
• Community Resilience

The Wild East Action Fund supports projects that contribute to the protection of lands and waters within the A.T. landscape, enhance capacity for strategic conservation activities, build community support for a conserved and resilient A.T. landscape; and champion an A.T. landscape that encourages all people to feel welcome, respected, supported and valued.

Conservation Planning

Purpose - Building organizational, partnership, or community capacity/buy-in for future strategic conservation actions.

Conservation Planning grants are available to support the strategic conservation planning efforts of organizations, regional partnerships, or local governments or agencies that aim to catalyze local or regional land protection and nature-based solutions for climate change within the A.T. Landscape. Eligible projects can include, but are not limited to, developing strategic conservation or open space plans, preplanning needs such as data collection or analysis, building parcel prioritization/decision support tools for land protection, or creating natural resource stewardship/restoration planning. Competitive projects will use collaborative and/or community-driven conservation approaches, support public access to recreation opportunities, advance climate resiliency, and protect clean water where appropriate. It is important that conservation planning projects clearly demonstrate how efforts will result in or catalyze future landscape conservation, address climate change, and strive to strengthen community support for conservation.

Funding

Up to $400,000 will be granted through the Wild East Action Fund to qualified land protection, conservation planning, and community resiliency projects. Conservation Planning and Community Resiliency grant requests between $5,000 and $20,000 will be considered.

All funding opportunities require a cash or in-kind match. Match ratio will be considered on a case-by-case basis, evaluated on the circumstances of the organization and project context. The match should be secured or demonstrate with confidence that it will be secured during the grant period.

Funding for the Conservation Planning and Community Resilience grant categories are made possible through the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s A.T. Resiliency Fund. 

Background

Research indicates that about 14 percent of Forsyth County’s youth ages 16-24 are considered “disconnected,” meaning they are not currently engaged in the education system or economic opportunities. Locally, the Trust is supporting organizations to convene and implement community-informed action plans for reconnecting youth, particularly youth of color, to educational opportunities and living wage jobs. The goal of this work is to identify opportunities and gaps for what is needed to effect lasting change in Forsyth County.

Opportunity Details

The Trust is interested in hearing from organizations implementing action plans. Efforts could include communications and advocacy campaigns, community engagement and public education work, capacity building, and convening partners. It could also involve grassroots groups working with the education and workforce systems to address barriers to accessing opportunity. Organizations responding to this announcement should have been involved, or show a willingness to get involved, in planning and convening with other community groups.

Goal

Increase the percentage of disconnected youth in Forsyth County who move into living wage jobs.

Strategy

• Conduct broad-based communications, community education, and advocacy efforts that advance goals.
• Convene, facilitate, and coordinate stakeholders to collectively address goals. This could include better coordination within and across systems and regularly convening community partners.
• Build community, organizational, and individual capacity in areas with low incomes so that historically marginalized populations can participate in economic, education, and community improvement efforts.

Mission

The mission of Southern Partners Fund (SPF) is to serve rural Southeastern communities and organizations seeking social, economic and environmental justice by providing them with financial resources, technical assistance, training and access to systems of information and power. There are two central ideas embraced in the democratic philanthropy of Southern Partners Fund: compassion and community. Compassion implies an understanding or concern for community members lacking local political power to impact the decisions that affect their lives. Community relates to the things that bring us and hold us together.

Purpose

The Purpose of SPF Grantmaking is to:

• Develop and nurture grassroots community-based leaders and organizers.
• Build the capacity of rural, grassroots community organizing groups and leaders.
• Strengthen rural communities and people.
• Develop equitable peer relationships, which support real transformation toward a just society.

Hubert E. Sapp Regular Grants Cycle

Hubert Ellis Sapp, a transformative visionary and grassroots organizer, was instrumental in turning the concept of Southern Partners Fund, a democratically led foundation directed by grassroots leaders, into a reality. To honor his legacy in the wake of his passing in February of 2021, we are honored to add his name to our Regular Grant Cycle, which from here on, will be referred to as the Hubert E. Sapp Regular Grant Cycle. 

• Applicants may request general support or project support.
• Applicants must have operating budgets of $350,000 or less to receive general support.
• Organizations with operating budgets over $350,000 can apply for project support only.

Members of SPF’s grants committee will contact organizations being considered to schedule a site visit, required for new applicants, or phone interview. SPF’s grants committee, made up of SPF members, makes grants decisions during a September grants panel meeting, which are then ratified by the Board. Groups will be notified of grants decisions after October 1st, 2024.

If an organization has received five consecutive years of regular grant cycle funding, it must take a year off before making a new RGC grant request.