Search Through Grants for Community Centers in North Carolina in the U.S.

What does this program do?

This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

What is an eligible area?

Rural areas including cities, villages, townships and towns including Federally Recognized Tribal Lands with no more than 20,000 residents according to the latest U.S. Census Data are eligible for this program.

How may funds be used?

Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and / or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment and pay related project expenses.

Examples of essential community facilities include:

• Health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
• Public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangars or street improvements.
• Community support services such as child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing.
• Public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment.
• Educational services such as museums, libraries or private schools.
• Utility services such as telemedicine or distance learning equipment.
• Local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses.

Grant Approval

Applicant must be eligible for grant assistance, which is provided on a graduated scale with smaller communities with the lowest median household income being eligible for projects with a higher proportion of grant funds. Grant assistance is limited to the following percentages of eligible project costs:

Maximum of 75 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 5,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 60 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 55 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 12,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 70 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 35 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 20,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 80 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income.

Maximum of 15 percent when the proposed project is:

• Located in a rural community having a population of 20,000 or fewer; and
• The median household income of the proposed service area is below the higher of the poverty line or 90 percent of the State nonmetropolitan median household income. The proposed project must meet both percentage criteria. Grants are further limited.

Digital Equity Planning Grants 

Connect Humanity’s Digital Equity Planning Grants support communities to establish a holistic plan of action to achieve their digital equity goals.

As part of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA), the US Government established Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) and the Digital Equity Act (DEA). Together these programs provide $45 billion+ to support unserved and underserved communities to access the broadband, devices, and skills they need to participate fully in our digital world. Many of these communities currently lack the time, resources, and technical know-how to design the broadband plans they need to receive this funding. 

That’s why Connect Humanity supports low-income communities and communities of color to create Digital Equity Connectivity Plans. This process will identify the community’s digital needs and create a robust plan to meet them. The broadband networks that result will provide families and businesses with the reliable, affordable connectivity they need, leading to economic development, social mobility, and healthier communities.

A plan for better broadband

Efforts to bring better broadband to a community must start with a clear plan. This program provides grantees with funding and expertise to establish a holistic Digital Equity Connectivity Plan which will help them secure the partnerships and financing they need to advance internet access in their communities — and will be critical whether or not they receive government funding. We’ll tailor our support to meet you where you are, but typically we’d expect to partner with you to:

• Assess your community’s digital needs: to understand the current broadband market, where the gaps are, and the barriers to digital equity that need to be addressed.
• Create a network design: to define the technical requirements, operating and ownership model of the network.
• Build a business plan: with a sustainable revenue model, clear funding options, and a community engagement strategy.

Funding

Planning grants are a partnership effort between the community, the connectivity provider, external consultants, and Connect Humanity. The resulting Digital Equity Connectivity Plans are meant to support a community to pursue further funding for their networks and digital skills. For communities that have not completed much or any planning, more resources will be needed.

The full scope of our planning grants range from $10,000 to $120,000. This is dependent on the needs of the community. For example, while some communities have allocated public funding to support this work, others will need support for the full planning process.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

At Honda, we know the true measure of a company isn’t just great products but the impact that the company has on society. From reducing our impact on the environment to the life-saving technology in our vehicles to our associates’ community service work, we’re committed to making a difference in ways that extend across North America.

Honda Corporate Funding

Honda’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vision is to help people fulfill their life’s potential. We do this by supporting the communities where we live and work through financial contributions and the volunteer efforts of Honda associates. Honda offers funding opportunities for programmatic support and community event sponsorships. Each request is evaluated based on its own merit, taking into consideration community needs and available funding.

Community Event Sponsorships

As a company deeply embedded in the fabric of our communities, Honda is proud to support the places we call home. We aim to sponsor community events that celebrate and uphold the rich cultures, heritages, and traditions of the communities where we live and work. By valuing each person’s unique contributions and perspectives, Honda is committed to the collective strength of our communities. In doing so, we strive to be a company that society wants to exist.

Community event sponsorship requests can include, but not limited to parades, community festivals, galas, runs, walks.

Geographic Scope

Requests for community event sponsorships can be local, regional or national in scope, but must primarily benefit communities where Honda associates live and work. Eligible requests must serve one or more of the following states, where Honda has major operations in the U.S. and a strong community presence:

Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina,  andTexas.

Mission

Founded in 1967 with the democratic vision of “arts for all citizens,” the North Carolina Arts Council sustains and grows the arts for the benefit of North Carolinians and their communities. The North Carolina Arts Council strives to deliver resources for arts development to all 100 counties of the state through programs that are fair, transparent and accountable. The Arts Council is an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. A 24-member citizen board, appointed by the Governor, advises the Secretary of the Department on policies, programs, and research that supports arts development across North Carolina.

Traditional Arts Program for Students (TAPS)

This program provides community organizations (arts councils, schools, community centers) with funding for after-school programs that connect North Carolina students with local traditional artists.  Students receive instruction in an art form that has deep cultural roots in their community, taught by experts utilizing traditional instructional techniques. Local county arts councils have often taken the lead in sponsoring TAPS programs.

North Carolina communities have always fostered shared artistic traditions. Indigenous arts such as carving, basket making and storytelling have characterized N.C. Indian communities for thousands of years. Five hundred years of immigration has introduced numerous traditional arts that distinguish communities of European, African and Asian descent. New traditional arts develop as communities interact and adapt to each other. The N.C. Arts Council supports the continued performance, transmission and appreciation of traditional arts throughout the state.

TAPS programs in mountain counties often call themselves JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians). JAM programs offer weekly instruction in banjo, fiddle, guitar and mandolin taught by regional traditional musicians. Each program serves from 20 to 60 students. JAM students frequently perform at community venues and are often invited to compete at fiddlers’ conventions. JAM programs are affiliates of JAMKids.org.

Other current TAPS programs include instruction in Seagrove’s famous pottery traditions, the ethnic arts practiced by the Haliwa-Saponi and the Lumbee Indian tribes, and the arts of the urban immigrant Korean population. Eastern N.C.’s Lenoir County hosts a jazz and funk TAPS program that utilizes instructors documented through the N.C. Arts Council’s African American Music Heritage Trails project.

All TAPS programs must meet basic requirements. Each program is expected to set yearly goals in the areas of program development, evaluation, local support, community connections, professional development and public communication.

Successful TAPS programs take place in communities that identify strong local arts traditions. Community organizations must receive an invitation to submit an application for a TAPS program. 

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). 

Detailed Program Description

South Arts believes that rural communities deserve great art, and can require specialized support to make that vision viable. Distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, Express Grants support rural organizations and communities with expedited grants of up to $3,000. To be eligible for funding, applicants must program arts experiences featuring a Southern artist.

Express Grants are an opportunity for organizations in South Arts' nine-state region to receive fee support to present Southern guest film directors, visual and performing artists, or writers from inside or outside of the presenter's state. Artist fee support is awarded for:

• film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
• performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance),
• literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry),
• traditional arts, and
• visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media).

Guidelines

Projects must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement component. Based on the artist fee, the maximum request is $3,000. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar cash match (for example, an applicant that requests $3,000 must provide a $3,000 cash match for a project with a $6,000 artist fee).

Policies

• The educational/community engagement component is integral to the project and should be carefully planned. A meaningful educational/community engagement component should involve concentrated preparation by the artist/company and presenter, including a learning event that has a lasting impact on the audience (e.g., workshops, lectures, and master classes). The artist(s)/company must conduct the educational/community engagement activity. Please be aware that failure to include an educational/community engagement component will result in ineligibility.
• Grants are NOT transferable to other events. All changes in an event must be submitted in writing to South Arts before the event. Awards may be revised or revoked in light of such changes.
• Grant awards require a dollar-for-dollar cash match. Applicants can request a grant up to 50% of the artist fee as listed in the artist contract or letter of agreement, up to $3,000 (subject to funding availability). For example, a project with an artist fee of $6,000 means the applicant can request $3,000 and must provide a cash match of $3,000. This grant does not support indirect and additional project costs.
• The minimum grant request is $500. The minimum artist fee for this grant program is $1,000.
• The maximum grant request is $3,000.

NCBiotech offers several funding programs designed to fill gaps in technology development and company growth. These funds help university researchers and companies conduct critical studies and reach significant development milestones that enable them to attract follow-on funding.

Event and Meeting Grants

NCBiotech's event and meeting grants support North Carolina-based events and meetings that bring information and networking opportunities on diverse topics to the life sciences community statewide.  

• Biotechnology Event Sponsorships (BES) provide up to $3,000 to support life sciences-focused events held primarily for a North Carolina audience. 

• Biotechnology Meeting Grants (BMG) support national and international life sciences-focused meetings held in North Carolina and offer up to $10,000. 

Funds can be requested for in-person, virtual, or hybrid events. Any North Carolina university or non-profit organization (with its own independent tax ID number or EIN) may apply.

Background

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation is committed to embracing the entire state through our various grant programs. We seek the creative spark that makes a true difference in people's lives by supporting innovative programs promoting the sciences, health and education. 

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation is an independent self-funding 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supporting activities that help meet the educational and health needs of today's society and future generations. For decades, the Foundation has been a proud supporter of programs in our state that help advance science, health and education.

The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors that includes community leaders and GSK corporate executives. The day to day operations are overseen by the staff.

The Foundation was the vision of Glaxo chairman and chief executive, the late Joseph J. Ruvane, Jr. Mr. Ruvane brought the company from Florida to the Research Triangle Park and with it his passion for community. His vision was to establish an annually budgeted corporate giving program and a stable, long-term source of support for our state. In 1996, the company ceased funding the foundation. The foundation's growth is based solely on investment and market growth derived from its own independent endowment.

Since our establishment in 1986, we have awarded $68.9 million in grants over 30 years! We pay approximately $3 million in grants each year to North Carolina nonprofit organizations.

Ribbon of Hope Grants

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation invites nonprofit organizations to apply for one-time grants of $25,000 for projects furthering science, health and education in their local communities. These grants are intended to offer organizations a one-time opportunity to develop a new initiative or to grow and expand and/or enhance an existing program. The Foundation does not fund core mission support, general operating, indirect or overhead costs, construction or renovation projects, medical assistance or services, or equipment.

Many nonprofits are providing outstanding services, but are struggling with limited resources to meet the needs of their local communities as their own budgets are squeezed. These grants are intended to offer organizations a one-time opportunity to expand and/or enhance an existing program or provide seed funds for a new initiative. In addition to the financial assistance, recipients benefit from customized consulting services and technical assistance provided by the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits.

Ribbon of Hope proposals will be considered that relate to the establishment and implementation of new projects or expansion of an existing program which:

• address critical community needs that have been identified through comprehensive needs assessment activities
• tightly align with goals and objectives of local community agencies
• demonstrate their sustainability after grant funds are expended.

Program Areas

We believe an auto company can also be a vehicle for change. That’s why Toyota is proud to partner with nonprofit organizations in the dozens of communities where we operate. Investing in and creating better opportunities for our communities and its citizens improves their quality of life, builds lasting relationships and helps enrich society.

Let’s make an impact – together. We work collaboratively to address some of society’s most pressing challenges – and fund programs tied to our strategic priorities.

About Our Program

Toyota seeks to expand access to opportunities that improve people’s lives and create a culture of inclusion—strengthening the communities where we live, work and play. To have meaningful, sustainable impact, we take a holistic approach to investing in our communities. Our efforts go beyond monetary support, amplifying our impact by engaging our team members as volunteers and sharing our Toyota know-how.

What We Fund

Nationally, Toyota focuses on:

• Community Sustainability
• Inclusive Mobility
• Workforce Readiness

Regionally, Toyota makes contributions to help support the specific needs of local communities. Please note that Toyota entities based in Plano, Texas (Toyota Motor North America, Toyota Financial Services and Toyota USA Foundation) as well as Production Engineering and Manufacturing Center (PEMC) have moved to an invite-only grant application process.

Cross-Sector Impact Grants

South Arts’ mission is advancing Southern vitality through the arts, and this program addresses a strategic goal to cultivate and strengthen deep, cross-sector partnerships that are artist and community centered. As our communities continue to change, the arts play an incomparable role in addressing many of our communal and individual challenges and strengths. The value of partnership and working together across sectors brings new opportunities, increased effectiveness, and greater depth to our collective work. Through this program, South Arts seeks to provide significant support to projects developed by partners that harness the power of “Arts & …” (these are projects at the intersection of arts and other sectors). This year, we are shifting to a new program model.

Over the next three years, South Arts is committed to one community impact area – Health and Wellness. Eligible projects must focus on the “Arts & Health and Wellness” theme - for example, arts & mental wellness or arts & physical health. Matching grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to support approximately 18 projects. We anticipate funding these 18 projects for three grant cycles and expect applicants to commit to the collaborative work for a three-year duration. Funding will be awarded in three separate fiscal years with streamlined, grant renewal forms submitted for cycles two and three. Matching grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to continue or advance the project with the same two partners in cycles two and three.  

South Arts’ mission is advancing Southern vitality through the arts. This program addresses two of South Arts’ strategic goals:

• Connect artists and arts professionals in the South to resources that will increase opportunities for success within and outside the region
• Advance impactful arts-based programs that recognize and address trends and evolving needs of a wide range of communities in the South

Project Requirements

SSouth Arts welcomes applications from partnering entities working together on a project that addresses Arts & Health and Wellness through cross-sector partnerships. Projects must utilize the arts as a tool in creative approaches to address and advance a health and wellness issue that is of importance in their community. Projects should also establish or advance relationships across at least two different sectors, one being in the arts. 

Arts disciplines may include, but are not limited to:

• Performing arts, including dance, music, theater, musical theater, opera;
• Literary arts, including fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry;
• Visual arts, including craft, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media;
• Film or media;
• Traditional and folk arts, including music, craft, storytelling, dance; or
• Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artforms.

Community impact areas may include, but are not limited to:

• Physical (overall well-being and the ability of the body to function properly);
• Mental/Emotional (overall well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life and their emotions);
• Social (overall well-being that stems from connection and community); or
• Occupational (overall physical, mental, and social well-being of workers). 

Matching Requirements

The minimum grant request is $5,000 and the maximum request is $15,000 (subject to funding availability). A match of at least 1:2 is required; meaning for each grant dollar, the grantee must provide $.50 towards the project expenses. For returning grantees, in cycles two and three, the maximum request is $10,000 (subject to funding availability).

Up to half of the match may be comprised of in-kind contributions such as donated materials, donated services, or other contributed non-cash assets or staff time diverted to this project. At least half of the match must be cash. For staff time diverted to this project, up to 10% of the total project expenses, but no more than $5,000 can be included as a cash expense or cash match for staff time. The remaining staff time must be an in-kind contribution. Contracted individuals and services specifically for this project are eligible cash expenses. 

Ms. Foundation for Women

The mission of the Ms. Foundation for Women is to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all. We achieve our mission by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural and economic change in the lives of women.

Birth Justice Initiative

In 2022, Ms. Foundation for Women launched our first national, open call request for proposals for our Birth Justice Initiative to support Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities in addressing racial based health disparities in birth experiences and birth outcomes. Through this initiative, Ms. will mobilize funding and capacity building resources nationally to organizations implementing birth justice strategies rooted in movement building and organizing.

The Birth Justice Initiative will build upon our decades of experience supporting grassroots leaders fighting for reproductive justice. The overall goals of our initiative are to:

• Build power within the birth justice movement
• Increase connectivity and collaboration between Birth Justice Organizations and movement leaders.
• Provide philanthropic advocacy, thought partnership, and thought leadership, to influence the movement of more resources to the Birth Justice movement.

We are committed to deepening our investment in grassroots Black, Indigenous and WGOC-led organizations working toward achieving birth justice. In our first round of grant making, we will invest over $1,000,000 in support of birth justice organizations across the spectrum of movement building and organizing, and supporting our communities to advance more equitable birth outcomes.

Brief Description:

The Community Foundation of Richmond County (formerly Richmond Community Foundation) was created in 2001 following the sale of Richmond Memorial Hospital to FirstHealth of the Carolinas. Led by a local Board of Trustees, The Community Foundation of Richmond County funds healthcare related charitable needs in Richmond County, North Carolina.

Result and Investment Areas

The Community Foundation of Richmond County seeks grant applications that address the following focus areas.

• Promote health and wellness;
• Support the provision of indigent care and Medicaid services;
• Support charitable projects assisting area hospitals and care providers;
• Support health education, testing and outreach to the public;
• Support health care research and scientific activities by hospitals and other health care providers;
• Assist other charitable, educational, and social welfare organizations in the conduct of similar activities.

Glass Foundation Grant

The Glass Foundation is a private family foundation based in Asheville, NC and was created in 2000 by Kenneth E. and Nancy J. Glass. The Foundation believes in helping the Western North Carolina region thrive as a whole community educationally, environmentally, and culturally and offer a distinctive quality of life.

The overall vision of the Foundation is to enable Western North Carolina to realize a vision of itself as a premier place to both live and work by making the region a center of high quality educational opportunity; helping to preserve a diverse array of natural resources; and by maintaining a rich cultural and historical heritage.

The Foundation also provides philanthropic support on behalf of the TECT Family of Businesses owned by Kenneth E. Glass and family. 

What We Will Fund

• Capital Campaigns (Requests up to $200,000)
• Construction and Renovation Expenses (Requests up to $100,000)
• Program Supplies or Equipment (Requests up to $50,000)

Only projects in the Western North Carolina region of the United States are considered. Charlotte and the surrounding counties are not considered Western North Carolina.

Vision

The vision of the Polk County Community Foundation is to advance philanthropy and improve the quality of life for all citizens in Polk County, North Carolina and the surrounding area.

Mission

The mission of the Polk County Community Foundation is to:

• Support charitable and beneficial activities in the community
• Provide and administer a variety of planned giving programs
• Serve as a responsible steward of all funds entrusted to it
• Provide initiative in recognizing areas of community needs and supporting solutions.

Free Community Events

The Community Foundation is pleased to offer grants for free community events, an initiative of the Foundation's Board of Directors to support face to face social interactions that build community in ways small and large. Gatherings funded by these grants are intended to benefit residents who have chosen to make this community their home, to give people an excuse to strike up a conversation and get to know your neighbors. Past grants have funded free entertainment at the Upstairs Artspace, heart-healthy banquets in Green Creek, programs for children and Shakespeare fans at the Polk County Public Library, and a Play Day for children and families in Saluda. All events are 100% free.

Grants of up to $3,000 shall be awarded for small, single events.

Grants of up to $8,000 shall be awarded for a series of events or a large single event likely to attract a hundred or more local people.

Grant funds must be spent within 12 months of the time of the award notification. You may request a longer grant period by indicating the need for an extension of time on the cover page.

Project Examples

Past Free Community Event grants have funded a Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration, the Do-It- Yourself Messiah, a New Year’s Eve celebration, free concerts in Columbus, Landrum, Saluda, and Tryon, heart-healthy banquets in Green Creek, programs for children and Shakespeare fans at the Polk County Public Library, and a Play Day for children and families in Saluda.

Additional ideas for free gatherings could include:

• A yoga series at a library
• Community nights at schools
• Recreational and sporting activities
• Dances
• Gardening classes
• Community grill nights at public parks
• Arts and music workshops and performances
• Extraordinary learning opportunities for community members young and old
• Festivals and celebrations for local residents
• Grant funds may be used to help keep schools open outside normal school hours as gathering places for community building activities

Unrestricted Grants

Unrestricted grants are awarded to fund a variety of projects of value to our community. Many Polk County organizations are eligible for grants to support capital expenses. Unrestricted grants fund clearly defined projects and programs that contribute to the community in a meaningful way. Our committee always enjoys learning more about the ways your organization uses its unique expertise to serve our community with beneficial programs and projects. Grant proposals are accepted from Polk County nonprofits and local governmental agencies who share the Foundation’s goal of improving the quality of life for all in our local community.

The Unrestricted Funds of the Polk County Community Foundation serve a particularly important purpose because they allow the Board of Directors the freedom to develop grantmaking programs and award grants to address the needs of the community as they change over time. Many generous citizens who value our community have contributed to the Foundation’s unrestricted grantmaking funds since 1975. Some donors choose to have named Unrestricted Funds and some choose to add their gifts or bequests to the general Unrestricted Fund.

There are many named funds that support Unrestricted Grants: the Lois Miner Barrick Fund, the Marjorie M. & Lawrence R. Bradley Endowment Fund of Polk County, North Carolina; the Merlin G. and Elenore W. Robertson Fund; the Williams Fund; the Book of Memory Fund; the Anonymous Fund and the general Unrestricted Fund. The Thomas J. Kofodimos Charitable Fund, the Elizabeth and Bailey Nager Foundation Fund, the Edward E. and Suzanne K. Plumly Fund, the Abie Proudfoot Memorial Fund, the Rebecca Jane Underwood Unrestricted Fund, and the Samuel and Stephanie White Fund are permanent endowed funds created by generous donors who wished to make annual contributions to the Unrestricted Fund.

ORH assists underserved communities and populations with developing innovative strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effectiveness of health care. Distribution of primary care providers in North Carolina has historically been skewed toward cities and larger towns. Rural residents, who often face transportation issues, may find accessing primary care services difficult. Through the establishment of the Special Project funding, ORH partners with local communities to provide funding to improve the ability to serve under-resourced, Medicaid and Medicare populations who would otherwise be unable to access needed primary care services due to geographic, economic, or other barriers. The purpose of grants awarded under this special project funding is to help healthcare facilities increase access to care in rural communities with a primary focus on the following:

• primary and behavioral healthcare services,
• improved clinical quality measures (a1c, smoking cessation, blood pressure, depression, BMI),
• use of social determinants of health screening tools to support non-clinical improvements to health,
• Non-profit CMS Rural Health Clinics are encouraged to apply.

For organizations currently receiving grant funding through ORH, Special Project funding should not duplicate Community Health, Farmworker Health, or SDRHC grant funded operating projects.The total grant award is dependent upon documented and demonstrated need at the organization and is contingent upon funding availability.

Community Progress Fund

Across North Carolina’s rural counties, local organizations are doing incredible work to serve their communities.

ZSR helps them take their work to the next level by providing an infusion of short-term funding that allows organizations to meet direct needs, test new ideas or expand promising efforts.

Community Progress Fund grants help local organizations in North Carolina’s 78 rural counties move an idea, issue, project or organization forward, with the goal of improving their community.

Grants are meant to help groups build on existing momentum to take their work to the next level.

We support a range of organizations, from food banks to family shelters, daycares to theaters. We have funded executive director transition planning, pilot programs, and even building repairs for anchor organizations to ensure they can continue serving their communities. 

We believe in the power of home-grown solutions driven and led by community members. The criteria for this grant program are intentionally broad because we want to be responsive to communities’ diverse needs.

Criteria and Funding Priorities

Criteria are intentionally broad so that we can be responsive to communities’ diverse needs.

To be considered for funding, in addition to meeting eligibility requirements, grant applicants must:

• Demonstrate how they will move an idea, issue, organization or project forward to improve their community
• Demonstrate that there is existing momentum within the community to move the idea, issue, organization or project forward, and describe how the grant will accelerate, test or grow the momentum
• Be able to begin implementation of a proposal immediately upon award of the grant
• Have a proposal that aligns with ZSR’s core values

ZSR prioritizes the following for funding:

• Proposals that have the greatest potential to achieve local impact and make progress, as defined by the applicant, with the grant
• Proposals for projects that are community-driven, community-led and community-centered

ZSR strongly encourages applications from organizations that are led by and primarily serve people of color.

What do you mean by “progress”?

We define “progress” as moving an idea, issue, organization or project forward to improve a community. This definition is intentionally broad because local context varies across NC, and local organizations know their communities best. 

Through the Community Progress Fund, we want to learn how different communities experience change, opportunity and challenges in unique ways; how applicants define “progress” specifically in their communities; and what local organizations are doing to make an impact in places across NC.

Through the Community Progress Fund, we want to learn how different communities experience change, opportunity and challenges in unique ways; how applicants define “progress” specifically in their communities; and what local organizations are doing to make an impact in places across NC.

Funding

Grant amounts range from $20,000-$30,000 per year for one or two years. Organizations should not apply for funds outside of this grant range amount. Organizations are encouraged to apply for the amount of funding that they deem necessary in year one and in year two, as long as it falls within the $20,000-$30,000 range per year.  

Presentation Grants Program

Presentation Grants are an opportunity for organizations in South Arts' nine-state region to receive fee support to present Southern guest film directors, visual and performing artists, or writers from outside of the presenter's state. Artist fee support is awarded for:

• film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
• performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance),
• literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry),
• traditional arts, and
• visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media).

Projects must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement component. These grants are limited and very competitive. Based on the artist fee, the maximum request is $9,500 for modern dance and contemporary ballet or $7,500 for other artistic disciplines. 

South Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We have prioritized this commitment to ensure that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led organizations, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations representing persons with disabilities are represented as both applicants and grantees. In addition, we encourage applications for projects that engage BIPOC artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with disabilities.

Military and Veterans Healing Arts Grant

These grants are designed to support arts projects focused on serving North Carolina’s military service men and women, veterans, and their families.

North Carolina has the fourth largest military population in the U.S. with over 100,000 active duty service men and women stationed at five military bases, a military ocean terminal, and a coast guard base. North Carolina also hosts over 43,000 National Guard and reserve members. North Carolina’s veteran population resides in every county in the state and numbers over 620,000, ranking fifth highest in the nation. In addition, there are over 39,000 active-duty spouses and 69,000 active-duty children living in North Carolina. Four federal VA medical centers and 14 state veteran service centers are the foundation of support for veterans in the state, but other resources are available through universities and community colleges, and nonprofit organizations.

In addition to the intrinsic value that the arts possess to enhance the quality of life for all citizens, they provide important support for the unique needs of service men and women, veterans and their families.

For these military audiences engaging in arts activities:

• Enhances healing and provides important health benefits in every stage from recovery to wellness
• Strengthens a sense of self, and creates opportunities to tell one’s story in different ways, including nonverbal means of expression
• Builds a connection with the community and diminishes feelings of isolation, both by making art in a group setting and also by instigating a public discussion about topics relevant to servicemen and veterans

An array of arts projects with an emphasis on serving military and veterans audiences are eligible for support.

Examples include:

• A single exhibition, performance, or two to three related events, such as a reading series
• A series of workshops
• An artist residency
• A literary publication or documentary film

All projects must include appropriate outreach activities. Additionally, projects that contribute to the development of this field of work through technical assistance are eligible for support. 

Funding

From $5,000 to $15,000

Organizations with prior-year expenses between $20,000 and $50,000 are eligible to apply for $5,000, the minimum grant award.

Applicants from Tier 2 and Tier 3 counties may apply for up to two-thirds of the overall project expenses and must provide a cash match for the remaining third. Applicants from economically distressed Tier 1 counties are eligible to waive the matching requirement.  

GSK IMPACT Awards for the Triangle

This annual awards program honors up to 10 local nonprofit organizations in recognition of their exceptional achievements, overall excellence, and best practices in contributing to a healthier Triangle Region. This is the 27th year of the program in the United States.

GSK is proud to continue its partnership with Triangle Community Foundation in the administration of this awards program. This program is one of several charitable programs GSK offers in the United States as part of a commitment to building healthier communities and a healthy America.

Challenge

Much of what influences our health happens outside the doctor’s office – in our communities. Factors such as access to healthy foods and recreational spaces undeniably contribute to our health. Where we are born, raised, live, and work matters to our health; yet too many individuals are living in communities that are hazardous to our health.

Solution

The more we understand the connection between our health and our community, the more we can improve it. GSK is guided by their mission of helping people to do more, feel better and live longer. To achieve this mission, GSK goes beyond discovering, developing, and delivering new medicines, vaccines, and healthcare products and addresses health challenges where they often start – in our communities.

Process

GSK and Triangle Community Foundation staff review nonprofit registrations and invite eligible organizations to complete the application process. We work together to select 20 finalists. Virtual site visits are managed and conducted by Triangle Community Foundation. A panel comprised of local and national community health experts and GSK representatives evaluate the finalist applications and site visit reports and select up to ten winners.

Application Guidance

There are a variety of factors that contribute to a healthier community that have been identified in the County Health Rankings & Roadmap model developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Through the GSK IMPACT Awards, we seek to recognize and honor exemplary nonprofit organizations with program(s) that are making measurable impact on these community health factors, listed below. Please read more about each category below and visit County Health Rankings & Roadmap for more information, including examples of evidence-based programs and interventions.

• Community Safety– Programs that support: Healthy neighborhoods, safe streets, crime reduction, civil rights advocacy, community centers, etc. that help to build safe neighborhoods that are free from violence.
• Education– Programs that support: Literacy, life skills, early learning and learning engagement, out-of-school-time, teacher support/development, curriculum quality improvement, coaching/mentorship etc. to help members of the community graduate high-school or go onto post-secondary education.
• Employment & Income– Programs that support: Job skills, professional training, resume assistance, career counseling, interviewing skills, etc. that help to reduce unemployment and increase earnings.
• Family & Social Support– Programs that support: Life coaching/mentorship, elderly care and engagement, child care assistance, parenting support, counseling, etc. that help to reduce isolation and increase community engagement and support.
• Housing & Built Environment– Programs that support: Shelter, safe housing conditions, home assistance, home ownership, transit systems, parks and green spaces, etc. that help to build healthy, connected neighborhoods.
• Nutrition & Physical Activity– Programs that support: Healthy eating, exercise, sports, outdoor activity, etc. to help members of the community achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

Mission

To connect North Carolinians with cultural experiences that spur dialogue, deepen human connections, and inspire community

Vision

A North Carolina enriched by the humanities and equipped with empathy, understanding, and respect.

At NC Humanities we know that access to public humanities programs is essential. The humanities stoke curiosity, promote dialogue, and allow people to better understand the diverse and complex world in which they live. They are a vital component of thriving communities, enhancing quality of life, and promoting economic development and civic engagement.

What We Support

NC Humanities has been a leading humanities funder in North Carolina since 1972. We welcome diverse projects from across North Carolina addressing different themes and using a variety of public humanities formats. NC Humanities’ grant-making programs are a direct extension of our organizational mission and we seek proposals which:

• Connect the public to quality humanities scholarship through programs that respond to community interest, encourage dialogue, and stimulate audiences to think critically about a broad range of humanities topics.
• Engage diverse audiences in the exploration of their personal and collective stories, asking fundamental questions about identity and culture.
• Foster more informed and engaged citizens by using humanities-based cultural, historic, and analytic frameworks to contextualize experiences and support critical thinking.
• Forge partnerships with other institutions such as local cultural organizations, broadcast media stations, cultural heritage centers, universities and community colleges, veterans’ centers, and libraries.
• Engage deep, community-focused projects which address topics that are relevant to the community and draw connections to broad themes or historical trends.
•  Encourage long-term collaborations and partnerships at the local, state and/or national level.
• Include complementary components that deepen an audience’s understanding of a subject. For example, a museum exhibition might be accompanied by a website, mobile app, or discussion programs.
• Engage adults and life-long learning

Large Project Grants

To support the implementation of larger/ extended public humanities projects such as lecture/discussion series, exhibitions, presentations, workshops & more.

Our Large Grant funding opportunity provides up to $20,000 to support public humanities projects of a wide or extended scope. Projects are expected to connect the public to quality humanities scholarship through programs that respond to community interest, encourage dialogue, and stimulate audiences to think critically about a broad range of humanities topics.

The Large Grant application process consists of two phases, a Letter of Intent and an Application. We strongly recommend that you begin your online form 3 weeks prior to the Letter of Intent due date. 

NC Humanities expects all grant proposals to utilize a humanities discipline or practice to advance one or more of the following areas of our Mission and Vision:

• Deepen human connections by broadening perspectives
• Equip communities with empathy, understanding, and respect
• Inspire community and connect North Carolinians across differences

Our Organization

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation is a private, charitable foundation established as an independent entity by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina in 2000. Over the past two decades we have been honored to work with – and support – organizations, government entities, and community partnerships across the state, investing more than $190 million in North Carolina through nearly 1,300 grants, collaborations, and special initiatives.

While our mission has remained largely unchanged, our strategies and priorities have shifted over time, reflecting what we have learned about both our organization and what is happening around us. At our core, we are focused on investing in systemic changes that address the key drivers of health. We also maintain a commitment to give voice to people at a local level and meet communities where they are.

Background

Strong safety net clinics play an important role in supporting access to care as facilities with a mission to provide services regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. However, of the 299 community health center locations in North Carolina, only 49 currently offer dental services. Similarly, in the network of 73 free and charitable clinics, only 21 offer dental services on-site, with some offering as few as one evening each month. And, of the local health departments that offer dental, a majority serve children and pregnant people exclusively. This funding opportunity will contribute to increasing the number of access points for dental care across the state.

Available Funding

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation is issuing grants of up to $200,000 to support new or expanded access at safety net dental clinics. These grants are intended to serve as a portion of the overall cost to open new or significantly expand existing safety net dental clinics, and grantees are encouraged to leverage this investment to secure additional new funds or supplement existing funds for the project. Up to $1,000,000 is allocated for this funding opportunity, which will support approximately five clinics.

Mission

The CCME Foundation works to improve the health of individuals and communities. We provide charitable grants to nonprofit organizations to build upon or undertake new projects that improve access to health care and health-related services for our neighbors in the Carolinas. Funding is prioritized in accordance with the Foundation’s recently adopted Promising Practices Framework. We welcome all eligible applicants, especially community-based organizations in earlier stages of development.

Introduction

Our funding organization, The Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence, was founded in 1984 to improve the quality of health care for Carolinians. That important work continues today. CCME has remained focused on reinvesting in our people and communities we serve to better support our mission. Thus, CCME Foundation was created in 2019 as a separate non-profit organization to provide grants to qualified entities in the Carolinas.

Grants and funding

The CCME Foundation provides charitable grants to nonprofit organizations in North Carolina and South Carolina seeking to improve health quality and equity. Grants range from $5,000 to 50,000 per organization. We prioritize projects that focus on measurable outcome improvements and have a high impact on health care improvements and access, particularly for uninsured and underserved populations.

The type of projects we fund:

CCME Foundation awards grants to eligible non-profit organizations that work to improve healthcare for individuals and communities through measurable outcome improvement projects. These projects include service, demonstration, education and clinical programs producing high-impact results on healthcare outcomes. Funding is prioritized based on a project's potential impact on healthcare improvements and access for individuals and communities, particularly the uninsured and under-served population.

Funding Priorities

Our focus is on a program that demonstrates improved health care quality with clear goals and measurable outcomes. Priority areas include programs that:

• Improve access to health care services to the unserved and under-served
• Hospital/provider/clinic
• Improve understanding of health issues
• Demonstrate improvement through measurable outcomes of stated goals

Types of programs the CCME Foundation might fund include those that:

• Improve healthy lifestyles and quality of life
• Increase access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care
• Implement consumer centered care and decision making
• Improve dissemination of education and health related information
• Improve patient safety

Investing in Collaborations and Possibilities in a Post-Helene Environment

People and organizations in our region have a long history of working collaboratively and creatively to improve the health and wellbeing of Western North Carolina communities and to advance opportunity and access. In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, Dogwood is committed to a sustained and coordinated response that ensures resources reach the people, organizations and communities most affected. This grant opportunity will support both emergent and established collaborations responding to the challenges and opportunities from Helene, especially imagining new possibilities for the WNC region. 

It will:

• Support community-wide networks of people and organizations that are developing and implementing innovative ideas and models within housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness.
• Direct resources to courageous solutions centering the needs of people, organizations and communities that have experienced disinvestment and disconnection.
• Strengthen collaborative efforts and networks that lay the groundwork for coalitions engaged in creative, systemic analysis and action.
• Support leaders within organizations and communities who are working in integrated ways, building coalitions, and resolving complex challenges with creative solutions.

Grant sizes will range from $50,000 to $500,000, with up to 20% of funds available for flexible administrative funding and the balance (80% or more) for collaborative funding. Grants can be used for 12-24 months.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is a public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of civic leaders to meet a variety of social, educational, cultural and other charitable needs. The Foundation serves a region from Danville/Pittsylvania County to South Boston/Halifax County, including neighboring North Carolina counties. The Community Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the Dan River Region. Grants are funded with earnings on endowment assets.

The Community Foundation’s Competitive Grants are Awarded from the Community Impact Fund, Field of Interest Funds and Donor Advised Funds

The Community Impact Fund is made up of the following unrestricted funds: James Russell Anderson and Zora Carter Anderson Fund, Buck‐Wayland Fund, Faith Home Endowment Fund, Clarence L. Giles Fund, Harry Melton Hood Fund, Elizabeth (BeƩy) W. Jefferson Fund, D. Webster, Jr. and Elizabeth S. Marshall Fund, James A. and Anne V. Robertson Fund, Barbara H. Sater and Herbert W. Sater Memorial Fund, John C. Swanson, Jr. Fund, The Opportunity Fund and Unrestricted Community Fund.

Field of Interest Funds allow donors to specify an area of interest, such as youth, elderly, the arts, education, environment, or medical, to be supported by the fund. Field of Interest Funds included in this Competitive Grant Cycle are: The Free Clinic Fund, Stratford House Center Fund, Faye Carter Fund, W. Earl and Elise M.G. Allen Fund, Animal Welfare Fund, Mary Cahill Historic Preservation Fund, Ahmed Children’s Fund and the Laurie S. Moran Rotary Service Fund.

Donor Advised Funds are created when a donor starts an investment fund and names the organizations to benefit from the fund. Donor Advised Funds included in this Competitive Grant Cycle are: Gamewood Technology Fund, Irvin H. and Louise Hambrick Scarce Animal Fund, P. Niles and Carol Daly, Jr. Fund, Philip and Frances Daly Fund and Pat and Cathy Daly Fund

State-Level Systemic Change Strategy

For decades, ZSR has supported positive changes to state-level systems and structures to ensure that North Carolina is a place where all people can thrive. This commitment is rooted in and driven by our mission and our core values. Over the years, our grantees have made significant gains for all North Carolinians, but we still have much to do together. Therefore, we remain committed to state-level systemic change. We desire for ALL North Carolinians to have access to high-quality public education, to benefit from a healthy and sustainable environment, to enjoy economic opportunity under just and fair rules and to be able to engage fully in civic life.

Our Vision

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes that all of North Carolina benefits when every North Carolinian has the resources and opportunities to achieve their full potential and when each person’s worth and dignity is affirmed. Therefore, we desire for ALL North Carolinians to have access to high-quality education, to benefit from a healthy and sustainable environment, to enjoy economic opportunity under just and fair rules and to be able to engage fully in civic life.

Our Strategy

We recognize that there are systemic and structural barriers in place, particularly regarding race, that disadvantage some North Carolinians from realizing this vision, even as they advantage others. Therefore, the Foundation, consistent with our core values, seeks to partner with others to help change state-level systems in ways that overcome those barriers and thereby help improve the quality of life for all North Carolinians. In particular, we believe that working together across issues, approaches and populations is necessary to create systemic change.*

• *By “state-level systemic change,” we mean something different than reform or piecemeal policy change. Rather, we seek to support efforts aimed at making “fundamental change in policies, processes, relationships and power structures, as well as values and norms” that impair the quality of life for North Carolinians.

We will support grantees using one or more approaches, including, but not limited to:

• Advocacy 
• Applied Research 
• Communications/Digital Media 
• Leadership Development 
• Legal/Litigation 
• Organizing/Mobilizing 
• Training/Education 

We will give particular emphasis to work targeted at improving opportunities and outcomes for populations who have been historically marginalized, subjected to systemic discrimination, or excluded from full participation in society, including, but not limited to:

• Immigrants 
• People who are LGBTQIA+
• Individuals with low income
• People of Color
• Women 
• Young People 

The Foundation seeks to help build the capacity of its grantees in this strategy to work better together in service of the above-stated vision.

ZSR'S Four Priority Areas

As part of ZSR's State-Level Systemic Change Strategy, we focus on four priority areas that are integral to achieving this state-level vision. We recognize that each of these four areas intersect in multiple ways, and look for approaches that not only strengthen each, but also work holistically within and across them.​

Advancing Public Education

Consistent with the Foundation’s mission and core values, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes that children in North Carolina should have equitable, universal access to high quality public education that develops the full potential of each child. Access to high quality early childhood education and k-12 public education is a foundation block of democracy and is essential for the future economic sustainability, prosperity and ongoing vitality of our state and its communities. The Foundation further believes that children are best prepared to live, work and lead in our increasingly diverse state if schools are racially, ethnically and economically diverse and if schools value the individual experiences and contributions of each student.

Consequently, the Foundation supports efforts that:

• build the public will to support and strengthen North Carolina’s public systems of education, including early childhood education through high school*;
• build the capacity of these systems for continuous improvement; and
• advance educational equity. 

Through this grantmaking strategy, the Foundation funds work that is focused on state-level systemic change.

Fostering a Healthy and Sustainable Environment

The Foundation believes that lasting state-level systemic change is most likely to be achieved and sustained through the combined efforts of networks of local, regional and statewide organizations working with different constituencies; using multiple strategies and approaches; and working together towards common or aligned goals. One of the priority areas for the SLSC Strategy is Fostering a Healthy and Sustainable Environment, which, with the exception of a couple modifications, has been described as follows since 2018:

• Consistent with the Foundation’s mission and core values, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation seeks to improve the lives of all North Carolinians by preventing harm to, ensuring access to, and enhancing the resilience of the natural systems that sustain life.
  • The Foundation believes healthy natural systems are deeply connected to human health, economic security, and community resilience. In addition, because low-income communities and communities of color shoulder a disproportionate share of environmental hazards, the Foundation places a special emphasis on promoting solutions that address ongoing injustice.
• Consequently, the Foundation supports local, regional and/or statewide efforts that:
  • prevent and mitigate the impacts of climate change;
  • ensure healthy air and water quality and water quantity;
  • promote access to the green economy;
  • address the impact of environmental hazards on human health; and
  • protect significant ecosystems while meeting the growth demands of the state in environmentally sound ways.
• Through this grantmaking strategy, the Foundation funds work that is focused on state-level systemic change. For a healthy environment across the state, the Foundation recognizes that some of its environmental investments may need to focus locally and/or regionally within the state.

Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities across North Carolina continue to be significantly impacted by the layered effects of climate change, polluting industries and systemic racism. To ensure our environmental grantmaking is more inclusive, balanced and equitable, the Foundation will seek to target more organizations that center communities that are most directly impacted by environmental injustices. This will include allocating a portion of funding to these types of organizations.

We will work to build trusting relationships particularly with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) led and centered organizations, listening and engaging with communities and BIPOC-led organizations, and shifting power and resources to directly impacted communities. These are organizations that have been doing the work for decades, yet philanthropy has under-funded or not funded them at all.

At the same time, we will continue supporting environmental partners that play unique and critical roles in systems change and continue seeking to center racial justice and be equitable partners with directly impacted communities. This will include funding these types of organizations. We believe that supporting these organizations, as well as supporting new grantee partners that center communities that are most directly impacted by environmental injustices, will contribute to a vibrant and aligned systemic change infrastructure by transforming power structures and sharing resources to build equitable networks, collaborations, alliances and coalitions.

As we embark in this new direction for our environmental grantmaking, we will continue to operationalize a racial equity lens in ZSR’s work, including, but not limited to, building relationships; closing access gaps to resources, power and infrastructure; modifying language; and strengthening grassroots BIPOC infrastructure. Further, while we will continue to support efforts in the Fostering a Healthy and Sustainable Environment priority area, our new direction includes greater focus on:

• Organizations and networks strengthening the ability of directly impacted communities to shape the decisions and systems that affect their lives.
• Funding Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) led and centered organizations.
• Funding organizations already working at the intersection of issues, including climate, environmental and energy justice, and democracy issues. (We define “democracy” here as strengthening the ability of people to shape the systems that affect their lives).
• Supporting ground-up, decentralized, and interconnected networks.
• Strengthening the capacity of organizations and networks.
• Supporting work that promotes shifting control of energy, land and labor to communities, such as increasing community-owned energy and green economic development, and community control, ownership and stewardship of land.

Promoting Social and Economic Justice

Consistent with the Foundation’s mission and core values, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes it is critical to help change systems and structures that have often made it harder for populations who have been historically marginalized, subjected to discrimination, or excluded from full participation in society to thrive. Structural oppression is pervasive across all kinds of systems, sometimes in ways that are explicit and overt, but more often in ways that are implicit and less conscious. The Foundation also recognizes that North Carolinians are impacted by multiple intersecting systems simultaneously, not just one system or issue at a time. 

Consequently, the Foundation anticipates supporting efforts that aim to remove structural barriers to North Carolinians being able to create a better life for themselves and their families. While this work can take many forms, the Foundation is especially interested in work that seeks to:

• address the economic impacts and racial disparities of the criminal justice system;
• embrace and expand the contributions of and opportunities for immigrants;
• advance reproductive justice*; and
• ensure that all North Carolinians have the chance to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

The Foundation will consider applications for other social and economic justice work, as well, but special emphasis will be placed on the above-mentioned areas and their intersections. 

Through this grantmaking strategy, the Foundation funds work that is focused on state-level systemic change. 

Strengthening Democracy

Consistent with the Foundation’s mission and core values, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation believes the quality of life of the people of North Carolina depends, in large part, on an informed and involved populace that is able to exercise its individual rights and come together for a common purpose. The Foundation aims to strengthen democracy by ensuring that public institutions and processes are effective, transparent, accountable, accessible and inclusive. The Foundation is especially interested in removing barriers that prevent civic participation among populations who have been historically marginalized, subjected to discrimination, or excluded from full participation in society. Furthermore, the Foundation recognizes that our government institutions only work well if people have enough credible information on which to base decisions, know how to make their voices heard, and if there are diverse leaders willing to serve the public good. 

Consequently, the Foundation supports efforts that:

• inform the populace about government policies, practices and issues;
• improve the public’s ability to analyze media;
• protect and promote just and fair elections;
• strengthen voters’ rights and increase participation in government; and
• reduce barriers that limit historically marginalized citizens from serving in office or other public decision-making bodies. 

Through this grantmaking strategy, the Foundation funds work that is focused on state-level systemic change. 

Fall Grant Cycle

Grants made in the Fall are primarily for multi-year, general operating support grants. While there will be exceptions, the standard term for these grants will be three years. Any eligible organization working on state-level systemic change work that is aligned with ZSR’s core values and vision may apply for a grant in the Fall grant cycle.