Best North Carolina Grants for Nonprofits

A diverse array of funding options is available to nonprofit organizations located in North Carolina. There are over 200+ distinct grants available, offering a total of $33,665,682 in funding. The median grant award in North Carolina is $17,500, but nonprofits seeking larger funding amounts can explore 71 grants exceeding $25,000. If your nonprofit is looking to cover general operating expenses, there are over 39 grants to explore. Meanwhile, 39 grants are designed to fund specific programs and projects. With so many funding sources, North Carolina nonprofits have numerous opportunities to secure grants and expand their initiatives.

Various types of funders provide grants in North Carolina, including government agencies, private foundations, associations, and more. Here’s an overview of where to look for grant funding:

• Private funders: Private foundations provide most of the funding for North Carolina nonprofits. There are over 131 grants currently listed, with a strong focus on art and culture, health and wellbeing, as well as social justice.
• State and Local Governments: The state of North Carolina is focused on supporting farmland preservation, sustainable recreation, and culture.
• Corporate Funders: Corporate foundations in North Carolina are dedicated to supporting education in all forms. This includes funding for environmental education, K-12 education, and college preparation.

Whether you pursue government or foundation grants depends on your grant readiness. Keep in mind that government grants often offer large awards but require significant compliance efforts.

North Carolina nonprofits will have the most success applying for grants during Q1 with 27.1% of grant deadlines occurring during this quarter. The next two quarters, Q3 and Q2, see equal funding deadlines at 26.8% and 23.4%, respectively. The slowest quarter for North Carolina is Q4, and only 22.7% of grant applications are accepted in this quarter. It is always beneficial to keep this data in mind, particularly if your nonprofit has struggled to secure funding in the past.

Grant funding in North Carolina has remained stagnant over the past several years. According to the latest IRS funding reports, total grant funding reached $8 billion in 2021 but decreased slightly to $7.8 billion in 2022. While this represents a decline of nearly 7%, future funding opportunities in North Carolina remain promising. The key focus areas for grants in the state included single-organization support, alliance/advocacy organizations, and professional societies and associations. In the past, funding has been concentrated in Durham County, Wake County, and Orange County.