Search Through Quality of Life Grants in North Carolina in the U.S.

About Us

Academy Sports + Outdoors is one of the nation's largest sporting goods and outdoor stores. With 301 stores across 21 states, we offer a broad assortment of quality hunting, fishing, and camping equipment and gear, along with sports and leisure products, footwear, apparel and much more.

Community Relations

By providing members of our communities with the right gear and knowledge while also promoting safety and responsibility, we empower people with the confidence to simply get active, have fun together, and enjoy life.

Our Pillars

• Empower
  • Academy Sports + Outdoors encourages safety so that everyone can feel confident and comfortable doing what they love. We help people gear up properly for sports and outdoor activities, and we promote ways to be smart and stay safe. We’ve got your back… and the rest of you too.
• Encourage
  • Academy Sports + Outdoors makes it possible for people to enjoy more sports and outdoors activities. We believe being active is an essential part of life. Starting with our assortment, we motivate people to try new things and give them opportunities to enjoy a variety of fun activities. We’re always game.
• Connect
  • Academy Sports + Outdoors creates ways for members of the community to connect and have fun with each other. We build connections within the community by supporting events, programs, and organizations that make a positive impact. Let’s get together.

Economic Catalyst Program

Golden LEAF will consider applications to assist eligible state, regional and local economic development entities with grants to support permissible activities in projects in which a company will commit to create a specific number of full time jobs in a tobacco-dependent or economically distressed area. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Golden LEAF staff to discuss the potential projects and conditions that may be applicable prior to submitting an application.

Competitive applications will include information showing that the expected job creation is AT RISK without Golden LEAF support. An applicant can demonstrate that a project is AT RISK by identifying a funding gap that exists that would significantly impair the applicant’s ability to attract the anticipated jobs if Golden LEAF does not make a grant for the project.

Examples of other factors that may be considered to determine whether a project is AT RISK without Golden LEAF support include:

• evidence of urgency for financial assistance necessary to facilitate job creation;
• whether local governments have provided support for the project at levels that are appropriate in light of available resources. (Golden LEAF funds will not be available to satisfy shortfalls resulting from local policies limiting local support for a project.); and
• whether the applicant has secured or attempted to secure funding for the project from other sources such as the State of North Carolina, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, EDA, ARC, and others.

The Golden LEAF Foundation will consider at least the following factors when determining whether to fund a project and at what level:

• the economic distress of the community in which the jobs would be created,
• the number of jobs to be created,
• the quality of jobs to be created, measured by factors including wages paid and skill levels involved.

Examples of other factors Golden LEAF may consider when determining the amount and availability of funding for a project include:

• the economic impact of project, including costs and benefits to the state;
• the strategic importance of the project to the state, region, or community;
• the importance of the industry to the state, region, and community;
• the quality and viability of the company that will create the jobs assessed by factors including how long the company has been in operation and its financial success;
• the Golden LEAF grant will address needs that are directly related to job creation from the project;
• there is competition for the project with a site outside North Carolina;
• Golden LEAF support will also help avoid imminent job losses.

Economically distressed or tobacco-dependent communities that are located in high wealth counties may make the case for support because the project will be located in a low-wealth area or an area with negative trends in employment, income, poverty, or similar factors.

Examples of eligible projects include:

Funding to help with the delivery of training programs offered by eligible entities, typically the local community college.

• Golden LEAF funds are usually used for acquisition of training equipment or construction/renovation of space needed to provide the training.
• Training must be available to the public and be for transferable skills.
• Golden LEAF funds may be used in conjunction with, but not to displace training funds available through other sources such as the NC Community College System.
• When Golden LEAF funds are used for costs associated with job training, Golden LEAF will typically require evidence of an inducement agreement demonstrating that the company is obligated to meet the job creation projections and wage goals, and providing appropriate consequences should the company fail to satisfy its obligations; however, Golden LEAF usually does not require a clawback specifically for the Golden LEAF grant funds.

Funding for costs associated with public infrastructure improvements, such as water and sewer, that are needed for the project.

• Golden LEAF funds may not be used for construction of infrastructure on private property or for privately owned infrastructure;
• When Golden LEAF funds are used for infrastructure costs, Golden LEAF will typically require evidence of an inducement agreement demonstrating that the company is obligated to meet the job creation projections and wage goals, and providing appropriate consequences should the company fail to satisfy its obligations; however, Golden LEAF usually does not require a clawback specifically for the Golden LEAF grant funds.

Funds for purchase of equipment to be owned by the grantee and leased to the business at a rate that allows recovery of the full cost of the equipment plus interest at the IRS-determined Applicable Federal Rate over the life of the lease.

• Golden LEAF will approve the terms of the lease for the equipment.
• In projects such as these, Golden LEAF will typically require the business to pay an increased lease rate as a penalty if the company fails to create the promised jobs.

Economic Catalyst proposals may be submitted throughout the year and will be presented to the Golden LEAF Foundation Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting that is not less than six weeks after submission of the completed proposal. The proposal may be submitted at an earlier Board meeting if Golden LEAF is able to complete its review of the proposal prior to the meeting. Applicants should inform Golden LEAF if their projects are urgent and should specifically identify the reason for the urgency.

Gene Haas Foundation Mission Statement

To introduce to and educate individuals for the field of manufacturing technologies specifically CNC machining.

Additionally, we support local organizations that help the quality of life for individuals within the community.

Community Grants

Gene Haas has always believed in giving back to the community. Accordingly, wherever his companies are located, the Gene Haas Foundation helps those in need. It concentrates its efforts in Ventura County, California, Clark County, Nevada, and Cabarrus County, North Carolina.

Support from the Gene Haas Foundation has been, and will continue to be, instrumental in improving the lives of people in our communities. Since 1999, more than $30 million in community-based funding has been provided to qualified and deserving non-profit organizations. 

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.

Perdue Farms is the family-owned parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Perdue Farms are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products.

Through Perdue Farms Perdue, Harvestland and Coleman Natural food brands; through Perdue Farms agricultural products and services; and through Perdue Farms stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, Perdue Farms are committed to making Perdue the most trusted name in food and agricultural products. At Perdue, Perdue Farms believe in responsible food and agriculture.What We Support

• We strive to strengthen our communities by focusing our efforts on agriculture and the environment, education, fighting hunger and poverty, health and social services, and public safety
• We also support organizations that celebrate the heritages and cultures of our communities
• We may give additional preference to organizations in which our associates have direct involvement, but the overarching consideration is the betterment of the community

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

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

Like many communities, Forsyth County families struggle to achieve and maintain economic security. Economic mobility is also elusive—Forsyth County children who grow up in poverty are some of the least likely in the country to move up the economic ladder. Local research reinforces what we had heard from community—there are significant barriers to living wage work, racial disparities in poverty rates persist, and people experiencing poverty have few opportunities to meaningfully engage in efforts to solve the problem.

In order to build a more inclusive economy in Forsyth County and connect families with young children with better opportunities, the Trust is interested in implementing two-generation approaches that will contribute to community conditions where families economically thrive. Two-generation approaches should build on the strengths and address the needs of children and their families holistically. Efforts can include aligning supports across early childhood education, workforce development and employment pathways, advancing community identified solutions, and promoting racial equity and family-sustaining wages. 

Increasing Family Economic Security in Forsyth County

Many Forsyth County families continue to experience persistent poverty. Addressing this complex problem requires solutions that are deeply informed and led by people closest to the problem. This funding opportunity supports community-led implementation of effective two-generation approaches to increase family economic security in Forsyth County.

Goal

Increase integrated, family-centered approaches that promote educational attainment and economic or career advancement of parents of young children in Forsyth County.

Grants Overview

The Philip L. Van Every Foundation supports the vision and legacy of Mr. Van Every by making meaningful gifts to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations in North and South Carolina which strengthen our communities, demonstrate fiscal responsibility, exhibit strength in leadership and have a proven track record of success.

Human and Community Service, Education, Healthcare and Rehabilitation and Arts, Culture and History are the Foundation’s primary areas of focus. A very limited portion of our funding supports organizations that fall outside these perimeters.

Areas of Focus

Education

As Americans, we find ourselves living in an increasingly competitive global economy. Students are entering a highly competitive job market. The unemployed and underemployed are seeking new career opportunities that require enhanced skills.

The Philip L. Van Every Foundation is addressing these issues by supporting colleges, universities and nonprofit organizations that provide quality affordable education and job re-training programs for individuals seeking degrees or certificates. We believe that education is critical to the future success of our children, families, communities, state, and nation.

Healthcare/Rehabilitation

The Philip L. Van Every Foundation is committed to improving the health and quality of life for individuals residing in North and South Carolina.

We respond to our commitment by investing in programs and services that focus on medical innovation, research, education, rehabilitative care, prevention, wellness and substance abuse.

Human & Community Service

The Philip L. Van Every Foundation is committed to improving lives and strengthening communities in North and South Carolina.

We support organizations that address the underlying causes of a myriad of social issues, meet the critical needs of people in their service area and focus on creating financially stable and healthy families.

Arts, Culture, History

Arts, culture and history promote creativity, innovation, exploration and diversity while improving the quality of life for residents of our communities. Dynamic performances and museums as well as other cultural and historic venues engage and inspire audiences, building bridges throughout our region. Arts education plays a pivotal role in enriching the lives of children and provides them with a well-rounded education and the creativity they will need to lead in a global economy.

The Philip L. Van Every Foundation recognizes the important role that arts, cultural and historic organizations play in our communities and supports select organizations that provide quality experiences for residents of North and South Carolina.

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

Community Foundation of the Dan River Region

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is an independent, public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of local civic leaders to gather permanent funds to support our area.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region serves the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County to South Boston/Halifax County, Virginia, and Caswell County, North Carolina.

Our Vision

The Dan River Region will be known for the overwhelming generosity of its communities and dedication to improving quality of life, providing support for those in need, and creating life changing opportunities.

Our Mission

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region will improve and enrich the lives of the region’s residents by encouraging and facilitating donations; by managing, investing, and distributing these donations in accordance with donor’s wishes while meeting community needs; and by ensuring these donations create a lasting legacy of growth and opportunity throughout the region.

Marshall Family Fund

Established in 2010, the Marshall Family Fund was created to further the charitable purposes of designated area charitable organizations. Only those designated organizations are eligible to apply for this grant funding.

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.

Purpose

Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy seeks to improve the quality of life for the economically poor, especially women, children, and elderly, by supporting effective education, health care and social service organizations that have systemic impact and empower those without a voice.

Priorities

Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy provides grants to tax-exempt health care, educational and social service organizations which meet its criteria and effectively assist women, children, those who are elderly and those who are poor to improve the quality of their lives.

Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Legacy values working with organizations whose efforts are collaborative, ecumenical, multicultural and evidence-based. Its grantmaking focus is on organizations that serve the unserved or underserved.

Geographic Focus

Grants are made primarily to organizations serving the Charlotte-Metrolina and Western North Carolina regions, in the counties composing the original service areas of Mercy Hospital and St. Joseph's Hospital.

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.

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

Research & Education Grant

Southern SARE is requesting pre-proposals for either Systems Research Projects or for Education Projects and Activities that address issues of sustainable agriculture of current and potential importance to the region and the nation.

Maximum funding amount for Systems Research Projects is $400,000, and maximum funding amount for Education Projects and Activities is $50,000. Pre-proposals with smaller funding requests are welcomed and encouraged.

Southern SARE accepts proposals from applicants in the Southern region: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Proposed projects must focus on Southern SARE’s program objectives in developing sustainable agriculture systems or moving existing farming systems toward sustainability, as defined by the Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill. Under that law, “the term sustainable agriculture means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:

• Satisfy human food and fiber needs;
• Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends;
• Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;
• Sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and
• Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.”

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.

About Chowan Community Funds Foundation

The Chowan Community Funds Foundation is a growing family of philanthropic funds, source of grants for local causes and partner for donors. CCFF was founded in 2006 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 Chowan County.

The CCFF, 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 CCFF board advises the Chowan 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 Chowan County, they can leverage resources to help meet local needs and access opportunities.

Chowan Community Unrestricted Endowment

This fund enables the Chowan County Community Foundation to respond to changing community needs and to enhance the quality of community life within the county through annual grants to local nonprofit organizations.

Much of the affiliates grantmaking comes from the Ann L. Sams Endowment Fund, which supports specific charitable uses such as historic preservation of public places in Chowan County, improvement of public housing for the working poor in Chowan County, educational efforts for migrant workers in Chowan County, land conservation/preservation in Chowan County and in Northeastern North Carolina, improvement of local medical care/facilities in Chowan County and unrestricted charitable needs elsewhere in eastern North Carolina. 

Funding

Grants typically range from $500 to $5,000. 

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.

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

Samuel L. Phillips Family Foundation Grant

About the Foundation

The Samuel L. Phillips Family Foundation, established in 2000, was funded to benefit the western North Carolina Appalachian Mountain area. Both Sam and Jewel were depression-era children of large families who learned early the importance of hard work and education as a means of achievement. Having a solid education, they each traveled extensively; exposing themselves to what the world had to offer. They chose, however, to move back to their home, Mitchell County, North Carolina, to raise a family. They put their visionary skills and experiences to work in the area, which prospered accordingly.

While Sam and Jewel cherished their homeland, they also saw beyond geographical boundaries and worked hard to ensure that new opportunities were accessible for isolated areas. They raised their three children (the original board) with a strong sense of the guiding principle of ”giving back.”

Hard workers themselves, Sam and Jewel would expect all applicants to have high qualifications, a strong purpose connected to the foundation’s goals, and be well-prepared and professional in the execution of foundation-related matters.

Mission

To improve the quality of life for the people, primarily, of Mitchell County, North Carolina, by supporting charitable organizations that are active in this area. This may extend to surrounding areas of western North Carolina upon special consideration, but the emphasis should be squarely upon the well-being, growth, and enhancement of Mitchell County.

Program areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Education
• Health
• Human services

States served

• North Carolina

Geographic limitations

• Grant must have a measurable impact within Mitchell County, North Carolina and, upon special consideration, the surrounding areas of western North Carolina.

Northern Albemarle Unrestricted Endowment 

This fund enables the Northern Albemarle Community Foundation to respond to changing community needs and to enhance the quality of community life in Camden, Gates, Perquimans, and Pasquotank Counties through annual grants to local nonprofit organizations.

Grants typically range from $500 to $3,000. Much of this affiliate's grantmaking comes from the Judge Thomas Watts Fund, originally established by the Elizabeth City Jaycees. A separate application is not required to apply to the Judge Thomas Watts Fund. The application also allows access to the grant application for the Women Givers of Northeast North Carolina, supporting the needs of women and children in Camden, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans Counties.

The North Carolina Community Foundation is honored to serve the people of our state by connecting our nonprofit partners that are meeting community needs with our fundholders and donors supporting that vital work. Our competitive grantmaking programs demonstrate our fundholders’ commitment to nonprofit causes strengthening our communities across the state.

Louise Oriole Burevitch Endowment

The Louise Oriole Burevitch Endowment was founded by the noted Wilmington philanthropist whose gifts are having a transformative effect on eastern North Carolina. NCCF is pleased to offer a competitive grants program from the Louise Oriole Burevitch Endowment in support of education, health and human services in eastern North Carolina.

Focus Areas

The Endowment defines these focus areas as follows:

Education

Education benefits students, teachers, school personnel within pre-K, K-12 and 4-year college and university education systems with a goal of escalating school success. 

• After-school educational programs and other educational extra-curricular activities serving students may be considered with a focus on academic achievement.
• The Endowment may consider non-academic educational opportunities for youth that offer leadership development.

Health

Health includes programs and services that yield positive impacts on the health and well-being of individuals, groups, and communities.

• Health includes physical health, mental health, and general wellness.
• The priority of the program and/or service must be to improve health outcomes directly, not indirectly.

Human Services

Human Services addresses basic human needs – food, clothing, shelter and safety.

• Job skills training and employment assistance may be considered within this category as they serve basic human needs and improve quality of life.
• Because of the fund’s preference for benefiting women, domestic violence services are included within this category as serving a basic human need for safety.

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. 

RHI Legacy Foundation, Inc. is the former Rutherford Hospital Foundation. When a new joint venture was formed in June 2014 between Duke LifePoint Healthcare and the former Rutherford Hospital, Inc., assets became available to address health and wellness needs in Rutherford County. RHI Legacy Foundation now facilitates a grant funding process that identifies and selects those programs, projects and/or initiatives which, when funded from the assets, will have a positive impact on the overall health and wellness of those living in Rutherford County. 

Mission

RHI Legacy Foundation is dedicated to contributing to quality and accessible health care for the community through a joint venture with Duke LifePoint. In addition, the Foundation is committed to impact health and wellness in Rutherford County by making grants to support organizations and initiatives aligned with the Foundation's grant focus areas.

Vision

RHI Legacy Foundation will leave a legacy of better health and an improved quality of life for the citizens of Rutherford County.

Guidelines

The RHI Legacy Foundation, Inc. supports non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations whose projects serve residents in Rutherford County, North Carolina, with emphasis on the following:

• Chronic Disease - Programs and services for cancer, asthma, and diabetes which provide the following:
• Health education or screenings with an emphasis on disease prevention
• Healthy Eating - Programs and services which address:
• Access to sufficient and healthy food for all segments of the community, emphasizing nutrition and the impact of healthy eating on disease prevention
• Education on the importance of nutrition and healthy food preparation and their impact on disease prevention
• Active Living - Programs and services which improve:
• Physical activity (examples: walking trails, parks and recreation)
• Education on health improvements and disease prevention resulting from an active lifestyle

The FFTC manages dozens of competitive grant programs that invest in communities throughout our region. Nonprofits are invited to apply for grants from these programs. Programs vary in grant size, application process and funding priorities.

Cleveland County Community Foundation Grants

The mission of the Cleveland County Community Foundation is to inspire philanthropy and strengthen our community by supporting initiatives that address local needs and providing quality services to donors and constituents. The Foundation’s Board of Advisors supports this mission through an annual competitive grantmaking program. The Foundation is an investor in the community and is interested in creating the highest possible levels of community gain, focused on improving the lives of citizens in Cleveland County, North Carolina.