Best Rowan County Grants for Nonprofits in North Carolina

Joe Williams Music Scholarship Program

The Joe Williams Music Scholarship Program was created to help provide funding to students who desire to major in the study of music.

Individual Award

• Up to $6,000

This scholarship will be disbursed for the current 2025-2026 school year. 

NBA Foundation San Francisco Bay Area Scholarship

The NBA Foundation has partnered with UNCF to provide a grant opportunity for eligible residents of the San Francisco Bay Area for up to an amount of $5,000. 

The Enbridge Safe Community First Responder Program is designed to support emergency response organizations across Canada and the U.S. by providing grants for safety equipment, training, and educational programs. Launched in 2002, it has invested over $22 million in enhancing community safety. Eligible organizations include fire departments and medical services located near Enbridge operations. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $10,000, helping improve the capabilities of first responders in rural and underserved areas.

Foot Locker Foundation, Inc-UNCF Scholarship

Foot Locker Foundation, Inc. has partnered with UNCF to fund this scholarship program for students attending a UNCF member college or university during the 2026-2027 school year.

Foot Locker Foundation works to improve upward mobility to build a more equitable and inclusive future through education, economic development and community empowerment. For nearly twenty years, it has partnered with leading organizations helping to mobilize and uplift local communities. 

When applying, a UNCF member school will appear in the drop down options in the application. 

Completed application packages include: transcript, essay, and one letter of recommendation from a faculty member, employer or other community member familiar with your academic performance. All information will be submitted in the appropriate section of the online application.

Individual Award

• Up to $5,000.00

Nonprofits, government entities, and state-recognized nonprofits in Rowan County, North Carolina can seek funding for firearms safety, shooting sports, hunting safety, and marksmanship programs. Grants from The NRA Foundation help support educational activities, youth shooting sports, public safety training, and related research that meet 501(c)(3) charitable standards and demonstrate clear public benefit.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations focused on housing or financial literacy in Rowan County, North Carolina can apply for Union Home Foundation grants supporting programs that build family economic self-sufficiency. This national funder accepts quarterly applications, offering one-year awards of more than US $1,000 to eligible organizations within its listed service counties.

Focused on community development and resiliency, the Duke Energy Foundation invites Rowan County, North Carolina 501(c)(3) public charities and governmental entities to apply for grants up to US $20,000. Funding supports workforce development, K-12 energy education, climate resiliency, disaster preparedness, and opportunity and inclusion initiatives in communities served by Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas.

Local governments in Rowan County, North Carolina can apply for demolition funding to remove vacant, dilapidated industrial or commercial buildings and prepare sites for future private investment and job creation. Focused on community development and revitalization, the North Carolina Department of Commerce administers these CDBG Economic Development funds for eligible small cities and counties.

Spectrum Digital Education Grants support nonprofit organizations in educating communities about broadband benefits and usage. These grants aim to bridge the digital divide, particularly for seniors and those with disabilities or ethnically diverse backgrounds. Applicants must demonstrate community partnership, address specific needs, and provide measurable impact metrics. With a focus on financial feasibility and meaningful outcomes, this initiative ensures that underrepresented urban and rural communities gain access to essential digital resources, fostering long-term improvement in their lives.

Rowan County, North Carolina 501(c)(3) nonprofits, congregations, and public institutions can seek up to US $10,000 to run new or expanded community programs in areas like arts and culture, education, health, environment, human services, and animal welfare. Funding from Foundation for the Carolinas’ Salisbury-Rowan Community Foundation supports projects serving Salisbury and Rowan County residents with measurable results.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, public schools, and qualified local government entities in Rowan County, North Carolina can apply for Georgia-Pacific Foundation’s community grants to support education, environment, entrepreneurship, and community enrichment projects. Eligible applicants must be located within 30 miles of a Georgia-Pacific manufacturing community and serve communities where the company operates.

Nonprofits, congregations, schools, and government agencies in Rowan County, North Carolina can apply for Foundation for the Carolinas’ Margaret C. Woodson Foundation support to run charitable, educational, cultural, health, social service, youth, family, disability, or humane society programs. Projects must be located in Rowan or Davie County and demonstrate strong public service and constructive community impact.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations working on affordable housing, skilled trades, clean water, sanitation, or community revitalization projects in Rowan County, North Carolina may be eligible for Ferguson’s Ferguson Cares Grant. Eligible applicants must be within Ferguson’s U.S. geographic footprint and align with at least one of these focus areas.

Undergraduate criminal justice students in Rowan County, North Carolina enrolled full-time at eligible in-state colleges can receive $2,000 per year for tuition support. Grants from the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association help residents pursuing law enforcement careers, especially dependents of sheriffs, deputies, or fallen officers, with awards recommended by their local sheriff.

Nonprofit organizations running education, human services, or cultural programs near Corning business locations in Rowan County, North Carolina can seek invitation-only support for community-based initiatives. With a mission to strengthen communities, Corning Incorporated Community Impact & Investment Philanthropy provides direct cash awards once per 12-month cycle to eligible 501(c)(3)s within a 20-mile radius of qualifying facilities.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Rowan County, North Carolina at high risk of terrorist or extremist attack can seek up to US $200,000 for physical security upgrades, planning, equipment, training, and exercises. Focused on domestic security and counterterrorism, North Carolina Emergency Management administers this DHS/FEMA Nonprofit Security Grant Program – State opportunity through the state’s emergency management system.

County governments in Rowan County, North Carolina needing to build, expand, repair, or renovate K–12 public school facilities can access major capital funding through the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction awards US $30,000,000 - US $50,000,000 grants, requiring a local match, to address critical school building deficiencies in eligible counties.

Students at UNCF member institutions from Rowan County, North Carolina and other eligible counties can apply for the Cox Enterprises Scholarship Program, awarding up to US $5,000 for college costs. Grants from United Negro College Fund help need-based STEM and related majors who are U.S. citizens or residents and enrolled full-time with at least a 2.5 GPA.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and government entities in Rowan County, North Carolina can seek up to US $20,000 for community-impact projects such as workforce development, STEM education, climate resiliency, and inclusion efforts. The Duke Energy Foundation provides these Local Impact Grants on a rolling basis for programs serving communities in its North Carolina service area.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and eligible schools in Rowan County, North Carolina can seek funding for STEM education, environmental sustainability, or community safety and wellness projects. Grants from Westinghouse help improve science and math literacy, protect land, air, and water, and enhance overall community safety and quality of life near company locations.

Artist Support Grants

What are Artist Support Grants?

Artist Support Grants is a program funded by the N.C. Arts Council to provide the opportunity for regional consortia of local arts councils to award project grants to artists in their regions.

Artist fees are also allowable expenses under the new program. Grant amounts vary from region to region. Statewide, most grants are between $500 and $2,000.

Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg and Rowan Counties

Grant Range:

• $500 - $3,000

Male high school seniors from public schools in Rowan County, North Carolina planning to attend a four-year HBCU can receive need-based higher education support, with awards up to US $4,000. The LeBlanc/Baker Scholarship for Change from United Negro College Fund is renewable for up to four additional years for students who maintain eligibility.

Rowan County, North Carolina community service nonprofits and government agencies can access funding through the Blanche and Julian Robertson Family Foundation to improve local quality of life. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations and public entities serving Salisbury and Rowan County may receive support for programs that encourage constructive change, pursue excellence, and provide significant public service benefits.

The ASC Artist Support Grants program supports emerging and established artists in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area by funding professional and artist development. Grants of up to $3,000 can be used for various activities, including training, project completion, and career promotion. Eligible applicants must reside in specified counties and demonstrate a commitment to their artistic work. This initiative fosters creativity and enhances the cultural landscape by providing resources for artists to reach new audiences.

The L.B. Research and Education Foundation Grant Program supports U.S.-based nonprofits focusing on innovative education and health solutions for underserved populations. Eligible organizations can apply by submitting a 400-word concept paper, and selected applicants may receive funding ranging from $10,000 to $75,000. The Foundation prioritizes projects that foster critical thinking and creativity, address health disparities, and encourage collaboration. There are no application deadlines, promoting year-round engagement.

K-12 teachers in Rowan County, North Carolina can seek funding for innovative classroom projects that directly involve students and enhance instruction across subjects like science, technology, math, reading, art, and music. Focused on creative teaching methods with measurable results, North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives award approximately 600 Bright Ideas education grants annually statewide.

Speedway Children's Charities (SCC) is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting children in need across the nation. With over $61 million granted since 1982, SCC is refocusing its efforts to address the urgent challenges of homelessness and human trafficking in the Charlotte area. This shift aims to prioritize funding for organizations that assist orphaned and foster children, ensuring that critical needs such as food, shelter, and education are met for vulnerable populations.