Search Through Water Grants in North Carolina in the U.S.

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

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

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

Area Development Program

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

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

ARC Strategic Plan

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

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

Local Impact Grants

The Duke Energy Foundation is focused on strengthening and uplifting communities throughout North Carolina with grant funding. We accept grant applications for $20,000 and less throughout the year on a rolling basis for the focus areas describe below.

Vibrant Economies

• Workforce development training for jobs vital to the energy economy, with a focus on underrepresented populations
• Community revitalization and local economic development efforts
• Economic recovery for customers and communities facing unprecedented challenges
• Energy and engineering education for K-12 students and teachers

Climate Resiliency

• Environmental projects supporting land conservation; clean water; and biodiversity of plant and animal species
• Environmental resiliency projects that prepare communities for and mitigate against the effects of climate change
• Natural disaster preparedness and response
• Projects strengthening thriving natural environments, including access to green space, in historically underserved communities.

Opportunity and Inclusion

• Programs supporting a just transition for communities moving toward cleaner energy infrastructure
• Initiatives supporting upward mobility for families and individuals in the communities we serve
• Programs reducing structural barriers and promoting access to opportunity for underserved communities

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.

What does this program do?

This program helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water.

What kind of event can qualify as an emergency?

• Drought or flood
• Earthquake
• Tornado or hurricane
• Disease outbreak
• Chemical spill, leak or seepage
• Other disasters

How may the funds be used?

• Water transmission line grants up to $150,000 to construct waterline extensions, repair breaks or leaks in existing water distribution lines, and address related maintenance necessary to replenish the water supply
• Water source grants up to $1,000,000 for the construction of new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatment plants, and/or other sources of water (water source up to and including the treatment plant)

Why does USDA Rural Development do this?

This program helps prevent damage or restore households and business' access to clean, reliable drinking water in eligible rural areas and towns following natural disasters. Funding can improve the natural environment and encourage manufacturers and other businesses to locate or expand operations.

What We Do

North Carolina's forestland is one of the greatest influences on the state, providing economic value and adding immeasurably to the quality of life for its residents. The forest products industry is the largest manufacturing business sector in the state, contributing approximately $34.9 billion annually to the state's economy and providing around 148,000 jobs for North Carolinians. The NC Forest Service's primary purpose is to ensure adequate and quality forest resources for the state to meet its present and future needs.

Fire Department Training Program

The Fire Department Training Program provides fire-training courses to rural fire departments through a federal grant received by the N.C. Forest Service. This training allows fire departments to be able to safely, efficiently, and effectively suppress wildland fires while protecting citizens property and forest resources.

The following courses are available:

• Wildland Fire Suppression for Fire Departments - This course was developed by the N.C. Forest Service to teach fire personnel the basic knowledge needed to safely suppress wildland fires. The course covers Organization, Fire Behavior, Locating the fire, Fire size-up, Tactics for hand crews, engines, and tractor- plow units. Mop-up, Fire Prevention, and Firefighter Safety are also covered, as well as the different terrain and fire environments forces may encounter in NC.
• S-130 Firefighter Training - This course teaches entry level wildland firefighting skills and includes such topics as safety, preparedness, tools and equipment, firing devices, use of water, suppression, securing control lines, use of maps and scouting. The course is usually taught in conjunction with S-190 and L-180.
• S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior - This course offers instruction in the primary environmental factors that affect the start and spread of wildfire and recognition of potentially hazardous situations. It is usually taught in conjunction with S-130 and L-180.
• L-180 Human Factors on the fireline - This course is designed to teach situational awareness, basic communication responsibilities, attitude and stress barriers, decision-making processes and teamwork principles. It is usually taught in conjunction with S-130.
• (ICS) Incident Command System - The ICS course is designed to train fire personnel how to manage any type of incident they may be involved in. ICS can be used to manage fires, floods, search and rescue operations, Haz Mat scenes, or disaster recovery operations. This national system allows fire personnel to function with other agencies involved, and to understand what their jobs are within the ICS organization. Instruction is designed in 4 levels (I-100, I-200, I-300, and I-400). Each level covers several modules that can be tailored for the department's needs. This course is a federally recognized course by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
• S-215 Fire Operations in the Wildland/Urban Interface - This course teaches fire personnel how to deal with wildland fires threatening homes in wooded areas. This course covers topics to teach personnel how to plan, size-up, triage, and attack wildland fires threatening homes or other improvements. Emphasis is placed on firefighter safety, hose line deployment, engine placement, and public relations. This course is a federally recognized course by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
• S-212 Chainsaw Use and Safety - This course covers field maintenance and repair of chainsaws, and proper use and cutting techniques for operating chainsaws in fire situations. This course is a valuable asset to chainsaw users when operating in fire, or storm debris clearance situations. The S-212 course is a federally recognized course by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
• Computer Simulator Fire-Training - This challenging course allows firefighters to test their skill and knowledge while battling a realistic wildland fire that is generated by use of a computer. Aerial slides of wooded areas are digitized in the computer, and agency personnel run the fire by actual weather conditions, spread rates, etc., to generate a very realistic situation for trainees. This course allows trainees to fight the fire as if they were flying overhead in an airplane giving them an aerial view of how the fire was spreading. This course is as close to the real thing as it gets!
• Chainsaw Safety for VFDs - This course was developed by the agency to teach fire personnel the basic safety knowledge needed for chainsaw operations involving wildfire and storm debris removal. Maintenance, felling methods and tree defect "watch out" situations are also covered. This course does not replace S-212, Chainsaw Use and Safety, which is required for national chainsaw certification.

What We Do

North Carolina's forestland is one of the greatest influences on the state, providing economic value and adding immeasurably to the quality of life for its residents. The forest products industry is the largest manufacturing business sector in the state, contributing approximately $34.9 billion annually to the state's economy and providing around 148,000 jobs for North Carolinians. The NC Forest Service's primary purpose is to ensure adequate and quality forest resources for the state to meet its present and future needs.

Firefighter Property Program

Through an agreement with the Department of Defense administered by the USDA Forest Service the NCFS is able to obtain surplus military equipment that can be used by emergency service providers. The major difference between this program and the Federal Excess Personnel Property Program (FEPP) is that qualifying organizations may be eligible to receive ownership of the equipment with few restrictions on use or disposal and at no cost.

Available equipment under the Firefighter Property Program consists of the following:

• Vehicles, such as pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, 2½ ton trucks, 5 ton trucks, utility vans and box trucks
• Fire trucks (tankers and pumpers)
• Generators
• Trailers
• Light towers
• Light bars and sirens
• Hoses, nozzles and pumps
• Fresh air compressors
• Breathing apparatus
• Tanks (water and fuel)
• Forcible entry and extraction devices
• Fabrication materials
• Conex and other types of shipping containers
• Turnout gear

Notice of Equipment Peculiarities

• Any wildland engine with air brakes that is used in a direct attack should be inspected for exposed brake lines that could be in danger of melting and locking the brakes in an unsafe location.
  • Read More
• Concerns have been raised about the weight limit of the M35A3 vehicle. The older M35 model is rated for 10,000 pounds on highways and 5,000 pounds off-highway. The newer truck's payload has been reduced to 5,000 pounds off and on highway. This limits the normal tank capacity for the vehicle to 500 gallons.
• The M35A3 has an automatic tire inflation system that operates off of the same air compressor that provides air to the power steering. In the event of a tire that does not seal correctly the air compressor will direct all of the available air capacity to that tire making it difficult to steer the truck. The easy fix is to plug the automatic tire inflation system at each wheel and at the air compressor with brass pipe plugs that can be purchased from a local hardware store.
• Recipients of Firefighter 2½ ton and 5 ton ex-military trucks are advised to avoid the use of DOT 3 brake fluid in the vehicles as its use can cause serious damage to the braking system. Owners of these vehicles should use synthetic brake fluid until further notice.

Those of us who use North Carolina's waters for boating can put those waters -- and the people who use them -- at risk if we don't dispose of our marine sewage properly.

The Division of Coastal Management (DCM) believes boaters should be able to get a sewage pumpout for your boat as easily as they can get other common boating services, such as fuel. So DCM is working to make pumpout and dump stations readily available through the Marine Sewage Pumpout and Dump Station Grant Program.

The program, established as a result of the federal Clean Vessel Act of 1992, provides financial assistance to marinas and other boat-docking facilities for the installation and renovation of pumpout and dump stations in North Carolina.

DCM has made grants of up to $20,000 available on a yearly basis to private and commercial marinas, gas/service docks, fish houses/seafood dealers and other boat docking facilities in the 20 coastal counties.

Emergency Watershed Protection Program- North Carolina

The Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, a federal emergency recovery program, helps local communities recover after a natural disaster strikes.

EWP Background

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, which responds to emergencies created by natural disasters. It is not necessary for a national emergency to be declared for an area to be eligible for assistance.

The program is designed to help people and conserve natural resources by relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, wind­storms, and other natural occurrences. EWP is an emergency recovery program. All projects undertaken, with the exception of the pur­chase of floodplain easements, must have a project sponsor.

NRCS may bear up to 75 percent of the construction cost of emergency measures. The remaining 25 per­cent must come from local sources and can be in the form of cash or in-kind services. Funding is subject to Congressional approval.

Type of Work Authorized

EWP is designed for installation of recovery measures. Activities include providing financial and technical assistance to:

• remove debris from stream channels, road culverts, and bridges
• reshape and protect eroded banks
• correct damaged drainage facilities
• establish cover on critically eroding lands
• repair levees and structures and
• repair conservation practices.

NRCS may purchase EWPP easements on any floodplain lands that have been impaired within the last 12 months or that have a history of repeated flooding (i.e., flooded at least two times during the past 10 years).

It can include purchasing floodplain easements. These easements can restore, protect, maintain, and enhance the functions of wetlands and riparian areas. They also conserve natural values including fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, flood water retention, ground water recharge, and safeguard lives and property from floods, drought, and the products of erosion. EWP work is not limited to any one set of prescribed measures. A case-by-case investigation of the work is made by NRCS.

Sponsor's Obligations

Sponsors are responsible for:

• providing land rights to do repair work
• securing the neces­sary permits
• furnishing the local cost share
• accomplishing the installation of work
• Work can be done either through Federal or local contracts.

Background

Pentair believes it is our responsibility to make a positive impact on people and the planet – through our solutions, communities, and operations - as reflected in our Win Right Values. Since 1998, Pentair and the Pentair Foundation have contributed more than $80 million to philanthropic causes strengthening the communities in which we operate. The mission of the Pentair Foundation is to support and advance inclusive and sustainable communities by investing in the availability, quality, and enjoyment of water and by increasing the participation of youth and young adults in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education.

Program Areas

In support of this mission, Pentair and the Pentair Foundation engage in giving across these key program areas:

Water

Pentair and the Pentair Foundation seek to help the world sustainably move, improve, and enjoy water by reducing water stress and building ecological resilience; improving the quality of drinking water; improving access to cleaner and safer water; and increasing water-related safety and well-being.

The Pentair Foundation focuses on programs that help to:

• Move: Reduce water stress and build ecological resilience
• Improve: Improve water quality and reduce single use plastic water bottles
• Enjoy: Increase swim safety and promote water-related well-being

Education

Pentair and the Pentair Foundation seek to help build the workforce of the future by investing in or supporting STEM career pathways, with a particular focus on engineering and manufacturing for youth and young adults.

Community

Pentair and the Pentair Foundation seek to advance vibrant, inclusive communities where we live and work by encouraging employee volunteerism and matching Pentair employee donations.

If you have an initiative you would like Pentair to consider, please contact Pentair. 

Philanthropy is our commitment to communities in which we operate and broader society. We focus our resources on a limited number of key projects that can deliver valuable benefits from our contributions and those of our partners. We give priority to innovative, high-quality projects that meet the following criteria:

• promote sustainable development
• offer an opportunity for Roche to use its expertise and logistics capabilities
• involve Roche actively at an early stage with local authorities and established partners
• engage Roche employees in cultural (focus on contemporary arts), educational and social activities
• managed by an accredited charity

Our four focus areas

Humanitarian and Social

We direct the majority of our philanthropic donations to humanitarian and social development projects.

Science and education

We are dedicated to programmes that promote scientific interest and provide educational opportunities for young people around the world.

Community and Environment

We are committed to building stronger communities and responding to natural disasters sustainably.

Arts and Culture

We support groundbreaking contemporary art, cultural projects and activities that explore the parallels between innovation in art and in science. 

The Sidney Stern Memorial Trust is devoted solely to the funding of charitable, scientific, medical and educational organizations.

The Board endeavors to support soundly-managed charitable organizations that give service with a broad scope, have a substantial effect on their target populations, and contribute materially to the general welfare. The Board does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

What does this program do?

This program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.

How may the funds be used?

Funds may be used to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of:

• Drinking water sourcing, treatment, storage and distribution
• Sewer collection, transmission, treatment and disposal
• Solid waste collection, disposal and closure
• Storm water collection, transmission and disposal

In some cases, funding may also be available for related activities such as:

• Legal and engineering fees
• Land acquisition, water and land rights, permits and equipment
• Start-up operations and maintenance
• Interest incurred during construction
• Purchase of facilities to improve service or prevent loss of service
• Other costs determined to be necessary for completion of the project
• See 7 CFR Part 1780.7 and 1780.9 for a complete list

Pigeon River Fund The Pigeon River Fund (PRF) exists to improve the streams and rivers of Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties in North Carolina.Focus Areas It supports projects and activities that provide direct benefits in at least one of the following focus areas:

• Improved surface water quality
• Enhanced fish and wildlife management and habitats
• Expanded public access
• Increased citizens' awareness about their roles in protecting these resources.

Among many other things, river management plans, watershed studies and conservation easements are considered direct benefits under these guidelines.

Grant requests may address any of the four focus areas listed above.

Listed below are additional expectations for grant applications.

• Grants are typically for one year and generally range from $5,000 to $35,000.
  • Some grant requests may exceed $35,000 with prior approval of CFWNC staff.
  • Conservation easement requests for transaction or acquisition costs should not exceed $30,000.
• PRF grants should leverage other funds or in-kind resources toward total project costs.
  • PRF awards may be contingent on receipt of additional funds.
    • In such cases, other necessary funds must be secured within 18 months of a PRF grant award.
• If the project is or will be ongoing, PRF funds should be allocated for a specific time period.
  • Operating support is only considered for select organizations chosen by the PRF Advisory Committee.
  • Operating support requests may not exceed $50,000.
• Grant funds may be used to support administrative costs, including a share of staff costs, when essential to the project.
• If the project requires permitting of any kind, i.e. building, Army Corps of Engineers, DEQ, etc., permitting should be in process or completed prior to submission of grant application.
  • Please review this Permit Reference Guide.

Higher priority projects:

• Support efforts to address water quality issues in streams or watersheds that are identified as priorities in county (or other authority) watershed action plans. 
• Promote collaboration or coordination on projects that address comprehensive issues and will have long-term benefit. 
• Encourage education and awareness of water quality issues preferably focused on helping individuals understand how their actions relate to the overall health of the river basin.
• Install water quality BMPs or other stream improvements that are part of a coordinated multi-faceted effort and will result in significant improvement in water quality. 

Lower priority projects:

• Scattered projects (including demonstration BMPs or other projects) not related to coordinated effort to improve priority streams/watershed in the relevant community. 
• Government agency operating support, especially staffing. 
• Projects related to regulation enforcement which is the responsibility of the government.

Funding

Grants are typically for one year and generally range from $5,000 to $35,000. Some grant requests may exceed $35,000 with prior approval of CFWNC staff. Conservation easement requests for transaction or acquisition costs should not exceed $30,000.

The Impact Fund awards recoverable grants to legal services nonprofits, private attorneys, and small law firms who seek to confront economic, environmental, racial, and social injustice. Since our founding in 1992, the Impact Fund has made more than 800 recoverable grants totaling more than $10 million for impact litigation. We award grants four times per year, most within the range of US$10,000 to US$50,000.

Social Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants and legal support to assist in human and civil rights cases. We have helped to change dozens of laws and win cases to improve the rights of thousands. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Texas and North Carolina, incarcerated people with mental health disabilities are forced to remain in jail despite being found not guilty and unable to proceed with a criminal trial.
• In Orange County, California there are currently 13 gang injunctions under effect, which disproportionately affect young men of color.
• In Chicago, Illinois, the city’s homeless shelter program is inaccessible to people with disabilities.
• In Springfield, Oregon, the city and its police department used excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters.
• In West Virginia, the state fails to protect children in foster care from abuse and neglect. 
• In Montana, voter suppression laws disadvantage young adults and give priority to gun owners.
• In Gary, Indiana, a gun manufacturer negligently marketed and distributed its guns, leading to an epidemic of gun violence in the city. 
• In Vancouver, British Columbia, the police perpetuate systemic discrimination against Indigenous people through bureaucratic measures.

Environmental Justice

The Impact Fund provides grants to support local litigation for environmental justice. These grants are for cases aiming to help people or communities who are affected by environmental harm or who lack access to basic environmental needs, such as clean water, clean air, adequate waste treatment, and green spaces. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Centreville, Illinois, the city’s failure to maintain its sewer system has caused raw sewage to flood peoples’ homes, endangering the property and health of a predominantly Black community.
• In Fresno County, California, the California Department of Transportation approved a highway expansion project that would increase air pollution and traffic in one of the state’s most environmentally burdened communities.
• In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the proposed expansion of a highway would divide the region's Black, Asian, and Latine neighborhoods and cause pollution and ill health.
• In North Dakota, the five-month closure of a highway in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests disproportionately affected the livelihoods and health of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe members.
• In Ontario, Canada, mercury contamination of the English-Wabigoon river system causes catastrophic environmental and health impacts for the Grassy Narrows First Nation.
• In Sacramento, California, the county government and Sacramento Area Sewer District violated the Clean Water Act by discharging raw sewage into nearby rivers.
• In the Eastern Coachella Valley in California, 1,900 residents of the Oasis Mobile Home Park suffer from arsenic-laced drinking water, wastewater contamination, and overcharging for utilities.

Economic Justice

The Impact Fund provides financial and other forms of support to cases fighting for economic justice. From workers' rights to consumer protection for vulnerable populations, impact litigation is a powerful tool to hold corporationss and the government accountable. The cases we are funding allege that:

• In Brooklyn, New York, a prominent mortgage lender engaged in predatory practices, leaving homeowners of color at risk of losing their homes. 
• In Washington, live-in caregivers are unconstitutionally excluded from the state’s wage-and-hour protections.
• In Ravalli County, Montana, the county has created a “modern-day debtors’ prison” by incarcerating people unable to afford pre-trial fees. 
• In San Diego, California, vehicle ordinances target unhoused vehicle owners even when no adequate housing alternative exists.
• In New York, a federal immigration detention facility is violating minimum wage and forced labor laws by forcing detainees to work for just a dollar a day. 
• In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city and county destroy the property of unhoused individuals and conduct forced evictions from public spaces. 
• In Miami, Florida, insurance companies discriminate against a nonprofit community development corporation renting to tenants with Section 8 rental subsidies.

Aquatic Weed Control Program

Purpose

The purpose of the Aquatic Weed Control Program is to provide units of local government and citizens of North Carolina with resources that will promote the prevention and management of noxious aquatic weed infestations. The philosophy is that by offering assistance and developing partnerships aquatic weeds will be more efficiently managed across the state.

The two primary objectives are:

• Respond to localized infestations to mitigate the long-term economic and environmental impacts that noxious aquatic weeds impose.
• Reduce the frequency of aquatic weed introductions through education and public awareness.

The philosophy of the Program applies to aquatic weed infestations of all sizes. Large-scale projects can be complex and challenging. They may span jurisdiction lines and require the development of partnerships. Aquatic weed control projects may involve Federal, State and local governments as well as non-government organizations and private landowners. The Program often serves as a major contributor of funding and provides leadership on large-scale projects. Benefits are realized by offering assistance for small-scale projects as well. Allowing aquatic weeds to persist and spread throughout our waterways only exacerbates the problem. 

Overview

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

Open Grants Program

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

Priorities

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

Job Creation & Economic Investment

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

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

Agriculture

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

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

Workforce Preparedness

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

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

Community Competitiveness and Capacity

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

Competitive applications for projects include requests for funds to:

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

Competitive applications for projects include requests for funds to:

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

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

North Carolina Land and Water Fund

Since its creation in 1996 by the General Assembly, the North Carolina Land and Water Fund (NCLWF), formerly known as the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, has conserved well over one-half million acres and protected or restored 3,000 miles of streams and rivers.

“For 25 years, the Land and Water Fund has played a vital role in protecting North Carolina’s water quality, open spaces, and treasured cultural resources,” said Reid Wilson, secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “These grants have been used in all 100 N.C. counties to help ensure clean drinking water, protect natural habitat and preserve our unique natural and cultural resources for future generations.”

“Access to trails, greenways and open space is so important to our health and well-being,” said John Wilson, chair of the NCLWF board. “This critical need has been especially apparent recently as North Carolinians are seeking fresh air, exercise and recreation in record numbers. Public access will continue to be a priority for the Fund.”

The North Carolina Land and Water Fund has protected the state's natural and cultural resources for 25 years under its old name and will continue to do so long into the future under the new name.

Donation Mini-Grant Program

Donation Mini-Grants provide a maximum of $50,000 for transaction, property management, and stewardship costs associated with the donation of property in fee simple or a permanent conservation agreement. All project acres must be restricted with a permanent conservation agreement to protect natural or cultural resources. 

The donation must be for at least one of the following purposes: 

• Land that is within the first 300 feet from the top of the stream bank, or the width of the 100-year floodplain, whichever is greater for the purpose of protecting surface water quality or developing a riparian greenway.
• Land containing natural areas, element occurrences, or species of concern as defined by NC Natural Heritage Program or adjacent buffer land that is critical to protecting the viability of those areas for the purpose of protecting ecological diversity.
• Land buffering military installations for the purpose of minimizing incompatible land use for installations and training.
• Properties on which historic or cultural events can be interpreted and that help develop a balanced state program of historic properties.

The Nature Conservancy

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

Our Mission

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

Connectivity, Climate, Communities Fund

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

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

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

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

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

Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program

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

Equitable Conservation and Community Benefits

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

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

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

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

Project Evaluation

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

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

Environmental Enhancement Grant (EEG) Program

Purpose and Background

The Office of the North Carolina Attorney General has issued this Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify environmental enhancement projects contemplated by the Smithfield Agreement for reimbursement under the Environmental Enhancement Grant Program (“EEG Program”).

In 2000, the Attorney General and Smithfield Foods entered into a 25-year Agreement that, in part, provides $2 million per year for environmental projects across the state. This money was used to establish the EEG Program that has awarded environmental grants since 2002. EEG Program grants have been used to preserve and enhance North Carolina’s natural resources.

In the 22 years since the Agreement was signed, more than $37 million dollars in grant funds have been awarded to improve North Carolina’s environment. EEG funds have been used for projects such as wetland restoration, land acquisition, storm-water remediation, stream stabilization, and buffer installations, among many others. EEG funds have been used to conserve over 31,000 acres, rehabilitate 249 abandoned hog lagoons, and about one-third of the projects improved or added to public lands.

Objective

The EEG Program offers reimbursement grants for projects that improve the air, water, and land quality of North Carolina to address the goals of the Smithfield Agreement. When applying for a grant, please consider the purpose of the EEG Program, the program areas identified and their objectives, and the budget limitations for the project.

Funding

The EEG Program awards from $5,000.00 to $500,000.00 for projects. Projects are expected to be completed within three (3) years from the date of the grant award. This is a reimbursement grant. Grant funds reimburse project costs incurred after the execution of a memorandum of understanding (MOU). A minimum of 10% of the total award will be held until the project is completed and the final report has been approved by the EEG Program. Funds can be made available for real property acquisitions that require grant funds to close as long as all documentation has been submitted and all requirements have been met.

The EEG Program encourages applicants to seek additional funding sources and partners for proposed projects and favorable consideration will be given to proposals that include those components. Applicants must be in good financial standing and must demonstrate superior organizational capabilities to be selected for a grant.

CWMTF receives a direct appropriation from the General Assembly in order to issue grants to local governments, state agencies and conservation non-profits to help finance projects that specifically address water pollution problems. The nine-member CWMTF Board of Trustees has responsibility over the allocation of moneys from the Fund.

To carry out the mandate set by legislation, CWMTF provides grant funds for the following purposes:

• enhance or restore degraded waters
• protect unpolluted waters
• contribute toward a network of riparian buffers and greenways for environmental, educational, and recreational benefits
• provide buffers around military bases
• acquire land that represents the ecological diversity of North Carolina
• acquire land that contributes to the development of a balanced State program of historic properties

It is clear that in order to maintain the level of water quality, ecological diversity, and historical values that North Carolinians deserve and expect, we must accomplish more than we would be able to do with traditional programs alone. The potential for this initiative is immense; but -- if North Carolina is to truly capitalize on the opportunity -- it ultimately depends upon local communities and organizations to develop creative proposals which will protect and restore our resources.

Type of Projects 

Land Acquisition

The Land Acquisition Program includes the acquisition of land in fee or conservation easements for the following purposes:

• protecting and conserving riparian buffers for the purpose of providing environmental protection for surface waters and urban drinking water supplies and establishing a network of riparian greenways for environmental, educational, and recreational uses
• protecting and conserving surface waters and enhancing drinking water supplies, including the development of water supply reservoirs
• providing buffers around military bases or for State matching funds for the REPI
• conserving land that represents the ecological diversity of NC
• preserving land that contributes to the development of a balanced State program of historic properties

Stream Restoration Projects

CWMTF funds restoration projects to enhance or restore degraded waters and to protect downstream natural resources such as drinking water supplies, fisheries and recreation opportunities. The intent is to restore previously degraded lands to re-establish their ability to protect water quality. To date, the majority of eligible applications have taken the form of stream restoration projects, particularly natural channel designs. However, other approaches to restoring impaired waters include riparian wetland enhancement, floodplain and streambank enhancements, and estuarine shoreline erosion control.

Innovative Stormwater Projects

CWMTF can consider funding innovative stormwater projects that demonstrate a novel and untried method to water quality at the project site and how it would contribute to achieving CWMTF’s goal of advancing stormwater-management practices for water quality. Any proposed innovative stormwater project application should contain a clear description of the methods to be tested and discuss how results from such a pilot test can be successfully transferred to other North Carolina sites with similar water issues or problems.

Planning Projects

CWMTF may fund planning efforts that develop potential projects that: 

• enhance or restore degraded waters,
• protect unpolluted waters, 
• contribute toward a network of riparian buffers and greenways for environmental, educational, and recreational benefits,
• provide buffers around military bases to protect the military mission,
• acquire land that represents the ecological diversity of North Carolina,
• acquire land that contributes to the development of a balanced State program of historic properties, or
• facilitate innovative efforts to improve stormwater treatment.

Any proposed planning application should contain a clear outline and vision of the plan to be produced and clearly define the purpose and goals for any work that would be implemented following the planning project. 

Through Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides states with funding to reduce nonpoint source pollution. North Carolina typically receives around $1 million for competitive funding of watershed restoration projects. Funds may be used to conduct watershed restoration projects such as stormwater and agricultural best management practices and restoration of impaired streams. Section 319 grant projects must be used to help restore waterbodies currently impaired by nonpoint source pollution in areas with approved watershed restoration plans.

The Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership (APNEP) is accepting project proposals for environmental projects that increase citizen stewardship, volunteerism, and environmental literacy within the Albemarle-Pamlico region. Up to a total of $40,000 in funds may be awarded to two or more projects, not to exceed $20,000 each. Projects will be funded for one year and may be funded for up to three years, contingent on availability of APNEP funds and current program priorities.

Goal:

Through targeted education, engagement, and communications efforts, APNEP and its partners will encourage citizens to reduce their environmental impacts and provide meaningful opportunities to protect and restore the ecosystem. APNEP is committed to educating both children and adults about the rich resources found throughout the Albemarle-Pamlico region, with the purpose of increasing knowledge about the ecosystem and equipping the region’s citizens with the skills to effectively approach environmental issues. The Partnership is committed to addressing environmental inequities by viewing our funding processes through the lens of increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the region.

Community Partnership Award

The Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award recognizes outstanding nonprofit organizations in the United States that have shown exemplary leadership by facilitating partnerships with public, private or social sector leaders who are working together as equal partners, not as donors and recipients, to build a cohesive community that serves as a model for collaborating with others for the greater good.

Each year, the Mutual of America Foundation sponsors a national competition in which hundreds of organizations demonstrate the value of their partnership to the communities they serve, their ability to be replicated by others and their capacity to stimulate new approaches to addressing significant social issues.

Six organizations are selected by an independent committee to receive the Community Partnership Award.

• The Thomas J. Moran Award is given to the national award-winning program and includes $100,000 and a documentary video about the program.
• The Frances R. Hesselbein Award is given to a partnership that is addressing social challenges in more than one community, or which demonstrates the potential to be replicated in other communities. This recipient receives $75,000.
• Four other organizations are named Honorable Mention recipients for their programs, and each receives $50,000.

Since its inception in 1996, the Community Partnership Award has recognized 262 partnerships from cities and towns across America. Like so many of our clients working in the nonprofit community, Mutual of America is dedicated to having a direct, positive impact on society.

Wild East Action Fund

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

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

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

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

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

• Land Protection
• Conservation Planning
• Community Resilience

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

Community Resilience

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

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

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

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

Funding

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

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

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

Wild East Action Fund

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

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

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

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

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

• Land Protection
• Conservation Planning
• Community Resilience

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

Conservation Planning

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

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

Funding

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

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

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

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. 

About the Foundation

The Harold T. Southern Family Foundation was established in 2014 by the children of Harold Turner Southern and Mildred Formyduval Southern (both deceased), in honor of their parents.

The late Mr. and Mrs. Southern loved the outdoors and spent many hours of their days playing tennis, walking, and gardening. The parents instilled in their children the passion for helping others and giving back to the world we live in. Their hope was to leave the world in a better place for the benefit of future generations.

Mission

To support specific educational institutions through endowments and trust funds in North Carolina and South Carolina. To help grow the game of tennis through youth programming for all in North Carolina and the Southern section. To help protect lands, parks, forests, and waters in western North Carolina on which all life depends in order to promote a healthier lifestyle for future generations.

Grant Guidelines

While the foundation supports multiple program areas, applications are limited to environmental conservation efforts of organizations primarily located in Western North Carolina.