(November 2016) The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina recently approved grants totaling $1,211,583 to nonprofits across the region. The awards were made in CFWNC's focus areas with more than $1.1 million in People in Need grants going to nonprofits serving economically-disadvantaged populations across the Foundation's 18-county service area.
Seventy People in Need Grants of up to $20,000 totaling $1,146,583 were made throughout the region served by the Foundation. "These grants represent the single largest grant cycle in our history both in terms of the number of grants and the amount. And, it is remarkable that fifty percent of the funding came through co-investment," said CFWNC President Elizabeth Brazas. "Grant partners including our affiliate funds, fundholders and private foundations are stepping up to ensure that the nonprofits that help the region's most vulnerable individuals and families have the resources they need."
Affiliate funds who partner with CFWNC to raise local resources contributed $167,000 to the cycle. CFWNC funds that supported this grant cycle include the Gretchen Batra Fund, Brown Family Fund, Connestee Falls Endowment Fund, Delphinium Fund, Mario and Lee Di Cesare Charitable Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Fidel Duke Fund, Rick and Bridget Eckerd Charitable Fund, June Litchfield Charitable Fund, Mountin' Hopes Therapeutic Riding Fund, Oliver Family Fund, Carol Waggle Oliver Fund, Penny Fund, Peterson Endowment Fund, Dr. Robert J. and Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund, Wasson-Stowe Charitable Fund, Yeager-Cole Fund and two anonymous funds. The Lipscomb Family Foundation, Sutherland Foundation, Selby and Richard McRae Foundation and The Glass Foundation also provided generous support.
An Early Childhood Development grant of $30,000 was awarded to Buncombe County Partnership for Children to support an inclusive, community-informed process to create a multifaceted plan to ensure that a high-quality, accessible and affordable preschool experience is available to all 3 and 4-year olds in Buncombe County.
Two Natural and Cultural Resources grants totaling $35,000 were awarded. American Whitewater was awarded $10,000 for continued professional facilitation for the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Partnership, a diverse collaborative group that has been working for nearly four years to develop consensus-based approaches to the management of the region's National Forests. Their work dovetails with the Forest Service's current effort to revise the management plans for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area was awarded $25,000 to help launch the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, a craft trail system for 25 WNC counties to increase income for craft artists and businesses, enhance cultural tourism and improve local economies. This grant is contingent upon the receipt of other funds.