(November 2017) CFWNC recently approved grants totaling $1,453,662 to nonprofits across the region. The awards were made in CFWNC's focus areas with nearly $1.2 million in People in Need grants going to nonprofits serving economically-disadvantaged populations across the Foundation's 18-county service area.
Sixty-seven People in Need grants of up to $20,000 totaling $1,158,662 were awarded throughout the region. "These grants touch every county we serve and represent investment in this region by 62 funds we steward," said CFWNC President Elizabeth Brazas. "Grant partners include our affiliate funds, current fundholders and private foundations that partnered with us to provide more than 50 percent of the funds that will help the region's most vulnerable individuals and families. This truly is a collaborative effort."
Affiliate funds who partner with CFWNC to raise local resources contributed $140,000 to the cycle. Current fundholders contributed $525,000 to the grants and include: Carol Waggle Oliver Fund, Charles F. Hamrick & Marguerite D. Hamrick Charitable Fund, Connestee Falls Endowment Fund, Craig Family Foundation Fund, Crutchfield Charitable Fund, Dahlia Fund, Delphinium Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Dr. Robert J. & Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund, Gretchen Batra Fund, Little Acorn Fund-W, Oliver Family Fund, Peterson Endowment Fund, Penny Fund, Walnut Fund, Wasson-Stow Charitable Fund, Yeager-Cole Fund and four anonymous funds. The Lipscomb Family Foundation, Sutherland Foundation and an anonymous family foundation also provided generous support.
Early Childhood Development grants totaled $200,000 and included:
$50,000 to the Buncombe Partnership for Children's Asheville Buncombe Preschool Planning to conduct Phase 3 of its work to develop and implement a county-wide plan for expanding high-quality preschool for three- and four-year-olds. The Sutherland Foundation and Ramble Charitable Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.
$150,000 to the Southwestern Child Development Commission over three years to fund the Nurse Family Partnership program serving low-income first-time mothers in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. The Brown Family Fund, Carol Oliver Waggle Fund, Oliver Family Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund and an anonymous CFWNC fund as well as the Lipscomb Family Foundation and an anonymous family foundation co-invested in this grant.
A Food and Farming grant of $35,000 was awarded to Isothermal Planning and Development Commission for the Community Food and Health Hub of McDowell County. The project builds on work accomplished over the last four years by a coalition of churches, food pantry leaders, government agencies, nonprofits and residents, working to reduce food insecurity, increase healthy food at food pantries, support a stronger and more prosperous local food system and increase access to fresh, local, healthy food for the county. CFWNC affiliate The McDowell Endowment and the Dr. Robert J. & Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.
Natural and Cultural Resources grants totaled $60,000 and included:
$30,000 to the Nikwasi Initiative over two years to further develop a Cultural Corridor, a co-developed and managed heritage-related community economic development project involving Macon County, the Town of Franklin and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The Gretchen Batra Fund and the Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund co-invested in this grant.
$30,000 to the Toe River Arts Council for the Burnsville Glass Gateways, a public artwork that will visually connect the 19E corridor to the downtown. The project employs artists and promotes tourism. A "Dark Sky" community, Yancey County is one of the world's 30 Dark Sky Parks and houses the largest public telescope in the Southeast. The Gateways will draw attention to that distinction. CFWNC affiliate The Yancey Fund and the Crutchfield Charitable Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.