(November 2024) The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) recently approved focus area grants in the Education and Human Services focus areas totaling $1,989,988. Nonprofits submitted grant applications to meet an August deadline before Hurricane Helene swept into the region.
“Nonprofits need support for their work now more than ever,” said Senior Program Officer Virginia Dollar. “As the region addresses the aftermath of the storm, demand for services across the board has increased. In addition to ongoing financial support for Hurricane Helene response and recovery, we knew that nonprofits were counting on our grant funds to sustain their programs and we are pleased to be able to make these timely awards.”
Twenty-five grants totaling $554,196 were awarded to support early childhood development, K-12, and adult education in Western North Carolina. This is the first competitive grant cycle completed in the Education focus area.
Sixty-three Human Services grants totaling $1,435,792 were approved. Typically, CFWNC partners with fundholders and private foundations to fund this slate. Due to an outpouring of support from both of those groups toward CFWNC’s Hurricane Helene Response, CFWNC accessed additional discretionary funds to make these awards.