(May 2026) – The Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund awarded eighteen grants totaling $125,240 to nonprofits serving the community in its recent grant cycle. The Endowment, in partnership with The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC), has awarded grants totaling $1,787,970.
In addition to the Endowment, the Buckner Family Endowment Fund, Forbes Fund for Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley, Helen S. and Jerry M. Newbold, Jr. Endowment Fund, and Standaert Family Endowment Fund provided funding for these grants.
“Supporting local nonprofits is key to helping our community address the needs of our friends and neighbors,” said Advisory Board Chair Jon D. Brooks. “These grants are funded from charitable endowments that have been built over time by contributions from people who care about the Swannanoa Valley. They address food insecurity, the needs of students and children, home repair, and more. Demand remains high, and we are honored to partner with these effective organizations.”
The 2026 grants are:
$7,500 to Appalachian Community Relief to purchase wholesale food for its free grocery store.
$7,500 to Appalachian Mountain Community Health Center to support the acquisition and development of a medical facility in Black Mountain that will provide health care to the medically underserved.
$2,500 to Asheville GreenWorks (fiscal sponsor for Bee City USA-Asheville) to produce, install, promote, and maintain a station on the Asheville Butterfly Trail at Black Mountain Primary School.
$3,500 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina to support a specialist in recruiting, screening, training, and supporting mentors and enrolling youth ages 6-15.
$6,000 to Black Mountain Counseling Center to provide mental health services to under-insured or un-insured low-income people.
$10,000 to Black Mountain Volunteer Firefighters Association to increase volunteer and instructor capacity by purchasing gear and supplies, delivering public trainings, strengthening communications infrastructure, and delivering certification trainings.
$10,000 to Bounty & Soul to provide older adults, people with disabilities, and families in crisis with weekly deliveries of fresh, regionally-grown food, recipes, and resources.
$7,725 to Charles D. Owen Middle School to purchase materials and support experiences that strengthen students’ STEAM learning.
$2,515 to Hand in Hand of the Swannanoa Valley to cover the operational costs of its three annual fundraisers so that proceeds can directly support students’ basic needs.
$7,500 to Helpmate to sustain core operations of an emergency shelter to ensure Black Mountain and Swannanoa Valley survivors have reliable access to safety, crisis services, and stabilization resources when fleeing abuse.
$10,000 to Meals on Wheels of Asheville and Buncombe County to purchase wholesale food for meal preparation for homebound seniors.
$7,000 to Mountain Housing Opportunities to provide critical health and safety-related home repairs at no cost to low-income homeowners.
$10,000 to Pisgah Legal Services to provide free civil legal assistance and advocacy to low-income survivors of domestic violence and child abuse.
$7,500 to Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry to provide direct rental assistance to low‑income residents needing support.
$10,000 to Valley Hope Church to feed Swannanoa Valley residents at a weekly community meal.
$6,000 to Warren Wilson College to support completion of the college's aquatic center that will provide year-round aquatic safety, fitness, and recreational access to residents.
$2,000 to Waypoint Adventure for an outdoor, adventure‑based education program for students with intellectual, developmental, physical, and complex disabilities.
$8,000 to YMCA of Western North Carolina to provide safe, high‑quality afterschool care that includes academic help, enrichment, meals, and mentorship to students from low-income families.
In 1999, local residents established the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund as a permanent charitable endowment to meet local needs. Gifts added to the Fund’s principal are preserved and invested, while grants from the Fund support nonprofits serving Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley. To make a tax-deductible contribution, donate online or by mail to the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund, c/o CFWNC, 4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300, Asheville, NC 28803, memo line: Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund. Contributions of any size are welcome.
The local Advisory Board includes: Chair Jon D. Brooks, Vice Chair Amy Berry, Secretary Betsy Warren, Sylvia Bassett, Jose L. Bello, Mary Anna Belz, Margaret Fuller Hurt, Rodney L. Lytle, Cory Partlow, Julie Rasku, and Sheila H. Showers.
CFWNC works with families, businesses and nonprofits to strengthen communities through the creation of charitable funds and strategic grantmaking. A permanent charitable resource, the Foundation manages over 1,300 funds and has facilitated more than $456 million in philanthropy since its founding in 1978. Learn more at www.cfwnc.org.
For additional information about the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund, contact Jon D. Brooks at (828) 231-2892 or jonbrooks007@gmail.com.