(May 2025) The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) recently approved focus area grants in Cultural Resources and Natural Resources totaling $267,000.
Cultural Resources
John C. Campbell Folk School received $50,000 to support a concert series celebrating its centennial in 2025-2026. This funding will attract five major headliners, upgrade the sound system in the outdoor venue, and support marketing and promotions. The project will have a direct economic impact on Clay and Cherokee counties while attracting visitors from southern Appalachia and nationwide.
The Gretchen Batra Fund and Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund provided co-investment for this grant.
Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC), as fiscal sponsor for WNC Upscaling Creative Manufacturing Project, received $100,000 to expand business support services for creatives in Helene-affected areas through three programs. The POWER Pass Program will address space and logistical needs identified by regional artists with no-cost access to co-working space, professional photo studio use at the Center for Craft, and pack-and-ship services. The Craft Your Commerce will expand support in marketing, branding, website development, and storytelling assistance. Funding will also support the launch of the inaugural WNC Creative Manufacturing Conference to convene creative entrepreneurs, technical assistance providers, and partners to collaborate on strategies for business recovery, growth, and innovation within the creative manufacturing sector. The project, supported by the Appalachian Regional Commission, is collaboratively led by LOSRC, Center for Craft, Mountain BizWorks’s Craft Your Commerce, ArtsAVL, and Southwestern Commission.
The Gretchen Batra Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund and one anonymous fund provided co-investment for this grant.
Natural Resources
Polk County Appearance Commission (PCAC) received $24,000 to support the creation of a kudzu inventory that will be mapped and coupled with outreach and education services to expand efforts to eradicate the non-native invasive species. The ongoing invasion of kudzu in Polk County dramatically threatens biodiversity in a region that is heralded as one of the most biodiverse in the country. Enormous costs come from lost forest productivity, infrastructure damage, the effort to manage the non-native invasive species and its adverse effects on tourism and property values.
The Trillium Fund provided co-investment for this grant.
Wildlands Network, as fiscal sponsor for the Safe Passage Fund Coalition (SPFC), received $93,000 to continue improving wildlife habitat connectivity and human safety in Western North Carolina by creating safe passages for animal migration patterns, thereby reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. The Coalition includes representatives from Wildlands Network, Defenders of Wildlife, National Parks Conservation Association, North Carolina Wildlife Federation, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Smokies Life, and The Wilderness Society. It collaborates with regional and community stakeholders to find solutions for safe wildlife passage across Interstate 40, Interstate 26, and other roadways.
The Gretchen Batra Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Rick and Bridget Eckerd Charitable Fund, Nash Duquet Family Fund, Dr. Robert J. and Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund, White Pine Fund and an anonymous fund provided co-investment for this grant.