(May 2025) The Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) awarded nine grants totaling $208,110 to environmental groups working to improve surface water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitats, expand public use and access to waterways and increase water quality awareness in Buncombe, Haywood and Madison counties. With these grants and since 1996, the Pigeon River Fund has distributed $10,244,191 in grants.
These organizations were engaged in important ongoing water quality efforts prior to Hurricane Helene; funding will support projects and work that will aid in recovery, restoration and protection of streams and banks in three WNC counties.
The most recent Pigeon River Fund grant recipients are:
$35,000 to Asheville GreenWorks to support cleanup of the French Broad River and its tributaries in the wake of Hurricane Helene's devastation and the resulting influx of litter to Buncombe and Madison County waterways and riparian areas.
$5,000 to Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District to support hands-on environmental education programs in Buncombe County, such as Camp RIO and Kids in the Creek.
$27,000 to Haywood Waterways Association for the Town of Clyde's Flood Resiliency Project.
$12,750 to Haywood Waterways Association to stabilize and restore a section of the West Fork Pigeon River, upstream from Lake Logan, a property of Lake Logan Episcopal Center.
$12,500 to Lake Junaluska Assembly for a storm system renovation from Hoosier Court to Lake Junaluska.
$30,860 to MountainTrue for bacteria monitoring for public safety and source point pollution identification in Buncombe, Haywood and Madison counties, as well as support for streambank stabilization needed post Helene.
$35,000 to RiverLink to fund two 11-month AmeriCorps positions working in Buncombe and Madison counties for the remainder of the 2025 fiscal year and partial support for the 2026 fiscal year.
$25,000 to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy to cover certain due diligence costs associated with the acquisition of a 23-acre tract in Haywood County that could provide an alternative access point for Chestnut Mountain Park and that potentially further separates bike and pedestrian users.
$25,000 to The Richard L. Hoffman Foundation for the acquisition of the 75-acre West Farm in the Town of Mars Hill (contingent on securing other funds).
The next application deadline for qualifying nonprofits in Buncombe, Haywood and Madison counties is September 15, 2025.
The Pigeon River Fund was established through an agreement between Carolina Power & Light (now Duke Energy) and the State of North Carolina. CFWNC administers the grant program. For information about the Pigeon River Fund, contact Senior Program Officer Tara Scholtz at 828-367-9913.