(April 2026) – The Yancey Fund awarded seventeen grants totaling $121,310 to nonprofits serving Yancey County in its recent grant cycle. CFWNC’s Bailey-Hilliard Fund also provided funding for these grants. The Yancey Fund, in partnership with The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC), has awarded grants totaling $1,885,708.
“Supporting local nonprofits is key to helping our community address the needs of our friends and neighbors,” said Advisory Board Chair Jim Gentry Jr. “These grants are funded from charitable endowments that have been built over time by contributions from people who care about Yancey County. They address the needs of students, youth mental health, home repair, food insecurity, access to healthcare, and more. Demand for services remains high, and we are honored to partner with these effective organizations.”
The 2026 grants are:
$5,000 to Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center to help children and families cope with the lingering traumas of Covid and Hurricane Helene by providing access to programming.
$4,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina for programming and operations in Yancey County.
$8,000 to Blue Ridge Elementary School to purchase a greenhouse for The Outdoor Classroom Greenhouse Project.
$3,000 to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas to help ensure childhood cancer patients have access to treatment.
$10,000 to Dig In! Yancey Community Garden to host up to 36 educational events to deepen the community’s food production and gardening skills.
$10,000 to Hospice and Palliative Care of the Blue Ridge to cover costs not reimbursed by Medicare for hospice patients.
$5,000 to Live Like Megan Foundation to support the opening of Meg’s Place, a home serving children entering foster care in Yancey County.
$10,000 to Mountain Strong: Yancey and Mitchell County Relief Team to support essential capital improvements at its free clinic that will improve patient access, safety, and clinic readiness.
$4,310 to Parkway Playhouse of Burnsville to incorporate Social Emotional Learning components into the teen theater program.
$10,000 to Partners Aligned Toward Health (PATH) to strengthen youth mental health, resilience, and community connection in Yancey County through coordinated, accessible programming and culturally responsive outreach.
$10,000 to Pisgah Legal Services to provide free civil legal assistance and advocacy to low-income survivors of domestic violence and child abuse.
$3,500 to Special Olympics North Carolina to support a school program that brings youth with and without intellectual disabilities together through sports and education to create communities of acceptance and respect.
$5,000 to THRIVE Appalachia to purchase supplies and support teacher fees for teen classes and entrepreneurship projects.
$10,000 to WAMY Community Action to facilitate eight home repairs for low-income residents.
$10,000 to Yancey County Government/Little Hands Learning Center to provide curriculum for children enrolled at its childcare center.
$3,500 to Yancey County Humane Society to provide shelter and care for homeless, injured, and neglected animals through adoption, community outreach, retention services, and education.
$10,000 to Yancey Long Term Recovery Group to install an HVAC system at Meg’s Place, a temporary emergency home serving children entering foster care in Yancey County.
In 1998, local residents established The Yancey 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 Yancey County. To make a tax-deductible contribution, donate online or by mail to The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, 4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300, Asheville, NC 28803, memo line: The Yancey Fund. Contributions of any size are welcome.
The local volunteer Advisory Board includes: Chair Jim Gentry Jr., Vice Chair Dr. Monica Carpenter, Secretary Olivier Calas, Jim Ashton, Jill Austin, Melissa Flattery, Jayne Ellen Hunt, Heidi Meyer, Mark Mitchell, Sandra U. Sanders, Julia Silvers, Tina Veitch, and Bob Wyatt.
For more information about The Yancey Fund, contact Advisory Board Chair Jim Gentry Jr. at jim.gentry@edwardjones.com.