(April 2026) – The Transylvania Endowment awarded sixteen grants totaling $100,632 to nonprofits serving Transylvania County in its recent grant cycle. The Transylvania Endowment, in partnership with CFWNC, has awarded grants totaling $1,535,367.
“Supporting local nonprofits is key to helping our community address the needs of our friends and neighbors,” said Advisory Board Chair John Shoemaker. “These grants are funded from a charitable endowment that has been built over time by contributions from people who care about Transylvania County. They address food insecurity, legal aid for low-income residents, case management for people experiencing homelessness, the needs of children and youth, and much more. Demand for services remains high, and we are honored to partner with these effective organizations.”
The 2026 grants are:
$5,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina for hands-on resource coordination, referral support, and follow-up to help families successfully connect to existing services.
$3,775 to Blue Line Foundation for a youth camp that teaches communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and conflict resolution, while fostering trust and mutual understanding between students and law enforcement.
$7,000 to Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic for comprehensive oral health care to Transylvania County residents.
$7,000 to Children's Center of Transylvania County for safe exchange services for high-conflict custody cases.
$5,000 to The Cindy Platt Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County to provide meaningful field trips, recreation, and enrichment experiences for youth.
$5,000 to Four Seasons, The Care You Trust to help under-resourced people access high-quality hospice and palliative care.
$7,000 to God's Way Fellowship Food Pantry to purchase a double-door freezer.
$7,000 to The Haven of Transylvania County to address ongoing maintenance and repair needs at its shelter facilities.
$7,000 to Hunger Coalition of Transylvania County to establish a local farmer partnership program that will provide fresh, organic produce for food-insecure people while supporting sustainable agriculture.
$6,857 to Isaac Homes Youth Shelter to support an enrichment program for disadvantaged youth.
$5,000 to Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina to support a wish for a child from Transylvania County who is living with a critical illness.
$7,000 to Muddy Sneakers to provide hands-on, inquiry-based science experiences to students.
$7,000 to Pisgah Legal Services to provide free civil legal assistance and advocacy to low-income survivors of domestic violence and child abuse.
$7,000 to Special Olympics North Carolina to engage children and adults with intellectual disabilities in sport and fitness programming led by volunteer coaches trained to meet athletes’ specialized needs.
$7,000 to Transylvania Christian Ministry for medical prescriptions and doctor visits for uninsured or underinsured individuals.
$7,000 to Transylvania County Community Land Trust to complete construction of an affordable housing project for teachers in Rosman.
In 1998, local people established the Endowment as a permanent charitable fund to meet local needs. Gifts added to the Endowment’s principal are preserved and invested, while grants from the Endowment support nonprofits in Transylvania County. To make a tax-deductible contribution, donate online or by mail c/o CFWNC, 4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300, Asheville NC 28803. Make checks payable to CFWNC noting “Transylvania Endowment” in the memo line. Contributions of any size are welcome.
In addition to the Endowment, the following CFWNC funds support grantmaking in Transylvania County: Aleen Steinberg Endowment Fund, Bobby Orr Memorial Fund for Transylvania County Sheriff’s Department, Burlingame Charitable Fund, Connie Boylan Fund, Duncan-Bicknell Endowment Fund, Holbrook-Nichols Transylvania Housing Assistance Fund, Karen Wilde Memorial Fund for Brevard Police Department, Lake Toxaway Charities Endowment Fund, My Brother's Keeper Fund, Richard G. Adamson Memorial Fund, and Tim and Wanda Barrett Transylvania Growth Fund.
The local volunteer advisory board includes: Chair John Shoemaker, Vice Chair Chuck Megown, Khaled Khiyar, Beth Lastinger, Caroline McKenzie, Jason Ramsey, Nancee Salyer, Mark Visk, Amber Webb, and Paul Welch.
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.
For more information about the Transylvania Endowment, please contact Advisory Board Chair John Shoemaker at jshoe@comporium.net.