Grants
Since its inception in 1958, the Foundation’s grants have made a positive difference for millions of people throughout our region. Grants represent distributions from charitable funds held at Foundation For The Carolinas, which are advised by individuals, families, volunteer boards, nonprofits, and corporations. Grants are made to qualified 501(c)(3), governmental, educational and religious organizations throughout the continental United States and our database of organizations grows each time a donor requests that the Foundation make a distribution from a charitable fund to a new organization.
The majority of grants distributed each year benefit designated organizations for which the funds are established or are directed by individual donors. In addition to these donor directed grants, the Foundation manages a number of grant programs whereby boards and committees make grant awards through competitive grant cycles. The programs vary in grant size, application process, and funding priorities and are often tailored to meet a board or committee’s needs.
In supporting these competitive grant programs, the Foundation works with the boards and committees as investors in the community interested in creating the highest possible levels of community gain to improve the lives of those served through the grants awarded. The following Community Investment Guidelines more clearly reflect how the boards and committees make grant award decisions.
Community Investment Guidelines
To decide how to invest the limited dollars for a grant program, the board or committee will look for effective programs and strategies that strive to support the funding priorities established by that board or committee. The success of a grant is predicted by reviewing the expected results of the proposal and identifying results driven approaches. Programs that are capable of attaining measureable results receive higher consideration. In that mode, grant requests are reviewed with the following questions in mind:
- What results are we buying?
- What are the chances we will get results?
- Is this the best possible use of money?
Regional Affiliate Community Foundations
The Foundation is comprised of 13 regional affiliate community foundations in North and South Carolina. Administrative and support services for each regional affiliate community foundation are handled by the staff of Foundation For The Carolinas, but it is the local leaders who build community endowments and make grant decisions. Generally, each of the Foundation's regional affiliates conducts one competitive grant cycle per year. Each affiliate’s grant program varies in grant size and funding priorities but the goal of each is to serve members of that area and support key community programs and organizations. Grantmaking is overseen by local boards comprised of volunteers who are knowledgeable about their communities' needs.
North Carolina
Cabarrus, Charlotte Mecklenburg, Cleveland, Iredell, Lexington, Lincoln, Richmond, Salisbury–Rowan, Stanly, Union
South Carolina
Cherokee, Lancaster, York
Client Grantmaking Programs
The Foundation serves a number of individual and corporate client boards and committees who choose to make distributions through competitive grant programs in a variety of interest areas and geographic regions in our service area. The boards and committees awarding grants are associated with family and corporate funds within the Foundation, private foundations, and supporting organizations.
African American Community Foundation serves Charlotte-Mecklenburg and supports efforts that promote educational excellence, economic self-reliance, equity and cultural awareness within the region's African American community.
Alpha and Omega Foundation serves Charlotte-Mecklenburg in the area of human services, health care and children and youth.
Charlotte Lesbian and Gay Fund is a collective giving program serving nonprofit organizations in Charlotte-Mecklenburg supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
The Cole Foundation serves nonprofit organizations providing services in Richmond County, NC.
Crosland Foundation is a supporting foundation serving Charlotte-Mecklenburg in the area of affordable housing, transitional housing, shelter and supportive services to the homeless.
Duke Energy Community College Grant Program Fund supports community colleges in North Carolina providing training for manufacturing and related industries.
George D. Patterson Family Fund serves animal welfare organizations in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and surrounding counties.
Ginter Foundation is a supporting foundation serving Charlotte-Mecklenburg and focuses on improving the lives of and opportunities for vulnerable immigrant and international populations.
Hayes Family Foundation is a private foundation serving various regions in North and South Carolina in the area of Christian outreach and support of vulnerable populations.
Longleaf Fund serves various regions in North and South Carolina in the area of education.
Nalle Clinic Foundation serves Charlotte-Mecklenburg in the area of health care.
New Generation of African American Philanthropists is a collective giving program serving nonprofit organizations in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to increase the awareness of philanthropy in and meet the needs of the African American community.
Teen Impact Fund is a collective giving program serving nonprofit organizations in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to address challenges faced by teens.
Turner Foundation is a supporting foundation serving Charlotte-Mecklenburg and surrounding counties in the areas of animal welfare, Lewy body disease research, education and awareness, and the environment.
WE Care Fund provides individual financial assistance for Wells Fargo team members suffering from financial hardship or disaster relief.
For more information about potential grant opportunities from one of the Foundation’s client grant programs, click here.
|