Clay County Community Foundation Grant

The Clay County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation and serves as a source of grants for local causes in Clay County. Founded in 1992, it is guided by a local volunteer advisory board that works to strengthen community assets through the creation of permanent endowments, strategic grantmaking, and leadership initiatives that benefit the county. The Foundation emphasizes local engagement, helping organizations and donors invest in community well-being through targeted funding opportunities. The primary purpose of this grant program is to support qualified charitable organizations serving the local community in Clay County. Grants are made from the community grantmaking fund, which allows organizations to address pressing needs and opportunities identified through community input. The Foundation also uses an annual community needs assessment to guide its funding priorities, ensuring that grants respond to the most critical and relevant issues facing residents of Clay County. Grant awards typically range between $500 and $1,000. In the 2024 grant cycle, the Foundation distributed $4,560 in grants through this competitive process. These funds are designed to provide flexible support to nonprofits for community-based projects and services. Spending rules are guided by the Foundation’s grantmaking criteria, which require adherence to published guidelines. Applications that do not comply with these guidelines are deemed ineligible for funding. The application window for the 2025 cycle will open on July 25, 2025, and will close at noon Eastern Time on August 26, 2025. Late submissions, including those affected by technology issues, will not be accepted. Applicants must submit proposals through the North Carolina Community Foundation’s online system. Organizations applying for the first time must create an organizational profile through Training Module I. Returning applicants may log in with their existing credentials. Training Module II provides further instructions on how to submit a grant application. Applications undergo a review process that typically takes about two months following the close of the application period. Awards are expected to be announced in late October 2025. Grant decisions are guided not only by the application materials submitted but also by the annual community needs assessment, which provides context for funding priorities. Organizations are strongly encouraged to review this assessment before applying. The Clay County Community Foundation does not list individual contacts directly on the program page but indicates that program officers are available for questions. The North Carolina Community Foundation headquarters can be reached at 3737 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 460, Raleigh, NC 27612, by phone at 919-828-4387 or toll-free at 800-532-1349, with fax available at 919-827-0749. Applicants are encouraged to direct specific program inquiries to the designated program officer as instructed in the application materials.