NCCF Unifour Foundation Endowment Fund

The Unifour Foundation Inc. Endowment was established in 1998 under the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF) to support the general welfare of communities within Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties. Originating from the 1996 sale of a credit reporting company formerly managed by the Hickory Merchants Association to Equifax, the endowment continues to invest in the regional development and resilience of these four counties—collectively known as the Unifour area. The endowment operates through NCCF’s affiliate and community grantmaking infrastructure and distributes funding annually through a competitive application process. The Unifour Endowment funds projects that address pressing community needs across a wide array of sectors. Eligible areas include education, human services, basic needs, arts, historic preservation, health, recreation, youth development, and animal welfare. While the endowment allows for a broad funding scope, preference is given to projects targeting priority issues such as early childhood education, substance use disorders, mental health, housing insecurity, food insecurity, and educational access. Funding is not allocated for lobbying efforts, political activities, religious doctrine promotion, reimbursement of past expenses, loans, or for the direct benefit of specific individuals. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $10,000, with the total annual disbursement in 2025 amounting to $228,500. Applications for the 2026 cycle will be accepted beginning February 27, 2026, and must be submitted by noon on March 31, 2026. Late submissions—including those affected by technological issues—will not be considered. All applications must be submitted via the NCCF’s online Grant Application Portal. New applicants are required to follow Training Module I to create a user profile, while returning applicants should log in using their existing credentials. Training Module II provides step-by-step instructions for adding a new grant application. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) public charities, organizations with eligible fiscal sponsors, public schools, local governments, and fire or rescue departments. Religious organizations may apply only for programs that serve the broader community and are non-doctrinal in nature. All applicants must serve the Unifour region and provide services without discrimination based on race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religious belief. The review and selection process is managed by a local grants committee composed of community members with deep ties to the Unifour area. These committee members bring valuable local insight to the evaluation process, which emphasizes alignment with the endowment’s priority areas and community impact. In most cases, grant decisions are communicated approximately two months after the application deadline. Organizations serving multiple counties may submit separate applications tailored to each county’s needs to improve funding prospects. No pre-application steps such as letters of intent are required, but applicants are strongly advised to carefully review the community grantmaking guidelines and utilize the available training modules before submission. While the application timeline and award amounts recur annually, specific focus areas or requirements may evolve. Interested applicants are encouraged to monitor the NCCF website for future updates and to attend virtual office hours or workshops offered in support of grantseekers.