Haywood County Community Foundation Grants

The Haywood County Community Foundation (HCCF), established in 1994, operates as a philanthropic affiliate under the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF). It serves as a key funding partner for nonprofits and community initiatives within Haywood County, North Carolina. As a local extension of NCCF, HCCF is managed by a volunteer advisory board made up of community members who work collaboratively to identify needs, encourage charitable giving, and award grants from locally established permanent endowments. The purpose of the HCCF's community grantmaking program is to provide small-scale, impactful funding to qualified charitable organizations that serve the residents and communities of Haywood County. Grants from this program are intended to support local programs, services, and operations that respond to identified community needs. A significant tool used to guide grant decisions is an annual Community Needs Assessment, which informs funding priorities and ensures that resources are directed where they are most needed. Funding may support a variety of focus areas as long as the organization meets eligibility and geographic criteria. The 2026 grant cycle for the HCCF Community Grantmaking Fund will open on July 17 and close at noon Eastern Time on August 18. All applications must be submitted via the North Carolina Community Foundation’s Grant Application Portal, and late submissions, including those delayed by technical difficulties, will not be considered. New applicants are required to follow detailed instructions outlined in Training Module I to create an organizational profile before applying. Returning users must use existing credentials and follow Training Module II for submitting an application. Applications that do not comply with guidelines are ineligible for funding. Grant awards typically range from $500 to $1,000. For example, in 2025, a total of $4,410 was awarded through this competitive process. These awards are intended to support charitable activities and are drawn specifically from the HCCF’s community grantmaking fund. Although the exact number of awards varies by cycle, the scale of the fund suggests limited but targeted support. Grant funding decisions are generally announced approximately two months following the close of the application window, placing typical notification around mid-October. Eligible applicants include qualified charitable organizations that serve Haywood County. The funder does not elaborate on the definition of “qualified charitable organizations,” but as a private foundation affiliated with NCCF, this likely refers to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The foundation does not specify any cost-sharing or matching requirements. For application guidance, users are directed to training modules and portal instructions. Program-related inquiries may be directed to the Program Officer via the NCCF’s main contact details. The program does not indicate whether grants are recurring; however, given that HCCF has a history of offering community grants annually, and a similar cycle was held in 2025, recurrence can be inferred. There is no mention of pre-application requirements such as Letters of Intent or concept papers. The evaluation process relies on the board’s review of submitted materials and the Community Needs Assessment. No detailed scoring or review rubric is publicly disclosed.