Johnston County Community Foundation Grant Program in North Carolina

The Johnston County Community Foundation (JCCF), established in 1992, operates as a philanthropic affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF). Serving as a vital conduit for charitable giving in Johnston County, JCCF is led by a local volunteer advisory board. This board works to strengthen the community by developing permanent endowments, distributing grants, and providing leadership to address local needs. The Foundation's purpose is to support qualified charitable organizations within Johnston County through an accessible and structured annual grantmaking process. JCCF administers grants from its general community grantmaking fund as well as several specialized endowments. These include the Cara Lee Powell Priest Endowment for Johnston County, which supports a broad range of local charitable efforts; the Carolina Youth Theatre Fund for Arts Education, designated specifically for nonprofit work focused on youth arts education; and the Lorraine Cooper Endowment. Grants awarded typically range from $1,000 to $5,000. In 2024, nearly $51,970 was distributed through this competitive program. The 2025 application cycle opens on July 3, 2025, and closes at noon on August 5, 2025. Applications submitted after the deadline, including those delayed by technical issues, will not be accepted. Interested organizations must apply through the NCCF’s online system. First-time applicants are required to follow the procedures outlined in Training Module I to create a profile, while returning applicants may log in directly. Training Module II provides instructions on how to submit a grant application. Applicants are encouraged to read the guidelines thoroughly prior to submission; noncompliance will render applications ineligible. Grants are evaluated based on community priorities identified in an annual needs assessment, which informs the board’s decision-making process. Grant decisions are typically announced approximately two months after the application deadline. This structured timeline ensures consistency in decision-making and allows applicants to plan accordingly. Additional resources such as the community needs assessment can be accessed on the JCCF webpage to help applicants align their proposals with current community priorities. Organizations eligible for funding must be qualified charitable entities serving Johnston County. While the announcement does not list specific eligibility categories, it is clear that eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations delivering services to this geographic region. The foundation does not indicate any matching fund requirements or additional application deadlines before the close date. For further questions or clarification regarding the application process, organizations may contact Dawn Neighbors, Community Leadership Officer for Central NC. She can be reached by phone at 910-292-4437. Additional support materials, such as the Impact Report and Grant Publicity Guide, are also accessible through NCCF's main website. The grant cycle reflects an annual offering pattern, with the previous cycle having closed in August 2024 and the next expected to follow a similar timeline in 2026.