North Carolina Agriculture Grants

This program provides financial support to North Carolina family farms for agricultural projects that boost profitability, prioritizing those with a tobacco farming background and first-time applicants.

This funding opportunity supports research projects that promote innovation and development in North Carolina's agricultural economy, targeting universities, non-profits, and businesses involved in agriculture.

The Orange County Business Investment Grant Program in North Carolina is seeking applications to provide financial support ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to stimulate non-farm business development and expansion within the county, with eligibility criteria including the business's physical location, operational duration, tax status, and connection with business counseling services.

The Golden LEAF Foundation is currently accepting applications for the Open Grants Program. Donor Name: Golden LEAF Foundation State: North Carolina County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/20/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Priority Areas This program is for economic development projects aligned with the Golden LEAF priority areas. Job Creation and Economic Investment Workforce Preparedness Agriculture The Golden LEAF Foundation is committed to using the funds entrusted to it for projects that show the most potential for strengthening North Carolina’s economy, especially in tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and/or rural communities. Funding Information The Golden LEAF Board has indicated that most awards in the Open Grants Program will be for $200,000 or less. For projects that have certain characteristics, Golden LEAF will make awards of up to $500,000 from this program. Competitive Projects Competitive applications for projects include requests for funds to: Develop and implement a new workforce training program to meet demand from local employers Implement a career pathway at a high school for a high demand field Extend water, sewer, or road infrastructure to a site to enable industrial development that will create full-time jobs Support the development of new crops, expand markets for agriculture products, or provide training for farmers. Characteristics of Open Grants Projects Eligible for Funding of More Than $200,000 Golden LEAF expects that most grants in the Open Grants Program will be for $200,000 or less, and grants of more than $200,000 will be infrequent. To determine which projects will be eligible for consideration for an award of more than $200,000, Golden LEAF requires that the project include one or more of these characteristics: The applicant can clearly demonstrate and explain how the applicant would be able to achieve additional outcomes as a direct result of receiving more than $200,000 in funding, and the additional outcomes are commensurate with the additional funding. The project results from a planning process involving multiple organizations and members of the community that the project will serve, e.g., employers, and those organizations and individuals continue to be engaged in and will provide support to the project. The additional funding will build on a history of success and allow the applicant to scale a project to significantly increase the outcomes the project can achieve. The project is collaborative and includes some features that make the collaboration particularly compelling, such as the following characteristics: The collaboration is uncommon and includes innovative approaches. Golden LEAF funding will enable or encourage the collaboration. The project is regional, i.e., involves organizations in more than one county. A Golden LEAF award would leverage significant funding from other organizations, i.e., Golden LEAF is a small but important part of a larger project. The applicant has limited resources and has made efforts to secure funding from other sources. Implementing the project in phases would compromise its outcomes. Eligibility Criteria  Eligible applicants are governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit Golden LEAF Foundation.

WNC Community Enhancement grants will be awarded to qualified charitable organizations or eligible public agencies to fund projects in downtowns or commercial corridors or districts that enhance physical appearance and pedestrian experience. Donor Name: The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina State: North Carolina County: Selected Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/10/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Priority will be given to projects located in rural or other under-resourced areas. Generally, the Foundation will award grants of up to $10,000 for projects not exceeding a total cost of $50,000. The Foundation may make exceptions to these limits at its discretion. Projects should be completed within one year of the award. An eligible organization may only submit one application per year. Project Eligibility Funded projects will be a “stand-alone” project rather than a small part of a larger and longer-term project. CFWNC anticipates that most approved projects will fall under one of the following broad categories: pedestrian/multi-modal improvements; beautification; infrastructure; or economic activities. Examples may include: Pedestrian/Multi-Modal Improvements – pedestrian signals, decorative crosswalk treatments, shade structures, pedestrian refuges/bump-outs, planters, benches, bicycle racks, parklets Beautifications – paint, plants/landscaping, public art, awnings, power washing, picnic tables, wayfinding signs, flags/banners, educational displays, trash receptacles Infrastructure – public access (steps/piers/walkways), lighting, permeable pavers, stormwater management Economic Activities – outdoor markets, food truck parking Eligibility Criteria Organizations must be: (1) tax-exempt organizations described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, public agencies or faith communities; and (2) located in the Qualla Boundary or one of the following counties in Western North Carolina: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania or Yancey. For more information, visit CFWNC.

The Dr. Richard W. Adams Charitable Foundation supports a variety of charitable causes with a preference for supporting education in medical science, promoting agriculture and conservation, and preserving wildlife. Donor Name: Dr. Richard W. Adams Charitable Foundation State: North Carolina County: Davidson County (NC), Davie County (NC), Forsyth County (NC), Gaston County (NC), Iredell County (NC), Orange County (NC), Rockingham County (NC), Stokes County (NC) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/01/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Program Areas Education Environment, animals Types of support Preference will be given to requests for the following: Requests from Wake Forest University School of Medicine with a strong preference for supporting long-time residents of the Piedmont region of North Carolina whose intent is to practice medicine in such region. Organizations to provide scholarships or other funding to help employees of Davis Regional Medical Center (Statesville, NC) or their family members pursue training in medical science. Organizations and programs promoting agriculture and conservation. Organizations and programs focused on preserving wildlife. Requirements To be eligible, organizations must qualify as exempt governmental units or charitable organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applications must be submitted through the online grant application form or alternative accessible application designed for assistive technology users. Limitations There are no geographic limitations; however, the foundation primarily supports the Piedmont region of North Carolina. The foundation does not make grants directly to individuals. For more information, visit Wells Fargo.