Information for Nonprofits
General Grant Criteria
Organizational Eligibility
Legal & Financial Standing:
Applicants must be IRS-registered 501(c)(3) public charities in good standing, remaining fully compliant with all current state and federal financial filing requirements. Private foundations, non-501(c)(3) entities, and organizations with lapsed or inactive status are ineligible.
State Licensure:
Organizations must possess a current Charitable Solicitation License from the North Carolina Secretary of State or hold a qualified, documented exemption from this licensure.
History & Track Record:
The organization must have been in active existence for at least three consecutive years (verified by the date on their official IRS determination letter) and be able to demonstrate a proven record of effective, sustainable service.
Other Standard Criteria for All Grant Opportunities
Proposals for fundraising events, capital campaigns, activities without measurable outcomes, programs limited to private groups or membership such as sports teams or clubs, cemeteries, political activities, or grants to individuals will not be considered.
While organizations may submit multiple applications across different programs, no organization will be awarded more than one grant per funding cycle to ensure a fair distribution of resources.
General Application Procedures
Pre-Application Support: Organizations that are unsure about meeting specific requirements or program alignment are strongly urged to contact the Foundation or schedule a consultation before beginning their application.
Review Process: All applications undergo an initial review by staff to ensure basic eligibility requirements are met before moving on to further evaluation.
Final Decision Authority: The Foundation’s Board of Directors holds the authority for making all final grant award decisions.