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Buncombe County is committed to building a healthy, safe, well-educated, and thriving community that is equitable and sustainable. Investments in our community start with eight core grant programs supporting organizations working in support of the Buncombe 2025 Strategic Plan focus areas and goals.
The application cycle for 2023-2024 grants is now open with grant deadlines throughout the spring. Grant awards will be available for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are critical to our grants processes, and Buncombe County encourages participation from organizations led by and providing service to people of color/BIPOC individuals, and other historically marginalized populations.
Read more to see if the following opportunities might be right for your organization. Learn more about these grant opportunities at www.buncombecounty.org/grants.
Affordable Housing Services Program
Affordable Housing funding is intended to ensure comprehensive opportunities for affordable and safe housing as a foundation for healthy and thriving families and neighborhoods. Goals include:
- Increasing the supply of affordable housing for rent
- Increasing the supply of affordable housing for homeownership, especially for BIPOC households
- Preserving the supply of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH)
- Supporting activities that achieve functional zero homelessness
- Supporting activities that encourage the use of all vouchers
Applications open Dec. 12, with an application deadline of Feb. 10, 2023.
Aging Services Funding
The Aging Services grants are made in alignment with the Buncombe County’s Age-Friendly Action Plan, which reflects the vision of an age-friendly community where older adults are safe, well, and engaged. While the 2023 Action Plan is under development the committee will continue to review applications in connection to the 2018-2022 Action Plan goals which are to:
- Prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults
- Prevent financial fraud and scams
- Improve health and wellbeing among older adults
- Improve and support financial wellbeing among older adults
- Improve and support caregiver wellbeing
- Increase older adults’ access to transportation
- Improve older adults’ access to services and supports
- Increase age-friendly capability of Buncombe County
Funding includes State/Federal Home and Community Care Block Grant as well as local County dollars. Applications open Jan. 17, 2023 with an application deadline of Feb. 24, 2022.
Community Recreation Grants
The purpose of the Buncombe County Recreation Services Grants Program is to provide funding to qualified organizations within Buncombe County interested in partnering with our Department to carry out our mission through the promotion of recreational fitness, health and wellness initiatives as well as community-based activities and capital improvements that increase recreational opportunities for the communities served. Grant awards will build momentum for long-term change in the community in alignment with the Buncombe 2025 plan. Applications open Feb. 7, 2022 with an application deadline April 1, 2022.
Early Childhood Fund
The overall goal of the fund is to ensure that every child in Buncombe County has an equal opportunity to thrive during their first 2,000 days including access to quality early childhood education. Funding is earmarked to support early care and education for children birth through kindergarten, including infants/toddlers, preschoolers, and pre-kindergarteners. Funding will be allocated for projects working toward increasing slots for enrollment, increasing quality, developing/diversifying the early childhood workforce, supporting families, and enhancing the effectiveness of the overall system of early care and education. Applications open Dec. 19, with an application deadline of Feb. 10, 2023.
Isaac Coleman Grants
Named for social justice champion Isaac Coleman, these grants are targeted investments for organizations working in our communities to eliminate racial disparities and improve equitable opportunity. Our goal with this investment is to rebuild the health, safety, and self-sufficiency in our communities. These are 3-year grants, subject to budget availability and project performance. Applications open Dec. 19, with an application deadline of Feb. 10, 2023.
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety's Division of Juvenile Justice partners with Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils in each county to galvanize community leaders, locally and statewide, to reduce and prevent youth involvement with the juvenile justice system. The intent is to provide community-based alternatives to youth development centers and to provide community-based programming, treatment, counseling or rehabilitation services for youth involved in, or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. Applications open January 2023 (exact dates TBD).
Strategic Partnership Grants
Strategic Partnership Grants fund nonprofit organizations with programs that promote a healthy, safe, well-educated, and thriving community with a sustainable quality of life. Funded projects must align with Buncombe 2025 Strategic Plan focus areas: Educated & Capable Community; Environmental & Energy Stewardship; Resident Well-Being; and a Vibrant Economy. Applications open Dec. 19, with an application deadline of Feb. 10, 2023.
Tipping Point Grants
These are small grants to help amplify community efforts. These grants will either fuel what is already happening or allow the development of local projects. The idea is that by onloading positive factors and offloading negative factors, the scales can tip toward greater community resiliency. Projects should be led by a nonprofit, connected to a specific neighborhood or geography or underserved population, and grounded in cultural identity and sense of place. Applications open Dec. 19, with an application deadline of Feb. 10, 2023.
Visit www.buncombecounty.org/grants for full details including application information, previously funded projects, performance reporting, and funding committee materials.