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Grantmaking

In 2023, Dogwood is providing the majority of its funding within two grant cycles, and the balance through rolling opportunities.  We are eager to continue building dynamic community relationships and developing a shared understanding of how Dogwood can support partners advancing the goal of a healthier Western North Carolina, in which all people can Live, Learn, Earn, and Thrive – no exceptions. We invite you to explore this page to learn more about our process and then Engage With Us to start a conversation. 

Cycle Opportunities

Click on the icons below to learn more about what we fund.

Live

Housing

Learn

Education

Earn

Economic Opportunity

Thrive

Health & Wellness

BH/SUD

Behavioral Health/Substance Use Disorder

Cycle Opportunities

Application Steps

Step 1

Engage with Us

Tell us a little about who you are and your idea.

Cycle 1: CLOSED

Cycle 2: CLOSED

Optional, but highly encouraged opportunity to schedule a meeting with the team, share your idea(s) and learn more about our funding opportunities.

Submit an “Engage with Us” form to start the conversation. After submitting the form, one of our team members will contact you within three business days to schedule a consulting conversation.

Step 2

Pre-Application

Complete a short Pre-Application to share more information about your organization and plans.

Cycle 1: CLOSED

Cycle 2: CLOSED

Required for all cycle opportunities. Submit a basic pre-application. We will conduct an initial review of details about your organization and project idea. We look forward to funding projects that align with our 2023 funding opportunities and leverage community partnerships. At the end of our review period, we will invite a select group of applicants to submit a full application.

To help you prepare, a copy of the pre-application is available for download

You may find it helpful to use the word processing software of your choice to draft your responses and then copy and paste those answers into the application. When completing the online application, please save your work periodically to ensure that you do not lose your responses.

All applicants will receive an automated electronic confirmation after submitting their application. As we carefully review your application, please be aware that you may not hear anything from our Community Investment team members until the notification dates listed below.

  • Decision notifications for Cycle 1 will be sent electronically by:
    • February 17, 2023
  • Decision notifications for Cycle 2 will be sent electronically by:
    • June 16, 2023

Step 3

Complete your application

This step is by invitation only.

Cycle 1: CLOSED

Cycle 2: June 17, 2023 – July 14, 2023.

Invitations with a link to our full application will be sent electronically to select pre-applicants.

The full application is a more detailed version of our pre-application. For convenience, certain responses from an applicant’s pre-application will already be populated in the full application. Applicants should use Pre-Application feedback from the Community Investment team to update their responses, in addition to answering new questions specific to the full application.

You may find it helpful to use the word processing software of your choice to draft your responses and then copy and paste those answers into the application. When completing the online application, please save your work periodically to ensure that you do not lose your responses.

All applicants will receive an automated electronic confirmation after submitting their application. As we carefully review your application, please be aware that you may not hear anything from our Community Investment team members until the notification dates listed below.

  • Decision notifications for Cycle 1 will be sent electronically by:
    • July 5, 2023
  • Decision notifications for Cycle 2 will be sent electronically by:
    • October 20, 2023.

Rolling Opportunities

The following teams will accept applications on a rolling basis. Click to learn more about the work of these teams. To start the application process for these opportunities, please complete the “Engage with Us” form.

More Information

This standing only applies to current grantees of Dogwood Health Trust. Current grantees are considering in “good standing” if they do not have any overdue requirements (for example: reports). Please reach out to your grant lead to discuss your specific situation.

Yes, you can submit multiple applications per cycle, but we encourage you to engage with us prior to submitting an application so we can learn more about your ideas and discuss how they align with our strategic program priorities.

Yes, but your project will be reviewed with consideration to your current open grant(s). We encourage you to engage with us so we can consult with you regarding your specific circumstances.

One of our Community Investment team members will follow up with you directly regarding next steps. In general, applicants who engaged in conversation, but did not complete a pre-application in 2022, should plan to submit a pre-application in 2023. Applicants who submitted a full application may be asked to provide additional information so we can finalize the review of your application. Please reach out to your grant lead to discuss your specific situation.

Due to the high volume of applications expected each cycle, applicants will receive an automated electronic confirmation after the application is submitted. If you don’t receive an automatic confirmation after you submit, please reach out to [email protected] to check on your application. Application decision notifications will be sent electronically at the end of the application review period. 

Pre-application: Decision notifications for Cycle 1 will be sent electronically by February 17, 2023 and for Cycle 2 by June 16, 2023

Full application: Decision notifications for Cycle 1 will be sent electronically during July 2023 and for Cycle 2 during October 2023

  • In general, we will only make grants to 501(c)(3) public charities or government entities. All grant funds must be used to serve our 18-county plus the Qualla Boundary region. 
  • We seek to support organizations that elevate uncommon leadership and voices that may have been overlooked or discounted in the past. 
  • We encourage organizations to explore opportunities for partnership with other nonprofits or government agencies to help elevate their work for broader or deeper impact.
  • We support organizations whose work aligns with our Purpose, Values and Guiding Principles or Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Holding ourselves accountable to these standards is key to How We Work, and we look for partners who do the same.

As a private foundation, we are limited in some aspects of funding. Generally, we do not fund:

  • Direct payments to individuals
  • For-profit companies
  • Work outside of our 18-county plus the Qualla Boundary service area
  • Organizations that do not align with our Purpose, Values and Guiding Principles or Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Holding ourselves accountable to these standards is key to How We Work, and we look for partners who do the same.
  • Clinical services for which there is another payor (with the exception of clinical services delivered by a Federally Qualified Health Center or a free clinic)
  • Activities that supplant government sources of funding (e.g. capital to build or rehab government owned buildings, infrastructure/maintenance, public services typically paid for through tax revenue)
  • 100% of a capital request
  • Amounts that exceed 25% of an organization’s total revenues for the last 4 tax years (less any other grants from Dogwood during this period). This is referred to as “tipping.” For more information on tipping, please click HERE .
  •  Any programs that proselytize (attempt to convert people from one religious belief to another)
  • Other private foundations

STEP ONE

Engage with Us

Please complete this form to schedule a meeting with a Community Investment Team Member

Have Feedback on our Process?

Dogwood Health Trust exists to dramatically improve the health and well-being of all people and communities in the 18 counties and Qualla Boundary of Western North Carolina. Working with our community, grantees, partners, researchers and scholars, we collaborate to create a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all – no exceptions.

Dogwood is a reflection of our region – the grit, the resilience and the innovation of our collective history, upon which we build our hopes for the future. In our relationships and our work, we seek first to listen and to understand. We strive to operate with trust and openness, demonstrating transparency and candor throughout our processes and
interactions.