Stronger Organizations grant opportunity open until February 17. Learn more here.
In 2026, Dogwood will have open grant opportunities for Stronger Organizations, Organizational Capacity Building, and Collaboration & Innovation. Other funding opportunities may be announced when they become available. Please keep an eye on our grantmaking page on dht.org, follow us on social media, and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.
As a private foundation, we are limited in some aspects of funding. Generally, we do not fund:
Faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations that are strategically aligned with Dogwood are eligible to apply. This means they must a) serve Western North Carolina; b) advance Dogwood’s strategic priorities of housing, education, economic opportunity and/or health & wellness; and c) demonstrate a commitment to serve, engage with and reflect the voices and lived experiences of disinvested and disconnected people and communities. Faith-based organizations must have a 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS to be eligible. Dogwood does not support activities that include religious instruction, worship, proselytization, or other inherently religious activities.
Yes. Organizations can apply for Stronger Organizations (typically funded through general operating support), Organizational Capacity Building, and/or Collaboration & Innovation grant opportunities in 2026 as long as there is alignment with eligibility requirements. However, Dogwood will not collectively fund more than 25% of any organization’s total annual operating budget. Applying to more than one grant opportunity does not guarantee an award.
Each opportunity serves a distinct purpose:
If an organization receives (or has received) a Stronger Organizations grant, it may still apply for a separate Organizational Capacity Building grant. However, the capacity building application must be clearly defined, focused on a specific internal need and aligned with eligible capacity building categories. It should also make a strong case for how the additional investment would build on prior support and lead to measurable improvement in organizational health or effectiveness. Please carefully review the grant opportunity descriptions and eligibility requirements. Dogwood takes into consideration prior grant support and current funding capacity in its decisions.
In general, Dogwood will only accept one application per grant opportunity per organizational tax ID. Applications from fiscal sponsorship organizations and universities are exceptions to this rule. Fiscal sponsorship organizations may apply for their organization and on behalf of other organizations. Universities are asked to work with their foundation relations, development office or office of sponsored programs to coordinate applications and identify priorities for your organization.
Grant applicants are asked to identify the requested amount in the application and make a case for the amount in their responses. The amount granted will be determined through review and conversations with Dogwood’s Community Investment team members. Please know that, as a practice, Dogwood will not fund more than 25% of any organization’s total annual operating budget. Therefore, to be eligible, your annual operating budget should be at least four times the size of the minimum amount in the grant range.
Yes. Organizations with an active Dogwood grant may apply for a new opportunity. Applications will be reviewed with consideration given to any current, active grant(s). However, organizations may not hold more than one active grant under the same grant opportunity concurrently. For example, an organization cannot receive two capacity-building grants at the same time.
While we understand applicants’ interest in speaking directly with our Community Investment Team members before applying, we receive more inquiries than we’re able to accommodate. If your application moves forward for further review, our team members will be available for discussions at that time. We do offer live webinars prior to each grant opportunity to provide further information and answer questions. The webinars will be recorded and posted on our website afterwards. We encourage you to stay connected by subscribing to our newsletter for updates on webinars, upcoming funding opportunities and organizational news: https://dogwoodhealthtrust.org/subscribe/
Applicants will receive an automated electronic confirmation after the application is submitted that will include a projected decision timeframe and a description of the expected next steps. If you do not receive an automatic confirmation after you submit, please email [email protected] to check your application status.
Applicants who are invited to progress to the next round will participate in a virtual or in-person conversation with Dogwood.
Dogwood recognizes that general operating support is a powerful form of capacity building. Most grants awarded through the Stronger Organizations grant opportunity are in the form of general operating support, providing flexible funding that organizations can use to strengthen their operations, adapt to challenges, and invest in strategic priorities. While not all Stronger Organizations grants are structured as general operating support, this opportunity is designed to support the overall health, effectiveness and stability of organizations.
General operating support can be used at the discretion of the organization. This may include strengthening infrastructure or internal systems, as well as other needs such as building cash reserves, hiring staff, making capital improvements, or expanding a program. It is intended to give organizations the flexibility to use funds where they are most needed.
Organizational Capacity Building grants, by contrast, are designed for specific, time-bound efforts to improve internal systems or organizational infrastructure. These grants are not intended to fund programs or direct services. Instead, they support targeted investments that help organizations operate more effectively and sustainably.
Currently, Capacity Building Grants can be used for:
If your organization receives a Stronger Organizations grant, particularly in the form of general operating support, and later applies for an Organizational Capacity Building grant, the proposal must clearly identify a distinct and specific area of internal development. It should also explain why this additional investment is needed beyond what was supported through the general operating support grant and describe the expected impact. This helps ensure that capacity building funds are used to address targeted needs that are not already being resourced through flexible funding.
All grantees will participate in a streamlined reporting process that emphasizes reflection, learning and relationship-building. This includes:
For Stronger Organizations grants, there is an initial conversation with Dogwood staff within the first 30 to 90 days after completing the pre-grant reflection. This conversation helps ensure a shared understanding of the organization’s goals and the intended use of flexible support.
Grantees may also be expected to participate in evaluation activities, such as interviews or focus groups conducted by an external evaluator. These efforts are part of Dogwood’s commitment to understanding and improving how we support organizational health and impact across the region.
Through this process, we are especially interested in learning how the investment has contributed to each organization’s stability, growth and overall effectiveness. We want to understand the outcomes of the funding, including what changed, what was strengthened and how those changes are helping the organization better serve its mission and community.
Dogwood staff will provide guidance and support throughout the reporting process to ensure it is useful, not burdensome, and grounded in shared learning.
No. Each grant agreement covers only the duration of the specific award, and there is no guarantee of future funding. While Dogwood maintains strong relationships with grantee partners and stays engaged throughout the grant period, future support depends on many factors, including evolving needs in the region, alignment with Dogwood’s strategies, and available resources. The need in Western North Carolina is significant, and funding decisions are made with careful consideration of impact and community context.
A fiscal sponsor is an established organization that agrees to receive and manage grant funds on behalf of a sponsored group or initiative that does not have its own tax-exempt status.
A fiscal sponsor organization can submit an application for itself and submit separate applications for sponsored projects. Applications for sponsored projects must be submitted with the fiscal sponsor as the applicant.
If your organization is applying as a fiscal sponsor, please complete the designated section(s) of the application. All organizational and financial documents should be submitted for the fiscal sponsor, not the sponsored group. Additionally, please include the MOU between the fiscal sponsor and the sponsored group as an attachment to the application.
If the fiscal sponsor and the sponsored group plan to collaborate on completing the application, the sponsor may upload the appropriate documentation while the group or initiative completes the narrative sections as long as this reflects your shared expectations and arrangement. You may use the “Manage Applicants” feature in the portal to add individuals from both the fiscal sponsor and the sponsored group as collaborators on the application.
Please know that, as a practice, Dogwood will not fund more than 25% of any organization’s total budget over any four-year period, including that of a fiscal sponsor organization.
In general, Dogwood will only accept one application per grant opportunity per organizational tax ID. Please work with your foundation relations, development office or office of sponsored programs to identify priorities for your organization. For the Collaboration & Innovation opportunity, an organization can be the Hub applicant for only one application but can be named as a partner in applications from other Hub applicants.
Dogwood will host a webinar for the Stronger Organization grant opportunity on Jan. 20, 2026 at .12 p.m. Eastern.
Register for the webinar here.
We will post a recording of the webinar to this FAQ after it is completed.
Additional webinars on Organizational Capacity Building the Collaboration & Innovation will be announced later in 2026.
Dogwood uses an online portal to manage our active grants with current partners and the application processes for new grants.
Last year, we transitioned to a new “Applicant and Grantee Portal” for applications and reporting. All grantseekers will use this portal for 2026 grant opportunities.
The new portal simplified the application process for 2025 Grant Opportunities and beyond. Applicants and grantees can now use a single login to manage all applications and grants with any funder that uses Blackbaud Grantmaking, including Dogwood. If you already use Blackbaud products like Raiser’s Edge, you will not need to create a new login. The portal consolidates all applications from funders using Blackbaud Grantmaking into one location, providing a streamlined experience for applicants to manage applications, requirements, reports and invite additional users to collaborate more easily.
Yes, all applicants must have a Blackbaud ID to access the new portal. If you already use a Blackbaud product, you can use your existing Blackbaud ID and password.
You will be prompted to create an account when you start an application. Alternatively, you can sign up by visiting https://bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com/apply/applications and follow the instructions to create a Blackbaud ID. If you already have a Blackbaud ID from another Blackbaud product, you may use that to login.
You can reset your password through the Blackbaud login page. If you have trouble, contact our Grantmaking Operations Team at [email protected].
Yes. When creating an application, you can invite additional people from your organization to complete and collaborate on forms by clicking the “Manage applicants” button.
Bookmark https://bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com/apply/applications for easy access to your applications and requirement forms.
You will receive an automated email notification once you submit your application. Dogwood will send further email notifications as decisions have been made, and sometimes during the review process. Please note that the status you see on the portal is not updated by Dogwood and does not reflect where your application is in the review process.
The legacy portal (https://www.grantrequest.com/AccountManager.aspx?sid=6065) was used for applications through 2024 and reporting through mid-2025. The site will remain active until Blackbaud decommissions it sometime in 2026. This will allow grantees time to download past applications and reports if they wish. You can request help by emailing [email protected].
Add [email protected] to your email’s safe senders list to ensure you receive all portal-related communications.
If you encounter any issues, contact our Grantmaking Operations Team at [email protected] for assistance.
