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Every year, federal and state agencies distribute billions of dollars to nonprofit organizations and local governments to support or expand their work. Millions more are available from national charitable foundations. But Western North Carolina doesn’t often take advantage of these funds, and most nonprofits in our area may not realize the wealth of opportunity that lies outside our borders. As a result, millions of dollars are left on the table that could be supporting the critical work of organizations right here at home.
The Leverage Fund gives WNC nonprofits and government agencies a leg up in the application process for federal and state funders and national foundations. Through the Leverage Fund, Dogwood Health Trust underwrites the services of professional, experienced grant writers to help individual organizations or collaboratives pursue funding from national and state sources.
The Leverage Fund helps match nonprofits with the right grant writer, and supports other costs associated with preparing a grant application, such as travel stipends or meeting costs. We encourage individual nonprofits, government agencies and collaboratives to work with the Leverage Fund. To get started, simply contact us by submitting a rolling grant engage with us form and have a conversation. We’ll discuss the funding you wish to apply for, and the best grant writer match for you.
Once your grant writer is assigned, Dogwood will take a step back and let you get to work. Our only expectation is that you’ll let us know if your grant request was successful and how much you received, and that you will note support from the Leverage Fund at Dogwood Health Trust in any press your award receives. We also hope you’ll share your stories about the application process and the results of your additional funding with us.
As the Leverage Fund begins its fifth year of operation, Dogwood is seeking to further understand the experiences of nonprofit organizations who have received support through the fund. An RFP for a consultant organization to assist Dogwood in this objective will be open from March 4 – March 29. The assessment of the Leverage Fund is intended to provide baseline information that will provide immediate, actionable information to support our teams and grantees, while helping us formulate next steps in developing a longer-term, five-year strategy.Â
Almost every federal and state agency, along with most national foundations, posts grant opportunities online. While Dogwood Health Trust does maintain and update a list of some funding opportunities, it is by no means exhaustive. We strongly recommend you conduct an internet search based on your organization’s focus areas and programs. Some potential sites to explore might include:
Step 1
Identify a funding source you’d like to pursue. Do some exploring to find likely sources.
Step 2
Talk to us about what you’d like to do. If we agree that your plan fits our strategic priorities and is a match for the requirements of the grant you want to pursue, we’ll find a grant writer to work with you.
Step 3
Work with your grant writer to submit your request to a state or national funder.
Step 4
Let us know what happens.Â
As a small, new nonprofit working to address social, economic, educational and cultural inequities in Jackson and Graham Counties, Unidxs WNC actively engages and supports the Hispanic and Latino community – but faced a challenge in engaging the support of foundation funders.
Address:
890 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
Mailing:
890 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
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Support programs and networks that reduce deaths, treat addiction, and prevent first use
Help reduce disparities based on race, location, education and income factors
Invest in integrated heath care with seamless connections to supportive services
Support communities that promote healthy living and resiliency and help mitigate the impact of trauma, isolation and stress on individuals and families, especially those experiencing poverty
Support a well-funded, sustainable, competitive entrepreneur and small business ecosystem throughout the region
Help build a regional economic ecosystem that supports increased creation/retention of jobs and business ownership
Help build a skilled workforce with the knowledge and technical abilities to excel in a wide range of industry employment opportunities that provide a competitive, sustainable wage
Source, analyze and share a comprehensive, county-by-county data set that paints a full picture of work readiness, economic development and entrepreneurial needs and opportunities specific to Western North Carolina
Work in tandem with Economic Opportunity Strategic Priority to invest in career readiness at the community college and university levels
Support K-12 learning experiences with the resources and sustainability to provide an excellent academic and social-emotional education, so that all students graduate ready for college or career
Invest in an improved early childhood education ecosystem with the resources and sustainability to provide developmentally appropriate, affordable and accessible education and care to support ages birth to five, so that all children in WNC enter kindergarten ready to learn
Source, analyze and share a comprehensive set of publicly available data that provides a regularly updated, county-by-county picture of access, workforce and student outcomes in early childhood education and K-12 education specific to Western North Carolina
Loans, guarantees, and other financial tools to leverage funding opportunities
Increase affordable housing for lowest-income individuals and families
Support age-appropriate resources in affordable and workforce units, rental and owned
Invest in housing with sustainable supports for physical and mental health and wellbeing
Support healthy and safe revitalizations that work against displacement and gentrification, preserve home ownership and create generational wealth.
