grantmaking

Creating a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all – no exceptions.

The best ideas for dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of the region come from the people who live and work in our local communities.

Dogwood invests in aligned organizations that advance efforts in our four strategic priorities of housing, education, economic opportunity, and health & wellness.

housing

education

economic opportunity

health & wellness

As we look ahead to 2025-2030 and respond to the opportunities and challenges from Hurricane Helene, Dogwood’s grantmaking will focus on:

Capacity

We’ll strengthen strategically aligned organizations and the people that lead them day-to-day through multi-year, unrestricted general operating support and capacity-building grants.

Collaboration

We’ll invest in innovative ideas and collaborative efforts led by organizations and communities responding to the challenges and opportunities in our post-Hurricane Helene environment.

Connections

We’ll convene and connect the leaders and organizations doing work across our four strategic priorities and across our region so that dynamic networks of new relationships and ways of working together emerge.

Capital Attraction

We’ll help our partners attract more financial resources from public and other philanthropic sources.

Open Grant Opportunities & Support

Organizational Capacity Building

Strengthening Operations and Building Organizational Health
Open from May 19 to June 6, 2025

Capacity Building support is funding for activities that help strengthen strategically aligned partners’ internal operations to achieve long-term performance and sustainability. It is not meant to support program expenses or service delivery.

Grant sizes will range from $15,000 to $50,000 and can be used over a two-year period.

Who is eligible to apply: 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charities of all sizes that serve the Qualla Boundary and 18 counties of Western North Carolina; fiscal sponsorship organizations; government and governmental organizations, faith-based organizations; colleges and universities

Download the Application Questions:

Collaboration & Innovation

Investing in Collaborations and Possibilities in a Post-Helene Environment
Open from May 19 to June 27, 2025

People and organizations in our region have a long history of working collaboratively and creatively to improve the health and wellbeing of Western North Carolina communities and to advance opportunity and access.

In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, Dogwood is committed to a sustained and coordinated response that ensures resources reach the people, organizations and communities most affected.

This grant opportunity will support both emergent and established collaborations responding to the challenges and opportunities from Helene, especially imagining new possibilities for the WNC region.

It will:

Support community-wide networks of people and organizations that are developing and implementing innovative ideas and models within housing, education, economic opportunity, and health and wellness.
Direct resources to courageous solutions centering the needs of people, organizations and communities that have experienced disinvestment and disconnection.
Strengthen collaborative efforts and networks that lay the groundwork for coalitions engaged in creative, systemic analysis and action.
Support leaders within organizations and communities who are working in integrated ways, building coalitions, and resolving complex challenges with creative solutions.

Grants sizes will range from $50,000 to $500,000, with up to 20% of funds available for flexible administrative funding and the balance (80% or more) for collaborative funding. Grants can be used for 12-24 months.

Who is eligible to apply: A single organization – the Hub Applicant – will apply on behalf of the collaborative. Hub Applicants may be 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charities, fiscal sponsorship organizations, government and governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, or colleges and universities.

Download the Application Questions and Additional Information:

Word
PDF

Grant Writing Support and Advice

Leverage Fund and Grants Help Desk

Looking for grant writing assistance or advice for grants beyond Dogwood? There are two ways to request support.

Leverage Fund

Grant Writer Assistance for WNC Community-Based Organizations
Open from March 14 to Oct. 1, 2025

Every year, significant amounts of grant funding are distributed by federal and state agencies, national foundations and other funders to nonprofit organizations and local governments to support or expand their work. To bring more of this funding into WNC, Dogwood created the Leverage Fund to connect community-based organizations with consultants who provide grant writing assistance at no cost to the applicant.

Grants Help Desk

Grant writing Advice for Dogwood Grantees Seeking Other Funding Sources
Open from March 14 to Aug. 31, 2025

Dogwood is piloting a Grants Help Desk to offer grant writing advice free of charge to eligible nonprofits and municipalities in Western North Carolina. If you have a question about a funding opportunity you are considering or questions about a grant development process, you can request a short consultation. The goal is to help make grant applications more competitive and to improve the chances of securing funding outside of Dogwood.

Strategically Aligned Organizations

(1) Serve Western North Carolina

(2) Advance Dogwood’s strategic priorities of housing, education, economic opportunity, and/or health & wellness

(3) Demonstrate a commitment to serve, engage with and reflect the voices and lived experiences of disinvested and disconnected people and communities.

past open grant opportunities

Look for two more open grant opportunities this summer:

Stronger Organizations

General Operating Support for Strategically Aligned Organizations
Open from March 14 to April 4, 2025

General operating support is funding for advancing an organization’s core mission, including building or growing programs, advocacy or policy efforts, or other uses. Organizations decide how to use funds and grant reporting is simplified.

Grant sizes will range from $50,000-$350,000/year for two years

Who is eligible to apply:
501(c)(3) nonprofit public charities of all sizes that serve the Qualla Boundary and 18 counties of Western North Carolina

Who is not eligible:
government and governmental organizations, colleges and universities, fiscal sponsor organizations, houses of worship and religious organizations

We anticipate that this grant opportunity will be very competitive.

This opportunity is now closed.

managing your application(s)
& active grant(s)

Dogwood uses online portals to manage (1) active grants with current partners and (2) applications for new Grant Opportunities.

In 2025, we are transitioning to a new “Applicant and Grantee Portal” for our General Operating Support, Capacity Building, and Innovation & Collaboration Grant Opportunities. All grantseekers will need to use this new portal for 2025 Grant Opportunities.

At the same time, grantees with active grants prior to 2025 will still need to use Dogwood’s “Legacy Grantee Portal” to submit reports and manage their grants.

During the transition, any organization with historical grants and new 2025 grant applications will need to temporarily manage two portal accounts.

Applicant & Grantee Portal
Manage 2025 grant applications

Legacy Grantee Portal
Manage active grants prior to 2025

Questions about the new experience? Take a look at our helpful FAQs.