Western North Carolina Organizational Capacity Building Grants

828.771.6710
info@dht.org

The Organizational Capacity Building Grant offers funding for internal capacity building support so organizations can more effectively advance work related to housing, education, economic opportunity and/or health and wellness in Western North Carolina. Funding supports organizational development and long-term effectiveness rather than the direct delivery of programs or services. Eligible activities include:

• Strategic planning or other planning efforts
• Staff, leadership, or board development
• Operational improvements such as HR, finance, or IT systems
• Community engagement or increasing access to programs/services
• Policy and advocacy efforts
• Resource or funding development
• Learning and evaluation
• Communications or marketing

Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charities, fiscal sponsorship organizations, government and non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, or K-12 schools, colleges and universities.

This funding opportunity does not seek to support organizations outside Western North Carolina who have no existing relationships, partnerships or connections to organizations or communities in the region. The western North Carolina region includes the Qualla Boundary region and 18 counties: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, and Yancey.

Eligible organizations should have an annual operating budget of at least $50,000. Funding will be prioritized for small and mid-sized organizations with annual operating budgets under $500,000. Dogwood typically does not fund more than 25% of an organization's annual operating budget within a single year.

Average grant awards typically range from $15,000 to $30,000. Applicants may request a minimum of $10,000 and up to $50,000. Projects may run between 12 and 24 months.

Links to additional guidance, application instructions, and the online application portal are available on the program website.