Key Takeaways
- • The Endowment's fall community grant cycle is investing $500,000 across 39 nonprofits in New Hanover County, North Carolina, according to Port City Daily.
- • The Endowment received 142 applications requesting $1.88 million in total, meaning awards cover roughly 27% of requested funds; 67 applicants had never received Endowment funding.
- • Grants support the Endowment's four pillars: social and health equity, education, community safety, and community development.
- • The program will award 80 grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 in 2026, totaling $1 million, with community grants opening every fall and spring.
- • Grant funds must be used by July 30, 2027, with final impact reports due by August 30, 2027.
Summary
The Endowment, based in Wilmington, has announced $500,000 in awards to 39 organizations through its fall community grant cycle, according to Port City Daily. The funding supports a range of causes, from literacy and mental health to environmental work and the arts. Grants are awarded to support the Endowment's four pillars: social and health equity, education, community safety, and community development.
Applications were independently reviewed and scored by pillar-based subcommittees made up of Endowment staff and members of its Community Advisory Council. The Endowment received 142 applications requesting a combined $1.88 million, and 67 of the applicants had never previously received Endowment funding. Endowment CEO Sophie Dagenais said the grant process helps the organization listen and learn from local groups, informing future investment decisions in New Hanover County.
Among the fall awardees are 2Share Inc., which received $15,000 to purchase roughly 75 to 100 beds for low-income households; Bread for Life Senior Pantry, which received $15,000 for food and operating expenses; and United Way of the Cape Fear Area, which received $15,000 for emergency winter assistance to vulnerable households. Other recipients include Brooklyn Arts Music Academy ($15,000 for music camp scholarships), the Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum ($15,000 for a free wellness weekend), Hope Abounds Inc. ($15,000 for cancer patient navigation), and the Wilmington Children's Museum ($15,000 for an outdoor classroom). Individual awards ranged from $5,000 to $15,000.
All grant funds must be spent by July 30, 2027, and every recipient must file a final impact report by August 30, 2027. The community grants program runs twice annually, in the fall and spring.
Applications were independently reviewed and scored by pillar-based subcommittees made up of Endowment staff and members of its Community Advisory Council. The Endowment received 142 applications requesting a combined $1.88 million, and 67 of the applicants had never previously received Endowment funding. Endowment CEO Sophie Dagenais said the grant process helps the organization listen and learn from local groups, informing future investment decisions in New Hanover County.
Among the fall awardees are 2Share Inc., which received $15,000 to purchase roughly 75 to 100 beds for low-income households; Bread for Life Senior Pantry, which received $15,000 for food and operating expenses; and United Way of the Cape Fear Area, which received $15,000 for emergency winter assistance to vulnerable households. Other recipients include Brooklyn Arts Music Academy ($15,000 for music camp scholarships), the Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum ($15,000 for a free wellness weekend), Hope Abounds Inc. ($15,000 for cancer patient navigation), and the Wilmington Children's Museum ($15,000 for an outdoor classroom). Individual awards ranged from $5,000 to $15,000.
All grant funds must be spent by July 30, 2027, and every recipient must file a final impact report by August 30, 2027. The community grants program runs twice annually, in the fall and spring.
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