Civic Foundation Community Grants

Civic Foundation Community Grants is sponsored by Civic Foundation. Supports small, local nonprofits in North Carolina focusing on health care, housing, human services, and hunger.

Dr. Aaron P. Noble Jr. has a longstanding commitment to volunteer service. He first served on the Advisory Board of Local Government Federal Credit Union beginning in 1997 and has been a member of the credit union’s Board of Directors since 2011.

Noble helped to organize and charter Civic Federal Credit Union in 2018. In addition to his Board service with the Civic Foundation, Noble serves on the Alamance Regional Advisory Board and the Alamance Community College Foundation Board of Directors. He retired from the City of Burlington in 2019 after more than 32 years, and continues to work as a human resources consultant.

David Dear has served on the credit union’s Board of Directors since being elected in 2012. As retired County Manager for Cleveland County, he brings valuable insights and a deep understanding of how to navigate the challenges faced by North Carolina communities, which he brings to his service on the Foundation Board. Kellie Blue has served on the credit union’s Board of Directors since being elected in 2012.

She is also a member of the UNC Board of Governors, and the UNC School of Government Foundation Board of Directors. Employed as Robeson County Manager, Blue brings her dedication to service to the Foundation Board. Lee Worsley is a lifelong resident of North Carolina with 24 years of experience as a local government manager and assistant.

Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles in local governments across the state. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Central Pines Regional Council (formerly Triangle J Council of Governments), where he focuses on serving 47 local governments in the Triangle area around health care, housing, transportation and human services.

Worsley also serves as treasurer on the board of Chaney’s Champions, a nonprofit he and his family founded to provide teddy bears to organizations that help children in crisis situations.

Additionally, Worsley has held chair positions within the North Carolina City and County Management Association; the UNC MPA Alumni Association; the Appalachian State University Local Government Alumni Association; and the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Government. He has also served as vice president of the International City/County Management Association. Reginald J.

Johnson is a longtime advocate for affordable housing in North Carolina. He currently serves as Director of the Community Development Department for the City of Durham. In this capacity, Johnson directs efforts to create and preserve affordable housing, engages in neighborhood revitalization, and works to end homelessness.

Johnson graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics, earned at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He also received his Master of Public Policy degree from Duke University, and his Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A member of the credit union’s Advisory Council for more than a decade, Johnson has also worked for consumer financial advocates such as the Center for Responsible Lending and for Self-Help Credit Union, where he developed its initial lending program for charter schools and advocated against payday lending and predatory mortgage lending.

Ruth Barnes has been a community volunteer for decades, and began her credit union volunteerism in 1984. In addition to her role as Chair of the Civic Foundation Board, Ruth is a longtime member of the credit union’s Board of Directors. She is retired from the Wake County ABC Board, where she was employed as Finance Director, and is a licensed real estate broker.

As an experienced and passionate advocate for North Carolina communities, retired local government employee Tharesa Lee has worked for decades to address issues of housing, hunger and human services across North Carolina. Lee is currently CEO of Intentional Excellence Consulting, and previously served as board chair of the North Carolina Housing Coalition, where she prioritized advocacy, education and action.

In her role as a consultant, Lee has also served in interim leadership roles for the Housing Authority of the City of New Bern and for the Filling Station, a nonprofit food pantry. She holds the titles of People Planning Lead/CNI Outreach Manager with HUD Choice Neighborhood Initiative; Coordinator for the National Day of Prayer; and Neighborhood Community Ambassador for the City of Fayetteville HUD Choice.

Lee earned a Master of Human Services degree from Liberty University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Church Ministries from the University of Mount Olive. She holds the Duke Certificate in Nonprofit Management and is a Certified Housing Counselor, and a Grassroots Leadership Academy facilitator and instructor.

Lee currently serves on the New Bern Redevelopment Commission as Chair; New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce; Craven Area Transit System; Swiss Bear Downtown Redevelopment Corporation; and United Way of North Carolina. She is also a FEMA Emergency Solutions Grant Chair. Support the power of neighbors helping neighbors.

Meet our Civic Ambassador, pro running back and proud Carolina native, Rico Dowdle. Together, we know teamwork can make a difference. The Civic Foundation supports North Carolina charities and nonprofits focused on bridging human services gaps.

We do this by awarding community grants of up to $25,000 to North Carolina-based charities that address the challenges of health care, housing, human services and hunger. Our funding is sponsored by Civic Federal Credit Union. The Foundation believes in the power of neighbors helping neighbors to make North Carolina communities stronger.

May 15, 2026 Civic Foundation awards $75,000 in community grants to nonprofits in North Carolina Civic Foundation is honored to award $75,000 in community grants to three nonprofits focused on health care, human services, and hunger across the state.

Each recipient will receive a $25,000 grant to continue making an impact in their communities, reflecting the Foundation’s commitment to support newly formed nonprofits deeply rooted in service. December 8, 2025 Thanks to you, we came together in a big way! It was an honor to highlight our remarkable scholarship and grant recipients and to shine a light on the impact made possible through Civic’s partnerships and volunteers.

September 29, 2025 Civic Foundation awards $75,000 in community grants to nonprofits advancing housing and human services in North Carolina Three impactful North Carolina nonprofits are awarded grants of $25,000 The Civic Foundation aims to impact neighbors who have needs that we can address right away. Our mission focuses on those in communities right here in our home state: To change North Carolina, one heart at a time.

To positively impact communities across North Carolina by awarding community grants and donor-advised funding to local charities and nonprofits focused on solving issues of health care, housing, human services and hunger. We are inspired by the power of neighbors helping neighbors. We seek to empower our partners and those they serve.

We support and encourage the pursuit of diversity, equity and inclusion. We practice integrity and respect in all we do. We collaborate to build strong connections for the benefit of North Carolina citizens.

We pledge transparent and honest financial stewardship. Civic Foundation Board of Directors