Community Equity Grants is sponsored by Dogwood Health Trust. Supports organizations in Western North Carolina that work toward health equity and removing barriers to well-being for marginalized communities.

Grantmaking - Dogwood Health Trust organizational information hurricane helene response organizational information hurricane helene response Close resources & learning Open resources & learning Register for Community Meetings with the Independent Monitor - March 9 & 10 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.

From 2025-2030, Dogwood’s grantmaking will focus on: 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. 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.

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

2026 Open Grant Opportunities & Support Supporting Organizational Operations, Infrastructure and Stability This opportunity is now closed. This grant opportunity offers flexible support for strategically aligned organizations that play a meaningful role in the region’s ecosystem through work in housing, education, economic opportunity, and health & wellness; and that are positioned to sustain and grow their impact over time.

Organizations determine how best to use the funds and grant reporting is simplified. Most often, these grants are in the form of general operating support. Grants typically range from $50,000 to $350,000 per year for up to two years.

For two-year grants, the total award may range up to a maximum of $700,000. Who is eligible to apply: 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charities with annual operating budgets of at least $200,000 that serve the Qualla Boundary and/or 18 counties of Western North Carolina, and are strategically aligned with Dogwood’s priorities.

Current Dogwood grantees with active general operating support grants may also apply, but only if the grant ends on or before June 30, 2026. In general, Dogwood does not fund more than 25% of an organization’s annual operating budgeting each year.

Government and quasi-governmental organizations; colleges, universities and K-12 schools or any related supporting organizations or foundations; fiscally sponsored organizations; faith-based/religious organizations without 501(c)(3) determination or programs promoting religious or ideological doctrine, such as those principally sectarian in nature.

Read our FAQs or download a fact sheet with application questions and more details: The application period closes on February 17 at 5PM EST. Organizational Capacity Building Strengthening Operations and Organizational Health Open from April 20 to May 18, 2026 This grant opportunity focuses on strengthening strategically aligned organizations’ internal operations, long-term health, effectiveness and sustainability.

It does not fund program or service delivery. Funding must be used for clearly defined internal development efforts.

Eligible activities include: Strategic planning and/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 Communications and/or marketing Grants typically range from $15,000 to $50,000 and can be used over 12 or 24 months, depending on the scope and timeline of the proposed work.

Who is eligible to apply: Strategically aligned 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charities that serve the Qualla Boundary and/or 18 counties of Western North Carolina; fiscally sponsored organizations; government and non-governmental organizations; faith-based organizations; colleges and universities. Eligible organizations should have an annual operating budget of at least $60,000.

In general, Dogwood does not fund more than 25% of an organization’s annual operating budget each year. Additional application details will be available by March 23, 2026.

Collaboration & Innovation Investing in Strategic Networks and Approaches that Tackle Complex Challenges Open from April 20 to May 18, 2026 People and organizations in Western North Carolina have a long tradition of working together to improve community health, wellbeing, opportunity and access.

This grant opportunity will support collaborations spanning organizations, sectors and geographic locations to plan, pilot and scale breakthrough solutions to complex community challenges in Western North Carolina . Grant 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. Additional application details will be available by March 23, 2026.

Sustaining Momentum for Digital Opportunities Open from April 20 to May 18, 2026 Launched in 2025, Dogwood’s Digital Opportunities Initiative focuses on making high-speed internet more available, affordable and useful for everyone in Western North Carolina.

This funding opportunity will support programs, projects and skill development that help organizations and communities: Gain access to resources and tools that reduce the “digital divide” Distribute devices and other technology for using affordable internet Offer digital skills training and technical support that helps people connect to resources for their day-to-day needs (health, education, employment, housing, etc.) Develop supportive digital applications and content that expands access to health, education, economic and housing resources Increase access to affordable internet Grant Pathway 1: Digital Navigation (By Invitation Only) One-year program grants of $20,000 to support organizations integrating digital navigation into their existing programs and missions.

Grantees will participate in the WNC Digital Navigator Network with learning events and training designed to equip staff with practical strategies to help clients overcome barriers to meaningful internet access and use. Grant funding may be used to support staff time to participate in training and network events; purchase equipment; and pilot or test new programs and strategies that advance digital access and use.

This application pathway is by invitation only. Grant Pathway 2: Expanding Digital Opportunities (Two-Stage Application) Program grants ranging from $20,000 to $500,000 (minimum of $20,000 per year; maximum of $250,000 per year) for 1-2 years will support projects and programs that sustain or expand digital opportunities in Western North Carolina.

Grantees will participate in the WNC Digital Navigator Network, which includes events and training designed to equip organizations with practical strategies to help clients overcome barriers to internet access and meaningful use. Due to anticipated demand, this pathway will utilize a two-stage application process. Organizations will first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI).

From there, a smaller group of applicants will then be invited to submit a full application. Who is eligible to apply: 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charities; fiscal sponsorship organizations; government and governmental organizations; faith-based organizations; or colleges and universities. Both new grant seeking organizations and current Digital Opportunities Initiative grantees are encouraged to apply.

Additional application details will be available by March 23, 2026. 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.

Grant Writer Assistance for WNC Community-Based Organizations This opportunity is open from January 20 to October 2, 2026. 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. Grant writing Advice for Dogwood Grantees Seeking Other Funding Sources This opportunity is open until December 15, 2026.

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.

What is a Strategically Aligned Organization? (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: 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 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) Dogwood uses online portals to manage (1) active grants with current partners and (2) applications for new Grant Opportunities. In 2025, we transitioned to a new “ Applicant and Grantee Portal ” for our Stronger Organizations, Capacity Building, and Collaboration & Innovation Grant Opportunities.

All grantseekers will need to use this new portal going forward. 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 grant applications from 2025-2026 will need to temporarily manage two portal accounts.

Applicant & Grantee Portal Manage 2025 & 2026 grant applications Manage active grants prior to 2025 Questions about the new experience? Take a look at our helpful FAQs . Join our mailing list to receive updates on our latest news, funding opportunities, and more.

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