Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation Community Grantmaking Fund

Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation Community Grantmaking Fund is sponsored by Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation (an affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation | North Carolina Community Foundation Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation transforms collective generosity into a permanent source of community support. Founded in 1991, EBCCF works to increase philanthropic giving and establish endowments in the community.

EBCCF is part of the North Carolina Community Foundation network and is led by a local volunteer advisory board that understands community needs. Grants and scholarships are made annually. The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation will accept grant applications from July 31, 2026, to NOON eastern time on Sept.

1, 2026 . Applications received after this deadline will not be accepted, including late submissions due to technology issues. Funds are available for qualified charitable organizations serving tribal members in Swain, Jackson, Cherokee, Graham and Haywood counties.

Grants typically range from $500 to $1,000. In 2025, EBCCF awarded $5,850 in grants through this competitive process. Learn more about past grant recipients.

EBCCF is an affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation. Organizations must apply for grants using NCCF’s Grant Application Portal . Read the guidelines before you apply.

Applications that do not adhere to guidelines will be ineligible for funding. New and existing users should follow the instructions in Training Module II to add a grant application. Once logged in, you can access more information about the application process.

In most cases, grant decisions are announced about two months after the close of the application cycle. One tool board members use to guide grant decisions is an annual Community Needs Assessment. Scroll to the end of this page to review the Community Needs Assessment for this community.

For answers to specific questions, contact the Program Officer .

Community Leadership Officer – Western NC Program Officer – Western NC Donor Engagement Officer – Western NC The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded $5,850 to the following local nonprofits from their community grantmaking fund: $1,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina for Igniting Potential in Eastern Band Youth $1,000 to HIGHTS for healthy food for Restorative Justice Programs $850 to Museum of the Cherokee People for HVAC Intervention Support $2,000 to Rolling Start NC, Inc., for vehicles for people in need $1,000 to Swain/Qualla SAFE, Inc., for general operating support Disaster Relief Fund grants In February 2026, NCCF awarded a total of $9 million in grants from the Disaster Relief Fund to 108 charitable organizations focused on long-term recovery from Hurricane Helene.

Review the full list of grants , including those serving Swain, Jackson, Cherokee, Graham and Haywood counties. In conjunction with the Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation, NCCF awarded $180,000 in grants from our Disaster Relief Fund to the following local organizations to support long-term recovery, resiliency and unmet needs related to Hurricane Helene.

$50,000 to Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation $25,000 to Jackson County Schools for Smokey Mountain Elementary School backpack program $75,000 to Qualla Fire Department $30,000 to WNC Lighthouse If an organization is unable to receive a grant, the affiliate will choose another charitable or government organization to receive the award.

The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded $5,240 to the following local nonprofit organizations from its community grantmaking fund: $500 to HIGHTS for Fuel for Restorative Justice Services $500 to Junior North American Indian Association for Indigenous Women Gatherings $500 to North Carolina Symphony for music discovery for preschoolers in and around the Qualla Boundary $2,000 to Rolling Start NC, Inc., for vehicles for people in need.

Funds will serve enrolled EBCI members or their first-generation descendants. $1,740 to Uwena, Inc., for Building Community Wealth In response to disruptions Hurricane Helene may have caused to their work, NCCF offered flexibility to 2024 grantees of western affiliate foundations to repurpose funding awarded for specific programs or projects to best support their current needs.

The programs and projects listed reflect the original awards.

The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded more than $4,000 to the following local nonprofit organizations from its community grantmaking fund, including: $2,220 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina for Cherokee Central Schools high school “Bigs” program $2,220 to Rolling Start NC, Inc. for vehicles for people in need The board of advisors of the Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded $3,380 to the following local nonprofit from its community grantmaking fund: $2,000 to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina for Central Cherokee Schools high school “Bigs” program.

$1,380 to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians for the Ernestine Walkingstick Domestic Violence Shelter.

The board of advisors of the Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation recently awarded $2,430 to the following local nonprofit from its community grantmaking fund: Reach out and Read for book purchase The board of advisors of the Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation recently announced $2,010 in local grant awards from its community grantmaking fund.

This year the board granted: $510 to the North Carolina Symphony for virtual music education for students living in and around the Qualla Boundary $1,500 to Swain/Qualla SAFE, Inc. for a security system for the SAFE Shelter The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded $1,810 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including: The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded more than $1,600 through its community grants program to a local nonprofit organization, including: $500 to Fontana Regional Library $1,190 to Reach Out and Read The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded more than $1,500 through its community grants program to a local nonprofit organization.

Recipients were: Cherokee Cancer Support Group The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded $1,000 through its community grants program to a local nonprofit organization. Recipients were: The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation has awarded $2,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations.

Recipients were: Pretty in Pink Foundation Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation News 2026 Bill Taylor Scholarship Awarded Kensley Chambers, second from right, was selected as a recipient of the 2026 Bill Taylor Scholarship Endowment, which awarded more than $7,000 this year… NC Community Foundation awards $9M in grants for long-term recovery from Helene The North Carolina Community Foundation has awarded 108 grants totaling $9 million from its Disaster Relief Fund to support long-term recovery from Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina.

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