Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Grants

Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Grants is sponsored by Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

Funds organizations working to change policies and support community needs across North Carolina.

Grants + Programs - Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation Through our grants and programs, ZSR works to transform unjust systems, support nonprofit organizations and meet local communities’ needs across North Carolina. Explore each program below for more information, including how to apply.

View the Grants & Programs State-Level Systemic Change page State-Level Systemic Change We fund organizations working to change policies, power structures and other root causes of challenges so all North Carolinians can thrive. View the Grants & Programs Community Progress Fund page We provide short-term grants across rural NC for local groups to meet direct needs, test ideas and expand promising efforts to improve their communities.

View the Grants & Programs Inclusive Public Art Initiative page Inclusive Public Art Initiative We invest in public art projects that share under-told stories of North Carolinians, sparking new conversations and highlighting our common humanity.

View the Grants & Programs Sabbatical Program page We support experienced nonprofit leaders with paid sabbaticals so they can rest, recharge and return to work with fresh momentum and renewed focus. All Grants and Programs FAQs Grants and Programs FAQ’s These are the most common questions about our grants and programs. For FAQs about specific opportunities, please see each grant or program page.

Is my organization eligible for funding? ZSR makes grants to charitable, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organizations , colleges/universities , religious entities and government units for work that serves the people of NC . Out-of-state organizations can apply for funds to support projects operating in NC.

Does ZSR provide funding to individuals? ZSR does not provide grant funding to individuals. For our Sabbatical Program, ZSR issues financial awards to individuals and to their organizations, and their organizations must fit the criteria described on the Sabbatical Program page.

How do I apply for funding? ZSR holds open application periods for our main grants and programs. When a grant or program opportunity is open for applications, you will be able to set up an account and submit an application through our grant portal .

What does the selection process entail? After our team reviews your application, we will notify you as soon as possible if you are selected for a site visit or interview, or if you are no longer being considered for funding. Our trustees typically make final funding decisions at board meetings in May and November.

We will notify you of funding decisions as soon as possible after our board meets. When are applications open? State-Level Systemic Change applications open annually, typically in the summer.

Community Progress Fund applications open annually, typically in the winter. Sabbatical applications open every other year, typically in the winter. Inclusive Public Art applications open every 3-4 years.

Please see each grant or program page for specific timelines. Inclusive Public Art Initiative State-Level Systemic Change How do I know if my organization is a good fit for funding? To get a sense of ZSR’s big-picture priorities and approach, please visit our About page and review our core values.

Next, carefully review the page for the grant or program you’re interested in. You can also check out our Current Grant Partners database to explore the organizations currently receiving funding in your grant or program area of interest. Can I apply for more than one grant from ZSR?

While there is not a limit on the number of applications an organization may submit within or across our grant programs, it is rare for an organization to receive more than one grant in a given year. Are there any activities ZSR doesn’t fund? ZSR is legally prohibited from earmarking funds for lobbying and voter registration.

In addition, ZSR cannot fund efforts to support or oppose individual candidates, or work to influence election outcomes. Grant pages have more information on what we do and do not fund under each grant or program. Database of Current Grant Partners Explore a database of organizations ZSR is currently funding Our Grantmaking Framework ZSR’s Grantmaking Framework outlines our three primary areas of funding.

The framework guides our grantmaking decisions and learning processes. We've detected you might be speaking a different language. Do you want to change to: Close and do not switch language We've detected you might be speaking a different language.

Do you want to change to: