The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina

The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina CFWNC inspires philanthropy and mobilizes resources to enrich lives and communities in WNC. We commit resources to these needs and inspire others to join us.
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The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina's vision is a vibrant 18-county region where all people can find opportunity and enjoy the region's many resources. Our actions reflect our values:

We listen, cultivate relationships and build collective support to address community needs. We draw on our regional expertise to guide this work. We make giving easy, effective and enduring.

Today the CFWNC office is closed to observe and honor Juneteenth, which was signed into law as a national holiday on Jun...
06/19/2026

Today the CFWNC office is closed to observe and honor Juneteenth, which was signed into law as a national holiday on June 17, 2021. It marks the date in 1865 when enslaved people of African descent in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from the slavery system. Federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that all enslaved people in the state, more than 250,000 at the time, were free. This was two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued, two months after the Civil War ended, and six months before ratification of the 13th Amendment officially ended slavery.

Virginia Dollar and CFWNC Board Member Matt Lee visited Safe Shelter in West Asheville, a small emergency shelter dedica...
06/18/2026

Virginia Dollar and CFWNC Board Member Matt Lee visited Safe Shelter in West Asheville, a small emergency shelter dedicated to filling critical gaps in the WNC shelter system, with Director Christian Chambers. The organization focuses on keeping families facing homelessness together while providing a safe, inclusive environment for People of Color and LGBTQ+ individuals. In 2025, Safe Shelter served 127 people, with 77% successfully transitioning into stable housing. Notably, 53% of those served were families, and 59% identified as BIPOC. We are grateful to work with dedicated partners.

Congratulations to the The Madison County Arts Council! It has reopened its Main Street home in Marshall, and rather tha...
06/17/2026

Congratulations to the The Madison County Arts Council! It has reopened its Main Street home in Marshall, and rather than simply rebuild what was lost to Helene flooding, the organization revived a capital campaign to address long-standing needs. The $1.2 million renovation adds an elevator, a wheelchair lift, four ADA-compliant bathrooms and a full HVAC system—upgrades that will allow the Arts Council to welcome more people. Lindsay Hearn, pictured with Director Brandon Johnson, was on hand for the ribbon cutting. A group exhibit of new works by regional artists and photos by Chris Aluka Berry are on view through July 25.

Virginia Dollar, Jeremy Lett, Amber Harrelson-Williams, and Daniel Bascuñan-Wiley visited Verner Center for Early Learn...
06/16/2026

Virginia Dollar, Jeremy Lett, Amber Harrelson-Williams, and Daniel Bascuñan-Wiley visited Verner Center for Early Learning at its Swannanoa location. Verner offers two early childhood development programs that support families and promote school readiness. Verner is the only provider of Early Head Start in Buncombe County. The federally-funded program offers free services to low-income expectant families and those with infants and toddlers under age three. Verner also offers free, high-quality Pre-K (ages 3–5) designed to improve school readiness for at-risk children. Verner serves more than 300 children each year and currently has a waiting list of more than 300. Kevin Ray, Grants Coordinator, and CEO Marcia Whitney are pictured with staff. Early education matters! Photo courtesy of Verner.

Thank you for your work!
06/11/2026

Thank you for your work!

Virginia Dollar and The Fund for Haywood Chair Chris Kuhlman attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Canton Recrea...
06/11/2026

Virginia Dollar and The Fund for Haywood Chair Chris Kuhlman attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Canton Recreation Park All Abilities Playground. The playground, destroyed in a 2021 flood, sustained damage from storms Fred and Helene during construction phases. Support from CFWNC's The Fund for Haywood and Forward Fund supported repairs needed to restore and reopen the welcoming space.

Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust was recently awarded $75,000 toward due diligence costs for the acquisition of the “Trout ...
06/10/2026

Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust was recently awarded $75,000 toward due diligence costs for the acquisition of the “Trout Creek” tract, an almost 1,000-acre property providing essential habitat for unique and rare southern Appalachian species that also safeguards critical headwater resources within the Little Tennessee River basin. The property is anchored by high-quality cold-water streams which support native Brook Trout populations and are well-known local fishing destinations. Protecting this landscape is critical in a region identified nationally as a top conservation priority in the face of changing climatic pressures and accelerating loss of natural places and biodiversity.

The Concord Mountain Charitable Fund, White Pine Fund, Minigowin Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Little Acorn Fund – W, Thomas L. and Phyllis Day Davis Fund, Fund for the Environment, Stewart Fund for Life & Love, and two anonymous funds provided co-investment for this grant.

Mainspring Conservation Trust was recently awarded $55,000 to develop a cultural landscape plan for the Siler-Jones hist...
06/08/2026

Mainspring Conservation Trust was recently awarded $55,000 to develop a cultural landscape plan for the Siler-Jones historic restoration in Franklin. The plan will guide the preservation, interpretation, and public use of a site with deep Indigenous, enslaved, and early settler significance. Located on traditional Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians land near the historic Nikwasi mound, built in the early 1800s, the Siler-Jones House is the homestead of the first Anglo-American settler in what is now Franklin and remains one of the few surviving structures from that era. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 2024 was designated as a Witness Structure along the Trail of Tears – the only one of its kind in North Carolina. Recent restoration work has uncovered artifacts dating back thousands of years, highlighting the site’s long and complex human history.

The Gretchen Batra Fund, Minigowin Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, and two anonymous funds provided co-investment for this grant.

CFWNC recently gathered with fundholders and friends at Trailside Brewing to learn more about the Ecusta Trail, a projec...
06/04/2026

CFWNC recently gathered with fundholders and friends at Trailside Brewing to learn more about the Ecusta Trail, a project transforming a rail line into a multi-use greenway spanning 19.4 miles between Hendersonville and Brevard. Speakers included Laura Rice, Executive Director of Friends of Ecusta Trail, and Rebekah Robinson, Assistant Director for Programs at Conserving Carolina. The first 6 miles of the trail are open, inviting people of all ages and abilities to experience the region’s natural beauty and resources. Thank you to the nonprofits, partners, and donors making the Trail possible.

Scholarship Officer Amber Harrelson-Williams and COO Julie Klipp attended the Rotary Club of Asheville meeting to celebr...
06/03/2026

Scholarship Officer Amber Harrelson-Williams and COO Julie Klipp attended the Rotary Club of Asheville meeting to celebrate the recipients of the Harry R. Morrill Scholarship available to high school seniors whose primary residence is in Buncombe County. These students show superior academic achievement, leadership, and community service. CFWNC is honored to partner with the Rotary Club of Asheville to facilitate this scholarship. Congratulations scholars!

Address

4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Ste 300
Asheville, NC
28803

Telephone

+18282544960

Website

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