Edgecombe Charitable Foundation

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation is a growing family of philanthropic funds, source of grants for local causes and partner for donors. ECF was founded in 1995 and is led by a local volunteer advisory board that helps build community assets through the creation of permanent endowments, makes grants and leverages leadership – all for the benefit of Edgecombe County.

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Officers

W. Mears Pitt

President

Alison Blodgett

Vice President

Alex Urquhart

Secretary

Board Members

Molly Anderson

Dalton Barrett

Natalie Bess

JoSeth Bocook

Bennett Bradley

Joy Chafin

Mary Jane Jenkins

Will Leland

Michael Peters

Dave Sharpe

Ryan Thorne

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation will accept grant applications from July 17, 2026, to NOON eastern time on Aug. 18, 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 the local community.

Grants typically range from $500 to $5,000 with a maximum of $10,000 for a single organization designated as an “Impact Grant.” In 2025, ECF awarded $49,970 in grants through this competitive process. Learn more about past grant recipients.

Grants will be awarded from the community grantmaking fund and the:

Mary Ferebee Howard Endowment Fund, with special consideration given to grant proposals with a focus on education.
The Edgecombe Hospice Endowment which supports charitable organizations providing palliative care and support, and hospice-related services for Edgecombe County patients and their families.
The Lloyd Owens Endowment for the Arts in Edgecombe County which supports art programs in Edgecombe County.

How to apply

ECF 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.
If this is your first time applying, follow the instructions in Training Module I to create a profile. If your organization already has an account, use your information to log in.
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.

More information

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.

Apply online

2024 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation awarded $47,230 in local grant awards from its community grantmaking fund, the Mary Ferebee Howard Endowment and the Edgecombe Hospice Endowment, including:

$2,500 to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tar River Region for Project Learn-Academic Success
$2,500 to Down East Partnership for Children for general operating support
$2,630 to Edgecombe Cancer Support Foundation for general operating support
$2,000 to Home Health and Hospice Care (doing business as 3HC) for general operating support
$10,000 to JW Parker Middle School for Project Rebuild, A New Beginning
$2,000 to NC Stop Human Trafficking to improve access to safety for victims of human trafficking in Edgecombe County
$6,000 to Ripe for Revival for Mobile Market & Community Nutrition Education Lessons
$2,500 to the Salvation Army of Rocky Mount for Joshua’s Challenge Literacy Program
$6,600 to Tarboro Community Outreach for general operating support
$2,000 to Teach For America – North Carolina for recruiting and retaining Edgecombe County educators
$2,000 to Truth Foundational Ministries CDC, Inc., (TFM) for general operating support
$2,500 to United Community Ministries for Community Shelter Kitchen & Pantry
$4,000 to the Wright’s Center, Inc., for Adult Day Health Care/Respite

2023 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation awarded $44,000 in local grant awards from its community grants program and the Mary Ferebee Howard Endowment Fund to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$3,250 to ECU Healthcare Foundation for providing support for cancer and hospice patients in Edgecombe County.
$3,250 to Edgecombe Cancer Support Foundation for providing support for cancer and hospice patients in Edgecombe County.
$2,500 to Down East Partnership for Children for ensuring strong support for families and children
$5,000 to Hill Family Farm Education Center for youth enrichment after-school STEM education
$2,500 to JW Parker Middle School for Project Rebuild 2
$1,000 to Margaret’s Safe House for community care event
$5,000 to MOSS Kids Book Project for Edgecombe County children’s literacy program
$5,000 to The Salvation Army of Rocky Mount for Joshua’s Challenge Library Program
$1,500 to Special Olympics North Carolina for Special Olympics North Carolina – Edgecombe County
$5,000 to STEP: Strategic Twin-Counties Education Partnership for Lean into Literacy
$3,000 to Tarboro Community Outreach for Blessing Place, TCO’s shelter for homeless women
$2,000 to Teach for America – Eastern North Carolina for recruiting, retaining and developing leaders for educational equity
$2,000 to Truth Foundational Ministries CDC, Inc. (TFM) for TFM food pantry and Health2Wellness4Life Project
$3,000 to United Community Ministries for community shelter kitchen and pantry

2022 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation awarded more than $35,000 in local grant awards from its community grants program and the Mary Ferebee Howard Endowment Fund to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$3,000 to the Association for Learning Disabled and Handicapped for tutoring exceptional students in Edgecombe County
$3,500 to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas for the Edgecombe County Childhood Cancer Safety Net
$3,140 to Hill Family Farm Education Center for its youth education, enrichment and recreation program
$7,500 to JW Parker Middle School for Project Rebuild
$2,000 to My Sister’s House for emergency shelter for domestic violence victims
$1,000 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina for Star Pupils Edgecombe County
$2,000 to Special Olympics North Carolina for Edgecombe County programs
$3,000 to Tarboro Community Outreach, Inc. for general operating support
$3,000 to Teach for America – Eastern North Carolina for supporting Edgecombe leaders for educational equity
$1,000 to the town of Princeville for general operating support for the Princeville Senior Center
$3,000 to Truth Foundational Ministries CDC, Inc. (TFM) for their food pantry
$3,000 to United Community Ministries for a community shelter, kitchen and pantry

2021 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation awarded $34,000 in local grant awards from its community grants program and the Mary Ferebee Howard Endowment Fund to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$1,670 to Community Medicine Foundation, Inc. VOICE for general operating support
$5,000 to Tarboro Community Outreach for essential repairs
$2,000 to Michael’s Angels Girls Club for general operating support
$7,500 to Truth Foundational Ministries CDC, Inc. (TFM) for TFM Food Pantry
$2,000 to Down East Partnership for Children for Continuing the Legacy of the Family Resource Center
$1,000 to The Wright’s Center for Adult Day Health Care
$2,000 to Teach for America – Eastern NC for supporting Edgecombe leaders for educational equity
$1,000 to Prevent Blindness NC for Star Pupils Edgecombe County
$1,000 to Tarboro-Edgecombe Public Arts Commission for Return of the Happening on the Common 2022
$5,000 to United Community Ministries for Community Shelter, Kitchen and Pantry
$3,830 to North Edgecombe High School for Warrior Re-Build Project
$1,000 to Make-A-Wish Eastern NC for improving health outcomes for children with critical illnesses in Edgecombe County
$1,000 to Ronald McDonald House of Eastern NC for general operating support for families of Edgecombe County

2020 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation awarded $40,300 in local grant awards from its community grants program and the Mary Ferebee Howard Endowment Fund to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$1,250 to the Association for Learning Disabled and Handicapped for tutoring in Edgecombe County for exceptional students
$2,000 to the Buck Leonard Association for Sports & Human Enrichment, Inc. for the New Freedom Children’s Distance Reading & Enrichment Project
$5,000 to the Hill Family Farm Education Center for general operating support
$2,440 to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle for general operating support
$1,870 to Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina for granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions in Edgecombe County
$2,000 to Meals On Wheels of Tarboro NC for general operating support
$10,000 to Michael’s Angels Girls Club for the Lego STEM & Robotics Program
$2,000 to My Sister’s House for domestic violence support
$1,000 to the Ronald McDonald House of Eastern NC for general operating expenses for funding families from Edgecombe County
$1,250 to the Special Olympics North Carolina for the Edgecombe County program
$5,000 to Tarboro Community Outreach for food redistribution
$5,000 to Teach For America – Eastern North Carolina for supporting educational leaders and the students of Edgecombe County
$1,500 to the Truth Foundational Ministries CDC Inc (TFM) for the food pantry

2019 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation awarded more than $42,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including:

Buck Leonard Association for Sports & Human Enrichment, Inc.
Community Medicine Foundation Inc.-VOICE
Conetoe Family Life Center
Meals On Wheels of Tarboro NC
My Sister’s House
NC Center for Science Technology and Leadership Development
North Edgecombe High School Athletic Department
Peacemakers Family Center (Church on the Rise)
Tarboro Community Outreach
Teach For America – Eastern North Carolina
Town of Tarboro
Truth Foundational Ministries CDC Inc (TFM)
United Community Ministries

2018 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation awarded grants to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$1,300 to the Association
$2,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Nash/Edgecombe Counties
$1,000 to the Buck Leonard Assoc.
$2,000 to the Community Medicine Foundation Inc.-VOICE
$2,000 to the Down East Partnership for Children
$1,500 to the Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council, Inc.
$2,500 to the Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines
$2,000 to Michaels Angels Girls Club
$3,500 to the North Edgecombe High School Athletic Department
$5,000 to the Peacemakers Family Center (Church on the Rise)
$1,000 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina
$2,000 to the STEP Strategic Twin-Counties Education Partnership
$4,450 to Tarboro Community Outreach
$2,000 to Teach For America – Eastern North Carolina
$2,690 to the Town of Tarboro
$2,000 to the Truth Foundational Ministries CDC Inc (TFM)
$5,000 to United Community Ministries

2017 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation has awarded more than $49,800 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

Association for Learning Disabled and Handicapped
Buck Leonard Assoc. for Sports & Human Enrichment, Inc.
Community Medicine Foundation Inc. – VOICE
Down East Partnership for Children
Edgecombe Cancer Support Foundation
Edgecombe County Memorial Library
Michaels Angels Girls Club
My Sister’s House
North Edgecombe High School Athletic Department
Origin of the Dream / Southern Documentary Fund
Peacemakers of Rocky Mount, Inc.
Pinetops United Methodist Church
Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Tarboro in Bloom, Inc.
Tarboro Community Outreach
TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.)
Truth Foundational Ministries CDC Inc. (TFM)
United Community Ministries

2016 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation has awarded more than $42,100 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

AMEXCAN
Association for Learning Disabled and Handicapped
Buck Leonard Assoc. for Sports & Human Enrichment, Inc.
Community Medicine Foundation Inc. – VOICE
Conetoe Family Life Center
Down East Partnership for Children
Edgecombe County Memorial Library
My Sister’s House
Peacemakers of Rocky Mount, Inc.
Pinetops United Methodist Church
Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Tarboro Community Outreach
Town of Princeville
Tri-County Industries
TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.)
United Community Ministries

2015 grants awarded

The Edgecombe Charitable Foundation has awarded more than $41,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

AMEXCAN
Coneto Family Life Center
Down East Partnership for Children
Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council, Inc.
Edgecombe County Memorial Library
Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern NC
My Sister’s House
Peacemakers of Rocky Mount, Inc.
Pretty in Pink Foundation
Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Tarboro in Bloom, Inc.
United Community Ministries

2014 grants awarded

AMEXCAN
Be Global, Inc.
Buck Leonard Association for Sports & Human Enrichment, Inc.
Church On The Rise Peacemakers Family Center
Community Medicine Foundation
Crossworks, Inc.
Down East Partnership for Children
Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council, Inc.
Edgecombe County Veterans Military Museum
Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern NC
Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Tarboro Community Outreach
United Community Ministries

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