Macon County Community Foundation

The Macon County Community Foundation awarded $14,390 to the following local nonprofits from its community grantmaking fund:

• $2,000 to 828 VETS for 828 VETS professionalization 
• $505 to The Bascom for Creative Youth Partnership program  
• $2,000 to Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands for offering expansion 
• $2,000 to The Gordon Center for Children for health and safety standards 
• $1,885 to Macon County Care Network for Macon County Hunger Relief program 
• $2,000 to Pisgah Legal Services for survivors of domestic violence and child abuse in Macon County 
• $2,000 to Vecinos, Inc. Farmworker Health Program for mental health transition space 
• $2,000 to Winding Stair Foundation for Franklin Farm Hub

2026 Grants Awarded

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 Macon County.

2025 Grants Awarded

In conjunction with the Macon County 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.

• $30,000 to Community Care Clinic of Highlands and Cashiers
• $30,000 to International Friendship Center
• $30,000 to Macon County Care Net
• $30,000 to Macon County Emergency Management
• $30,000 to Vecinos
• $30,000 to WNC Communities

If an organization is unable to receive a grant, the affiliate will choose another charitable or government organization to receive the award.

2024 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation nearly $15,000 to the following local nonprofit organizations from its community grantmaking fund:

• $1,000 to 828 VETS for outsourced nonprofit accountant 
• $500 to Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina for foster care support 
• $750 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cashiers and Highlands (BBBSCH) Advisory Council for general operating support 
• $750 to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas for Macon County Childhood Cancer Safety Net 
• $1,500 to Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands for services expansion 
• $500 to Hawthorn Heights WNC, Inc. for nutrition security 
• $500 to HIGHTS for fuel for afterschool programs 
• $1,100 to Literacy Council of Highlands, Inc. for The Literacy & Learning Center’s free educational programs 
• $1,000 to Macon County Care Network for Macon County hunger relief program 
• $1,000 to Macon County Humane Society, Inc. dba Appalachian Animal Rescue Center for small dog kennels 
• $1,000 to Macon County Public Health for sustaining Double SNAP/EBT at the Macon County Farmers Market 
• $500 to Macon TRACS, Inc. for Franklin High School Horse Sense 
• $500 to Meridian Behavioral Health Services for expanding technology access for behavioral health  
• $1,250 to Otto Community Development Organization, Inc. for automated external defibrillator installation inside the Otto Community Building 
• $1,100 to Pisgah Legal Services for legal services for survivors of domestic violence and child abuse in Macon County 
• $500 to REACH of Macon County for domestic violence and sexual assault awareness months outreach campaigns 
• $500 to The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts for Creative Youth Partnership program 
• $1,000 to The Gordon Center for Children for early childhood program needs

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.

2023 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation awarded more than $15,000 to the following local nonprofit organizations from its community grantmaking fund:

• $500 to 828 VETS for basecamp improvement
• $500 to Autism Society of North Carolina for autism resource specialists in Macon County
• $500 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cashiers and Highlands Advisory Council for general operating support
• $500 to Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau for academic programming and out-of-school care in Highlands
• $1,250 to Casting for Hope for women and families battling gynecological cancer in Macon County
• $500 to Child Medical Collaborative, Inc. for child victim medical evaluation services
• $500 to Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolina for Macon County Childhood Cancer Safety Net
• $1,270 to Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers, Inc. for blood-pressure monitors
• $1,000 to Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers, Inc. for manual exam table
• $500 to Hawthorn Heights WNC, Inc. for nutrition security
• $500 to HIGHTS for Healthy Foods for Inside Out Program
• $2,000 to International Friendship Center for Highlands Food Pantry
• $1,500 to Macon County Care Network for Macon County hunger relief program
• $500 to Macon Program for Progress for community car seats
• $500 to Pisgah Legal Services for Plateau Poverty Law Initiative
• $500 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina for Star Pupils Macon County
• $500 to Southwestern Community College Foundation for New Century Scholars Program
• $1,000 to The Gordon Center for Children for after-school program enrichment activities
• $1,000 to Vecinos, Inc. Farmworker Health Program for medical-dental partnership

2022 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation awarded more than $14,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• $500 to Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy for recreational development in downtown Franklin through the Bartram Trail rerouting  
• $500 to HIGHTS for its C.O.R.E. (Community Outreach, Restitution and Engagement) program  
• $1,500 to International Friendship Center for its Highlands Food Pantry  
• $1,500 to Macon County Care Network for its hunger relief project 
• $500 to Macon County Humane Society/Appalachian Animal Rescue Center for building renovations at its intake facility 
• $1,600 to Macon Program for Progress for community car seats 
• $500 to Macon Program for Progress for its Parents as Teachers program  
• $1,500 to Macon Program for Progress for Project Love  
• $1,000 to Meridian Behavioral Health Services for consumer support  
• $1,000 to Pisgah Legal Services for its Plateau Poverty Law Initiative  
• $500 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina for its Star Pupils program in Macon County 
• $1,500 to REACH of Macon County for its victim advocacy crisis textline and outreach initiative  
• $2,500 to Southwestern Community College Foundation for its New Century Scholars program 

2021 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation awarded more than $13,900 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• $2,500 to Macon Program for Progress for Project Love of WNC
• $2,010 to Vecinos, Inc. Farmworker Health Program for the Uninsured Patient Diagnostic Labs
• $1,500 to Macon Program for Progress, Inc. for Community Car Seats
• $1,500 to Macon County Humane Society,Inc/DBA Appalachian Animal Rescue Center for shelter renovation
• $1,000 to Macon County Care Network for general operations
• $1,000 to Literacy Council of Highlands, Inc. for the Literacy Council’s Community Education Programs
• $1,000 to Pisgah Legal Services for the Plateau Poverty Law Initiative
• $750 to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Cashiers and Highlands Advisory Council for the Big Little Match Growth Initiative
• $600 to Veteran Smiles Foundation for VET SMILES program
• $600 to Highlands Community Theatre Inc. dba Highlands Playhouse for Live Theatre Production Equipment Upgrades
• $500 to HIGHTS for Healthy Foods for Inside Out Program
• $500 to Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust for Kinds in Nature 2022
• $500 to Meridian Behavioral Health Services for Macon County Consumer Support

2020 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation awarded more than $14,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including: 

• $2,500 to the Fontana Regional Library for books for childcare centers
• $500 to the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust for the Kids in Nature program
• $1,000 to the Macon County Care Network for general operating support
• $1,500 to the Macon Program for Progress for community car seats
• $1,000 to the Meridian Behavioral Health Services for interpretation services
• $520 to Mountain Projects for advertising the Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Period in 2021
• $2,500 to Pisgah Legal Services for the Plateau Poverty Law Initiative
• $1,500 to REACH of Macon County for the Scholastic Advancement Initiative
• $500 to the Thirtieth Judicial District Domestic Violence-Sexual Assault Alliance, Inc. for the WNC Elder, Veteran and Victims with Disabilities Program
• $2,500 to the Vecinos, Inc. Farmworker Health Program for insurance coverage support

2019 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation awarded $16,480 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• Highlands Community Child Development Center, Inc.
• Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust
• Appalachian Animal Rescue Center
• Macon TRACS, Inc.
• North Carolina Bartram Trail Society
• Pisgah Legal Services
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• REACH of Macon County
• The Bascom
• Vecinos, Inc. Farmworker Health Program

2018 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation has awarded more than $13,900 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including:

• $500 to the Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project, Inc., doing business as the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic
• $2,000 to the Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands
• $1,869 to the International Friendship Center
• $500 to the Macon County Humane Society, Inc, doing business as the Appalachian Animal Rescue Center
• $750 to the Macon Program
• $500 to Macon TRACS, Inc.
• $1,000 to NAMI Appalachian South, NC
• $800 to Resources, Education, Assistance, Counseling, and Housing of Macon County, Inc.
• $1,551 to the Mountain Retreat & Learning Center
• $1,500 to Thirtieth Judicial District Domestic Violence‐Sexual Assault Alliance, Inc.
• $2,500 to Union Academy
• $500 to the Western North Carolina AIDS Project 

2017 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation has awarded more than $13,900 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

• Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project, Inc. aka Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic
• Chattooga Conservancy
• Children’s Hope Alliance
• Fontana Regional Library
• Friends of the Greenway, Inc.
• Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust
• Hospice House Foundation of WNC
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• South Macon Elementary School

2016 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation has awarded more than $13,900 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

• Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project, Inc.
• Children’s Hope Alliance
• Fontana Regional Library
• Highlands Biological Foundation, Inc.
• Hospice House Foundation of WNC
• KIDS Place (Kids InterDisciplinary Services, Inc.)
• Literacy Council of Highlands, Inc.
• Macon TRACS, Inc.
• Mountain Mediation Services
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• Resources, Education, Assistance, Counseling, and Housing of Macon County, Inc.
• Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center
• The Bascom
• The Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands 

2015 grants awarded

The Macon County Community Foundation has awarded more than $13,200 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

• Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project
• Community Care Clinic of Franklin, Inc.
• Fontana Regional library
• Kids InterDisciplinary Services, Inc. (KIDS Place)
• Literacy Council of Highlands
• Macon County Art Association
• Macon TRACS
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• REACH of Macon County
• The Bascom
• The Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands
• The Gordon Center for Children

2014 grants awarded

• Blue Ridge Mountain Health Project
• Fontana Regional Library
• Kids InterDisciplinary Services, Inc. (KIDS Place)
• Literacy Council of Highlands
• Macon County Art Association
• Macon County Care Network
• Peggy Crosby Community Service Center
• Prevent Blindness North Carolina
• REACH of Macon County