The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation is a growing family of philanthropic funds, source of grants for local causes and partner for donors. EBCCF was founded in 1991 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 the Eastern Band of Cherokees.
Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation
Officers
Lilyan Huskey
Board Members
Myra Cloer
Michael Cooper
Trudy Crowe
Samantha Ferguson
Zane Huskey
Maggie Jackson
Evan Mathis
Carmen Nations
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.
How to apply
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.
- 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.
Grants Awarded
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
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 Swain, Jackson, Cherokee, Graham and Haywood counties.
2025 Grants Awarded
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.
2024 grants awarded
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.
2023 grants awarded
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
2022 grants awarded
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.
2021 grants awarded
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
2020 grants awarded
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
2019 grants awarded
The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded $1,810 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including:
- Fontana Regional Library
- Reach Out and Read
2018 grants awarded
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
2017 grants awarded
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
2016 grants awarded
The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awarded $1,000 through its community grants program to a local nonprofit organization. Recipients were:
- Reach Out and Read
2015 grants awarded
The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation has awarded $2,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:
- Fontana Regional library
- Pretty in Pink Foundation
- Swain/Qualla Safe, Inc.
2014 grants awarded
- Fontana Regional Library
2013 grant awarded
- Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation
Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation News
View all newsNC Community Foundation awards $9M in grants for long-term recovery from Helene
February 23, 2026
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. The grants provide funding…
NCCF’s Disaster Relief Fund supports ongoing legal help after Helene
February 11, 2026
More than a year after Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, many of the challenges facing residents are very different. Often it is legal…
Supporting small businesses recovering from Hurricane Helene
January 14, 2026
When Hurricane Helene hit Chimney Rock, Shari Cummings and her family were asleep in the building they had called their home and business for nearly…
Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation awards more than $5,500 in grants
October 8, 2025
The Eastern Band of Cherokees Community Foundation, a North Carolina Community Foundation affiliate, has awarded $5,850 in grants to five organizations…