New Hanover County Community Foundation

The New Hanover County Community Foundation is a growing family of philanthropic funds, source of grants for local causes and partner for donors. The NHCCF has deep roots in southeastern North Carolina. A descendant of the former Community Foundation of Southeastern North Carolina, it has been serving the community since 1987 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 New Hanover County.

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Officers

Chris Coudriet

President

Angie Brewer

Vice President

Chris Hoenig

Secretary

Steve Smits

Treasurer

Board Members

Virginia Carter

Henry Cherry

Ronald Copley

Mimi Cunningham

Charlotte Davis

Jane Rippy

Frankie Roberts

David Sweyer

Spencer Taylor

Director Emeritus:

George Taylor

Ned Barclay

Frank Gibson

The New Hanover County Community Foundation will accept grant applications from March 20, 2026, to NOON eastern time on April 21, 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.

Grant typically range from $1,000 to $5,000. Larger amounts will be considered for projects or initiatives with the potential to achieve significant positive impact for New Hanover County. In 2025, NHCCF awarded $50,310 in grants through this competitive process. Learn more about past grant recipients.

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

Suzanne and George Taylor Endowment, which focuses on improving the welfare of New Hanover County children from birth to 18 years old. Note, if you are applying to the Suzanne and George Taylor Endowment, please include that in your project title.
Food Bank of Coastal Carolina Fund, which focuses on food-related services for people in New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick and Columbus counties who are in need.
1898 Memorial Fund, which focuses on projects that support racial equity in Wilmington.
Lucille Murchison Marvin Fund, which supports charitable purposes.

How to apply

NHCCF 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 New Hanover County Community Foundation awarded $51,830 to the following local nonprofit organizations from its community grantmaking fund and other board-advised funds:

$2,660 to 2Share, Inc. for beds to support families in New Hanover County
$2,660 to Assistance League of Greater Wilmington for Little Learners library grant
$600 to Bread for Life Senior Pantry for general operating support
$2,500 to Brooklyn Arts Music Academy for Music Is Life!
$5,000 to Cape Fear Guardian Ad Litem Association for Help a Kid Be a Kid
$2,140 to Cape Fear Museum for Cape Fear Museum and Bellamy Mansion – 1898 field trip collaboration
$2,500 to Church World Service Wilmington for employment services and workforce development for immigrants and refugees in New Hanover County
$5,000 to Domestic Violence Shelter & Services for general operating support
$4,000 to Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear for Homeless to Housed Initiative: empowering families
$4,000 First Fruit Ministries for street outreach to unsheltered homeless
$2,660 to Hill & High Water, Inc. dba Foster Pantry for fostering safety: safe rides
$5,000 to Open House Youth Shelter of Coastal Horizons Center, Inc. for general operating support
$5,610 to Step Up Wilmington for enhancing job prospects and skill development in the Cape Fear region
$5,000 to The Carousel Center for preventing child sexual abuse
$2,500 to The Thalian Association of Wilmington for Set the Stage for Success with Thalian Youth Theatre

2023 grants awarded

The New Hanover County Community Foundation awarded more than $51,000 to the following local nonprofit organizations from its community grantmaking fund and other board-advised funds:

$2,500 to 2SHARE, Inc. for targeted operating budget
$3,560 to Assistance League of Greater Wilmington for Operation School Bell SNEAKERS project
$2,500 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina for Project Learn
$2,200 to Bread for Life Senior Pantry for general operating support
$2,500 to Brooklyn Arts Music Academy for Music Is Life!
$2,500 to Cape Fear Guardian Ad Litem Association for Help a Kid Be a Kid
$2,110 to Cape Fear Museum for Wilmington 1898
$5,000 to Diaper Bank of NC for Distributing Dignity: Meeting Diaper Need in New Hanover County
$5,000 to Domestic Violence Shelter & Services for general operating support
$2,500 to First Fruit Ministries for street outreach to unhoused people
$5,000 to Open House Youth Shelter of Coastal Horizons Center, Inc.
$4,000 to Step Up Wilmington for expanding opportunity through employment support and upskilling in the Cape Fear area
$5,000 to The Carousel Center for helping child survivors heal from abuse
$2,500 to The Thalian Association of Wilmington for Thalian Youth Theatre Bridges the Gap
$5,020 to Tides, Inc., for general operating support

2022 grants awarded

The New Hanover County Community Foundation awarded more than $51,000 to the following local nonprofit organizations from its community grantmaking fund and other board advised funds, including:

$2,000 to 1898 Memorial Fund for “Moving Forward Together” project
$2,500 to A Safe Place (The Centre of Redemption) for a minor prevention program, EmpoweredMe!
$3,000 to the Assistance League of Greater Wilmington for Project Operation School Bell
$4,690 to Bread for Life Senior Pantry for general operating support
$2,500 to Brooklyn Arts Music Academy for the Music Is Life! program
$3,500 to Cape Fear Guardian Ad Litem Association for the Help a Kid Be a Kid program
$2,500 to Diaper Bank of North Carolina for Distributing Dignity: Meeting Diaper Need in New Hanover County
$5,000 to Domestic Violence Shelter & Services for general operating support
$5,150 to Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear for the Prevention Matters program
$1,160 to Historic Wilmington Foundation for roof and windows at Giblem Lodge
$3,000 to NSEA Swim for the 2022-23 NSEA Swimclusion program
$2,500 to Open House Youth Shelter of Coastal Horizons Center for program support
$2,500 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina for Star Pupils New Hanover County
$4,000 to The Carousel Center for helping children heal from abuse
$5,000 to Tides Inc. for general operating support and development
$2,500 to YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina for YMCA afterschool scholarships

2021 grants awarded

Through its community grants program, the New Hanover County Community Foundation awarded more than $50,000 to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$1770 to Bread for Life Senior Pantry for general operating support
$2500 to A Safe Place (The Centre of Redemption) for the Minor Prevention Program
$7000 to Cape Fear Guardian ad Litem Association for the “Help A Kid Be a Kid” Initiative
$1000 to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh for the Mobile Food Pantry Program
$2500 to Coastal Horizons Center for general operating support of the Rape Crisis Center for New Hanover County
$5000 to Coastal Therapeutic Riding for the Minority Children Community Outreach Program
$5000 to Domestic Violence Shelter & Services for general operating support
$4150 to Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear for the Homeward Bound Project
$4100 to Five 14 Revolution for the Operation Hotel Outreach Project
$2210 to NSEA Swim for the NSEA Swiminclusion Project
$5000 to One Love Tennis for general operating support
$1770 to St. Jude’s Metropolitan Community Church to support the Food Programs
$5560 to Switchin Gears to support the Kids Bike Mechanic Mentoring program
$2500 to Young Men’s Christian Association of Southeastern NC to support the Y Afterschool program for New Hanover County children

2020 grants awarded

Through its community grants program, the New Hanover County Community Foundation awarded more than $52,000 to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$2,500 to the Brigade Boys & Girls Club of Wilmington for general operating support
$7,000 to the Cape Fear Guardian Ad Litem Association for the Help A Kid Be A Kid program
$10,000 to The Carousel Center for helping children heal from abuse
$5,000 to the City of Wilmington Parks for new signage for the 1898 Memorial Park
$4,420 to the Domestic Violence Shelter & Services for core mission support
$3,060 to Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear for the Moving Families Forward program
$2,500 to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Inc. for responding to COVID-19-related food insecurity in New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick and Columbus counties
$6,120 to the Good Shepherd Ministries of Wilmington, Inc. for feeding the hungry and housing the homeless
$2,050 to Meals on Wheels – Wilmington for COVID-19 response
$5,000 to One Love Tennis for the 1898 Memorial Fund grant application
$4,420 to Step Up Wilmington for employment and life skills support for families impacted by COVID-19

2019 grants awarded

The board of advisors of the New Hanover Community Foundation was recently awarded $7,000 in recovery grants from the North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund to support the long-term recovery of the local community from Hurricane Florence:

$1,400 to Brigade Boys & Girls Club of Wilmington
$1,400 to Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity
$1,400 to Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear
$1,400 to First Fruit Ministries
$1,400 to Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, Inc.

Through its community grants program, the New Hanover County Community Foundation awarded more than $50,000 to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$6,000 to The Carousel Center for general operating support
$2,500 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina for Star Pupils New Hanover County
$2,500 to Wilmington Family YMCA for Hurricane Relief- Childcare and Youth Development Programs
$3,000 to Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear for Families Forward Transitional Housing
$2,500 to DREAMS of Wilmington, Inc. for Career-Readiness through Digital Music Production
$7,000 to Cape Fear Guardian Ad Litem Association for “Help A Kid Be A Kid”
$4,180 to “Bread for Life…” for enhanced nutrition program
$4,000 to Community Enrichment Initiatives, Inc. for MLK Community Kitchen
$6,680 to Assistance League of Greater Wilmington for Operation School Bell
$4,500 for Good Shepherd Ministries of Wilmington, Inc. for Food Services
$3,000 to Domestic Violence Shelter and Services, Inc. for general operating support
$5,000 to Cape Fear Museum for 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Education

2018 grants awarded

The New Hanover County Community Foundation awarded $47,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations, including:

$3,000 to “Bread for Life”
$5,000 to the Assistance League of Greater Wilmington
$2,500 to the Cape Fear Literary Council
$3,480 to DREAMS of Wilmington
$3,000 to the Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear
$2,500 to First Fruit Ministries
$3,200 to Lump to Laughter for the Angel Fund Home Preservation
$5,000 to NourishNC Inc.
$2,000 to Oasis NC
$2,500 to Prevent Blindness North Carolina
$3,400 to the Anchor United Methodist Church
$5,000 to the Wilmington Children’s Museum Inc.
$2,500 to the Wilmington Youth Initiative Inc.
$3,920 to Young Women Leading Inc.

2017 grants awarded

The New Hanover County Community Foundation awarded more than $55,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

Assistance League of Greater Wilmington
“Bread for Life…”
Canines for Service
Children’s Home Society of North Carolina
Communities in Schools of Cape Fear
Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear
Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina
Kids Making It, Inc.
Lump to Laughter
Phoenix Hometown Hires
Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Reach Out and Read for Reach Out and Reach – New Hanover County
The Hope Center at The Anchor United Methodist Church
TROSA (Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc.)
Welcome Home Angel
Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry, Inc.
Wilmington Family YMCA
Young Women Leading, Inc.

2016 grants awarded

The New Hanover Community Foundation awarded more than $50,000 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

“Bread for Life…”
Brigade Boys & Girls Clubs
Communities In Schools of Cape Fear
Cucalorus Film Foundation
DREAMS of Wilmington
Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear
Girls Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines
Kids Making It, Inc.
Lower Cape Fear Hospice
NourishNC Inc.
Phoenix Hometown Hires
Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Reach Out and Read
Wilmington Family YMCA

2015 grants awarded

The New Hanover Community Foundation awarded more than $52,400 through its community grants program to local nonprofit organizations. Recipients were:

100 Black Men of Coastal Carolina
Appalachian State University
Brigade Boys & Girls Club of Wilmington
Campbell University
Cape Fear Chorale, Inc.
Cape Fear Community College
Cape Fear Literacy Council
Cape Fear Museum
Cape Fear Regional Community Development Corporation
Communities in Schools of Cape Fear, Inc.
Community Boys & Girls Club
Cucalorus Film Foundation
DREAMS of Wilmington, Inc.
East Carolina University
Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, Inc.
Girls Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines
Kids Making It
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern NC
Meals on Wheels – Wilmington
Muscular Dystrophy Association
National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education
NourishNC
Pretty in Pink Foundation
Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Reach Out and Read
ROCAME
St. Mark Catholic Church
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Western Carolina University

2014 grants awarded

Bellamy Mansion Museum
Campbell University
Cape Fear Community College
Cape Fear Literacy Council
Cape Fear Shakespeare, LTD
Cape Fear Tutoring, Inc.
Community Boys & Girls Club
Cucalorus Film Foundation
Friends of Public Radio
Friends of the Battleship North Carolina
The Full Belly Project
UNC Wilmington/QENO
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Western Carolina University
Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry
Wilmington Symphony Orchestra

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