Charitable organizations and partnerships supporting Bertie and Hertford counties can apply for grants from the Bertie-Hertford Community Foundation beginning July 24.

This year BHCF, an affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation, anticipates awarding around $500,000 in total – a 100-fold increase from previous years – with grant amounts expected to range from $5,000 to $50,000. This substantial increase is due to funding from the Wayland L. Jenkins Jr. Endowment. Last year, BHCF made a total of about $6,000 in grants.

“We encourage organizations to apply and share how their work is making a positive impact in our community,” said Laura Beasley, advisory board president of the Bertie-Hertford Community Foundation. “We’re proud stewards of Wayland Jenkins’ legacy, growing the reach of our grantmaking this year and for years to come.”

Grant applications from all eligible charitable organizations and partnerships supporting Bertie and Hertford counties will be considered for funding. This includes applications that address the following community needs identified through listening sessions and focus groups held in 2025:

• Education and youth development
• Physical and mental health and well-being
• Employment and workforce development
• Housing

Grants are expected to be made at three levels. Requests for grants of more or less than these amounts will also be considered:

• Community Action Grants are expected to range from $5,000 to $15,000 and are designed to support grassroots projects, pilot programs, short-term community needs, community-led, resident-led or volunteer-driven efforts.
• Community Impact Grants are expected to range from $15,000 to $50,000 and are designed to support organizations and/or programs with demonstrated or promising impact, or projects addressing county-wide or multi-community needs.
• Community Change Grants are expected to be $50,000 or more and are designed to support multi-organization partnerships, and/or systems-level or cross-sector initiatives.

Applications will be accepted through NCCF’s grant application portal beginning July 24 with a deadline of noon on Aug. 25. Interested applicants can visit nccommunityfoundation.org/Bertie-Hertford for more information, including eligibility guidelines and a sample application. Awards are expected to be announced in late fall.

Grantmaking is supported by the Wayland L. Jenkins Jr. Endowment. Jenkins, a local businessman who helped found BHCF, left an extraordinary gift of nearly $23 million to his endowment at NCCF for Bertie and Hertford counties after his death in 2024. Grants will be made annually from investment earnings, creating one of NCCF’s largest community-based grantmaking programs.

About the Bertie-Hertford Community Foundation
Founded in 1999, BHCF works to increase philanthropic giving for the community and is led by a local volunteer advisory board that understands our community’s needs. Grants are made annually to local organizations.

In addition to Beasley, advisory board members include Leslie Lawrence (vice president), Lauren Perry (secretary/treasurer), Linda Alexander, Takiya Lewis Blalock, Nayland Collier, Austine Evans, Guy Holley, Cecelia Jones, Jamande Jones, Daniel Smith and Lisa Turner.

About the North Carolina Community Foundation
The North Carolina Community Foundation transforms the collective generosity of our donors into a permanent source of community support, with a focus on the state’s rural areas.

NCCF partners with donors and a network of affiliates to sustain over 1,300 endowments totaling over $600 million in assets. More than $360 million has been awarded as grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to students, creating stronger communities for generations to come.