Franklin T. Roberts, a longtime Raleigh business and community leader, has been appointed to the statewide Board of Directors of the North Carolina Community Foundation.

Roberts has more than four decades of experience in accounting, financial management, business leadership and organizational development. He currently serves as senior advisor to the president of the NC Rural Center, following more than four years as the organization’s chief financial officer.

Prior to joining the NC Rural Center, Roberts spent nearly three decades as a founding partner of Batchelor, Tillery & Roberts, LLP, a full-service CPA firm based in Raleigh. During his tenure, he provided management oversight of attest engagements across a variety of industries, including nonprofit organizations, while also helping guide firm operations, accounting and internal controls and staff development. Roberts holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Roberts has served in a variety of community service roles. He is an emeritus member of the administrative board of the Church on Morgan United Methodist Church and has served as chair of the Board of Trustees and currently serves as a trustee and member of the Executive Committee at Louisburg College. He is also treasurer of the Center for the Study of Place and Sir Walter Running and served on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Visitors from 2015 to 2021. He also serves as a student mentor with Neighbor to Neighbor, a Raleigh-based nonprofit.

Outside of his professional and community commitments, Roberts enjoys spending time with family, traveling, participating in church activities and competing in Masters Track and Field.

“Franklin’s extensive business experience, financial expertise, and longstanding commitment to the state make him a valuable addition to NCCF’s board,” said John Willingham, chair of NCCF’s Board of Directors.

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. Nearly $360 million has been awarded as grants to charitable organizations and scholarships to students, creating stronger communities for generations to come.