Why do we give to the causes that matter most to us?

For me, it always comes back to community.

Like many of you, I live in a small rural town where the needs are real and the opportunities to make a difference are personal. Supporting NCCF’s local affiliate community foundations through our Giving Campaign is one of the ways I give back. Because when we invest in our community, we are building our future.

This year marks the 13th year of the Giving Campaign. Together, we’ve accomplished something incredible: raising more than $6.5 million to strengthen affiliates’ unrestricted grantmaking endowments.

But the Giving Campaign is about more than dollars. It’s about turning generosity into impact and opening doors to create lasting legacies:

• A simple conversation with a neighbor could spark their first gift to the foundation.
• A business owner might see us as a trusted partner for creating community impact.
• A donor might begin their journey toward starting a fund to support the communities or causes that are important to them.

Every touchpoint matters. Every ask has the potential to create a lasting legacy.

At NCCF, we are committed to creating lasting impact across North Carolina. That’s why I am challenging every one of our affiliate board members: let’s make this our strongest campaign yet.

Here’s how you can lead the way:

• Board Giving Phase (Now – Oct. 31): Set the tone by making your own match-eligible board gift. Could you stretch to give a little more than last year? If you’re eligible, consider using your IRA rollover. It’s a powerful way to support the campaign.
• Community Giving Campaign (Nov. 1 – 30): Reach out to your networks. Call, text, post a video, or share a story about why you give to your affiliate. Use our toolkit — it’s designed to make it easy to share information about the campaign. Don’t forget your local businesses; they want to be part of making a lasting community impact, too.
• Email Campaign (Nov. 13): NCCF will send board members and prospective donors a ready-to-use email that you can forward. A quick share from you could spark a new gift or inspire someone to increase their giving.

This is our moment to show what’s possible when we come together. Our local affiliate foundations ensure community members are making decisions about how to best support local needs. Your leadership is what makes that work — and this campaign — successful.

So let’s inspire generosity and deepen connections. Because when we give, we don’t just meet today’s needs. We create lasting legacies.