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NCCF Disaster Relief Fund

Hurricane Helene Response

We are encouraging donations to groups that are working to address immediate needs in western North Carolina and to our Disaster Relief Fund to support the long-term recovery of the region. 

About the Fund

The North Carolina Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund provides grants to nonprofit and charitable organizations in North Carolina communities impacted by disasters that:

Activating the Fund

Disasters eligible for recovery response include, but are not limited to, natural disasters, industrial accidents, acts of terrorism or other incidents of mass violence. 

Rescue boat responding to flood.

In determining whether to activate the fund, NCCF’s statewide Grants Committee considers the severity of the disaster, scope of the geographic impact, needs of affected individuals and availability of adequate relief and recovery resources.

In its initial stages, activating the fund means that NCCF will begin fundraising efforts specific to a particular disaster.

Grants from the Fund

All money raised is distributed through grants to eligible nonprofit organizations or government entities supporting recovery efforts for individuals and/or communities in the areas impacted by a disaster. NCCF does not charge any administrative fees on this fund.

Gifts to the fund that are restricted in any way – to a specific county, for a particular expense, etc. – are not encouraged but may be accepted based on review by NCCF staff to ensure feasibility.

The fund gives the NCCF Grants Committee the authority to make determinations about where and how funds will be allocated, including the amount of funding dedicated to any of the following strategies.

Examples of how funds may be used include, but are not limited to: food/food supplies, prescriptions/medical supplies not covered by insurance, housing needs for individuals displaced by a disaster, rental assistance/mortgage payments for home or business, utility payments, cash assistance, clean-up, mold mitigation, repair/rebuild costs, community planning and resilience projects.


Disaster Relief Fund History

Activated nine times for hurricanes and tornados beginning with Hurricane Fran in 1996, the fund has received thousands of donations. Approximately $5 million in grants have been provided by the fund to charitable organizations since it began.

In September 2018, the fund was activated in anticipation of Hurricane Florence’s impact on North Carolina, and NCCF allocated 153 grants totaling $3.25 million to support communities. The fund was also activated in response to Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, with 76 grants totaling $768,000 allocated to support organizations in the communities affected by the storm.

Disaster relief fund news

Impact Story

As western NC recovers from Helene, Feeding Avery Families offers food, healing

December 3, 2024

Dozens of cars lined up in the parking lot of Feeding Avery Families and out into the street. In the weeks…

News

NC Community Foundation receives $7.5M gift from Lilly Endowment for Disaster Relief Fund 

November 13, 2024

The North Carolina Community Foundation has received a $7.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support its long-term

Blog

How NCCF is supporting western NC after Hurricane Helene

November 13, 2024

With deep concern for our western NC communities, we moved quickly to activate our Disaster Relief Fund, and we have been uplifted by the response from North Carolinians, our partners and people all over the country. 

News

Support long-term recovery in western NC through the NCCF Disaster Relief Fund 

October 24, 2024

The North Carolina Community Foundation is continuing to seek donations for its Disaster Relief Fund to assist in long-term recovery efforts…

Give to the NCCF Disaster Relief Fund

All donations are tax-deductible. No portion of the money raised will be used for NCCF’s administrative or operational expenses.
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