The Community Foundation and the Blue Ridge Regional Hospital Foundation partnered to purchase urgently-needed ultrasound equipment for the Blue Ridge Medical Center Yancey Campus. The equipment will support better care for Mitchell, Yancey and some Madison County patients. An estimated 2,000 OB/GYN patients will benefit from the ultrasound equipment each year, and primary care doctors at the clinic will also use the ultrasound for expanded diagnostics. The Community Foundation contributed $18,500 in matching funds - $10,000 through the Janirve Sudden or Urgent Need (SUN) grant program and $8,500 with other CFWNC discretionary funds. The Foundation’s SUN Grants assist human service organizations experiencing an unforeseen, unbudgeted crisis impacting their ability to provide critical services. “Recruitment of physicians for our hospital clinics has been challenging for the past two years with fewer doctors seeking to practice in rural areas,” said Nancy H. Lindeman, Executive Director of the Blue Ridge Regional Hospital Foundation. “We did not anticipate having a full-time OB/GYN at the Yancey Campus. When we retained an OB/GYN physician to work out of our Blue Ridge Medical Center in Yancey County in August 2013, after the budget for FY2014 was in place, there were no funds earmarked for this type of equipment. Faced with budget constraints, we needed help to purchase the equipment. We are truly thankful for this generous measure of support for the patients in our rural communities.” “The fact that the clinic now has a physician focusing on women’s healthcare needs in Yancey County, where no OB/GYN services were

available, and that this physician has access to the necessary equipment is a vast improvement in the level of service for patients,” said CFWNC President Elizabeth Brazas. “Prior to the purchase, patients were required to make a 30-mile round trip to Spruce Pine for ultrasound diagnostics, and the time and money involved represented a significant barrier for many women. We were pleased that the hospital was able to meet our match to fully fund the purchase.” Applications to the SUN grant program are accepted on a rolling basis. To date, more than $113,533 has been distributed in 17 counties.

Good WorksPEOPLE PL ACE PROSPERIT Y SPRING 2014

P R E S I D E N T ’S M E S S A G E

I have been leading CFWNC for more than four years now, and it can still be a struggle when asked to describe what we do. Every book, blog or article on strategic planning will confirm the need to be able to explain what you do in a 30-second elevator speech. I am an English major and words fail me. So, imagine my relief when a recent blog post by a peer helped me find clarity amongst the complexity of the community foundation world. I happily share my learnings here with you. For years our field has sought to devise ways to measure the good we facilitate in the regions we serve. Yet it is next to impossible to quantify 2,663 grants (the actual number we distributed last year). But it is important to understand how we benefit the area we serve and to meaningfully measure what we do… when we can. Community foundations constantly adapt to the economies in which we operate and changes in the regions we serve. Some community foundations have large discretionary endowments to support strategic initiatives. Others, like CFWNC, have grown through the creation of donor advised funds and therefore have limited discretionary dollars to invest. We are a collection of many funds; the great majority, 85 percent, is either donor advised, nonprofit endowment or designated to benefit a specific nonprofit. This 85 percent does great work in our region. Last year, donor advised grantmaking and nonprofit distributions totaled more than $8.3 million of the $11.4 million we distributed. These grants and distributions support thousands of nonprofits, programs and schools each year. Think about the benefit to a nonprofit of a recurring grant made from the same donor advised fund year after year or the nonprofit that can budget with dependable spendable income from assets managed by CFWNC. While these grants may not generate headlines, they do represent “an infusion of community capital—sustained funding that creates a vital, vibrant nonprofit sector.”

We have invested a great deal of time thinking about what kind of impact we want to have and trying to figure out the best way to track it. While you can quantify some activities, others are difficult, if not impossible, to measure. CFWNC does not have a single programmatic focus or a singular source of funding. Instead, we serve thousands of causes through our work with donors, our grant programs and our services for nonprofits. The truth is that all the ways we serve our region add up to major impact that is not ours alone. Nonprofits, fundholders, generous families and philanthropists work with and through The Community Foundation to serve Western North Carolina. Service is core business; collaboration and partnership are our core values. So what do we do? We help donors and nonprofits achieve their philanthropic goals now and forever. That’s the “what”; ask me “how” and words won't fail me. My answer will be longer than 30 seconds, because it will be a story, one of many like those that follow on these pages. These are stories of people and their passions, organizations and their missions, our region and its needs. Our role is different in each one. Sharing “how” will take longer than an elevator ride because it should; and really, if we can, shouldn't we be taking our time… and the stairs?

Elizabeth Brazas, President

C F W N C A N D B Lu E R I D G E R E G I O N A L H O S P I TA L F O u N D AT I O N F u N D P u R C H A S E O F u LT R A S O u N D E q u I P M E N T F O R YA N C E Y C L I N I C

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Dr. Bryan Murphy puts the new ultrasound equipment to use at the Blue Ridge Medical Center Yancey Campus.

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F O O D A N D FA R M I N G F O C u S A R E A

Grant to MANNA Strengthens Regional Food DistributionWith a $50,000 Food and Farming grant in November 2013, MANNA has launched an initiative to support its 16-county food distribution network. Increased need in recent years has stretched MANNA’s food distribution operations. To address the issue, MANNA has taken a new approach to working with its 221 partner agencies, many of which are small volunteer organizations overwhelmed by the demand for services.

The local agencies are a critical link in the food distribution chain. With the realization that many of these key organizations lack the capacity to maintain high-volume operations and need help addressing basic management issues, MANNA clustered field staff and partner agencies into multi-county networks. The grant funds are being used to train network volunteers, provide customized technical assistance to partners and assist local food pantries in implementing best practices. The goal is to create a network of strong, highly-functional food agencies that can work together to develop a community-based approach to addressing food insecurity in our region.

Hunger is a serious issue in WNC. The November 1, 2013, expiration of the recession-related temporary increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, means a loss of $36 a month—that’s 21 meals a month—for a family of four, according to data from the United Way of North Carolina and the NC Budget and Tax Center. The Foundation’s work to help MANNA and its food pantry partners is significant in the current economic climate.

“Support for MANNA means that more families across the region will receive the food assistance they need. The $50,000 grant was co-funded by CFWNC with $20,000 coming from a fund established by Chuck and Nancy Cole,” said Elizabeth Brazas. “The Coles opened funds at the Foundation during the 1980s to facilitate their philanthropy. CFWNC helped them meet their charitable goals during their lifetimes, and we are pleased to work with their advisor to carry on the Coles’ tradition of giving. The advisor chose to honor their lives and generosity by supporting this grant.”

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$57,824 in Grants Approved in FebruaryThe Foundation’s work in Food and Farming supports the revitalization of a sustainable local food system, local farmers and food entrepreneurs and addresses food insecurity. Recent grants include:$25,500 to help Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) create the first agricultural business incubator for beginning and limited resource farmers in seven counties. The incubator will be located at SAHC’s 100-acre farm in Alexander and will provide farmers with land, equipment, infrastructure and training for three to five years to help them start new businesses or expand existing ones. The program is part of a regional effort to help new farmers and those wishing to increase production and is supported by NC Cooperative Extension, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, the Organic Growers School and the WNC FarmLink project. The Biltmore Estate Charitable Fund and the Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.

$20,000 to AdvantageWest to implement and maintain a contract packing program at Blue Ridge Food Ventures (BRFV) on the A-B Tech campus in Enka. A contract packer, or co-packer, manufactures and packages foods or other products for clients, according to their recipes and guidelines, allowing them to shift staff and resources from production to other key business functions. BRFV currently uses approximately 50 percent of its commercial kitchen production capacity, with 70 percent of the clients coming from Buncombe County. The co-packing program will improve accessibility for clients outside Buncombe County and will increase opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs throughout the region. The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.

$12,324 to Mayland Community College Foundation for the Mayland Berkshire Project, a pilot pig farming program for high school students in Mitchell, Avery and Yancey counties. Six students from farm families, those with at least one acre available to raise pigs, will receive a sow, equipment, fencing and technical assistance. Each sow should have a litter of six to seven piglets. At the conclusion of the year, one grown pig will be given to a subsequent student participant, one will be processed for distribution through MANNA FoodBank, one will be sold to support the program and the remaining pigs will be sold or consumed by the farm family. Over three years, the program has the potential to benefit 40 to 50 farm families and to provide up to 14,000 pounds of donated pork to local food pantries. The Penny Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.

These Berkshire piglets will be raised by students and farming families in Mitchell, Avery and Yancey counties. The program includes equipment, fencing and technical assistance.

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Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Community Farm is located in Alexander and houses an agricultural business incubator for beginning and limited resource farmers.

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As pantries build organizational capacity, they provide more healthy food to those in need.

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P E O P L E I N N E E D F O C u S A R E A

Grants totaling $943,773 Support People in Need In December, CFWNC approved 57 grants totaling $943,773 to nonprofits serving economically-disadvantaged populations across the 18-county service area. These awards were made in partnership with the Janirve Legacy Fund, CFWNC affiliate funds and fundholders. Grants of up to $20,000 were made throughout the region served by the Foundation.

“Supporting nonprofits that provide direct service to our region’s most vulnerable populations will always be a critical component of our work,” said Elizabeth Brazas. “Our ability to help was enhanced by the creation of the Janirve Legacy Fund and grows when our fundholders and affiliate funds choose to invest with us. These grants mean greater access to health care, hunger relief, job training, child services, literacy programs and much more. Many residents of our region struggle, and we are proud to support the nonprofits that help families in times of need.”

Affiliate funds that partner with the Foundation to raise local resources contributed to these grants. Other CFWNC funds that helped support this grant cycle include the Gretchen Batra Fund, Biltmore Estate Charitable Fund, Clear Light Fund, Connestee Falls Endowment Fund, Delphinium Fund, Gerald R. and Cornelia C. De Land Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Rick & Bridget Eckerd Charitable Fund, Little Acorn Funds, Lipscomb Family Foundation Funds, Mountin’ Hopes Therapeutic Riding Fund, Oliver Family Fund, Penny Fund, Peterson Endowment Fund, Pot of Gold Endowment Fund, Dr. Robert & Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund, Walnut Fund, Wasson-Stowe Endowment Fund and an anonymous Endowment Fund.

The Foundation also awarded $45,150 in Janirve Sudden or Urgent Needs (SUN) Grants to-date in fiscal year 2014 to assist human service organizations experiencing an unforeseen, unbudgeted crisis impacting their ability to provide critical services. Recipients include Pathways for the Future; Options, Inc.; REACH of Macon County; Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation; Foothills Industries of McDowell County; and the Blue Ridge Regional Hospital Foundation (see cover story). The grants replaced failing phone, fire detection and heating systems and purchased key equipment, enabling the nonprofits to continue to operate.

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Black Mountain Home for Children CFWNC and the Black Mountain – Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund partnered to fund a $20,000 grant to the Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth & Families to expand a program supporting students working toward high school diplomas. Since 2009, 24 of 27 participants have finished high school or earned a GED. The program successfully motivates and encourages participants to consider pursuing a postsecondary education.

The Home serves youth throughout Western North Carolina who come primarily from rural areas and disadvantaged families. While many of the children are placed through the Department of Social Services, the Home also takes private placements before situations become dire enough for DSS to intervene. The Home served 88 youth in the last fiscal year, all of whom benefited from the program’s focus on the importance of education. There are few programs that provide the encouragement and assistance foster care youth need to not only finish high school, but to continue and pursue an advanced education. The Independent Living Program helps these students and gives them hope for the future.

Eliada Program for Older Foster Care YouthMany challenges face young men and women who age out of foster care, juvenile justice custody, mental health treatment or other out-of-home placements when they turn 18. A new program at Eliada Homes helps to prepare these young people with training, skills and savings to help them successfully transition to independent living.

Every year, 25,000-30,000 youth age out of foster care and 20,000-25,000 age out of juvenile justice and other public systems. These young people, many of whom have spent much of their lives outside their home of origin, seldom have the skills or support they need to successfully navigate life as independent adults. They are at extreme risk for homelessness, incarceration, chronic unemployment, multiple births and lifelong poverty. The National Association of Social Workers reports that within the first three years, 25% will be homeless, 50% will be unemployed and 60% of young women will have given birth at least once.

Counselors at Eliada report that they see this scenario play out over and over in the lives of their students. The kids often have compounding mental, emotional and behavioral issues and no family relationships or support networks. Eliada School of Trade Arts (ESTA), a two-year pilot program at Eliada Home for Children in Asheville, aims to reserve these odds.

ESTA combines supported housing and training to help older youth emerge from foster care with stable housing and a vocation. A 2013 People in Need grant, funded by Bob and Kim Reynolds, is expanding the program to include female participants.

ESTA launched in 2012 with a Culinary Arts track serving boys. People in Need funding will open the program to girls as well. Two female candidates have been identified for spring enrollment, and others will be admitted in the summer and fall, depending on the rate of graduation. Students live on campus, take classes, work in food services and complete an internship in a local restaurant. Over the course of the training, they earn nearly $5,000 in savings.

The students work closely with Donna McCain, Food Services Manager. She says, “My job is to get them ready for the real world. I can’t cut them any slack.” The program is the only one in the country to combine housing and on-site supported vocational education. Eliada is pursuing accreditation for ESTA that will allow them to qualify for Pell Grants and other federal funding. Landscaping and woodworking options are slated to be added after accreditation when the program will be able to enroll up to 68 students.

“ESTA provides safe supervised housing, vocational skills and character development for youth who will soon exit foster care. The program creates a bridge to adulthood that can help change outcomes for older foster youth,” said Kim Reynolds. “We are pleased to be able to support the achievements of these hardworking students.”

Currently enrolled students hold jobs at Chestnut, Nona Mia and Deerfield in Asheville. “These kids are eager to learn and ready to work,” said Eliada Board Chair Kevin Westmoreland. “The program helps them learn a skill they can take anywhere to earn a living wage. It’s a huge step up.”

From left, Program Officer Virginia Dollar, Kim Reynolds, Eliada Director of Development Tami Ruckman, Nancy Ackermann Cole, Bob Reynolds and Donor Relations Officer Spencer Butler attended a recent lunch at Eliada prepared by ETSA students.

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Three recent high school graduates at the Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth & Families—Bonnie, far left—now lives at the Home's Independent Living Village and attends A-B Tech.

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ESTA students plan, prepare and serve a meal as part of their Culinary Arts training program. These meals give students an opportunity to test their skills and bring donors, sponsors, and community partners to the Eliada campus.

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Support for the environment and the arts lies at the heart of this focus area. These investments are closely tied to economic development for communities and towns.

Students work in the Berry site, a large Native American town that was occupied from about 1400-1600 A.D. Exploring Joara is committed to promoting public archaeology in the upper Catawba and Yadkin river valleys and to finding and protecting archaeological resources while fostering an understanding and appreciation for archaeology in the community.

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P R E S E R v I N G N AT u R A L A N D C u LT u R A L R E S O u R C E S F O C u S A R E A

E A R LY C H I L D H O O D D E v E L O P M E N T F O C u S A R E A

$150,000 Early Childhood Development Grant Supports Nurse Family PartnershipThe Southwestern Child Development Commission was awarded $150,000 over three years to establish a Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) program to serve Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. NFP is an evidence-based community healthcare program that empowers low-income, first-time mothers and helps guide them and their children to successful futures.

NFP programs have been studied extensively for more than three decades and have proved effective in improving outcomes for the mothers and their children, including increased prenatal health, school readiness and maternal employment. The new WNC NFP program will entail the hiring of four nurses with B.S. degrees to serve the four-county area, one Masters level nursing supervisor and administrative support staff. Each nurse will provide home visits to approximately 25 mothers throughout pregnancy and through their child’s second birthday.

In North Carolina, NFP has grown into a thriving network of programs employing dozens of registered nurses, serving nearly 1,200 families in seventeen counties on any given day. CFWNC Vice President of Programs Philip Belcher will serve on the NFP State Advisory Council charged with advocacy, education and expansion of statewide support for the program.

The Brown Family Fund, the Wasson-Stowe Charitable Fund and the MAC Mountain Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant. Significant funding for the program is also being provided by the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, The Evergreen Foundation and the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

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A $50,000 grant to the Exploring Joara Foundation (EJF) will enable the growing organization to hire an executive director to expand educational programming and heritage tourism in Burke County. EJF supports the work at the Berry site, a Native American archeological dig at the native town of Joara. It is also the location of the recently-discovered ruins of the 16th-century Fort San Juan, ranked the 29th most significant scientific discovery in the world last year, according to Discovery magazine. The executive director will provide essential leadership and will free the lead archeologists to focus on planning and implementing school and public programs and to continue to develop the nearby interpretive center.

The Blue Ridge Forever coalition of land trusts received $50,000 to assist in efforts to permanently protect ten properties vital to the natural and cultural heritage of the region. Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy serves as fiscal agent for the ten-member coalition that is working to connect protected lands. Properties are evaluated for wildlife habitat, water quality, cultural and economic significance, and scenic, farmland and forest value. The funds will be used to help partners with closing costs, which are often a barrier to completing conservation transactions. Blue Ridge Forever estimates that members will protect an additional 782 acres in 2014 in Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison and Watauga counties. The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.

Wild South received $40,000 to accelerate the growth of its Cultural Heritage Program, which provides ongoing support for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians and directly impacts the region by seeking permanent protection for cultural resources on public lands. CFWNC funding will be used to hire a part-time Cultural Heritage Assistant to organize extensive cultural research on the history, heritage and story of the Cherokee and engage in identifying and prioritizing culturally sensitive areas for the new Forest Plan revision as part of the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest Collaborative.

A $12,600 grant to the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association will fund the development of a mobile application to encourage and guide recreation activity in the most popular sections of Pisgah National Forest in Buncombe, Henderson and Transylvania counties. It will include maps, road and trail information, weather data, events, news, Leave No Trace practices and volunteer opportunities. The app is expected to launch in June 2014 with an anticipated download fee of $.99. The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund partnered with CFWNC to fund this grant.

Funds Established Since July 1, 2013Donor Advised FundsA donor advised fund allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and recommend grants over time.

• Nancy Bernhardt Collett and James Rountree Collett Sr. Fund

• Craig Family Foundation Fund• Brown Crosby Fund• James and Susan Dunn Endowment• Ghaussy Family Fund • Haywood County Educational Excellence Fund• Innovation & Creativity Institute Fund• Lipscomb Family Foundation Fund A & B• Kimberly McClinton Foundation Fund• Monarch Fund• Trina Mullen Fund for Pritchard Park• Salamander Fund• Somers Charitable Fund• William V. Wilcox Charitable Fund

Designated FundsA designated fund supports specific nonprofits, named by the donor when the fund is established.

• George and Diana Bilbrey Fund• Wilburn & Grace Brazil Designated Fund • Broadwell Designated Fund #2• Nancy Crosby Designated Fund• Haywood Street Respite Endowment Fund• JBH MHH IRA Fund• Walter and Nancy McConnell Designated Fund #3• Charles and Shirley Anne McCullough Designated

Fund #3• Maitland Family Endowment Fund• Sally Rhoades Designated Fund• Glenn W Wilcox, Sr. Designated Fund #4

Expectancy FundsAn expectancy fund will receive assets at a later time, typically through an estate plan, charitable gift annuity or charitable trust.

• Mignon Durham Charitable Fund• Claude A. Frazier Christian Fund• Ingeborg and Kenneth Meeke Endowment Fund

Field of Interest Funds A field of interest fund supports broadly defined causes, using CFWNC’s expertise to identify worthy grantees.

• Child Care Assistance Fund for Haywood County

Nonprofit FundsA nonprofit fund is created by a nonprofit to invest and steward long-term or endowed assets.

• Appalachian Therapeutic Riding Center Fund• Deerfield Retirement Community Advised Fund• North Carolina Arboretum Fund• North Carolina Outward Bound School Fund

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LEAF Fund “The LEAF Fund was established to ensure longevity of LEAF as an organization and to invest in the improvement of the quality of life for Western North Carolinians,” said Development Director Adam Bowers. “We chose to create our Fund with CFWNC because the Foundation creates a culture of giving, which promotes positive change throughout Western North Carolina.”

The LEAF Fund empowers artists of all ages. The goal is to grow the Fund and use it to support current programs and expand professional development for aspiring artists, providing tools they need for lasting success. LEAF also plans to use proceeds to supplement their annual arts programs.

Placing assets at the Foundation gives LEAF access to layers of supervision, diversity of investments and standards that allow them to operate in an improved investment environment. Working with the Foundation also means that LEAF donors have access to sophisticated giving tools, such as charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities.

More than 130 nonprofits have chosen to secure all or part of their endowment with the Foundation. Placing endowment funds at CFWNC ensures long-term stewardship and objective fiscal management. It also frees staff from the burdens of endowment management and reporting, so they can focus on fulfilling their mission. If you are interested in learning more about the Foundation’s services for nonprofits, contact Marcia Whitney at 828-367-9916 or whitney@cfwnc.org.

Private Foundations: Options and OpportunitiesPrivate foundations are powerful tools for philanthropy. But using a private foundation comes with significant responsibilities, including overseeing investments, monitoring income and expenses and distributing at least 5% of assets each year. Private foundations also must file a publicly-available annual tax return and follow complex rules regarding transactions.

If you’re considering charitable options, a donor advised fund or supporting organization fund offers many of a private foundation’s benefits without the burdens. Donors choose their fund’s name, provide advice on how the fund’s assets are invested and recommend grants. As part of a public charity, these vehicles also offer preferred tax treatment for gifts, tax-free growth, grantmaking flexibility and anonymity if desired. At CFWNC, a professional staff handles administration and is available to support you in your grantmaking.

CFWNC can also simplify use of an existing private foundation. Paired with a private foundation, a donor advised fund provides flexibility for meeting the 5% distribution requirement (while avoiding excise taxes), makes it simple to involve more family members in grantmaking and provides the best possible tax advantages for gifts of real estate, limited partnership interests or closely-held stock. You can rely on CFWNC’s professional staff, connections and resources to inform and enhance work you’re already doing.

Maybe the private foundation that once worked well for your philanthropy has become labor intensive. CFWNC can guide you through the process of creating a fund or supporting organization fund to receive the private foundation’s assets, documenting board action and filing a final tax return. For many, enhanced tax advantages, freedom from excise tax and reporting requirements and lower administrative costs mean more assets can be used for philanthropic purposes.

We are glad to help you consider your charitable options, whether you’re considering starting a private foundation or considering what to do with one you have. Contact Sheryl Aikman at aikman@cfwnc.org or 828-367-9900.

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Cashiers Community FundThe Cashiers Community Fund (CCF) seeks to improve the quality of life in the greater Cashiers community by supporting projects that benefit the broad community and its residents. CCF was the first CFWNC affiliate to conduct independent grantmaking by distributing $97,260 in grants during 2013. The grants include:

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Affiliate FundsAs the staff liaison to CFWNC’s nine affiliates, Marcia Whitney works with local leaders to build philanthropy in nine unique communities across the region. The affiliates were established between 1992 and 1999 by volunteers who recognized the importance of creating permanent charitable capital to address changing needs and opportunities in their counties and communities.

Through generous donations from thousands of people, the affiliates have grown; currently assets range from $300,000 to more than $3 million. Donors support the affiliates with tax-deductible gifts, which are added to the funds and dedicated for use in a specific community.

Six of the nine affiliates are actively working toward a goal of $1.5 million in permanently endowed assets. That asset level will provide approximately $60,000 in grants each year – in perpetuity – to local nonprofits. Angela Kemper, Principal of HunterKemper Consulting, is supporting these affiliate boards as they craft multi-year fundraising plans. When the $1.5 million goal is reached, affiliates also gain flexibility in the types of grants they make, including general operating and capital support.

Three affiliates – Cashiers Community Fund, Rutherford County Endowment and Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund – already have assets exceeding $1.5 million and have begun independent grantmaking this year. (See information on Cashiers Community Fund grants below.)

In addition to Marcia, Philip Belcher, Vice President for Programs, and Program Officers Tim Richards and Virginia Dollar are a regular presence in affiliate communities, supporting the affiliate boards with grantmaking expertise and community knowledge.

Affiliates are CFWNC’s partners in inspiring philanthropy and mobilizing resources to enrich lives and communities in Western North Carolina. With local knowledge of donors and nonprofit organizations, affiliates help CFWNC work strategically across our diverse region and more effectively allocate financial resources.

A F F I L I AT E N E W S

Marcia Whitney

• The Bascom - $5,000 to support Community Arts Education for students in collaboration with other organizations in the Cashiers community.

• Blue Ridge Mountain Health Project - $10,000 for operating costs to fully utilize recently expanded facilities at the dental clinic in Cashiers.

• Blue Ridge School Foundation - $10,000 toward purchase of SRA Reading Mastery Program to improve student reading through mastery of key skills and enriched learning in K-6th grades.

• Cashiers Big Brothers Big Sisters - $4,260 to expand a mentoring program to Summit School for the 2013-2014 school year.

• Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers - $10,000 to support operations for the Highlands clinic that provides medical services for uninsured families.

• Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry – $10,000 toward installation of walk-in freezer/cooler to increase fresh and frozen foods provided to families experiencing limited access to healthy, nutritious food.

• Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation - $3,000 toward the purchase of commercial treadmill for Cashiers Physical Therapy.

• Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust - $4,000 to fund the Preserving the Cashiers Corridor project to identify, map and rank properties along and near the US 64 and 107 corridors in Cashiers including greenways and public trails.

• Highlands Community Child Development Center - $5,000 to support key elements of the early childhood education operations at the Highlands Center, which also serves families from the Cashiers area.

• Hampton School - $10,000 for The Tuition Assistance Fund that helps families to provide safe, healthy, and high quality childcare for their young child(ren).

• Life Challenge of Western North Carolina - $10,000 to provide residential shelter and life skills education to low-income, at-risk women in Jackson County.

• Summit Charter School - $10,000 to provide students with tablet computers for 21st Century Learning and facilitate end of grade testing.

• The Gathering Table - $2,000 to support the local community in serving nutritious meals to the hungry.

• village Conservancy - $4,000 toward restoration of the old spring at McKinney Meadow as part of the development as a heritage natural area.

The Transylvania Endowment hosted a croquet tournament to launch the Isabel Nichols Society to recognize those who have made substantial lifetime donations or legacy gifts to support the Endowment. The tournament also honored the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Endowment and its founder, Isabel Nichols. In partnership with CFWNC, the Endowment has made 74 grants totaling more than $685,000 to support local needs in Transylvania County.

The Yancey Fund and CFWNC made a $20,000 grant to the Graham Children’s Health Services (GCHS) for its Summer Food Program. A grassroots volunteer coalition led by GCHS has been addressing root causes and determinates of health and wellness for children living in our rural, Western North Carolina region since 1997. From left: front row, Laura Seelbach (Dig In Community Garden), Amy Sheele (Graham Children's Health Services), Brenda Wilson (Yancey County Cooperative Extension Office); back row, Howell Hammond (The Yancey Fund), Cynthia McIntosh (Yancey County DSS), Julia Norris (Designing Women), Jennifer Simpson (Mitchell Yancey Partnership for Children).

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Penland School of Crafts Community Collaborations“Close your eyes and imagine the night sky. Are you camping by a river, snug in your bed with the sheets pulled high, drinking hot cocoa by the wood burning stove? The howl of a barn owl is in the background, or is it a coyote under a full moon? ” asks Meg Peterson, teaching artist for Penland School of Crafts’ Teaching Artist in the Schools program. As a part of the third grade Moon and Sun Journal making project, this vision exercise integrating art with astronomy is one of the many lessons Meg teaches to help students connect art and imagination with school curriculum.

Penland School of Crafts Community Collaboration program works closely with Mitchell and Yancey County teachers and principals to provide curriculum-integrated arts opportunities to thousands of rural, underserved students each year. The renowned craft school has a number of avenues for bringing art to the public schools, including the Teaching Artist in the Schools (TAS) program and Subs with SuitCASEs; both supported by a People in Need grant awarded by The Fund for Mitchell County and The Yancey Fund in partnership with CFWNC.

Through the TAS program, every third, fourth and ninth grade student in Mitchell County has the opportunity to create a handmade book where they explore and record their course studies. The Subs with SuitCASEs (Creative Approaches to Substitute Education) (SwS) is offered in Mitchell and Yancey County Schools with the goal of using substitute days as creative, art-making opportunities to enliven the curriculum and engage multiple learning styles. SwS artists are professionally trained and equipped with lesson plans and suitcases stocked with art supplies to serve as engaging substitute teachers.

These experiential arts programs support students and teachers by engaging multiple learning styles, helping fulfill the NC Standard Course of Study and promoting confidence and self-esteem among students of all backgrounds. For more information, visit www.penland.org.

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G R A N T N E W S

Pigeon River Fund Awards $258,552 in GrantsProjects benefit Haywood, Buncombe & Madison counties Ten grants totaling $258,552 were awarded by the Pigeon River Fund to environmental groups working in Western North Carolina during its last funding cycle. The fund was created in 1996 to improve surface water quality, enhance fish and wildlife management habitats, expand public use and access to waterways and increase awareness to help protect these resources. Since 1996 the Pigeon River Fund has invested $4,606,255 to support grant projects addressing water quality in Haywood, Buncombe, and Madison counties. The recent grant recipients are:

• Haywood Waterways Association• Southwestern NC Resource Conservation and Development

Council• Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy• RiverLink• Asheville GreenWorks• Mountain Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council• Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District

From left: Women for Women members Peggy Newell and Sydney Green participated in the Mayland Community Kitchen ribbon cutting.

Women for Women GrantSupports Maryland Community kitchen

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In 2013 Mayland Community College was awarded a $75,000 Women for Women grant over two years to help create a community kitchen to serve women in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties. The one-stop facility/health-certified kitchen opened March 14 with a ribbon cutting. The program also provides technical assistance to facilitate processing and selling of value-added agricultural products. “It was a really special opportunity for us to see Women for Women’s money at work. We heard repeated heart-felt thank you’s,” said Peggy Newell. “This kitchen is on the road to providing a valuable service to the women of Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties, and Women for Women is proud to be a part of that."

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID Asheville, NC

Permit No. 518

Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations

CFWNC is no longer using P.O. Box 1888. Please send all mail to the address above.

Board of Directors 2013-2014

P O W E R O F T H E P u R S E

CFWNCPhone: 828-254-4960 | Fax: 828-251-2258 | www.cfwnc.org

Our AffiliatesBlack Mountain–Swannanoa Valley Endowment FundCashiers Community FundThe Fund for Haywood CountyHighlands Community FundThe McDowell EndowmentThe Fund for Mitchell CountyRutherford County EndowmentTransylvania EndowmentThe Yancey Fund

OfficersErnest E. Ferguson, Chair James W. Stickney, IV, Vice-ChairTerry Van Duyn, Secretary G. Edward Towson, Treasurer

Board Members

Executive StaffSheryl Aikman, Vice President, Development Philip Belcher, Vice President, Programs Elizabeth Brazas, PresidentLindsay Hearn, Communications DirectorGraham Keever, Chief Financial Officer

Marla Adams Maurean B. Adams Louise W. BakerDavid S. DimlingJennie EblenThomas Lee FingerCharles Frederick

Howell A. HammondDarryl HartA.C. Honeycutt, Jr.Stephanie Norris KiserT. Wood LovellTina McGuireLowell R. Pearlman

Ramona C. RoweGeorge W. SaengerAnna S. (Candy) ShiversJerry StoneSarah Sparboe ThornburgLaurence WeissSharon Kelly West

4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300Asheville, NC 28803

Return Service Requested

Olympia Snowe and Dee Dee Myers at Power of the Purse®

Olympia Snowe, United States Senator from Maine (1994-2012), and Dee Dee Myers, White House Press Secretary (1993-1994), will appear together at the 10th Annual Power of the Purse luncheon. Warren Wilson College President Steve Solnick will moderate the discussion. Power of the Purse® takes place Tuesday, May 20, at the Expo Center at the Crowne Plaza in Asheville and features the announcement of the 2014 Women for Women grants.

Focusing her attention on efforts to build bipartisan compromise on key issues that matter to Maine and America, Snowe built a reputation as one of the leading moderates in Congress. Dee Dee Myers is the first woman and the second-youngest person ever to serve as White House Press Secretary. During the first years of the Clinton Administration, Myers earned the respect of the press corps and the nation through her sharp political instincts, sense of humor and ability to explain complex subjects in straightforward language.

Warren Wilson President Steve Solnick will guide the discussion. He holds a bachelor's degree in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate in political science from Harvard University. He also has a B.A. in politics and economics from Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar.

Proceeds from the event benefit The Women’s Fund, a permanent endowment of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina that supports the unmet needs of women and girls across the region. Income from The Women’s Fund is granted through the Women for Women grant program.

23rd Annual Professional SeminarMay 8, 2014Registration 1:30pmSeminar 2:00pm – 5:00pm. Lioncrest at Biltmore, Asheville, NC

Turney P. Berry, JD, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP

Charitable Giving in the New Estate Planning EnvironmentCreative planning can help clients best meet their tax, estate and charitable planning objectives. This presentation will prepare you to align your client’s assets with the vehicle that best achieves their goals with a comprehensive overview of bequests, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities and the use of charity when transferring business interests and investment portfolios.

Cost: $110, $120 after May 2Details at www.cfwnc.org

P R O F E S S I O N A L S E M I N A R

Olympia Snowe Dee Dee Myers

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