Melvin R. Lane Fund

Melvin R. Lane Fund Awards More than $1 Million to Human Service Nonprofits

Six nonprofits will receive $1,078,950 over three years from the Melvin R. Lane Fund, made possible through a trust created by Melvin and Georgianna Lane, longtime residents of Henderson County. Lyn Fozzard, their daughter, created the Fund in 2000. Her son, Peter Fozzard, oversees and manages it with his brother, Richard, wife Libby and members of the Lane Advisory Board. The program builds capacity and improves operations for human service nonprofits. This is important and necessary work, and CFWNC is honored to support the Lane family in carrying on this legacy.

$178,950 to Center for Domestic

Peace for a Grants and Financial Administrator to support government grant processes and allow the Executive Director to focus on community partnerships and programs.

$180,000 to Children & Family

Resource Center to hire an Outreach Director to expand program capacity and engage a consultant to develop a longterm fundraising plan. $180,000 to The Family Place of Transylvania County to hire staff to improve programs and technological capabilities, allowing leadership to focus on outreach and collaboration. $180,000 to HIGHTS to support a dedicated Chief Financial Officer position and to restructure and strengthen its leadership model to stabilize management practices.

$180,000 to McDowell Mission

Ministries to hire a Development Director, improve board governance, and implement a strategic plan to improve organizational capacity and management. $180,000 to The SPARC Foundation to hire an Operations Director to manage the day-to-day business, allowing the Executive Director to focus on enhancement and growth and building relationships with new partners and potential funders.

Above: Lane Advisory Board members Alex Comfort and Yolanda Bopp, Amber Harrelson-Williams, Jamie Weiner and Virgina Dollar at the Children and Family Resource Center; photo courtesy of CFWNC Below: Lane Advisory Board Members Yolanda Bopp and Shelley Brown with SPARC’s Jackie Latek, Leasha Ogle and Veronica Edwards; photo courtesy of CFWNC

“As children, families and individual community members experience increased needs for recovery and healing services, demand for SPARC services has grown. To keep pace, provide quality programming and innovate, we will utilize Lane funds to hire an Operations Director responsible for managing existing and new programs. To achieve sustainable growth, a comprehensive strategic planning process will occur this year that will lead us confidently into the future. These capacity-building possibilities through the Lane grant are rare, yet critical to the health of nonprofits, and we are grateful to the Lane committee and CFWNC.”