evolve Spring 2023 CFWNC

Photo courtesy of

Photo courtesy of The Utopian Seed Project.

I had another letter drafted when I heard the announcement of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill closure in Haywood County. We, along with so many others, are concerned about the immediate effects this may have on incomes, lives and mental health, as well as the long-term economic fallout to communities and surrounding counties.

There are many facets to this issue, and already the depth of collaboration is encouraging. When crises hit this region, people and organizations have a history of pulling together.

CFWNC is at the table learning from critical partners, such as the WNC Regional Councils of Government (COG), about the best way to support efforts underway and those taking shape to address the challenges facing families and the ripple effects of the plant closing.

“This is a blow, following on the heels of the COVID pandemic and catastrophic flooding from Tropical Storm Fred,” said Russ Harris, Executive Director of the Southwestern Commission, the COG serving Haywood and other counties. “We are strategizing for a comprehensive plan for the Town of Canton to address the current situation and plan for a healthy, productive future.”

Research is also underway to determine how many WNC counties are directly involved and to estimate the economic impact. Although every situation is unique, understanding what has helped in communities that have experienced a large plant closure can provide useful guidance. A new website, www.milltownstrong. com, is aggregating resources and getting information out to the community.

Critical partners, like Haywood Community College, have expertise and experience in retraining and are taking a lead. NC Works is organizing to help with employment, career counseling, tuition assistance and more. Mountain Projects is focused on health insurance as well as food, rent, transportation and other necessary services.

As the breadth and depth of other sector support becomes clear, CFWNC will commit funds to support the town and its residents.

We have 45 years of experience in WNC and, in many cases, our size, relationships and trusted partnerships mean that we can be responsive and quick. We have taken to heart lessons of recent years about flexibility. Funders everywhere have realized it is possible to trim philanthropic bureaucracy and to move money faster without sacrificing effectiveness.

As the situation in Canton illustrates, we don’t always know what is coming next, but we can lean on our history, partners and experts to respond strategically and support our friends and neighbors. Having fundholders who want to be involved in our efforts is a significant asset for us and the entire region.

I believe in the strength of collaboration. CFWNC looks for ways to say “yes”. This is the ongoing work of a community foundation.

In partnership,

Board Member Sharon Taylor, Russ Harris and Elizabeth Brazas

Photo courtesy of CFWNC.

High Quality Childcare Benefits Us All

WNC is experiencing the early childcare staffing and capacity shortages that have spiked across the country in the wake of the pandemic. More than 25 percent of early childhood education staff has left the workforce in Transylvania County, resulting in long wait lists and disruptions for families, especially parents of infants and toddlers.

With a $100,000 Early Childhood Development grant awarded in August, Smart Start of Transylvania County (SSTC) is working to retain qualified and experienced early childhood educators and to build childcare capacity. SSTC is leveraging partnerships with existing childcare programs and developing potential new childcare program operators, both inand out-of-home care settings.

The need is urgent, and SSTC has already deployed resources to build capacity. It helped to outfit two new classrooms for three- and four-year-olds at high demand sites and created an outdoor gear library for students at Ripple Collective to ensure that outdoor education is an option throughout the year.

Grant funds are supporting the opening of local Family Child Care Homes, a form of home-based care licensed and regulated by the Division of Child Development and Early Education. This option offers flexible, affordable childcare to parents in rural and underserved areas and can provide a

higher percentage of infant and toddler care, the most underserved group in Transylvania County.

SSTC is also making resources available to administrators at childcare businesses to help identify and overcome financial and logistical barriers. It is encouraging current and prospective educators to enroll in and graduate from degree programs by participating in T.E.A.C.H., a NC scholarship program. A degree can result in higher wages for workers and better ratings for centers. SSTC funds the Wage$ program that supplements early childhood educator pay and can support higher retention and recruitment rates.

Children who receive enriching care in their first five years are more likely to succeed in school and earn higher wages. Providing appropriate support to the early childhood community and strengthening existing foundations and building new avenues of care will help us create a brighter future for our children and our communities.

Rebecca Snurr SSTC Early Childhood Education & Capacity Workforce Lead

Photos courtesy ofSSTC.

New Scanner for Polk County

The Industrial Commons hosts Hometown Walkabouts to share stories of racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity in Burke County. CFWNC staff learned from storytellers, viewed murals and exhibits, and had facilitated conversations to deepen our understanding. Staff toured the collaborative ecosystem that is at the heart of The Industrial Commons.

CFWNC was pleased to host the Old Fort Partner Summit led by Chris Estes of the Aspen Institute and Tracey GreeneWashington of Indigo Innovation Group. More than two dozen thought leaders and strategic partners gathered to learn more about the rural economic development project centered on equity, inclusivity and sustainability.

GRANT TOTAL 7/1/22 to 3/31/23

$26,768,801

Photos courtesy of CFWNC.

CFWNC staff members and board member Juanita Wilson took part in the Honoring Long Man river cleanup in Cherokee. Long Man, with his head in the mountains and feet in the sea, is a revered figure among the Cherokee tied to water, cleanliness, food and cultural rituals.

Fundholders and co-investors Esther Cartwright and Matt Lee participated in a tour of Shiloh in Asheville with Mrs. Norma Baynes and Lauralee Petritz of the Shiloh Community Association and CFWNC staff Spencer Butler, Virginia Dollar, Laura Herndon and Tara Scholtz. Shiloh is a historically Black community that was established in the late 1880s. Its community garden, started in 2004, provides healthy food to the neighborhood and residents at no cost. In November, the Association was awarded $20,000 to create an eCommerce office to provide a revenue stream and generate opportunities for artists and entrepreneurs.

Fundholder Alejandro Barberena dreamed of honoring Consuelo, his energetic, smart mother, by creating a fund to support the lives and educational efforts of single mothers. In 2023, Consuelo’s Fund is partnering with Mountain BizWorks to provide 1:1 coaching and wrap-around support to at least 15 single parents to deliver tailored assistance and better outcomes. BizWorks staff plans to use the opportunity to gain detailed information about what types of additional services and resources would most benefit single parent clients to guide future program design.

Photo courtesyofCFWNC .

Photo courtesy of Mountain BizWorks.

Photo courtesy of CFWNC.

Thanks to an anonymous CFWNC fund that directs resources for cancer care, The Foundation for St. Luke’s Hospital in Columbus, NC, was awarded $40,000 to help purchase a diagnostic CT scanner that has been in operation since January. Amanda Thompson, VP of Operations and Foundation Executive Director, said, “We are thrilled that we can now provide the highest quality CT imaging possible in our rural community. Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in America. Soon, St. Luke’s will launch a low-dose CT preventative lung cancer screening program that will help detect lung cancer before high-risk patients ever have symptoms. Our Cancer and Infusion Center will then be able to provide care while the cancer is more treatable. This CT is also a tremendous aid to the medical team as it provides detailed 3D images of the body to locate cancerous tumors, obtain biopsies, and help monitor a patient’s response to cancer treatment. This technology is going to save lives and would not have been possible without the support from donors like The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.”

The philanthropic work of the Asheville Merchants Corporation began as an independent foundation, funded through the sale of business assets. After five years, its board decided to transition it to a component fund of CFWNC, creating the Asheville Merchants Fund grant program. It seeks to improve the quality of life in Buncombe County by supporting projects that strengthen the community through innovative economic approaches, jobs & workforce training, social infrastructure, and youth success in school. Since 2002, AMF has awarded more than $3.1 million, and it was the first program at CFWNC to provide multi-year grants and general operating support. Tom Hallmark has overseen the Asheville Merchants Fund since 1997. We are grateful for his decades of leadership.

Photo courtesy of St. Luke’s Hospital.

CFWNC awarded 57 grants totaling $101,912 to schools in counties across the region from the Learning Links grant program. The grants provide local teachers with funding for activities designed to make required coursework engaging and relevant for their students.

Nonprofit Partners

“Collaborative grantmaking underscores the value of a community foundation to the region and the nonprofits and people it serves. We are here at the intersection of needs and resources. Bringing our constituents together to address issues affecting us all is what CFWNC is designed to do. Whether it is our grantmaking with fundholder support or partnering with other funders, CFWNC prioritizes unity, connection and community.” — Elizabeth

Brazas

$1.5 Million Supporting Human Services

In November, the Board approved 78 Human Services grants totaling $1,505,520 that were awarded to nonprofits serving people across the Foundation’s 18-county service area. CFWNC fundholders and donors contributed $617,510 to the total. The co-investors were: Carol Waggle Oliver Fund, Charles F. Hamrick and Marguerite D. Hamrick Charitable Fund, Connestee Falls Endowment Fund, Consuelo’s Fund, Crutchfield Charitable Fund, Delphinium Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Dr. Robert J. and Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund, Ero Fund, Fenton Family WNC Fund, Fidel Duke Fund, Gretchen Batra Fund, Henri Landwirth Family Endowed Fund, John and Janet Garrett Charitable Fund, Minigowin Fund, Oliver Family Fund, Perez Family Fund, Peterson Endowment Fund, Reichman Family Charitable Fund, Rick and Bridget Eckerd Charitable Fund, Samuel and William Elmore Fund for Mental Wellness, Terrence Lee One Love Fund, Thomas L. and Phyllis Day Davis Fund, Travis and Jenny Boyer Fund, Walnut Fund, Wasson - Stowe Charitable Fund, Yeager-Cole Fund and five anonymous funds.

Several private foundations partner with CFWNC to support projects in Western North Carolina. The Klunk Family Foundation, The Leon Levine Foundation and Lipscomb Family Foundation provided generous support for these grants.

A complete list of the grants is available on our website.

Early Childhood Development

Blue Ridge Partnership for Children was awarded a $180,000 Early Childhood Development grant over two years to sustain and evolve a collaborative, regional approach to the provision of parent education for children prenatal to age 14 in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties.

The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund and an anonymous fund provided co-investment for this grant.

Photo courtesy of Eliada Homes.

Natural and Cultural Resources

Mainspring Conservation Trust received $40,000 to complete required due diligence efforts to acquire and remove the Ela Dam, an aging dam and reservoir in Swain County adjoining the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ (EBCI) Qualla Boundary. Removal will open 549 river miles of the Oconaluftee River and its tributaries. Learn more on the back cover.

The Minigowin Fund, The Ecology Wildlife Foundation Fund, Mandler/Tambor Family Fund, Stewart Fund for Life & Love, Riverbend Fund, Walnut Fund and Ero Fund provided co-investment for this grant.

Toe River Arts Council received $10,000 to market and promote its

Cynthia and Edwina Bringle documentary. It captures the Bringle sisters’ personal history, artistic contributions to the field of craft, significance as educators and mentors, and the role they have played in the life of Penland School of Craft and the Toe River region.

The Minigowin Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund and Ero Fund provided co-investment for this grant.

Wildlands Network (fiscal sponsor for the Safe Passage Fund Coalition - SPFC) was awarded a $30,000 Natural and Cultural Resources grant to improve SPFC’s communications and outreach to raise financial and public support for mitigation measures to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions along a 28-mile stretch of Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge. Read more on pages 9-10.

Co-investment from The Ecology Wildlife Foundation Fund, Rick and Bridget Eckerd Charitable Fund, Trillium Fund and Dr. Robert J. and Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund fully funded this grant.

Food and Farming

Bounty & Soul (BAS) received $35,000 to support Produce to the People™ and Farmers Alliance, programs that address food, farms and health through a lens of equity and inclusion. BAS serves Buncombe, McDowell, Rutherford, Transylvania and Henderson counties.

The Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, Bahnson-Armitage Fund, Biltmore Estate Charitable Fund, Ero Fund, Oliver Family Fund and Dr. Robert J. and Kimberly S. Reynolds Fund provided co-investment for this grant.

The Utopian Seed Project (USP) received $40,000 for its work supporting and developing a resilient regional food and farming system through research, education and promotion of biodiversity. USP conducts variety trials to assess regional suitability, species exploration to increase regional biodiversity in farm systems, and active seed selection and breeding projects.

The Minigowin Fund, Dogwood Charitable Endowment Fund, WNC Resolve Fund, Ero Fund and Oliver Family Fund provided co-investment for this grant.

Photo courtesy of Toe River Arts.

Creating Safe Passage

Balancing the Needs of Wildlife and People

Along the mountainous roadways that connect Western North Carolina to East Tennessee, wildlife mortality caused by vehicle collisions is rapidly rising. With a boom in tourism and an increasing human population in the area, this already dire situation will only get worse without proper mitigation.

The Pigeon River Gorge connects the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to other wild and public lands in the area and is home to large populations of black bear, elk, deer, bobcats, and other species. Projected movements of climate-driven species suggest there

will soon be a high concentration of animals migrating through southeastern North America into the Appalachians. The Interstate 40 corridor, like many other roadways around the nation, fragments these species’ habitat, creating a “barrier effect” that separates wildlife from food, water and mating resources. It is a dangerous scenario for wildlife and motorists.

A tally of records from collision reports, DOT maintenance staff in Tennessee and North Carolina, weekly driving surveys from researchers, and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission showed 162

Photo by Joye Ardyn Durham.

large mammals were killed on I-40 between 2018 and 2022. Bears account for the largest share of the roadkill—in the last four years, at least 92 bears, 69 deer and one elk have died on this single stretch of highway. The figures likely represent an undercount.

The mission of the Safe Passage Fund Coalition (SPFC) is to raise financial and public support for mitigation measures in reducing wildlife–vehicle collisions along a 28-mile stretch of I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge. The SPFC members are Wildlands Network, National Parks Conservation Association, The Wilderness Society, Great Smoky Mountains Association, The Conservation Fund, North Carolina Wildlife Federation, and Defenders of Wildlife.

The coalition is a subset of a wider collaborative stakeholder group known as “Safe Passage: The I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project” made up of people and organizations who share a vision to balance the needs of native wildlife with the evergrowing human population and development. Safe Passage members include local, tribal, state, and federal agencies, land managers, conservation organizations, nonprofit partners, and other invested community members working in North Carolina and Tennessee.

Scientists from Wildlands Network and the National Parks Conservation Association teamed up to better understand animal behavior and pinpoint where wildlife-vehicle collision hotspots are located along I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge. Analyzing how roads affect landscapes is called road ecology, and

collecting this information is a key step in deciding where to add or enhance transportation infrastructure to reduce collisions.

Based on the research findings, the report provides 20 detailed recommendations for improvements to existing structures or the creation of new structures paired with the installation of strategically-placed wildlife fencing. We are working hand-in-hand with state agencies, including the NC Department of Transportation and the NC Wildlife Resource Commission, that are supportive and proactive in these efforts.

The project is timely, as recent federal funding opportunities for transportation improvement projects were unlocked when the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021. This is the first time in US history that specific funding is allocated for overpasses, underpasses, and fencing to restore traditional wildlife movement corridors. When designed correctly, these structures have been shown to reduce motorist collisions involving wildlife by up to 97%.

Reconnecting natural landscapes is a win for human safety, a win for economics, and a win for wildlife. Stewarding our natural resources supports ecotourism, and improving regional public safety and transportation systems improves the quality of life and promotes a thriving economy. SPFC is working toward long-term solutions by implementing conservation strategies that will protect quality wildlife habitat for years to come.

Nikki Robinson

North Carolina Project Manager

Help Safe Passage reach 10,000 pledges to protect wildlife in the Pigeon River Gorge by visiting smokiesafepassage.org and taking the pledge to:

• Observe the speed limit.

• Be vigilant for wildlife entering the roadway.

• Secure food and trash in bear-resistant containers.

• Teach others the importance of doing the same.

Spread the word by following Safe Passage on Facebook and Instagram, share posts and sign up for the Safe Passage eNewsletter. You can also book a Safe Passage speaker for a presentation to your class or group.

Pathways to Inclusion and Growth

CFWNC is engaged in creating our next strategic framework. We recognize the value of guiding principles that will improve accessibility to our grant processes and continue to allow for nimble, flexible responses to community needs and crises. Our goal is to create an aspirational and flexible strategic framework that centers equity to guide our future work.

We are working with consultants Hannah Randall and Darryl Lester of Armstrong McGuire to gather information and feedback from our community. As the former CEO of MANNA FoodBank, Hannah has experience as a CFWNC grantee and has a deep knowledge of the WNC region. Darryl brings his experience as a grantmaker at a community foundation and as the founder of the Community Investment Network. We want to share some of what we have learned at this point in the process.

If you have thoughts about this process or feedback to share, email hannah@ armstrongmcguire.com.

Why do organizations need a strategic framework?

Taking time to do a deep check-in with your greater community and inner circle provides crucial feedback to a planning process. Board and staff are processing stakeholder feedback and using it to forge shared agreements on actions and goals. This will allow us to allocate time, staff and resources strategically. A framework provides flexibility to adapt to changing regional needs and emergent issues and it is easily understood and communicated.

Jenn Holcombe, Council on Foundations, Director, Government Affairs, who led a board education session about how community foundations can effectively lobby and advocate, is shown with Board Chair Chris Smith and COO Julie Klipp.

Photo courtesy of CFWNC.

What does the region need most from CFWNC?

People told us that they wanted CFWNC to be a partner in co-creating community-based solutions to issues having the greatest impact on people’s lives. They want a funder that is consistent and transparent, that deeply understands the region’s strengths and needs, and that does as much or more to support grassroots organizations as the long-established ones.

What have we learned so far?

More than 300 surveys and numerous constituent interviews indicate that overall CFWNC is a healthy organization faced with the challenges of meeting regional needs that exceed grantmaking capacity, of operating in diverse geographic locations, and of a changing regional philanthropic landscape.

People see CFWNC as a trusted partner that nurtures relationships, understands the needs of the region, and is responsive. It is valued for its steadiness. These are all great traits, and there is room to improve, stretch and grow. Stakeholders asked for more CFWNC visibility across the region, continued development of partnerships with new organizations, especially those led

by historically-marginalized people, and more leadership on advocacy, policy and systems-change work.

What about CFWNC grantmaking?

Nonprofits appreciate the quick and nimble response, especially during times of crisis. Donors like being able to give for disaster relief and know that their dollars are quickly getting to critical nonprofits. There is an opportunity, however, for CFWNC to do more with trust-based philanthropy. CFWNC can continue to relate genuinely to partners and to implement changes that minimize the inherent friction and power dynamics of the grantseeking—grantmaking process.

What else is important to know?

CFWNC recognizes the power and privilege of sitting at the crossroads of resources and needs. Staff and board members are looking for ways to address regional issues and to articulate complexities while avoiding language that divides people. There are times to lead with expertise, but often the right path is to elevate the voices of others. CFWNC is committed to listening, cultivating relationships, and building collective support across WNC.

Photo by

Hannah Randall, Darryl Lester and Elizabeth Brazas. Photo courtesy of CFWNC.

Affiliate Funds 30 Years of Growth

CFWNC began investing in regional affiliates more than 30 years ago. From the very beginning, affiliates launched in communities that wanted a vehicle to support local nonprofits with local dollars. Today, CFWNC has nine affiliates spread across the region that collectively awarded $735,000 in grants last fiscal year.

Over three decades, there have been many iterations of CFWNC’s partnership with affiliates. As each fund achieved the milestone of at least $1 million in assets, the affiliate was able to undertake independent grantmaking

that enabled them to address pressing needs and opportunities unique to that community. Advisory boards of local leaders and volunteers share our goal to inspire philanthropy. As a component fund of CFWNC, affiliates can invest in their communities, while CFWNC supports them in grantmaking, endowment management and complex gifts.

Many of these funds have experienced significant growth through estate gifts. Some people leave assets to add directly to the affiliate, while others establish a fund that

creates additional grant opportunities in that specific community. “People value the opportunity to leave funds directed toward a place that was meaningful to them during their lives,” said Laura Herndon, Vice President, Development. “They trust their friends and neighbors to make good grant decisions as communities and needs change over time.”

“Having served on the Black Mountain-Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund (BMSV) Advisory Board for a decade, I have seen the impact that this Fund has made on our community,” said Joe Standaert. “My family and I want to leave a lasting legacy of support for our area and were able to do so easily by creating the Standaert Family Endowment Fund with The Community Foundation for the benefit of the BMSV Endowment Fund. We trust that the advisory board will make good grants with our Fund both now and in perpetuity.”

In some cases, an attorney or advisor contacts CFWNC about a pending estate gift. Connie Boylan worked as a nurse at Transylvania Regional Hospital after moving to Brevard. During retirement there, she earned a BA degree at Brevard College and supported the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and programs that encouraged children to enjoy and learn about the outdoors. When she died in 2021, her estate created a fund that will support these causes in perpetuity in Transylvania County through the Transylvania Endowment.

working on affordable housing, home repair and accessibility needs for low-income people. The Mib and Phil Medford Endowment Fund directs grants to projects benefitting Waynesville through the Fund for Haywood County. The Mildred Miller Fort Charitable Fund supports the arts and healthcare needs in Highlands through the Highlands Community Fund. While the funds vary in purpose and location, the impetus to give back is universal.

CFWNC benefits from the expertise and experience of our network of affiliates. With a largely rural service area the size of Vermont, the knowledge and guidance of people rooted in their communities supports our work. One of the key functions of a community foundation is to serve as a vehicle for philanthropy. Working together with affiliate funds, we build homegrown philanthropic solutions for generous people planning for future generations in the places they love.

Photos: facing page, courtesy of Helping At Risk Kids. Above from top, Big Brothers Big Sisters WNC, Yancey County Humane Society, ML Performing Arts Center, Miller Street Garden, Waynesville, and Muddy Sneakers.

The opportunity to address a specific cause in a specific place has motivated several other generous people to create funds that support affiliate grantmaking. Longtime volunteers for the Transylvania Endowment established a fund designated for Transylvania nonprofits

Friends + Neighbors + Philanthropists

Funds Created between July 1 and December 31, 2022

Charitable Gift Annuities allow donors to make a future gift and receive income and tax advantages now.

Julian Burns and Wanda Presson Charitable Gift Annuity

Jane Tara Cicchetti Charitable Gift Annuity 3

Kimmel Guest Charitable Gift Annuity

Designated Funds support specific nonprofits named when the fund is established.

Broadwell Designated Fund 2022

Burgin 2022 Charitable Fund

George H.V. Cecil Journey Scholarship Fund

Ference Family Charitable Fund

Ted Ghiz and Ronnie Mill Charitable Fund 2022

Kimmel Guest Designated Fund 2022

W. Gresham Orrison Designated Fund #4

Robinson 2022 Charitable Fund

John Bush Rogers Designated Fund 2022

Donor Advised Funds allow donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and recommend grants over time.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Heritage Sports Scholarships/Grants Fund

Philip A. and Donna L. Brown Charitable Fund

William S. Clark and Lori A. Clark Charitable Fund

Esselstyn Past Due Fund

Faulconer-Currens Fund

Leavitt Family Fund

John Mark Payne Fund

South Toe Conservation Fund

Ann Stuart Animal Welfare Fund

Expectancy Funds are established to receive assets at a later time, typically through an estate plan, charitable gift annuity or charitable trust.

Luther and Ruth Barnhardt Scholarship Fund

Burns/Presson Fund

Goldman-Taub Fund

Carol E. Kaufman Fund

Ledford Livingston Scholarship Fund

Field of Interest Funds support a broadly-defined area such as the arts, the environment or health.

Verne E. Johnson Fund for Buncombe Churches

Memorial Funds are a simple, meaningful way to honor a life.

Bill and Beth Gist Memorial Fund

Thrive Like Sarah Fund

Nonprofit Organization Funds are created to invest and steward a nonprofit’s long-term or endowed assets:

Jubilee! Community Outreach Fund

Western North Carolina Community Health Services

Capital Projects Fund

Western North Carolina Community Health Services Endowment Fund

Photo by Andre Daugherty

New Charitable Giving Option for IRA Holders

Newly enacted legislation, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, expands charitable possibilities for those who wish to utilize their qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) to create a life-income gift, like a charitable gift annuity (CGA). Previous legislation specifically prohibited QCDs to create CGAs.

CFWNC is pleased to be able to offer individuals, who are at least 70½ years of age, the option to use IRA assets of up to $50,000 to create a CGA in 2023. Per its gift acceptance policies, CFWNC will not be able to offer this option to create any type of charitable remainder trust.

A charitable gift annuity allows individuals or couples to make a philanthropic gift, receive immediate tax advantages, and enjoy annual annuity payments and additional tax benefits for life and/or for the lifetime of designated beneficiaries.

“This could be an attractive option for philanthropic individuals who may be hesitant to give their IRA assets in a volatile market and want the security of fixed lifetime payments,” said Shon Norris, Principal

& Vice President, Gould Killian CPA Group. “It would be particularly suitable for non-itemizers who want a steady income stream, are currently taking the minimum required IRA distribution, and/or are subject to charitable deduction limitations.” Norris is a member of CFWNC’s Professional Advisory Committee.

The new legislation has additional requirements for contributing a QCD for a CGA. If you are interested in utilizing a QCD to create a CGA, we recommend first consulting with your professional advisor to discuss your specific tax implications.

Charitable Gift Annuity

A charitable gift annuity is a lump-sum gift, from which donors or their designated beneficiaries receive annual payments, determined by the amount of the gift, age(s) of the beneficiary(ies) and annuity rates in effect at the time of the gift. CFWNC beneficiaries must be aged 60 or over before annuity payments can begin. Once the beneficiary(ies) are deceased, the remainder

As part of our commitment to being your partner in philanthropy, Development staff is here to help. Contact Becky Davis or Laura Herndon with questions or to learn more about next steps.

of the annuity is added to a CFWNC endowed fund, created or selected by the fundholder. A charitable gift annuity requires only a simple agreement to establish. You do not need an attorney to establish one, but you should consult with your legal and/or financial advisors to ensure that it is a good fit for your situation.

“This could be an attractive option for philanthropic individuals who may be hesitant to give their IRA assets in a volatile market and want the security of fixed lifetime payments,” said Shon Norris, Principal & Vice President, Gould Killian CPA Group

Crossnore Communities for Children (Crossnore) was awarded a $20,000 Human Services grant to support the Bridging Families program in Avery County. Bridging Families is a professional foster parenting program that supports families while children are in Crossnore’s care and addresses the growing number of children entering the foster care system.

Crossnore hires full-time employees, trained in trauma-informed care, who care for a sibling set and work with the parents on a reunification plan. While children live in a Crossnore home, the Bridge Parents help birth parents nurture and grow family relationships through targeted therapeutic and skill-building interventions. Families receive professional mental and medical health services, case management, educational assistance, recreational opportunities and support networks. The program reimagines and enhances family visitation, which often takes place in a clinical setting.

Crossnore Bridging Families

With state approval and families progressing toward reunification, the Bridging Families program is expanding to address the growing number of children entering the system. Today, there are four Bridging Families cottages on the Avery Campus.

In December 2022, Crossnore received a grant to support the first Bridging Families community home in partnership with Saluda United Methodist Church in Polk County. The church owns the home, and Crossnore will provide the Bridging Families staff and expertise. Another community partnership is in development with Homes for Youth, a nonprofit that provides housing for homeless youth in Henderson County and keeps the teens in their communities.

“My hope and vision is that we find partners who help build community around these families and create the circumstances that allow for healthy futures,” said Tanya Blackford, Executive Director of Crossnore’s Western Region.

Crossnore has a long history of serving youth in the child welfare system as well as those transitioning out or at risk of entering the system. It offers a full continuum of services to meet the clinical, medical, physical, and spiritual needs of each child. With a host of community partners, including multiple DSS agencies, schools, churches, and other nonprofits, Crossnore is a critical partner and regional leader providing essential holistic child welfare services.

crossnore.org

Photo courtesy of Crossnore.

Funds + Planned Giving Options

When you partner with CFWNC, you join thousands of like-minded people committed to the region and to giving back.

Give Now

CFWNC builds endowments to address needs as they change over time. You can make a tax-deductible contribution of any amount to these funds, knowing that your support helps WNC forever.

Fund for Western North Carolina

Fund for Animal Welfare

Fund for the Arts

Fund for Education

Fund for the Environment

Fund for Health

Fund for People in Need

Fund for Scholarships

Fund for Strong Communities

The Women’s Fund

Create a Fund

CFWNC offers customized giving solutions. We can help you develop a plan that is personal, thorough and effective.

Become a Fundholder

A donor advised fund, named or anonymous, may provide tax benefits and a convenient way to consolidate your giving. You can open a fund that benefits a favorite nonprofit or supports a particular place or cause. CFWNC can help you determine what fund type is the best fit for your situation and goals.

What to Give

You can give cash, marketable securities and mutual fund shares, closely held stock, retirement accounts, interest in a limited liability partnership, life insurance, real estate or private foundation assets. Your professional advisors are partners in this process, ensuring coordination across your charitable, financial and estate planning.

Give Later

A bequest is the simplest way to leave a legacy of caring for the issues, organizations or community most important to you. Other planned giving options include Charitable Gift Annuities or Charitable Remainder Trusts. As you plan, CFWNC can provide advice on a range of giving options centered on your charitable priorities.

4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300

Asheville, NC 28803

To receive future newsletters electronically and to subscribe to CFWNC E-News, please send an email with “subscribe” in the subject line to enews@cfwnc.org.

cfwnc.org / 828-254-4960

Ela Dam Removal

Swain County’s Ela Dam separates the Oconaluftee River from the rest of the Tuckasegee watershed and has since 1925 — almost 100 years. A $40,000 Natural & Cultural Resources grant is funding essential due diligence for Mainspring Conservation Trust to determine the feasibility of acquiring the land and removing the aging dam and reservoir to restore the flow of the River.

American Rivers would manage the removal, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is leading the broad project coalition, which was rallied by EBCI Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Joey Owle after an accidental sediment release in October 2021 that affected

Confirmed in compliance with national standards for US Community Foundations

the downstream reach of the Oconaluftee River.

The Dam was constructed to support rural electrification, but now the social, economic and environmental values of reestablishing a free-flowing Oconaluftee River vastly outweigh the one megawatt it generates. Removal of the Dam would open 549 river miles of the Oconaluftee River and its tributaries. Reconnecting the Oconaluftee to its upstream headwaters and to the Tuckasegee River downstream is being viewed by EBCI members as a critical opportunity to advance environmental justice for the Cherokee community. Ultimately, dam removal will benefit all of the organisms living in the Oconaluftee River and its headwaters, as well as all of the residents and visitors who use the River.

Cover photo by Joye Ardyn Durham

Photo by Angelo Gianni