Community Impact Funds

Our Community is Your Legacy

Ensure Ongoing Community Impact

Community foundations – like Foundation For The Carolinas – were created by and for the people of a community, to ensure ongoing support for local needs.

As time passes, our region’s most compelling issues will evolve. By leaving an unrestricted gift to an FFTC Community Impact Fund, you can entrust FFTC to address unexpected, evolving community needs and opportunities, ensuring permanent, strategic support for the causes you most value, even as needs and organizations change.

View recent grants

Donor advised, scholarship, designated and agency fund assets held at FFTC are often advised by individuals or organizations. Discretionary assets, on the other hand, are unrestricted gifts that give foundations the flexibility to distribute grants based on current needs and strategic opportunities. These assets play a critical role in shaping the identity of community foundations.

Discretionary assets, typically bequeathed to FFTC by donors through estate plans, enable FFTC and its regional affiliate foundations to address changing needs across our community. By partnering with community volunteers, our experienced staff can assess needs and respond strategically (by awarding grants, conducting research and convening initiatives to advance our region's most critical work) or nimbly (in the case of disasters and emergencies). The majority of FFTC's discretionary grantmaking currently takes place among the regional affiliate foundations.

FFTC Community Impact Funds consist of discretionary assets which provide permanent, strategic support for vital causes in our region. By entrusting a portion of your charitable legacy plan to an endowed fund that aligns with your values, you can levarage FFTC's discretionary grantmaking expertise and knowledge of local issues to make impactful investments in our community's future. You can designate your unrestricted gift within a particular interest area or regional community within FFTC's service area.

Areas of Impact

FFTC Community Impact Funds provide permanent, strategic support for vital causes in our region. Entrust a portion of your charitable legacy plan to an endowed fund that aligns with your values, and leverage FFTC’s discretionary grantmaking expertise and knowledge of local issues to make impactful investments in our community’s future.

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Health and Human Services
Enable community members to lead safe, equitable and healthy lives

Education and Youth Development
Ensure opportunities for children and adults to achieve their full potential.

Arts and Culture
Sustain a thriving arts community and preserve our region's diverse culture.

Environmental Sustainability
Protect natural resources and address environmental issues in our region and beyond.

Animal Welfare
Support the well-being of our companion animals.

Evolving Needs and Opportunities
Spearhead civic leadership efforts in our region, respond to disasters and other unexpected needs, and leverage opportunities in our community.

Your FFTC
Ensure your community foundation's future sustainability and ability to serve our region by providing unrestricted support.

Ways to give

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Community Impact Fund Grantees: In Their Own Words

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Local Impact: FFTC Environment Sustainability Fund

“Cherokee Soil and Water Conservation District is deeply appreciative of the grant provided by Foundation For The Carolinas. The funds will support the continuance of our mission to promote the wise and responsible use of natural resources, specifically through the implementation of best practices by farmers and landowners with the availability of a no-till drill for their use. No-till planting/farming contributes to soil conservation by reducing erosion of the land, reducing soil compaction, and increasing soil health. The Conservation District looks forward to being able to, once again, provide equipment for the purpose of sustaining our natural resources.”

- Commissioner Jane Waters
Chair, Cherokee Soil and Water Conservation District

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Local Impact: FFTC Arts & Culture Fund

“On behalf of Lexington Youth Theatre, we express our deepest gratitude to Foundation For The Carolinas for their generous Community Impact Fund grant of $20,000. As we celebrate our 40th season, (this grant) will enable us to purchase much-needed audio equipment … expanding our ability to have more cast members heard with greater clarity throughout the auditorium. Additionally, this funding will aid in keeping our ticket costs as low as possible so families can continue to experience live, Broadway-quality musical theatre in our local community.”

-Nita Jarrett
Board of Directors President and Executive Director
Lexington Youth Theatre

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Local Impact: FFTC Health & Human Services Fund

“We are immensely grateful to receive this generous grant from Foundation For The Carolinas. This contribution will be instrumental in making a direct impact on our community and facilitating the growth of our special projects. Our initiatives, including but not limited to the school supply drive, Christmas project, and winter coat collection, hold great significance to us. We feel fortunate to have received this grant, which will enable us to expand and enhance these vital programs.”

-Leslie Cobb
Executive Director, United Way of Cleveland

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Local Impact: FFTC Education and Youth Fund

“A Foundation For The Carolinas grant is a transformative opportunity that allows The Children’s Council to strengthen and expand our early childhood programs. These funds will enable us to reach more families by expanding services to the southern and eastern parts of Lancaster County. This support directly aligns with our mission to enhance the health, development, and well-being of children in our community by providing families with the tools and resources they need for success. Together, we are building a stronger foundation for the youngest members of Lancaster County.”

-Angelica Barrett
Executive Director, The Children's Council

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Local Impact: FFTC Animal Welfare Fund

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Foundation For The Carolinas for this generous grant of $10,000! What a wonderful gift to receive as we soon plan our 2025 budget! This grant not only helps us help the pets of Lincoln County residents, but it also helps us help the Lincoln County Shelter remain a "no kill" shelter by being able to medically treat dogs and cats, so their owners do not surrender them to the shelter when they are injured or sick. We believe every animal deserves a chance and this allows us to give even more companion animals a chance for a better life with their owners.”

- Tim O'Brien
President, Helping Animals to Survive

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Local Impact: FFTC Health and Human Services Fund

"We are deeply grateful to Foundation For The Carolinas for their generous support through the Community Impact Fund grant. This funding will help the Mental Health Association of Cleveland County to not only maintain but also expand our critical programs and services. Flexible funding such as this is essential to the sustainability and effectiveness of nonprofit organizations like ours; allowing us to adapt to emerging needs and ensure our efforts remain impactful. With this support, we are committed to enhancing youth mental health initiatives and strengthening suicide prevention efforts for all residents of Cleveland County. Together, we are building a stronger, more resilient community where mental health and wellness are prioritized for all."

-Melodie McSwain Martin
Executive Director, Mental Health Association of Cleveland County