About our grants

We award grants to small, local nonprofits committed to North Carolinians. We do this with the goal of making a deeper impact on community-based charities that meet specific needs of our neighbors.

  • Up to $25,000 may be awarded each quarter.
  • We focus on areas of health care, housing, human services and hunger.
  • Applicants must meet eligibility criteria.
  • Applications must be submitted at least one month before funds are required.

2025 application periods

We will accept grant applications during the following periods:

  • January 10 
    to February 15

    (funds allocated to Hurricane Helene relief efforts)

  • April 10 
    to May 15

  • July 10 
    to August 15

  • October 10 
    to November 15

Grant applications will be considered only during the period in which they are submitted. If the deadline is missed, applications will remain in the application portal and be available for updating/submitting during the next application period. Organizations that do not receive a grant may reapply one year from the date of their previously submitted application. 

*At this time, organizations that have already received a grant from Civic Foundation are ineligible to apply for future grants.

Who's eligible for our grants

Grant eligible icons

Grants will only be made to the following types of organizations in NC:

  • Grants can be used only for programmatic expenses and will only be made to the following types of organizations in NC:
  • Public charity, private foundation, nonprofit, or government entity that qualifies as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
  • A school, hospital, or local governmental organization that holds nonprofit status as a 501(c)(3) organization (examples include hospitals with foundations, schools with charitable programs, and local government professional development associations)
  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations that have been in existence 10 years or less and have an annual operating budget of less than $1 million 

If awarded a grant, grant recipients are required to:

  • Meet with their local municipal and county governments to share information about the services their organization provides
  • Complete a class, seminar, workshop, and/or consultation with a local community college via the free services of a Small Business Center, or any low-cost professional development course of their choice
  • Implement a volunteer activity for Civic Credit Union staff and community members to support the grant recipient’s operation or programming
  • Develop a strategy to evaluate and measure the impact of the grant on the organization’s programming or bottom line 

Grants will NOT be awarded to:

  • Political candidates or groups
  • Individuals
  • Groups without 501(c)(3) or similar nonprofit status
  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations that have been in existence more than 10 years
  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations that have an annual operating budget of more than $1 million
  • Organizations that have previously received a grant from Civic Foundation
  • Grants for operating expenses (grant funds cannot be used to cover salaries, staff fees, consulting fees, training fees, etc.)

 

Completing your application

Before you apply, please gather the following documents to upload with your application:

  • Federal Tax ID  number
  • Organization's annual budget
  • Organization's audit or financial budget
  • Copy of organization's W-9 form


 

Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive an automated email confirming it has been received. You can check the status of your application at any time by logging in to the grant application portal.

Due to the volume of applications we receive each quarter, we request your cooperation as we take the time to review each of them carefully. Your organization will be notified of its application status before the next application period opens. If your organization is awarded a grant, you will be contacted to discuss next steps.

Ready to apply?

Visit the Grant application portal