The foundation concentrates its giving locally in Asheville and channels all philanthropy through the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce to support community betterment. Grants are focused on chamber-led economic and workforce initiatives, notably programs to expand inclusive hiring and employer engagement across the region. This suggests a pragmatic, place-based approach that leverages the chamber as an operational partner for civic and business-focused interventions.
Highly concentrated: all funding goes to a single local intermediary (the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce) across multiple grants, indicating preference for one trusted convener and programmatic support rather than many small, diverse grantees.
$2.1M
$2.3M
$2.6M
$2.5M
Most grants fall between $70K and $255K, with a median of $123K.
25th Percentile
$70K
Median
$123K
75th Percentile
$255K
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Notable grantees: Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (Inclusive Hiring Partners)
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain BizCapital Inc | Asheville, NC | $1,098,635 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Inc | Asheville, NC | $773,113 | 2026 | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY & PCI FUND |
| Dare Vegan Cheese LLC | Weaverville, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations |
| Online Training Concepts | Asheville, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations |
| Carolina Flowers LLC | Asheville, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations |
| Legally Addictive Foods LLC | Weaverville, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations |
| Matcha Nude | Arden, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations |
| French Broad Pantry LLC | Asheville, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations |
| Asheville Tea Company | Asheville, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations |
| Greater Haywood Chamber of Commerce | Waynesville, NC | $5,250 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Henderson County Chamber of Commerce Incorporated | Hendersonville, NC | $5,250 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Burke County Chamber of Commerce | Morganton, NC | $5,100 | 2026 | OPERATING SUPPORT |
| Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce | Asheville, NC | $614,435 | 2025 | Economic Development Activity & PCI Fund |
| My Daddy Taught Me That | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Blue Ridge Public Radio | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Asheville Museum of Science | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Eblen Charities Inc | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| OpenDoors Asheville | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Asheville Habitat for Humanity | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Asheville Greenworks | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Buncombe County Schools Foundation Inc | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| All Souls Counseling | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Black Wall Street AVL | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| Western Carolina Rescue Ministries | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| YWCA of Asheville and WNC Inc | Asheville, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations |
| LoLo LLC | Asheville, NC | $5,000 | 2025 | "Best Startup to Work For" Award |
| ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | ASHEVILLE, NC | $403,774 | 2024 | PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |
| ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | ASHEVILLE, NC | $386,302 | 2023 | PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |
| ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | ASHEVILLE, NC | $122,771 | 2023 | INCLUSIVE HIRING PARTNERS |
| ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | ASHEVILLE, NC | $18,200 | 2023 | PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE |
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Inc
$773,113ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY & PCI FUND
Dare Vegan Cheese LLC
$25,000Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations
Online Training Concepts
$25,000Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations
Carolina Flowers LLC
$25,000Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations
Legally Addictive Foods LLC
Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations
Matcha Nude
$25,000Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations
French Broad Pantry LLC
$25,000Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations
Asheville Tea Company
$25,000Optimist Ventures Accelerator Grant Program providing assistance to western NC organizations
Greater Haywood Chamber of Commerce
$5,250OPERATING SUPPORT
Henderson County Chamber of Commerce Incorporated
$5,250OPERATING SUPPORT
Burke County Chamber of Commerce
$5,100OPERATING SUPPORT
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
$614,435Economic Development Activity & PCI Fund
My Daddy Taught Me That
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Blue Ridge Public Radio
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Asheville Museum of Science
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
OpenDoors Asheville
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Asheville Habitat for Humanity
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Asheville Greenworks
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
All Souls Counseling
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Black Wall Street AVL
$10,000Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
Operating Support for 13 local non-profit organizations
LoLo LLC
$5,000"Best Startup to Work For" Award
ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$403,774PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$386,302PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$122,771INCLUSIVE HIRING PARTNERS
ASHEVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$18,200PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE