HandsOn NWNC mobilizes the people and organizations that inspire community change in Northwest NC.
HandsOn Northwest North Carolina centers its grantmaking on capacity building for local nonprofits, with recent awards reaching organizations such as Honorable Youth Inc and Happy Hill Neighborhood Association in Winston-Salem. The foundation’s pattern is less about large operating grants and more about helping groups strengthen the internal systems that support their work: coaching, training, assessments, board development, and related technical assistance. Recent grants also show support for organizations serving specific communities and causes, including Island Culturez Inc, The Wells Center Inc for Women In, and One Love Strong Foundation. Across its recent awards, the foundation uses a practical, organization-focused model. Grants often support staff and board development, customized assistance, or program-related capacity work rather than unrestricted funding. Several awards are tied to training and organizational strengthening, which fits the foundation’s stated focus on nonprofit capacity building, leadership development, volunteer mobilization, and board leadership. Its 2025 grant list includes multiple $15,000 awards and a larger $22,500 award, indicating room for both standard capacity-building support and higher-intensity assistance when needed. The grant patterns point to a funder working within Northwest North Carolina to help local nonprofits function more effectively and sustainably.
A core theme in the foundation’s grantmaking is organizational development. It awarded $15,000 to Island Culturez Inc for capacity building, and $10,000 to Scattered Seeds for the same purpose, reflecting a consistent emphasis on strengthening internal systems rather than funding direct service alone. Board and leadership development is another clear area. Royal Curtain Drama Guild Inc received $10,000 for capacity building, while Project Blueprint participants can receive a $250 professional development stipend tied to board leadership training. The foundation also supports nonprofit learning through scholarships, including help for staff or board members attending the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits conference. Its portfolio also reaches community-based groups serving distinct audiences. Disability Advocates of Nwnc received $7,500 for capacity building, and the foundation’s organizational coaching program gives priority to nonprofits led by and serving a majority of people of color. That combination shows a focus on both infrastructure and organizational equity.
$263K
$288K
$336K
$447K
Most grants fall between $10K and $11K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$11K
AMY LYTLE
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Typical grants cluster tightly around a $10,000 median, with a p25 of $10,000 and a p75 of $11,250. The recent record also includes smaller $250 professional development stipends and larger capacity-building awards, including one $22,500 grant. The pattern suggests a standardized support model with occasional variation for specific needs. Giving appears recurring over time rather than one-off: the recent grants list includes awards from both 2023 and 2025, with the same funder supporting multiple local organizations in more than one year. The foundation is not a donor-advised fund or an individual grantmaker; it is an operating foundation that funds organizations rather than individuals. Several programs accept unsolicited requests, including scholarships and board-training stipends, while other coaching and stipend programs are limited or invitation-based.
Giving is entirely local and entirely in North Carolina: 100% of grants in the data went to recipients in the foundation’s home state, and NC is also the top state by grant count. Most named recipients are in Winston-Salem, with additional awards in Greensboro, Kernersville, and Durham. The geographic footprint is concentrated in Forsyth County and nearby Northwest North Carolina communities, matching the foundation’s stated service area.
The foundation supports local nonprofits and community organizations through capacity building, board development, leadership training, volunteer mobilization, and organizational coaching. Recent grants include capacity-building awards to groups such as Honorable Youth Inc, Happy Hill Neighborhood Association, and Island Culturez Inc.
The center of the grant-size distribution is $10,000: p25 is $10,000, median is $10,000, and p75 is $11,250. The recent list also shows smaller $250 stipends and a larger $22,500 award.
No. The grant recipient country distribution shows 31 grants, all in the US, and 100% of the grants went to recipients in NC.
Yes, for some programs. The scholarship for the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits conference accepts unsolicited requests, as do Project Blueprint professional development stipends and the Chuck Kraft Scholarship. Other coaching and some stipend programs are limited and do not accept unsolicited applications.
The foundation’s giving is local and centered on Northwest North Carolina, with grants in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Kernersville, and Durham. Its active programs are focused on Forsyth County, Davidson County, and Davie County.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Handson Northwest North Carolina that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicant must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization within Forsyth, Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Surry, or Yadkin Counties. Preference is given to organizations with a relationship with HandsOn NWNC. Previous recipients cannot reapply.
Deadline: No fixed deadline; awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HONORABLE YOUTH INC | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $22,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| ISLAND CULTUREZ INC | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| ONE LOVE STRONG FOUNDATION | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| HAPPY HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| THE WELLS CENTER INC FOR WOMEN IN | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| SMILEY'S SWEETS | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| TRE4CENTER OF FINE ARTS INC | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $15,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| DOSE COLLECTIVE CORP | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| ANGELIC WARRIOR FOUNDATION | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| EAGLES OF GRACE | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| SCATTERED SEEDS | GREENSBORO, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| ROYAL CURTAIN DRAMA GUILD INC | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| RED HAWKS AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION | KERNERSVILLE, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| ABC OF FORSYTH COUNTY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| DISABILITY ADVOCATES OF NWNC | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| COMMUNITY DESIGN STUDIO | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| NC CONGRESS OF LATINO ORGANIZATIONS | DURHAM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| ABC OF FORSYTH COUNTY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| COMUNIDAD MUJER VALIOSA | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| COMMUNITY DESIGN STUDIO | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| DISABILITY ADVOCATES OF NWNC | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| 18 SPRINGS COMMUNITY HEALING CENTER | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| FAMILY LOVE AND INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| PIEDMONT WIND SYMPHONY | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| LIVING IS FINALLY ENJOYABLE WS | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $7,500 | 2025 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| URBAN STEAM FOUNDATION | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2023 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| POLISH FOR GIRLS | KERNERSVILLE, NC | $10,000 | 2023 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| ANULI PREGNANCY CARE SERVICES | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2023 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| NATIONAL BIRTH COALITION | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2023 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| LEANBACK GIVEBACK FOUNDATION | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2023 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
| JOURNEE BEES VILLAGE | WINSTONSALEM, NC | $10,000 | 2023 | CAPACITY BUILDING |
HONORABLE YOUTH INC
$22,500CAPACITY BUILDING
ISLAND CULTUREZ INC
$15,000CAPACITY BUILDING
ONE LOVE STRONG FOUNDATION
$15,000CAPACITY BUILDING
HAPPY HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
$15,000CAPACITY BUILDING
THE WELLS CENTER INC FOR WOMEN IN
$15,000CAPACITY BUILDING
SMILEY'S SWEETS
$15,000CAPACITY BUILDING
TRE4CENTER OF FINE ARTS INC
$15,000CAPACITY BUILDING
DOSE COLLECTIVE CORP
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
ANGELIC WARRIOR FOUNDATION
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
EAGLES OF GRACE
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
SCATTERED SEEDS
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
ROYAL CURTAIN DRAMA GUILD INC
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
RED HAWKS AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
ABC OF FORSYTH COUNTY
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
DISABILITY ADVOCATES OF NWNC
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
COMMUNITY DESIGN STUDIO
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
ABC OF FORSYTH COUNTY
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
COMUNIDAD MUJER VALIOSA
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
COMMUNITY DESIGN STUDIO
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
DISABILITY ADVOCATES OF NWNC
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
18 SPRINGS COMMUNITY HEALING CENTER
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
FAMILY LOVE AND INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
PIEDMONT WIND SYMPHONY
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
LIVING IS FINALLY ENJOYABLE WS
$7,500CAPACITY BUILDING
URBAN STEAM FOUNDATION
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
POLISH FOR GIRLS
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
ANULI PREGNANCY CARE SERVICES
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
NATIONAL BIRTH COALITION
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
LEANBACK GIVEBACK FOUNDATION
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
JOURNEE BEES VILLAGE
$10,000CAPACITY BUILDING
