To Improve Health and Well-Being
Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation Inc stands out for its large, local grantmaking in Western North Carolina, including repeated support for community health providers and behavioral health services across the Plateau. The foundation’s recent awards show a strong emphasis on access to care, with sizeable operating and program support flowing to clinics, schools, and service organizations in NC communities such as Hendersonville, Highlands, Sylva, Franklin, and Cashiers. A major thread in the record is health-system capacity. Blue Ridge Community Health Services Inc received three of the largest recent grants, including $700,009 in 2023, $643,372 in 2024, and $533,707 in 2025, all tied to operational or health-center support. The foundation also backed Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands with $105,000 in 2025 for behavioral and mental health support related to Hurricane Helene, expanding access to services and community awareness. Other large awards support school health, community clinics, farmworker health, and services for abuse survivors, reflecting a funder that uses grants to strengthen local care delivery rather than fund individual assistance.
Behavioral health is a clear priority. The foundation gave $95,000 to Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands in 2024 to expand access to behavioral health services and bolster community awareness and support for the Plateau Behavioral Health Collaborative. It also awarded $70,000 to Hights in Cullowhee for restorative justice behavioral health. Youth and school-based health appear throughout the record. Macon County Public Schools received $66,640 for Highlands School Nurse, and Jackson County Public Schools received $54,000 for Leading School Based Mental Health in the West. The Summit Charter School Inc in Cashiers got $50,000 for student mental and physical wellness. Access to clinical care is another recurring theme. Vecinos Farmworker Health Program received $50,000 for Community Health Worker III and Chronic Disease Care Plans, while Western Carolina Medical Society Foundation Inc received $38,000 to expand colorectal cancer screening access for underserved populations in Western North Carolina.
Typical grant size clusters around $30,000 at the 25th percentile, $45,842 at the median, and $65,480 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes several much larger awards, suggesting a mix of routine program grants and larger operating or capacity investments. Recipients recur across years: Blue Ridge Community Health Services Inc appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands appears in both 2024 and 2025. The foundation is a public charity, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Its active LIFT Grants cycle accepts unsolicited applications.
$1.6M
$35.4M
$5.8M
$2.5M
Most grants fall between $30K and $65K, with a median of $46K.
25th Percentile
$30K
Median
$46K
75th Percentile
$65K
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Grantmaking is entirely in North Carolina, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. The awards are concentrated in Western North Carolina communities, especially Hendersonville, Highlands, Sylva, Franklin, Cashiers, and Cullowhee. Recent grants also reached Asheville, Webster, Bryson City, Andrews, and Cherokee County. The active LIFT Grants program is explicitly tied to Highlands, Cashiers, and Western North Carolina, with a 2025 cycle covering Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties.
The foundation funds nonprofit and public organizations that improve health and well-being across its service area. Recent awards include community health centers, schools, clinics, social services agencies, and behavioral health providers, with recurring support for primary care, behavioral health, school health, and access to healthcare.
Recent grants cluster around a median of $45,842, with the 25th percentile at $30,000 and the 75th percentile at $65,480. The recent grant list also includes larger awards above $500,000 for major operating support and health-center work.
Yes. The active LIFT Grants cycle accepts unsolicited applications. The annual program supports organizations advancing health and well-being across the Plateau, with priorities including access to primary care, access to behavioral health, and the well-being of infants, children, and adolescents.
Giving is local and entirely in North Carolina. The active LIFT Grants program is tied to Highlands, Cashiers, and Western North Carolina, and the 2025 cycle specifically names Cherokee, Clay, and Graham counties.
Recent grants emphasize access to primary care, behavioral health, school-based mental health, infant and child well-being, community health, and rural healthcare access. Named examples include school nurse funding, restorative justice behavioral health, farmworker health, colorectal cancer screening, and support for abuse survivor services.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES INC | HENDERSONVILLE, NC | $487,060 | 2026 | BRH - HC |
| ADULTS WORKING AND ADVOCATING FOR KIDS EMPOWERMENT (AWAKE) INC | SYLVA, NC | $261,873 | 2026 | A PLACE TO HEAL |
| CASHIERS VALLEY PRESCHOOL INC | CASHIERS, NC | $135,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL PROJECTS - PARKING LOT PAVING, MAIN ENTRANCE ENCLOSURE, BIG ROOM RENO CONTINUATION, SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| COUNTY OF JACKSON | SYLVA, NC | $50,000 | 2026 | CASHIERS COMMUNITY CARE SUITE |
| STAGE4HOPE | ALPHARETTA, GA | $50,000 | 2026 | EXPANDING CANCER ACCESS & SUPPORT IN WESTERN NC: A HIGHLANDS-BASED INITIATIVE |
| COMMUNITY CARE CLINIC OF FRANKLIN INC | FRANKLIN, NC | $45,000 | 2026 | EXPANSION FOR PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE |
| VECINOS INC | FRANKLIN, NC | $40,000 | 2026 | RECRUITMENT AND SUPPORT OF NEW PATIENTS |
| CHILD MEDICAL COLLABORATIVE INC | SYLVA, NC | $40,000 | 2026 | STRENGTHENING ACCESS TO CHILD ABUSE MEDICAL SERVICES IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA |
| WESTERN CAROLINA MEDICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION INC | ASHEVILLE, NC | $38,640 | 2026 | EXPANDING COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING ACCESS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA: A COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVE FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS |
| COMMUNITY CARE CLINIC OF HIGHLANDS-CASHIERS INC | HIGHLANDS, NC | $35,000 | 2026 | ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL CARE |
| BIG BROTHERS-BIG SISTERS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA INC | ASHEVILLE, NC | $30,858 | 2026 | EXPANDING HIGH SCHOOL BIGS AND GROUP MENTORING IN FAR WESTERN WNC |
| HIGHTS | CULLOWHEE, NC | $30,000 | 2026 | YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SUPPORT SERVICES |
| SWAIN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES | BRYSON CITY, NC | $30,000 | 2026 | SAFE HAVEN OUTDOOR WELLNESS SPACE |
| KIDS INTER-DISCIPLINARY SERVICES INC (DBA KIDS PLACE) | FRANKLIN, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | KIDS PLACE CHILD WELLBEING PROJECT |
| INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP CENTER | HIGHLANDS, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | HIGHLANDS FOOD PANTRY |
| SPECIAL LIBERTY PROJECT | FRANKLIN, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | MACON COUNTY VETERANS PROGRAMS (VETS & GOLD STAR RETREATS) |
| BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS HEALTH PROJECT INC (BLUE RIDGE FREE DENTAL CLINIC) | CASHIERS, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | INCREASING ACCESS TO ORAL HEALTH CARE & OVERALL WELL-BEING |
| HIGHLANDS EMERGENCY COUNCIL | HIGHLANDS, NC | $25,000 | 2026 | 2025 HEC HOLIDAY PROJECT |
| THE LITERACY COUNCIL OF HIGHLANDS INC | HIGHLANDS, NC | $23,000 | 2026 | THE LITERACY & LEARNING CENTER'S FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF THE PLATEAU | CASHIERS, NC | $20,200 | 2026 | TEEN PROGRAMMING SUPPORT |
| HAWTHORN HEIGHTS WNC INC | BRYSON CITY, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING INITIATIVE |
| THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT | ASHEVILLE, NC | $20,000 | 2026 | ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AND WELLNESS: LINKING LIVES TO CARE |
| MAGNOLIA MISSION CO | FRANKLIN, NC | $15,000 | 2026 | ELIMINATING FOOD INSECURITY AMONG RESOURCE FAMILIES IN WNC |
| YOUTH VILLAGES INC | WAYNESVILLE, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | LIFESET |
| MACON COUNTY CARE NETWORK | FRANKLIN, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | FOOD INSECURITY |
| HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER | HIGHLANDS, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | ADVANCING QUALITY CARE THROUGH EARLY EDUCATOR TRAINING AND RETENTION |
| FISHES & LOAVES FOOD PANTRY INC | CASHIERS, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | FISHES AND LOAVES FOOD ACCESS |
| MACON PROGRAM FOR PROGRESS | FRANKLIN, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | MACON PROGRAM FOR PROGRESS FOOD ACCESS |
| JACKSON COUNTY DEPARTMENT ON AGING | SYLVA, NC | $10,000 | 2026 | SHELF STABLE MEALS |
| GARDEN 58 | ANDREWS, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | PINWHEEL TUTORING EXPANSION |
| CHEROKEE COUNTY | MURPHY, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | CHEROKEE COUNTY SENIOR SERVICES FOOD ACCESS PROGRAM |
| CLAY COUNTY | HAYESVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | ACCESS TO FOOD FOR CLAY COUNTY SENIORS |
| HIGHLANDS EMERGENCY COUNCIL | HIGHLANDS, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | HEC FOOD ACCESS |
| BRYSON CITY FOOD PANTRY | BRYSON CITY, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | BRYSON CITY FOOD PANTRY |
| STATE OF FRANKLIN HEALTH COUNCIL INC | BRYSON CITY, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | SWAIN SENIOR CENTER WINTER FOOD SUPPORT |
| SUMMIT CHARTER SCHOOL | CASHIERS, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR STUDENT PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLNESS |
| FIVE POINT CENTER INC | ROBBINSVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | FOOD INSECURITY |
| LEDFORD'S CHAPEL DBA MATT'S MINISTRY | HAYESVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | MATT'S MINISTRY FOOD ACCESS |
| GRAHAM COUNTY SENIOR CENTER | ROBBINSVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | GRAHAM COUNTY SENIOR CENTER FOOD ACCESS |
| COMMUNITY TABLE INC | SYLVA, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY TABLE FOOD RESOURCES |
| CLAY COUNTY FOOD PANTRY | HAYESVILLE, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | YEAR END FOOD SUPPORT |
| FOUR SQUARE COMMUNITY ACTION | ANDREWS, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | FOUR SQUARE COMMUNITY ACTION FOOD ACCESS |
| RESTORATION HOUSE WNC | BRYSON CITY, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | RESTORATION HOUSE WNC FOOD ACCESS |
| COUNTY OF MACON | FRANKLIN, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | MACON COUNTY SENIOR SERVICES HOME DELIVERED MEALS SHELF STABLE FOODS |
| TOWN OF HIGHLANDS | HIGHLANDS, NC | $5,000 | 2026 | TOWN OF HIGHLANDS PLAYGROUND PROJECT |
| Blue Ridge Community Health Services Inc | Hendersonville, NC | $533,707 | 2025 | BRH - HC |
| Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands | Highlands, NC | $105,000 | 2025 | Behavioral and Mental Health Support related to Hurricane Helene. Expanding access to services and community awareness |
| Vecinos Farmworker Health Program | Cullowhee, NC | $70,000 | 2025 | Hurricane Helene Relief and Care Plan Program Implementation |
| Macon County EMS | Franklin, NC | $45,000 | 2025 | Medical Technology Upgrades and Macon County EMS Community Care Program |
| Child Medical Collaborative Inc | Sylva, NC | $40,000 | 2025 | Funds to assist with staff costs to perform Child Medical Evaluations to abuse victims. |
CASHIERS VALLEY PRESCHOOL INC
$135,000CAPITAL PROJECTS - PARKING LOT PAVING, MAIN ENTRANCE ENCLOSURE, BIG ROOM RENO CONTINUATION, SCHOLARSHIP FUND
COUNTY OF JACKSON
$50,000CASHIERS COMMUNITY CARE SUITE
STAGE4HOPE
$50,000EXPANDING CANCER ACCESS & SUPPORT IN WESTERN NC: A HIGHLANDS-BASED INITIATIVE
COMMUNITY CARE CLINIC OF FRANKLIN INC
$45,000EXPANSION FOR PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE
STRENGTHENING ACCESS TO CHILD ABUSE MEDICAL SERVICES IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
EXPANDING COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING ACCESS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA: A COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVE FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS
ACCESS TO PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL CARE
EXPANDING HIGH SCHOOL BIGS AND GROUP MENTORING IN FAR WESTERN WNC
SWAIN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
$30,000SAFE HAVEN OUTDOOR WELLNESS SPACE
KIDS INTER-DISCIPLINARY SERVICES INC (DBA KIDS PLACE)
$25,000KIDS PLACE CHILD WELLBEING PROJECT
SPECIAL LIBERTY PROJECT
$25,000MACON COUNTY VETERANS PROGRAMS (VETS & GOLD STAR RETREATS)
BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS HEALTH PROJECT INC (BLUE RIDGE FREE DENTAL CLINIC)
$25,000INCREASING ACCESS TO ORAL HEALTH CARE & OVERALL WELL-BEING
THE LITERACY & LEARNING CENTER'S FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
HAWTHORN HEIGHTS WNC INC
$20,000YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING INITIATIVE
THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AIDS PROJECT
$20,000ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AND WELLNESS: LINKING LIVES TO CARE
MAGNOLIA MISSION CO
$15,000ELIMINATING FOOD INSECURITY AMONG RESOURCE FAMILIES IN WNC
HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
$10,000ADVANCING QUALITY CARE THROUGH EARLY EDUCATOR TRAINING AND RETENTION
FISHES & LOAVES FOOD PANTRY INC
$10,000FISHES AND LOAVES FOOD ACCESS
MACON PROGRAM FOR PROGRESS
$10,000MACON PROGRAM FOR PROGRESS FOOD ACCESS
JACKSON COUNTY DEPARTMENT ON AGING
$10,000SHELF STABLE MEALS
GARDEN 58
$5,000PINWHEEL TUTORING EXPANSION
CHEROKEE COUNTY
$5,000CHEROKEE COUNTY SENIOR SERVICES FOOD ACCESS PROGRAM
CLAY COUNTY
$5,000ACCESS TO FOOD FOR CLAY COUNTY SENIORS
BRYSON CITY FOOD PANTRY
$5,000BRYSON CITY FOOD PANTRY
STATE OF FRANKLIN HEALTH COUNCIL INC
$5,000SWAIN SENIOR CENTER WINTER FOOD SUPPORT
LEDFORD'S CHAPEL DBA MATT'S MINISTRY
$5,000MATT'S MINISTRY FOOD ACCESS
GRAHAM COUNTY SENIOR CENTER
$5,000GRAHAM COUNTY SENIOR CENTER FOOD ACCESS
CLAY COUNTY FOOD PANTRY
$5,000YEAR END FOOD SUPPORT
COUNTY OF MACON
$5,000MACON COUNTY SENIOR SERVICES HOME DELIVERED MEALS SHELF STABLE FOODS
TOWN OF HIGHLANDS
$5,000TOWN OF HIGHLANDS PLAYGROUND PROJECT
Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands
$105,000Behavioral and Mental Health Support related to Hurricane Helene. Expanding access to services and community awareness
Hurricane Helene Relief and Care Plan Program Implementation
Macon County EMS
$45,000Medical Technology Upgrades and Macon County EMS Community Care Program
Funds to assist with staff costs to perform Child Medical Evaluations to abuse victims.