United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
ActivePublic CharityPhilanthropy & Voluntarism
ASHEVILLE, NCWebsite
About United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
We envision a united and resilient community where everyone belongs and everyone thrives. We bring people, resources, and partners together to strengthen youth opportunity and community resiliency through collaboration, investments, volunteer mobilization, and data-driven strategies.
Focus Areas
Education / Youth SuccessCommunity SchoolsDisaster Relief & Recovery (Helene)Volunteer Mobilization (Hands On Asheville-Buncombe)NC 211 / Information & ReferralGrantmaking to local nonprofits
Who They Fund
low-income individuals and familiesmarginalized and historically disadvantaged communitiespeople experiencing poverty and injustice
Funding Style
systems change
About United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County
United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County Inc. channels local funding through community investments, contracts, and relief efforts tied to youth opportunity and community resiliency. In 2023, its largest recent grant went to Blue Ridge Community Health Service in Hendersonville for $289,238, showing a substantial commitment to nearby partners serving the region. Other major awards went to My Daddy Taught Me That, Asheville City Schools Foundation, YWCA, and Buncombe Partnership for Children, pointing to a mix of youth, family, and community-serving organizations in its portfolio. The foundation’s grantmaking is shaped by collaboration with nonprofits, schools, and volunteer partners rather than a broad national portfolio. Its active programs include United for Youth partner investments, community schools contracts, and Helene relief and recovery funding, all aligned with local priorities in Asheville and Buncombe County. Recent grant recipients also include Umoja Health Wellness and Justice, Pisgah Legal Services, Homeward Bound of Western North Carolina, and Helpmate, indicating attention to health, housing, legal support, and services for people facing hardship. The mix of grants and contracts suggests a funder that uses direct investments to support place-based systems and community capacity.
What United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County Funds
Youth opportunity is a central theme. United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County Inc. gave $52,484 to Asheville City Schools Foundation, $41,901 to Buncombe Partnership for Children, and $18,293 to YMCA of Wnc, reflecting support for education-linked and youth-serving work. Community health and family stability also appear in the recent grants list. The foundation awarded $289,238 to Blue Ridge Community Health Service and $44,012 to YWCA, alongside $17,362 to Irene Wortham Center and $16,588 to All Souls Counseling Center. Their portfolio also includes safety-net and crisis-response organizations. Pisgah Legal Services received $35,188, Homeward Bound of Western North Car received $27,420, and Helpmate received $23,697. These grants fit the funder’s stated focus on community resiliency and support for people experiencing poverty and injustice.
How United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County Gives
Typical awards cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $10,668, median of $15,710, and p75 of $26,210. The 2023 list also shows a much larger outlier at $289,238, indicating that the foundation uses a tiered approach rather than one uniform grant level. This is a local, place-based public charity, and its 2023 recipients are concentrated in a single state. The recent-grants list includes both grants and contracts, and several program descriptions reference contracts for school-based services or partner investments. Unsolicited applications are accepted for event sponsorships and the volunteer center, while the other listed programs are not open to unsolicited requests.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$3.4M
Total Assets
$15.3M
Total Revenue
$16.3M
Total Expenses
$9.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $11K and $26K, with a median of $16K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$16K
75th Percentile
$26K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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