Grants to North Carolina nonprofit and faith-based organizations to help meet local needs and enrich the quality of life for the people in the funding source's service area. Applicants must contact the funding source prior to applying. Focus areas include education, health, the environment, disaster relief, animal welfare, arts and culture, historic preservation, children and youth, and other human services. Eligible organizations are those that benefit residents of Dare County and the Outer Banks communities.

Community Enrichment Grants are usually awarded to support the direct costs of a charitable project or program (e.g., art supplies, medical equipment, educational materials, vehicles, program staff).

The foundation also periodically awards program scholarship grants, which are grants to a nonprofit to enable that organization to offer need-based program scholarships (i.e., program fee subsidies) to individuals or families with financial or other hardship. The scholarships/subsidies should offset or reduce the participation fees that the nonprofit would normally charge for an enrichment program such as a day camp, educational offering, and/or after-school program. 

The foundation will also award Community Enrichment Grants to build the capacity of a charitable organization serving the Outer Banks, with a goal of enhancing that nonprofit’s long-term effectiveness, financial stability, and/or program quality—in short, its ability to meet its mission and sustain its programs. Examples might include computer systems, strategic planning, and/or purchase of facility space.

Priority will be given to projects and organizations that:

• Involve or benefit a broad segment of the community.
• Provide an innovative approach to addressing area needs.
• Either initiate new projects or programs to influence beneficial change, or fill gaps, or address urgent community needs.
• Attract additional funding from other sources (i.e., matching funds).
• Promote an organization’s financial sustainability.
• Promote collaboration and efficiencies amongst multiple organizations.