Funding Opportunity: Mental Health, Resilience and Well-Being Grants for Youth Serving Organizations

Background
Hurricane Helene caused widespread devastation across western North Carolina, leaving a lasting impact on the region. Yet, in the midst of this tragedy, local organizations demonstrated incredible strength and resilience. They responded quickly and compassionately, putting community needs first and working together in creative ways to support recovery.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation (Blue Cross NC Foundation) recognizes that the disaster affected not only those who lost homes, livelihoods, or loved ones, but also the nonprofit professionals who have been caring for them. Nearly a year later, many of these individuals are still serving their communities while continuing to deal with their own personal challenges.

We see a need for flexible support to help sustain this vital workforce.

Available Funding
To support these efforts, we are offering grants to up to 20 western North Carolina nonprofit organizations who work within our shared priority area of youth mental health. Each grant will provide $25,000 over a one-year period to support staff  with the time and resources they need to rest, recover, and continue healing from the storm’s impact.

The grants are flexible and can be used in ways that best support each organization’s team. Blue Cross NC Foundation does not require a specific approach, allowing each grantee to decide how to use the funds based on their staff’s needs and priorities.

Eligibility

Organization Type:  

• Nonprofit organization that is exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is classified as “not a private foundation” under Section 509(a).  

- OR-  

• Fiscally sponsored program – A group or project with a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization acting as a fiscal sponsor. Please note that the fiscal sponsor is considered the grantee and is responsible for all legal aspects of the project including reporting and financial management.

Location

• Organizations must be based in the following counties designated as the most impacted and distressed from Hurricane Helene [Source: FEMA and HUD, as of 6 February 2025]: Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cleveland, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, and Yancey.

Please Note: Organizations that are currently receiving funding from the Blue Cross NC Foundation are not eligible to apply for this opportunity. Additionally, universities, government entities, professional associations, hospitals, and pass-through intermediaries are not eligible to apply. If you have a question about whether your organization is eligible, please contact the Foundation at grants@bcbsncfoundation.org.  

Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

We have compiled Frequently Asked Questions to further assist prospective applicants.

Learn More and Apply

• Download the full funding opportunity.