Community Initiatives Application
Providing timely, one-time support to help individuals and families maintain stability, safety, and independence.
WNC Bridge Foundation’s Community Initiatives (CI) program works closely with advocates to provide one-time annual support to individuals and households across the 18 counties and Qualla Boundary of Western North Carolina. Through this program, we partner with advocates to help individuals access the resources they need to remain stable, safe, and supported in their daily lives.
For Community Initiatives application questions email request@wncbridge.org or call 828.419.7118.
Application Timeline:
Step 1: Review Community Initiatives Guidelines
Start by reading our updated 2026 Community Initiatives guidelines. Individuals cannot apply on their own behalf.
Step 2: Advocates apply for CI Funding (Deadline: 15th of every month)
Community Initiatives application goes live the first Monday – the 15th of every month.
Step 3: Funding Decisions Made and Communicated: (Third week of every month)
The Advocate will be notified through email of funding decisions and payments or direct purchasing next steps.
Community Initiatives Overview
Funding priorities center on three focus areas:
- Basic Needs
Supporting stability and independence through essential needs such as home safety, housing, medical support, transportation, and utility assistance (power or water). - Mental Health
Supporting individuals by helping stabilize safe living environments. Assistance may include support related to safety, crisis response, and urgent life disruptions, such as domestic violence, displacement, or sudden loss of essential resources. - Youth Development
- Youth Academic Support includes medical equipment, sensory tools, hearing and visual aids that promote developmental inclusion.
- Youth Resilience includes support for children facing crisis, safety, and urgent life disruptions.
Who We Will Serve
- Underserved individuals living in the 18 counties and Qualla Boundary of WNC.
- Individuals and families experiencing poverty.
- Preference will be given to:
- Individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene
- Individuals living in underserved populations
- Domestic survivors
- Children in crisis or those requiring medical equipment or academic support
Types of Support
- Auto repairs and transportation support
- Home essentials and safety-related modifications
- Medical Equipment and accessibility modifications
- Rental assistance
- Utility assistance (power or water only)
- Youth academic, developmental supports, or crisis/safety supports
What We Will Not Fund
- Loans
- Hotel or temporary lodging stays
- Medical or dental services
- Reimbursement made directly to individuals
- Reimbursements to advocate organizations for expenses incurred prior to application approval
- Vehicle purchases
Important Guidelines
- An advocate, not an individual, must complete the CI application.
- An individual/ household is eligible for assistance once per year.
- Applications must be submitted using our online platform.
- Advocates are allowed multiple submissions with a limit of two approvals per month.
- Appliance replacements are ordered through Lowes. Please include link to product.
- Digital or Physical Gas gift cards are ordered through Shell and sent directly to advocate for disbursement.
- Medical equipment or supplies are ordered through Amazon. Please include link to product.
- Applications cannot be held; approved requests must be completed within 30 days.
Award Amounts
The Foundation maintains a limited budget for each grant cycle. Requests at the higher end of the award range should clearly demonstrate how the support will meaningfully impact the individual’s stability, safety, or overall well-being.
Maximum Award: $1,000
- Appliance replacements
- Auto repairs
- Home essentials or safety-related repairs
- Mobility equipment
- Rental assistance
- Youth academic or developmental supports, or crisis/ safety supports
Maximum Award: $500
- Home medical equipment
- Transportation support
- Utility assistance (power or water)
Who Can Apply:
Applications must be submitted by an advocate on behalf of an individual.
Advocates include:
- Case Managers and Social Workers
- Community Health Workers
- Disability Service Providers and Independent Living Specialists
- Faith-based leaders and Outreach Coordinators
- Mental Health Providers, Counselors, Peer Support Specialists, School Counselors, and Teachers
- Nonprofit Program Coordinators
- Tribal Service Providers and Community Representatives
Resources for Individuals
- If you are an individual, you will need an advocate to apply on your behalf. We suggest you contact your local Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) branch.
- If you are seeking assistance related to Hurricane Helene, additional resources are available at disasterassistance.gov.
- If you need help finding resources in your community and don’t know where to turn, NC 211 is the place to begin. United Way’s 211 Program is an information and referral service that connects North Carolinians to verified resources for basic needs, such as housing and utility assistance, food, healthcare, transportation, and more. Anyone in North Carolina can make a free and confidential call to 2-1-1 (or 888-892-1162). A trained Community Resource Specialist will listen, identify needs, and connect callers to local resources that fit their situation.
Application Follow-Up
- Your application will be saved automatically. If you want to return later, simply close the browser. You can resume your application at: https://bbgm-apply.yourcausegrants.com/apply/applications.
- Add mail@grantapplication.com and noreply@yourcause.com to your address book or safe senders list to ensure you receive all communications.
- After submission, the advocate will receive an automated email with a unique Application ID number. This ID will be included in the subject line of your funding decision, which is typically communicated during the third week of the month.
- To keep the process moving efficiently, all payments and orders must be completed before the next grant cycle begins.
- Advocates are encouraged to monitor communications closely and respond promptly to any requests for additional documentation or information.
- If an application is closed due to inactivity, the advocate may request it be reopened during the next application cycle by emailing request@wncbridge.org
Quick Links:
Tell Your Story
If you have received support from our Community Initiatives, allowing us to share your story helps WNC Bridge communicate with our donors the impact of their gifts. The first step to sharing your story is completing our consent form and emailing it to request@wncbridge.org.
Donate
WNC Bridge Foundation raises funds to support our Community Initiatives work. Unlike our grants, which are funded through endowment investments, our Community Initiatives rely on the generous support of individuals who donate money and support our fundraising efforts. Our Children’s Services Fund and WNC Greatest Needs Fund are the two Community Initiatives that directly support this work.