The North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF) HCWGMW Endowment is accepting 2026 applications for new or existing projects and programs focused on youth development or eliminating the cycle of poverty for youth in Camden, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans counties.
Funding: NCCF says the endowment expects to provide approximately $150,000 in total funding in 2026, with grants typically ranging from $5,000 to $30,000. Deadline: October 13, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications opened September 11, 2026.
Eligibility and geography
The fund’s current announcement emphasizes nonprofits and charitable organizations serving youth in Camden, Gates, Pasquotank or Perquimans counties. Organizations do not need to be physically based in one of those counties if their proposed work serves youth there. NCCF’s general community grantmaking rules also identify 501(c)(3) public charities, eligible fiscally sponsored organizations, local governments including public schools, fire and rescue departments, and religious entities as eligible organization categories, subject to program-specific restrictions. Applicants outside the nonprofit categories emphasized by the HCWGMW announcement should confirm eligibility with NCCF before applying.
Collaborative applications are encouraged. When an applicant proposes to work in collaboration with another charitable organization, letters of support from the collaborating organization are required with the submission.
Allowable focus and restrictions
Requests may support new or existing projects and programs that advance youth development or address the cycle of poverty for youth in the four eligible counties. Under NCCF’s general community grantmaking rules, applications may ordinarily request project/program support or general operating support unless a specific fund states otherwise. NCCF does not fund annual fund or capital campaigns, political purposes or lobbying, loans, re-granting by the applicant, direct benefit to named individuals, or reimbursement of costs incurred before the application deadline. The HCWGMW public guidance does not state a mandatory match or cost-share requirement.
Submission requirements
Applications must be submitted through NCCF’s Grant Application Portal. Applicants create or use an existing organizational profile, select Apply, enter access code hcwgmw, and choose the 2026 HCWGMW Fund application. The portal allows applicants to preview application questions before starting. Applicants must complete and submit the online application before the deadline; saving a draft does not constitute submission. A confirmation email is issued after a successful submission.
The public HCWGMW page specifically identifies collaboration letters of support as a required attachment when applicable. Other application questions and any additional uploads are presented in the live portal and should be verified there before final submission rather than inferred from a prior-year application.
Contact: Natalie Jenkins Peel, Director of Community Leadership, npeel@nccommunityfoundation.org, 252-562-9824. No separate amendment or addendum is identified on the current official HCWGMW opportunity page as of September 12, 2026.
Atlas fit
Atlas Opportunity Score: 68/100. N9+ Fit Score: 10/100. This is a legitimate North Carolina youth and anti-poverty funding opportunity, but the controlling guidance does not identify healthcare technology, telehealth, connected diagnostics or medical equipment as a priority. A role for the Nonagon N9+ device and platform would only be defensible if an otherwise eligible organization has a youth-serving health-access project in which the technology is an allowable, directly relevant project cost. That condition is not established by the public solicitation, so Atlas classifies this opportunity as publish-only and does not recommend cold applicant outreach.