2025 A Look Back: Frontline Philanthropy award
Hurricane Helene stretched Western North Carolina’s nonprofit infrastructure to its limits.
Jack Snyder illustration
Western North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Helene showed clearly that resilience is built not just by government plans on paper but by people and organizations rooted in community and commitment.
Three regional philanthropy leaders — Dogwood Health Trust, Mountain Projects and The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina — stood at the center of that response, stepping beyond missions and acting as frontline partners in relief, recovery and stability when formal systems lagged or gaps emerged.
Dogwood Health Trust was among the first to mobilize significant resources, approving an emergency allocation of $30 million in grants in the immediate days after Helene struck and ultimately issuing about $70 million in Helene-related grants over multiple rounds to nonprofits delivering vital services. Those funds supported urgent relief work, maintained essential health services, bolstered housing stability and provided economic support for communities in need.
Dogwood’s effort built on its long-term commitment to improving health and well-being across the region, enabled by its endowment and locally informed approach to philanthropy.
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina activated its Emergency and Disaster Response Fund within days of the storm, distributing tens of millions in grants to a wide array of local organizations serving every county in the region.
With more than 500 grants worth nearly $40 million awarded, the foundation helped ensure that small, trusted groups — from food distribution partners to grassroots relief efforts — could meet urgent needs without being slowed by bureaucracy.
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Mountain Projects pushed through troubled waters as local families faced displacement, damage and urgent needs. With deep roots in Haywood and Jackson counties, the organization pivoted its work to help tide neighbors through immediate crises and connect them to larger recovery networks. From emergency housing support to coordinated community outreach, Mountain Projects’ efforts demonstrated how locally anchored nonprofits can save lives and stabilize neighborhoods when disaster hits home.
Together, these three institutions illustrate a brand of frontline philanthropy uniquely suited to a region where rugged terrain, limited infrastructure and widespread need challenge conventional disaster response models. Their investments did more than fill gaps; they kept agencies serving children, families, seniors and small businesses in the fight for long-term recovery.
The frontline philanthropy award is also meant to honor the multitude of international, national, state and local nonprofits that bolstered these efforts across Western North Carolina; each of these organizations contributed their expertise, volunteers and resources to meet an extraordinary moment with extraordinary resolve. In the months since Helene, they have shown that philanthropy is not just about giving, but is also about that collective nonprofit network walking alongside communities through challenges and toward renewal.
